Hezekiah: Isaiah 36-39 (1)

Pray Psalm 52.9.
I will praise You forever,
Because You have done it;
And in the presence of Your saints
I will wait on Your name, for it is good.

Read Isaiah 36.1-22.

Reflect.
1. What is your impression of Sennacherib? Does he remind you of the devil in any ways? How do his words to Hezekiah mirror the way the devil tries to tempt us?

2. Put yourself in Hezekiah’s shoes, looking out on the army of Assyria, and hearing these demands. How would you feel?

Meditate.
It is 701 BC. Seven years prior to the event described in this chapter, Assyria overwhelmed Syria and Israel, and carried the northern kingdom away into captivity. All that Isaiah had prophesied concerning Israel and Assyria came to pass, just as he said, and the people of Jerusalem had seen it happen. And now here were the Assyrians, at the very gate of Jerusalem (vv. 1-3).

So confident was Sennacherib, that he sent a missive back home to Nineveh claiming, “I have shut up Hezekiah the Judahite like a caged bird,” which missive was promptly inscribed in the annals of the Assyrian kings, and can be seen today on a cuneiform hexagon, discovered in the ruins of Nineveh early in the last century.

Sennacherib was a big talker, and he would not take “No” for an answer. His mouthpiece, the Rabshakeh (probably a title), pressed Sennacherib’s demands, moving from mocking the faith of the people of Jerusalem (vv. 4-9), to offending against God (v. 7), to promises of horses and the freedom that possessing them implied (vv. 8, 9). Sennacherib even claimed God had sent him to destroy Judah v. 10). He would discover the hard way that he was sorely mistaken about this.

The Rabshakeh, standing outside the city walls, was speaking loudly in Hebrew. The leaders of Jerusalem asked him to speak in Aramaic, a cognate of Hebrew (and the second language in which the Old Testament is written), because the people inside would not be able to understand him, though the leaders would (v. 11). The Rabshakeh explodes in mocking, threats, and warnings, even denying God’s power to rescue His people (vv. 13-20).

The leaders of Israel were forbidden to respond. Instead, they went to Hezekiah and reported on all the Assyrian had said (vv. 21, 22).

Prepare.
1. Sennacherib’s offer to the people of Jerusalem might have been appealing to some. Why? Are we ever faced with such temptations today? Explain. 

2. What was it about the Rabshakeh’s demands that might have been tempting to Jerusalem’s leaders? Why do you suppose Hezekiah forbade them from responding? 

3. Push had come to shove for the people of Jerusalem. If you had been present in that situation, what would you have advised the king and his counselors?

All of the people remained silent and no one said anything to him, because they had accepted the instruction of the king not to respond to him. For because Hezekiah was a truly righteous man, acting in complete fidelity and with all counsel, he had asked that no response be made to the blaspheming Assyrian, lest it provoke him to even greater blasphemy. Hence it is written: “Do not ignite the coals of a sinner.” We also read in the Psalms: “When the sinner stood against me, I was mute and I was humbled and I was silent concerning the good.” And again, “Place a guard at my mouth, Lord, and a fortified door over my lips; do not incline my heart toward evil words.” Jerome (347-420 AD), Commentary on Isaiah 11.36.11-21

Lord, whenever the devil comes to tempt me, help me to…

Pray Psalm 52.
How many different ways can you see that the wicked “boast in evil” and mock the goodness of God? Pray for lost people, that they might break free from all deception and lying and wickedness, and turn to the Lord. And pray for yourself, that in the midst of a wicked age like ours, you may bear fruit for the Lord and be faithful in your witness for Him.

Sing to the Lord.
Psalm 52 (Warrington: Give to Our God Immortal Praise)
Why do the mighty boast in sin? God’s love endures, it knows no end!
They with their tongues vain boasts repeat, and like a razor, work deceit.

Men more than good in evil delight, and lies prefer to what is right.
They utter words, both harsh and strong, with their devouring, deceitful tongue.

God will forever break them down, uproot, and cast them to the ground!
He from their safety tears them away, no more to know the light of day.

The righteous see and laugh and fear, and say, “Behold, what have we here?
Such are all who at God conspire, and wealth and evil ways desire.

“But as for me may I be seen in God an olive ever green!
Ever in God, most kind and just, shall I with joy and gladness trust!”

Thanks evermore to our Savior be raised! His faithfulness be ever praised!
Here with Your people, loving God, I wait upon Your Name, so good!

T. M. Moore

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006).All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (available by clicking here).