SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 36:1-22
OBSERVATION:
Events occur in 701 BC, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, besieges Jerusalem. Situation desperate (12).
Interesting to hear God’s promise quoted by the Assyrian commander (15,18), and of course, he denies it. Hard for the Israelites to hear this taunting, yet to cling to God’s promise.
Sennacherib tells his own version of this event, as recorded on the Taylor Prism.
God does not speak directly in this passage.
Need to read this in context of Deuteronomy 28:15ff, the consequence of rejecting God’s covenant.
The tearing of clothes was a symbolic action of grief and despair, perhaps of repentance. If they were sincere, they could find comfort in God’s promise in Deuteronomy 30:1-10.
APPLICATION:
God does speak through this passage, God’s promise comes through lips of the Assyrian commander.
This passage gives us a taste of how Satan works. Satan is always looking for ways to discourage believers, to get them to doubt God.
Our circumstances often support these taunts, making them hard to deny. Is God against me? Does God care? Is there a God?
God often waits until the last (and most desperate) moment before He steps in. And how He steps in is often not the way we want Him to. We want Him to stop bad things from happening at all.
PRAYER:
Lord, help me to refuse to believe Satan’s taunts when he challenges You and Your promises. Help me to stand firm. Help me to believe that even when things appear the most bleak, You are still in control. Amen.
Observation:
Here’s the main characters:
King Hezekiah – in his 14th reign over Judah
King Sennacherib – King of Assyria
Rabshakeh – Chief Officer of the Assyrian army
Eliakim – leader of the godly remnant of Judah
Shebna – Judean scribe
Joah – Judean recorder
Rabshakeh taunts Eliakim, Shebna and Joah with his interpretation of God’s promises and to their defeat as a nation. Eliahim, Shebna and Joah request Rabshakeh to speak in Aramaic (perhaps to spare the rest of the Judean men from hearing his taunting). But Rabshakeh is ruthless and shouts even louder in Judean so that even the common man could understand and become afraid.
The people of Judah are silent and do not offer their own responses to these tauntings. They are obedient to the Kings command to be silent.
Eliahim, Shebna and Joah report to the King all that Rabshakeh told them.
Application:
How do I react to tauntings and misconceptions to my faith from unbelievers? Do I get wrapped up in their unbelief and in their sense of logic? There are times that any word that is spoken will not penetrate into their colden hearts. At those times, I need to remember that the answers will not be generated in the heat of a debate but in the presence of our King. We need to draw close to the Lord and hear his judgement and let His truth strengthen and keep us on the firm foundation.
Prayer:
Lord, help me remember in the times when all my faith seems to be failing that your truth is what holds on to me and that nothing can take me out of your loving hands. Help me to remember to draw close to you. You are my Protector, You are my surety.