Title: Invasion of Sennacherib / Isaiah 36:1-10
The text is about Sennacherib, king of Assyria, who invades Jerusalem and uses Rabshakeh to threaten and humiliate the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
1. Even if you do your duty, you may face tribulation
King Hezekiah reformed the people a lot. However, when the initial enthusiasm gradually cooled and the reform movement faltered, God awakened the Assyrians and made them invade Judah.
Sennacherib, the most heroic of the Assyrian kings, was ambitious to ascend to the throne after assassination of his father Sargon on the 12th of Ab (July) 705 BC. He went on expeditions to Palestine and Egypt. The content of this text is his third expedition to Palestine.
At that time, Assyria struck and conquered 46 cities of Judah, and it is said that King Hezekiah was ridiculed like a bird caught in a lantern. It is truly miserable.
God gave King Hezekiah a great mission to become a leader in the spiritual reform movement of his country, but Hezekiah was not able to carry out this mission well, so God created a great wind in the middle and caused Judah to suffer.
2. Even God's people should not be relieved
Hezekiah was a good ruler of the country's internal and external affairs and had a particularly good relationship with the Assyrian king. He even made peace with the king of Assyria by sending abundant gifts (2 Kings 18:14). But the king of Assyria finally led an army and invaded Jerusalem. We must always be prepared for tribulation.
God often raises up the ungodly and rebellious against His people. But it is temporary, not permanent. Evil may prosper for a while, but not always. It was a big problem that the people of Israel did not prepare in advance for the situation when Rabshakeh came and declared war and ridiculed them.
3. Don't be a foolish trustee
Rabshakeh ridicules not only Hezekiah, but also the God Hezekiah believes in, and speaks outrageously. But it is also foolish to rely on human force (v. 6). Hezekiah did not rely on Egypt, but the people depended on the strong Egypt. Isaiah had already warned the people of Jerusalem not to depend on Egypt (Isaiah 30:3, 5, 7), and Ezekiel also told them not to depend on Egypt (Ezekiel 29:6 - 7). For Egypt will fall as easily as a bruised reed staff.
Those who trust and trust in Jehovah God are wise people. But Rabshakeh ridiculed his reliance on Jehovah. Rabshakeh considered Jehovah to be one of many gods. He did not know that God was the Creator, who created the visible and invisible in heaven and on earth.
God always fulfills His promises, and if you believe in Him and repent, He forgives and restores you. He is also a blessing to those who seek the glory of God.
Hezekiah believed in this God. So, believing in God's promise to save Jerusalem in Isaiah 31:5-8, he followed God without relying on idols or Egypt (Isaiah 36:18).
What Rabshakeh said was that he had no other income than to make himself or his king Sennacherib openly enemies of God. What Satan does is continue to oppose God in this way. Such people will surely be judged by God. God, who became Alpha and Omega, will surely end the end with judgment.
Let me conclude.
God's people are protected by God. Taking God's name in vain or using it as a means of achieving one's own ends is Satan's tactic. It is arrogant to try to use Jehovah's name only for your own sake. We have a duty to love God's people and church.
Like King Hezekiah who trusted only on God until the end, I earnestly pray in the name of the Lord that we will become faithful children of the Lord who only look to God even when tests come and the winds of tribulation blow.