Year 3, Day 20: Isaiah 36

Isaiah 36 begins an unusual set of four chapters in Isaiah.  Here we go from the poetry of the oracles to a historical account.  These chapters are the chapters concerning the conquest of Sennacherib, King of Assyria.  These chapters also concern themselves with Judah’s response to the Assyrian invasion.

He Gets What He Wants

I think Isaiah 36:1 is a terrible and scary verse.  In the ESV, it is translated thusly: “In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them.”  Do you hear what this one single verse confesses?  Sennacherib came into Judah and took what he wanted.  Everything except for Jerusalem, of course.  Even the fortified cites were taken. 

We can add to this the fact that it is spoken of in a single verse without explanation.  In fact, it sounds as though there wasn’t really anything worth talking about.  It isn’t like Sennacherib suffered resistance.  His armies marched over the land and took possession of it.  God’s judgment came swift.  The Assyrian army fell upon the Hebrew people great and mightily.  There was no stopping the Assyrians anywhere except for God’s holy mountain: Jerusalem.  {For you history buffs, this attack occurs in 701 B.C. and it is in the 14th year of Hezekiah’s reign.}

Rabshakeh

When the Assyrian army comes upon Jerusalem, the Rabshakeh comes forth to speak.  We should note that contextually, it is proper to say the Rabshakeh rather than just Rabshakeh.  This is probably a title and not a personal name.  The word Rabshakeh means “chief commander” or the “highest among the commanders.”  Think of this man as Sennacherib’s field general.  Here is the man who is actually in charge of troop deployment, attacks, feints, parries, and the general movement of the army.  This man comes to within shouting distance of the walls of Jerusalem and begins to mock the Hebrew people.

Look at what the Rabshakeh says.  First, he tells Hezekiah that it is absolutely silly for them to think that any help can come from Egypt.  The Assyrians know that Egypt is in no position to help anyone.  Their country’s power had begun to wane.  They were in turmoil themselves.  They were like a broken reed – something just as capable of injuring the one who wielded them as injuring the opponent.  How interesting that on this point the Rabshakeh agreed with the message of God that Isaiah proclaimed!

Then the Rabshakeh accuses Hezekiah of having no faith in God.  Surely the Assyrians had heard about Hezekiah’s religious reforms.  Hezekiah did tear down many of the “high places of worship.”  But these were not places of worship of the Lord, these were false places of worship that the Hebrew had put up to foreign gods.  Hezekiah had torn them down to try and please God and bring the people back to worshiping Him.  The Rabshakeh is clearly mistaken on this point.  What the Rabshakeh sees he misinterprets as unfaithfulness when really Hezekiah has been faithful.

In verse 10 – following the Rabshakeh’s taunt and offer to supply them with horses if they could find the fighters to ride them – we see the pride of the Assyrians gone too far.  This is what I have spoken of the last few days.  The Rabshakeh is correct when he says that the Assyrians came at the request of the Lord.  But the Rabshakeh is showing his greed in assuming that Jerusalem would fall.  God did not intend for the Assyrians to take Jerusalem.  The Assyrians assumed for themselves that God wanted them to take Jerusalem.  Pride.  Arrogance.  Love for violence.  These are the qualities that we see here in this passage for which God has promised judgment even upon those who are executing His will in bringing the Hebrew people to their knees.

Psychological Warfare

As we conclude this chapter, note the psychological aspect of warfare.  Hezekiah’s emissaries desire to speak in Aramaic, which was the common political language of the region.  Aramaic and Hebrew were similar, but different enough that the common Hebrew people and soldiers would not likely understand all that was being said.  They were trying to stop panic from spreading.

The Rabshakeh, on the other hand, intentionally spoke in Hebrew in order to spread panic.  This point makes me set back and remember the brilliance of these people.  How smart would you have to be to be fluent not only in your own language but also all the languages of the countries you are conquering!  These people may not have been as advanced technologically, but they were far more advanced linguistically than any of us today!

Psychological warfare abounds.  But Hezekiah’s people are faithful.  They trust that their king and their God can deliver them.  Whereas Israel and Judah have fallen, they believe God can protect them.  He can.  He will.  We’ll see that part of the story over the next few days.

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