2 Kings 18:9-16: a reflection

9In the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria and besieged it. 10At the end of three years they took it. In the sixth year of Hezekiah, which was the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken. 11The king of Assyria carried Israel away to Assyria, and put them in Halah, and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes, 12because they didn’t obey the LORD their God’s voice, but transgressed his covenant, even all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded, and would not hear it or do it. 13Now in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them. 14Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria at Lachish, saying, “I have offended you. Withdraw from me. That which you put on me, I will bear.” The king of Assyria appointed to Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. 15Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the LORD’s house and in the treasures of the king’s house. 16At that time, Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the LORD’s temple, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.

When Sennacherib of Assyria comes against the fortified cities of Judah, King Hezekiah, at least at first, tries to buy off the threat by compromise. I have offended you, he tells the Assyrian king; withdraw from me, and I will bear whatever you put on me. To pay the heavy tribute demanded, he strips the silver from the temple, even cuts the gold from its doors and pillars, and hands it over. He tries to purchase safety by giving away what was holy, hoping to appease the threat. But this fearful compromise did not truly deliver him; buying off the threat bought only a brief respite, and the danger returned. The attempt to purchase safety by compromise, even at the cost of what was holy, did not save him.

Notice Hezekiah's attempt to buy off the threat, and its emptiness. Faced with a fearful enemy, he tried to purchase safety by paying tribute, even stripping the temple of what was holy to do it. He hoped compromise would make the danger go away. But it did not truly deliver him; the threat was only briefly appeased, and it returned. Buying off the danger by fearful compromise, even at the cost of what was sacred, bought a respite but not deliverance. The compromise did not save; it only postponed the reckoning and cost him what was holy in the bargain. Fearful compromise, purchasing a little safety by giving away what mattered, proved a poor deliverer; the danger it tried to buy off came back.

That is worth taking to heart, for buying off our troubles by fearful compromise does not truly deliver us. When we face threats, we can be tempted to buy them off by compromise, giving away what we should hold sacred, hoping the danger will go away; but Hezekiah's tribute, even stripping the temple, bought only a brief respite, not deliverance. Fearful compromise may postpone a trouble, but it does not truly save, and it can cost us what is precious. Do not try to buy off your troubles by fearful compromise, giving away what you should hold sacred; such compromise does not truly deliver. Resist buying off your troubles by fearful compromise that gives away what should be held sacred, remembering that Hezekiah's tribute, even stripping the temple, bought only a brief respite and not deliverance; for fearful compromise may postpone a danger but does not truly save us, and it can cost us what is precious in the bargain, so that real deliverance is to be sought in God rather than purchased by giving away what matters.

Lord, when Sennacherib of Assyria comes against the fortified cities of Judah, King Hezekiah, at least at first, tries to buy off the threat by compromise. I have offended you, he tells the Assyrian king; withdraw from me, and I will bear whatever you put on me. To pay the heavy tribute demanded, he strips the silver from the temple, even cuts the gold from its doors and pillars, and hands it over. He tries to purchase safety by giving away what was holy, hoping to appease the threat. But this fearful compromise did not truly deliver him; buying off the threat bought only a brief respite, and the danger returned. Show me Hezekiah's attempt to buy off the threat, and its emptiness. Faced with a fearful enemy, he tried to purchase safety by paying tribute, even stripping the temple of what was holy. He hoped compromise would make the danger go away. But it did not truly deliver him; the threat was only briefly appeased, and it returned. The compromise did not save; it only postponed the reckoning and cost him what was holy in the bargain. Take that to my heart, for buying off my troubles by fearful compromise does not truly deliver me. When I face threats, I can be tempted to buy them off by compromise, giving away what I should hold sacred, hoping the danger will go away; but Hezekiah's tribute bought only a brief respite. Fearful compromise may postpone a trouble, but it does not truly save. Keep me from trying to buy off my troubles by fearful compromise that gives away what I should hold sacred, Lord; help me seek real deliverance in you rather than purchase a false safety by giving away what matters.