Isaiah 36:13-22

Apart from Hezekiah’s psalm (38:9-20), chapters 36-39 are almost word for word concurrent with 2 Kings 18-20.

The ‘’great king’’ (13) did not take into account that he was up against the greatest Monarch (20). His pride went before a fall. It always does! Sennacherib missed the point when he banged on about the ‘’gods’’ of other nations not being able to stand in his way (18-20). They were useless because they were ‘’gods’’ – man-made deities. It would be different when he raised his fist against God (with a capital ‘G’); the maker of heaven and earth. Sometimes, when under assault, it is best to just keep quiet, and get on with what you have to do, trusting in God (21). It certainly isn’t a good idea to enter into a discussion with the devil. (You may remember from yesterday that Warren Wiersbe sees something of Satan’s tactics in the words of this man, speaking on behalf of his king.) Don’t debate him. Dismiss him, in Jesus’ Name!

‘’In ch.36, in general, the technique of subversion is displayed for all time in the speeches of vs 4-10, 13-20. There we see the tempter’s skilful use of truth, barbing his shafts with a few unanswerable facts (e.g. the perfidy of Egypt [6] and the failure of the gods [19]), his use of ridicule (8), threats (12b) and cajolery (16-17), and his perversion of theology –misrepresenting Hezekiah’s reforms (7), selecting from Isaiah’s preaching (10; cf. 10:6, 12) and drawing damaging conclusions from false religions (18-20). The king’s instruction, Do not answer him (21), took due account of the fact that the speaker was seeking victory, not truth.’’ Derek Kidner: The ‘New Bible Commentary’, p.654.

If, as we saw yesterday, a key word in the first half of this chapter is ‘’depend’’/ ‘’depending’’ ( 4-7), then a key word in the second section is ‘’deliver’’ (14, 15, 18, 20). I’m not aware that Hezekiah ever did try to make out that he could ‘’deliver’’ his people from Sennacherib (14), but, as we will see in the next chapter, he knew where deliverance was to be found. He and his people were delivered. In spite of all the prideful boasting of the enemy, deliverance came through faith. It still comes today to those who trust in the Lord. The torn clothes of (22) point to a sense of grief, repentance and deep need of God. The Lord was to come through for them in spectacular fashion.

‘’Silence is our best reply to the allegations and taunts of our foes. Be still, O persecuted soul! Hand over thy cause to God. It is useless to argue, even in many cases to give explanations. Be still, and commit thy cause to God. He has heard every word, and will answer. Thus Jesus held his peace, when falsely accused…But before going into this conflict be sure that, like Hezekiah, thou hast put from thee all that is false and evil. The iconoclasm of the good king which Rabshakeh so curiously misinterpreted was, after all, his main security. It is necessary that there should be no controversy between God and the soul which He is to defend.’’ F.B. Meyer: Great verses through the Bible, p.283.

Prayer: Lord help me to see through the enemy’s tantalising offers, and recognise the price that must ultimately be paid for accepting them (16, 17).