“In whom do you now trust?” (v 5). This taunt reverberates throughout the intense drama of Isaiah 36. The first 35 chapters are written as Hebrew poetry, along with chapters 40-66. But chapters 36-39 are historical narrative, forming a bridge between the first and second major sections of the book. “What we are reading here,” says Ray Ortlund, “is the dramatization of truth in the theatre of human events. Our lives are telling a story. We are acting out our beliefs, whatever they may be. Isaiah is calling us to live out a daring faith in God, whatever the opposition.” So what is the challenge you now face and in whom do you now trust? Perhaps you have claimed that you are a believer. But how is your story today going to reveal what you truly believe? It was 701 BC when Sennacherib’s Assyrian army captured all the military outposts of Judah. Having arrived at the walls of Jerusalem, their first strategy is to wage psychological warfare. Sennacherib’s field commander is sent with a detachment of soldiers to demand Judah’s complete surrender. His opening speech uses the word “trust” seven times, as he makes the key issue quite plain: “Hezekiah, king of Judah, is God really the best ally you can find?” With an arrogant mixture of lies, half-truths, and intimidation, the Assyrian bully tries to make belief in God sound ridiculous and foolish (v 1-10). When the officials of Judah ask him to stop speaking in Hebrew and start using Aramaic, the language of diplomatic protocol, it’s because they don’t want the common people to know how bad the situation really is. But this only causes their enemy to turn up the volume, warning Jerusalem’s inhabitants of the severe hardships they will endure if they maintain their faith in the LORD. But they do have a choice. Isn’t their king naïve to think that God will deliver them? Isn’t there a brighter future for them in the camp of the enemy? The pressure builds. “Do not let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD” (v 11-17). The field commander goes on to boast of victories over all the surrounding nations. Since their gods failed to deliver them, he claims it simply makes no sense for the Israelites to trust in theirs (v 18-20). But Israel’s God is not like the gods of the nations. The LORD is not simply the greatest of all gods, He is the only God that truly exists. Our part is to honor Him—by trusting Him. To their credit, the citizens of Judah do not abandon their faith, but wait in silence as word of this encounter is delivered to King Hezekiah (v 21-22). So how about you? Despite your challenges, will you trust in the LORD your God? For further meditation: