2 Kings 18:31
‘Do not listen to Hezekiah, for this is what the king of Assyria says: “Make your peace with me and come out to me, and eat, each one, from his vine and each from his fig tree, and drink, each one, the waters of his own cistern.”‘
These are words from the spokesman from the king of Assyria. He's talking to the soldiers of Judah who are standing guard on the wall. The spokesman is trying to scare them. The Assyrian army is on its way. The soldiers are probably scared, hungry and fear for their future. The spokesman is telling them they will have their own property, their own trees and their own water source. They just have to give up and come out.
He is the enemy and he is lying. He's good at it. That's why he's in that position. He's good with his words and he is persuasive. He is like the devil is to us. He is a liar and he is good at it. He wants to demoralize us. He would love to destroy us, but God has him on a leash. By their choices, people invite the devil closer. Unbiblical behavior, lying, drugs, substance abuse are all invitations to evil. We wear down the wall of protection when we engage in those practices.
We learn from Job that God had a wall of protection about him (Job 1:10). I believe that's true of everyone. Rejecting God and His ways erode that protection. Romans 1:24 says what happens to those that reject God, "Therefore God gave them up to vile impurity in the lusts of their hearts, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them." The devil is happy to assist in this process.
This obviously makes one very unhappy. They are acting in ways that go against the ways they were intended to live. This misery drives some back to God. Others go deeper into depravity. God and His love still reaches out.
If one keeps ignoring God, things get worse. Ephesians 4:18 says, "They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts." Their reasoning gets distorted when they harden their hearts to the Lord. This is a sad state.
The Judean soldiers were probably tempted to walk over to the enemies side. The devil and his ways are tempting. Moses rejected the glories of Egypt and all the luxuries they offered him. Hebrews 11:25 says, "choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin".
The passing pleasures of sin are quite alluring. But they are passing and misery is in their wake. Choosing God is the right way. There are pleasures in Him. David says in Psalm 23, "My cup overflows" and "surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life".
God gives us peace in our hearts and a confidence that we are right with Him. We are in congruence with Him. We are at rest. Our sins are forgiven, we are in fellowship with God, He is guiding us, loving us and blessing us.
Moses had it right. Obey and follow Him. There will be denying of one's self, there will be avoiding sin and it's pleasures, but there will be true joy. Psalm 16:11 says, "Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore."
Lord, help us to recognize and resist the enemy. Help us to see his lies. That the pleasures he offers are poison. Thank You that You have pleasures evermore if we follow You.