In Whom Will You Trust?
In Whom Will You Trust? Finding Refuge in God During Chaos
When life feels chaotic and uncertain, where do we turn? Psalm 46 offers profound wisdom for those facing storms, battles, and seemingly insurmountable challenges. This powerful psalm reminds us that God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
The Historical Context of Psalm 46
To understand the depth of Psalm 46, we need to travel back about 2,700 years to the kingdom of Judah. A young king named Ahaz, barely 20 years old, faced a critical decision that would define his legacy. Two powerful neighbors—King Rezin of Syria and King Pekah of Israel—joined forces against Judah because Ahaz refused to join their rebellion against Assyria, the superpower of the ancient world.
Assyria wasn't just another enemy—they were the terror of the ancient world. Their armies swept across nations without mercy, crushing everything in their path. Their goal was to make the very mention of Assyria strike fear into every heart.
A Tale of Two Kings: Ahaz vs. Hezekiah
In this political turmoil, God sent the prophet Isaiah to King Ahaz with an important message: "Do not fear and do not let your hearts be faint." Isaiah concluded with a crucial statement: "If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all."
God even offered Ahaz an incredible opportunity—to ask for any sign from heaven to strengthen his faith. But Ahaz refused, saying, "I will not ask and I will not put the Lord to the test." While this sounds spiritual, Ahaz was actually rejecting God's plan.
Instead of trusting God, Ahaz sent a message to the king of Assyria saying, "I am your servant and your son. Come up and rescue me." He even took silver and gold from the house of the Lord to send as a gift to the Assyrian king.
The Warning for Us Today
Here's a powerful warning: The very thing you turn to instead of God will become a monster that comes to destroy you. After Ahaz died, his son Hezekiah became king at age 25 and led very differently. While Ahaz "did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord," Hezekiah "did what was right in the eyes of the Lord." He immediately began spiritual reformation in Judah, removing idols and leading the people back to God.
Scripture says of Hezekiah: "He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel, so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those who were before him."
When the Enemy Attacks
As king, Hezekiah faced an important choice. His father had become a servant of Assyria, but Hezekiah realized you cannot serve both man and God. So "he rebelled against the king of Assyria and would not serve him."
Predictably, the Assyrian army marched against Judah. When you try to break free from destructive patterns, there is always a battle that follows. In a moment of panic, Hezekiah initially followed his father's example—gathering silver from the house of the Lord and stripping gold from the temple to give to the Assyrian king.
But the Assyrian king wanted more. He sent his army to Jerusalem with a message designed to:
The Enemy's Tactics Haven't Changed
The Assyrian message was simple: "You can't trust God because He's angry with you. You can't trust your army because it's too weak. God Himself even sent us to destroy you."
Sound familiar? When the enemy comes, his main tactic is deception—mixing lies with just enough truth to make them believable. Just as Satan tempted Jesus by twisting Scripture, the enemy tries to twist truth in our lives.
The Power of Unity in the Face of Attack
What the Assyrians didn't account for was the spiritual revival that had taken place. Second Chronicles 30 tells us: "God's hand was on the people in the land of Judah, giving them all one heart to obey the orders of the king and his officials who were following the word of the Lord."
There is something beautiful when the body of Christ is united. When the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy, he cannot be effective when believers stand together as one.
The Temptation to Surrender for Peace
The Assyrian message continued: "If you surrender to me, all will be well. You'll eat from your own vine, you'll drink from your own wells and live in peace." In the thick of battle, nothing sounds better than peace—especially when there is no hope of peace in sight. But too often, we surrender territory to the enemy for the sake of peace. We value not standing up in truth because we don't want to offend anyone.
Have we gotten so soft as a church that anytime there is a battle, we give the enemy territory that is ours? Have we gotten to the point that we desire peace and comfort over fighting the good fight?
Turning to God in Crisis
When Hezekiah heard the Assyrian threats, he did something powerful: "He tore his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth and went into the house of the Lord." In response, Isaiah delivered God's message: "Do not be afraid of the words that you have heard." The same message his father had received—but this time, the response would be different.
While King Ahaz chose to surrender to Assyria for deliverance, King Hezekiah surrendered to God for deliverance. He laid out his problem before the Lord and prayed: "O Lord of hosts, God of Israel...save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are Lord."
When God Steps In
After Hezekiah's prayer, Isaiah delivered another message from God, beginning with these powerful words: "Because you have prayed to me..." The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective! God promised to defend Jerusalem against the king of Assyria. And then God did what only He could do: "The angel of the Lord went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians."
In a single night, the angel of the Lord did what no human army could accomplish. He destroyed the proud, silenced the arrogant, and proved before all nations that battles do not belong to kings and kingdoms—the battle belongs to the Lord of hosts.
The Birth of Psalm 46
This historical event inspired the writing of Psalm 46, which begins: "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea..."
The psalm concludes with the famous words: "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress."
Life Application
Many of us are facing different storms and uncertainties in our lives. We don't know what will happen next. But we can "be still and know that He is God."
This week, I challenge you to:
Ask yourself: In whom will I trust when chaos surrounds me? Will I, like Ahaz, turn to human solutions? Or will I, like Hezekiah, surrender to God and watch Him fight my battles?
Remember, the Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our fortress. Be still and know that He is God.
When life feels chaotic and uncertain, where do we turn? Psalm 46 offers profound wisdom for those facing storms, battles, and seemingly insurmountable challenges. This powerful psalm reminds us that God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
The Historical Context of Psalm 46
To understand the depth of Psalm 46, we need to travel back about 2,700 years to the kingdom of Judah. A young king named Ahaz, barely 20 years old, faced a critical decision that would define his legacy. Two powerful neighbors—King Rezin of Syria and King Pekah of Israel—joined forces against Judah because Ahaz refused to join their rebellion against Assyria, the superpower of the ancient world.
Assyria wasn't just another enemy—they were the terror of the ancient world. Their armies swept across nations without mercy, crushing everything in their path. Their goal was to make the very mention of Assyria strike fear into every heart.
A Tale of Two Kings: Ahaz vs. Hezekiah
In this political turmoil, God sent the prophet Isaiah to King Ahaz with an important message: "Do not fear and do not let your hearts be faint." Isaiah concluded with a crucial statement: "If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all."
God even offered Ahaz an incredible opportunity—to ask for any sign from heaven to strengthen his faith. But Ahaz refused, saying, "I will not ask and I will not put the Lord to the test." While this sounds spiritual, Ahaz was actually rejecting God's plan.
Instead of trusting God, Ahaz sent a message to the king of Assyria saying, "I am your servant and your son. Come up and rescue me." He even took silver and gold from the house of the Lord to send as a gift to the Assyrian king.
The Warning for Us Today
Here's a powerful warning: The very thing you turn to instead of God will become a monster that comes to destroy you. After Ahaz died, his son Hezekiah became king at age 25 and led very differently. While Ahaz "did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord," Hezekiah "did what was right in the eyes of the Lord." He immediately began spiritual reformation in Judah, removing idols and leading the people back to God.
Scripture says of Hezekiah: "He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel, so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those who were before him."
When the Enemy Attacks
As king, Hezekiah faced an important choice. His father had become a servant of Assyria, but Hezekiah realized you cannot serve both man and God. So "he rebelled against the king of Assyria and would not serve him."
Predictably, the Assyrian army marched against Judah. When you try to break free from destructive patterns, there is always a battle that follows. In a moment of panic, Hezekiah initially followed his father's example—gathering silver from the house of the Lord and stripping gold from the temple to give to the Assyrian king.
But the Assyrian king wanted more. He sent his army to Jerusalem with a message designed to:
- Bring fear to the people
- Create division among them
- Plant doubt about God's protection
The Enemy's Tactics Haven't Changed
The Assyrian message was simple: "You can't trust God because He's angry with you. You can't trust your army because it's too weak. God Himself even sent us to destroy you."
Sound familiar? When the enemy comes, his main tactic is deception—mixing lies with just enough truth to make them believable. Just as Satan tempted Jesus by twisting Scripture, the enemy tries to twist truth in our lives.
The Power of Unity in the Face of Attack
What the Assyrians didn't account for was the spiritual revival that had taken place. Second Chronicles 30 tells us: "God's hand was on the people in the land of Judah, giving them all one heart to obey the orders of the king and his officials who were following the word of the Lord."
There is something beautiful when the body of Christ is united. When the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy, he cannot be effective when believers stand together as one.
The Temptation to Surrender for Peace
The Assyrian message continued: "If you surrender to me, all will be well. You'll eat from your own vine, you'll drink from your own wells and live in peace." In the thick of battle, nothing sounds better than peace—especially when there is no hope of peace in sight. But too often, we surrender territory to the enemy for the sake of peace. We value not standing up in truth because we don't want to offend anyone.
Have we gotten so soft as a church that anytime there is a battle, we give the enemy territory that is ours? Have we gotten to the point that we desire peace and comfort over fighting the good fight?
Turning to God in Crisis
When Hezekiah heard the Assyrian threats, he did something powerful: "He tore his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth and went into the house of the Lord." In response, Isaiah delivered God's message: "Do not be afraid of the words that you have heard." The same message his father had received—but this time, the response would be different.
While King Ahaz chose to surrender to Assyria for deliverance, King Hezekiah surrendered to God for deliverance. He laid out his problem before the Lord and prayed: "O Lord of hosts, God of Israel...save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are Lord."
When God Steps In
After Hezekiah's prayer, Isaiah delivered another message from God, beginning with these powerful words: "Because you have prayed to me..." The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective! God promised to defend Jerusalem against the king of Assyria. And then God did what only He could do: "The angel of the Lord went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians."
In a single night, the angel of the Lord did what no human army could accomplish. He destroyed the proud, silenced the arrogant, and proved before all nations that battles do not belong to kings and kingdoms—the battle belongs to the Lord of hosts.
The Birth of Psalm 46
This historical event inspired the writing of Psalm 46, which begins: "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea..."
The psalm concludes with the famous words: "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress."
Life Application
Many of us are facing different storms and uncertainties in our lives. We don't know what will happen next. But we can "be still and know that He is God."
This week, I challenge you to:
- Identify where you've been putting your trust in something other than God. Remember: whatever you turn to instead of God will eventually become a monster that destroys you.
- Surrender areas of compromise in your life. Have you been "playing church" or living as a Christian in name only? This is the hour to say, "God, I'm done messing around."
- Take your battles to God in prayer. Like Hezekiah, lay your problems before the Lord and watch Him work.
- Stand united with other believers. When God's people have "one heart," the enemy's attempts to divide and conquer will fail.
Ask yourself: In whom will I trust when chaos surrounds me? Will I, like Ahaz, turn to human solutions? Or will I, like Hezekiah, surrender to God and watch Him fight my battles?
Remember, the Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our fortress. Be still and know that He is God.
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