Israel was at a moral and spiritual low, having split into two kingdoms years earlier, with Judah in the south. Menahem, the current king, feared losing his position, though he hadn’t been chosen by the people. Instead, he killed the previous king, who ruled just a month, and took his place. His cruelty is clear in 2 Kings 15:16, when he attacked the city of Tiphsah and slaughtered its inhabitants, including pregnant women, simply because they refused to let him into their city and later a bribe was made to his enemies to prevent them from making an attack against the nation. His popularity further decreased after he forced the people to repay his bribe.
“Then Menahem smote [attacked] Tiphsah, and all that were therein, and the coasts thereof from Tirzah: because they opened not to him…and all the women therein that were with child he ripped up. In the nine and thirtieth year of Azariah king of Judah began Menahem the son of Gadi to reign over Israel, and reigned ten years in Samaria. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord: he departed not all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.
And Pul the king of Assyria came against the land: and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him to confirm the kingdom in his hand. And Menahem exacted [demanded] the money of Israel, even of all the mighty men of wealth, of each man fifty shekels of silver, to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back, and stayed not there in the land.”
2 Kings 15:16-20
Menahem’s Bribe to the King of Assyria
Instead of seeking and trusting God, Menahem took matters into his own hands—he leaned to the wisdom of man instead of God. When the king of Assyria came against the land of Israel, Menahem chose to bribe the king rather than attempting to fight Him. Then he ordered all the wealthy individuals of the land to pay the bribe, whether they liked it or not. It is sad to note that this was all that the Holy Spirit chose to make known of his life to future readers of God’s Word, like many other leaders of the land.
Christian Believers Attempting to Bribe Their Spiritual Enemy
How many believers in Christ today try something similar when our enemy, the devil, attacks us? We may not actually kill a leader, or attack a city and its people, but we still attempt to bribe or pay off our enemy. We even try to force other believers to pay the bribe for us! How many pastors and ministry leaders are guilty of trying to bribe the enemy with the funds from their church or ministry?
They became so caught up with deception from the devil that their leaders started bribing the enemy to bring peace.
Israel’s History of Bribing the Enemy
Throughout the Old Testament, the history of the children of Israel has demonstrated for us what happens when our faith is not totally in God. Over and over, the Israelites turned their eyes off of God, and onto themselves and their problems instead. They allowed their problems to reach the point where they became blinded to the fact that God actually could, and wanted to, deliver them from these problems and situations. They became so caught up with deception from the devil that their leaders started bribing the enemy to bring peace. As long as they kept averting the tests that God was bringing on them via the devil, the more the tests continued.
Bribing the Devil for Peace is Futile
We cannot bribe or placate our enemy, the devil, to gain peace, whether we are ministry leaders or not. The devil is the master of chaos, but Jesus is the Prince of Peace. Our only hope is to give our situations and circumstances over to Him. Giving even as little as a fraction of an inch to the devil results in him taking control of much of our lives. There is nothing that we could ever give to the devil that would satisfy him to leave us alone. It is absolute foolishness to think that we could ever have peace with, much less overcome, the devil in our own strength!
Christ’s Victory Over the Enemy—Not a Bribe
When the ‘king of Assyria’ or any other ‘king’ comes against us spiritually, our solution is to turn to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ. He has already paid the price and won our victory through His sacrifice on the cross. The price He paid was not a bribe or tribute. It was a final sacrifice and a finished work. There is nothing more we can ever do to improve or build upon His sacrifice for us. Jesus has already defeated the ‘king of Assyria’; all we have to do is trust in faith in that victory for ourselves. “The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace” (Exodus 14:14).
[Additional image credits: Featured image (when applicable) by Kiwiev from Wikimedia Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication; Opening image by A.J. Holman (publisher) by the Library of Congress from Wikimedia Commons on Picryl (Public Domain Mark PDM)]
