II Kings 18:36 “But the people were silent and answered him not a word, for the king’s command was “Do not answer him”.
As soon as I read this scripture my mind went to Matt 27:13-14 “Then Pilate said to him ‘Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?’ But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge so that the governor was greatly amazed.”
False allegations do not always require an answer. Hezekiah recognised that it was not possible to have a meaningful conversation with an enemy that is out to destroy you. He forbade the people from engaging with the enemy – he trusted that God was able to defend his own name and that God would have the last word.
Oh, what a beautiful and awesome thing is silence.
Jesus was silent before Pilate, not responding to the false allegations. Pilate would have expected Jesus to be on his knees pleading for his life, vehemently denying all charges. It’s unlikely any other person had ever stood before him and been silent in this situation.
The Greek word for “amazed” used in Matthew’s gospel is thaumazo – which means literally “to admire, to wonder at, to adore, to be astonished at”.
Jesus made an unforgettable impact on Pilate by what he did not say. I’m sure the same would have been the case for the Assyrian commander – had ever a city been totally silent to his threats and promises before – unlikely.
Sometimes our trust in God allows us to remain silent before the enemy’s unjust charges and threats. God will have the last word, as we see later in Hezekiah’s story, and as we know from the story of Jesus The devil was about to be defeated, and hell plundered. The silence was simply the prelude.
Principle of Change 39 – We need to really know when to speak and when to be silent – even if it’s awkward.
Strength – Self Assurance – we have an inner compass that gives us confidence that our decisions are right. We are drawn to uncharted territory and risks that others avoid.