II Kings 18:34 “Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?”
Hamath was a fortress city in Syria that fell to the Assyrian armies, mentioned in Amos 6:2 and in II Chronicles 8:3. Arpad, mentioned in Isaiah 10:9, was another Syrian city that had fallen to the Assyrians in 742 B.C. after a three-year siege.
Sepharvaim was a twin city on the east and west banks of the river Euphrates – famous for its libraries and learning, it was captured by the Assyrians. Hena, another city on the Euphrates had been utterly destroyed by the Assyrians. Finally as for Ivvah, not much is known about this city.
The commander of the Assyrian armies is listing several cities that were well known, that were strategically placed and were famous for various aspects, such as the fortifications, or learning of the population. He is ridiculing them publicly and calling out their gods as ineffective against the Assyrian army. He has already claimed that God, the God of Israel had sent him and his army to destroy Jerusalem if the people would not willingly be dispersed.
The commander is building his case and making sure all the people on the walls of Jerusalem hear these facts in their own language, while apparently talking to the small team sent out to meet him.
What does this mean for you and me today though?
Perhaps you, like me have tried and failed in some areas of life, and there is a temptation now to give up. Or others around you have failed you? Perhaps someone who you thought had it all together, or had the perfect marriage has crashed and burned recently and it’s made you wobble a bit?
When we look around us and compare ourselves to others we won’t take long to discover discontentment, disappointment, and discouragement. The commander of the Assyrian armies was trying to plant seeds of doubt, despair, and dismay in the population of Jerusalem.
I love that the Bible says in Psalm 91:8-10 – A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you make the Most High your dwelling– even the LORD, who is my refuge–then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.
Principle of Change 37 – learn to make the Most High your dwelling place and no harm will come near you.
Strength – Relator – you know how to build a close relationship. Going deeper is your motivation. You love one-on-one time with those most important to you.