QT 14 Sep 15, Isa 37:28-29, 36-37, Complacency is the great danger of life

Isa 37:28-29, 36-37 (ESV)

28 "'I know your sitting down

and your going out and coming in,

and your raging against me.

29  Because you have raged against me

and your complacency has come to my ears,

I will put my hook in your nose

and my bit in your mouth,

and I will turn you back on the way

by which you came.'

…

36  And the angel of the Lord went out and struck down a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the camp of the Assyrians. And when people arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies. 37 Then Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and returned home and lived at Nineveh.

NOTE: This was a devastating loss to the Assyrians and while they would still defeat Babylon in battle in the years ahead, ultimately it will be Babylon which will conquer the Assyrian kingdom. It's quite possible that Babylon empire never happens if not for this event. The problem here is two-fold, one, the Assyrians did not realize that the God of the universe had given them their victories. They believed that their accomplishments were because of their own power and superior intelligence. The REAL superior intelligence was using Assyria for His own purposes, to bring judgment upon His people for their sin (the ten tribes to the north) and to warn His people (the two tribes to the south) to repent. Because of Assyria's boastful words, God starts the process of Assyria's decline. He will use another world power to bring judgment to the remaining two tribes if they do not repent (that will be Babylon). The second aspect was complacency. They just believed life "happened." They go out, they conquer, they enjoy the fruits, and they do it again in the morning. As believers, we can develop a similar complacency to life, neglecting our real source of strength; and that is our relationship to God. Oftentimes God will bring about an effect to jolt us to our senses. Sometimes it is the still small voice, sometimes it is a little louder, and sometimes it seems so devastating as if it would destroy us. But we will not be destroyed if we repent and turn back to our savior. He loves us greatly and does not desire our destruction but our salvation.