2 Kings 18:31-32 Do not listen to Hezekiah; for thus says the king of Assyria: ‘Make peace with me by a present and come out to me; and every one of you eat from his own vine and every one from his own fig tree, and every one of you drink the waters of his own cistern; ‘until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive groves and honey, that you may live and not die. But do not listen to Hezekiah, lest he persuade you, saying, “The LORD will deliver us.”
This is so typical of demonic schemes against the people of God. Although a battle is engaged and the enemy has drawn near, he attempts to lull the people into complacency, convincing them to ignore his attack and to just enjoy the good things of life (or alternatively to settle into our current trouble as an inescapable trial) and all the while his intent is to come and snatch us up and make us his captives. He doesn’t want a people to trust God. He doesn’t want a people to fight against him. He relies upon our desire for a peaceful existence to keep us settled in the land until his time is ready. This is a picture of the church that has forgotten how to fight, or has become too comfortable to fight. We have our buildings and programs. We have our material things, our homes, cars and iPhones.
For many, complacency is the default mode. But in the kingdom we are called to warfare and a radical trust in a God who defends and preserves us.
He is my Delight 