Daily Devotions
Isaiah
"Do not listen to Hezekiah"
Text: Isaiah 36:16
A PROMISE FROM THE RABSHAKEH
The Rabshakeh spoke in Hebrew to the besieged people in Jerusalem. His sole aim was to undermine the confidence of the people. At this juncture, he made a promise that the people would be well-treated by the Assyrians if they surrendered.
“Do not listen to Hezekiah; for thus says the king of Assyria:
‘Make peace with me by a present and come out to me;
and every one of you eat from his own vine and every one from his own fig tree,
and every one of you drink the waters of his own cistern;
until I come and take you away to a land like your own land,
a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards.
Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, ‘The LORD will deliver us.’
Has any one of the gods of the nations delivered its land
from the hand of the king of Assyria?'”
Isaiah 36:16-18
1. Do not listen to Hezekiah.
a) The Rabshakeh knew that the king played a significant role in Judah.
b) He had proven himself to be a good king. He was compared to King David.
c) He had to undermine the confidence of the people in their king.
d) If possible, he hoped to cause the people to rise up against the King
and to force him to make peace with Assyria.
2. The earlier promise of the Rabshakeh.
a) That he would give 2000 horses to the people.
b) But he had mocked the people even as he offered this promise.
3. The new word of promise.
a) If Judah brought a suitable present to the Assyrians.
b) He promised the following:
i) Each one would have his own fig tree and vineyard and his own cistern.
ii) This was a Hebrew idiom of a life of peace and prosperity.
c) A new land.
i) It would be similar to that of Judah.
ii) “A land of grain and new wine”
iii) “A land of bread and vineyards”
4. Another shot at King Hezekiah.
a) The king had encouraged the people to trust in God’s deliverance.
b) The Rabshakeh’s boast.
i) Assyria had conquered many lands.
ii) Every land had its own deities.
iii) None of the deities had been able to offer any help.
iv) In the same way, he questioned the ability of the LORD to bring about
a deliverance from the Assyrians besieging Jerusalem!