05.17.2016 Old Testament: 2Ki 18.26

To read the Bible in a year, read Second Kings 18–19 on May 17, In the year of our Lord 2016

By Don Ruhl

The mighty and cruel Assyrians conquered much of the land of Israel; they needed only to defeat Jerusalem. Before the attack, the leader approached the city and spoke to the soldiers on the wall, in particular to the leaders of the Jews, but those leaders did not want the people to hear what the Assyrians had to say,

Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, Shebna, and Joah said to the Rabshakeh, “Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it; and do not speak to us in Hebrew in the hearing of the people who are on the wall” (2 Kings 18.26).

However, that only enraged the Assyrian commander and he spoke boldly to the very men that the Jewish leaders did not want to hear the message. Their feeble attempt failed. Sometimes people need to hear just how dangerous their situation is.

Questions:

• Is it always good to shield people from bad news?
• What happens if people do hear the bad news?