“Psychological warfare,” that’s what it is. And Rabshakeh is an expert. Trying to intimidate King Hezekiah, the citizenry of Jerusalem, and maybe even Isaiah the Prophet!
The Assyrian “mouthpiece” prances and prats at the very same place (geographically, at Jerusalem) where God commanded Isaiah tell King Ahaz about the coming Virgin Birth of our Saviour! (Who could ever forget Isaiah 7:14?) Specifically … “He stood by the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller’s field.” Isaiah 36:2
In that regard Rabshakeh made his “great mistake,” I suspect. His “unpardonable sin.” He “crossed the line” with Almighty God.
He boasts: “Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, The LORD will deliver us. Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath and Arphad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim? and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand? Who are they among all the gods of these lands, that have delivered their land out of my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?” Isaiah 36:18-20, blasphemy against the Honor (and Power) of God!
“Don’t trust your God (the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob) for safety!”
He is no bigger or better or stronger than the gods of the other nations we’ve conquered,” he brags.
He surely went “too far” then!
“Be not deceived. God is not mocked!”
And so … within just a few days … Rabshakeh is dead!
And Assyria decimated, or at least 185,000 of their troops are rotting as dead bodies do!
And Rabshakeh … proud heart and all … was included in that mass of dead Assyrians!
Let’s read ahead into next chapter … “Then the angel of the LORD went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they (the Jews) arose early in the morning, behold, they (the Assyrian infantrymen) were all dead corpses.” Amazing, Isaiah 37:36
Numbers 32:23 … “Behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.” Just as well put his name, Rabshakeh, at the beginning of this verse!
Wow!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
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