13 Then Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in Judean and said, “Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria. 14 Thus says the king, ‘Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you; 15 nor let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, saying, “The Lord will surely deliver us, this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” 16 Do not listen to Hezekiah,’ for thus says the king of Assyria, ‘[l]Make your peace with me and come out to me, and eat each of his vine and each of his fig tree and drink each of the waters of his own cistern, 17 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. 18 Beware that Hezekiah does not mislead you, saying, “The Lord will deliver us.” Has any one of the gods of the nations delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria? 19 Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? And when have they delivered Samaria from my hand? 20 Who among all the gods of these lands have delivered their land from my hand, that the Lord would deliver Jerusalem from my hand?’”
21 But they were silent and answered him not a word; for the king’s commandment was, “Do not answer him.” 22 Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn and told him the words of Rabshakeh.
As we continue, Rabshakeh keeps taunting the Israelites. He even makes them promises of grain and wine, in a new land of bread and vineyards. He lists all the people the Assyrians have conquered, and asks the ultimate question, “If their gods couldn’t save them, how can your God save Jerusalem?”
Amazingly, though they were commanded to do it, all were silent. Before, they had asked Rabshakeh to speak in Aramean so that the commoners didn’t understand what was said. Now, nothing, radio silence. When someone doesn’t know God and mocks him, what could they say? What can we say? What should we say?
I’ve watched a few videos recently where they delve into various topics that pit evolution against the biblical account of creation. These are from those who support the biblical account, and while they are quite interesting, the comments under these videos are a different story. Inevitably, some come along to mock God, or the ideas presented, or even the presenter themselves. It’s sad, not for those comments themselves, but for the responses that show nothing of the character of God or the fruit of his Spirit.
Admittedly, I’m tempted to jump into the fray, and defend God. But He needs no defense. Certainly, we are told to have a defense for our faith and for the hope that lives in us. Yet when confronted with someone who is only out to mock the truth, sometimes silence is the best policy. In a way, it reminds me of when Jesus said, if you love only those who love you, how are you different from unbelievers?” (paraphrasing a little).
Likewise, if you argue and bicker just like the world, how will anyone know that you love God or that God loves you (and them)? Some will indeed ask honest questions, or criticize your beliefs, and be open to dialog. Ask God to guide you in all these areas, to show a strength that is beyond you to be silent in the face of mockery. And even more important, to show a love that is beyond you, to both the mocker and the seeker. Show the world you are different, and by that, that God is different and better than they ever imagined.