Isaiah 36
OGCEXAMINATION Chapter S THIRTY-SIX AND THIRTY-SEVEN
IDENTIFICATION AND LOCATION
(Identify and locate the following by telling all you know about them.)
Sennacherib
Rabshakeh
Lachish
Upper pool
Samaria
son of Amoz
Libnah
Lebanon
virgin daughter of Zion
Assyria
Hamath
Nineveh
Nisroch
Adrammelech
Sharezer
land of Ararat
Esar-haddon
Haran
MEMORIZATION
And Hezekiah prayed unto Jehovah, saying, O Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, that sittest above the _____, thou art the God, even thou _____, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made _____ and earth. Incline thine _____, O Jehovah, and hear; open thine _____, O Jehovah, and see; and hear all the words of _____, who hath sent to defy the living God. Of a truth, Jehovah, the kings of _____ have laid waste all the countries, and their land, and have cast their _____ into the fire: for they Were no _____, but the work of _____ hands, wood and _____; therefore they have destroyed them. Now therefore, O Jehovah our God, _____ us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art _____ even thou only. Isaiah 37:15-20
EXPLANATION
Explain why the king of Assyria is at this particular time in history delivering an ultimatum to Hezekiah, king of Judah? (Isaiah 36:1 ff)
Explain why the representatives of Hezekiah asked the Rabshakeh to speak in Aramaic? (Isaiah 36:11)
Explain how 185,000 Assyrian soldiers were slain in one night. (Isaiah 37:36-38)
APPLICATION
(In its context every scripture has one meaningthe author’s intended meaning. How may the following be applied in the believer’s life?)
Are there times when it is best to remain silent in the face of threats by those who oppose God as Hezekiah’s representatives were before the threats of the Rabshakeh? Why? What examples of this are there in the N.T.? (Isaiah 36:21)
When Hezekiah prayed for deliverance from the threats of the Rabshakeh he made the glory of God his primary request. Should we pray that way today? What other O.T. and N.T. examples of this do we have? (Isaiah 37:20)
Can pagan rulers defy the living God and get away with it? Is God aware of their defiance? What about godless nations today who defy God’s sovereignty over the world? (Isaiah 37:21-29)
**SPECIAL STUDY
THE FAITH ONCE DELIVERED FOR ALL TIME**
by Paul T. Butler INTRODUCTION
I.
JUDE IS A MOST NEGLECTED EPISTLE OF THE N.T.
A.
Because it is brief.
B.
Because its language is different than most of the N.T.
C.
Because the circumstances calling for its writing are obscure.
D.
Many preachers have preached from Jude 1:3 but few have left it in its own context when they used it.
II.
JUDE IS A MOST RELEVANT EPISTLE OF THE N.T. FOR TODAY.
A.
There have been times in the history of the church when Jude was the most relevant book in the N.T. Barclay
B.
Jude’s intention
First to discuss in a treatise the common salvation of Christians
But, there arose men whose beliefs and conduct were a threat and a menace to the church.
The need was not so much to expound the faith as to rally Christians in defense of the faith.
C.
The menace of Antinomianism
Lawless grace; grace without any conditions; what matters is not keeping a code but what’s in the heart.
Antinomians considered themselves so spiritual that sin did not exist for them. Their idea was that since salvation was by grace there need be no law.
They believed that if we love God with our heart, we can do what we want with our bodies.
They perverted the grace of God which is in essence A PERVERSION OF THE NATURE AND CHARACTER OF GOD!
D.
The menace of Gnosticism
They denied the deity of Jesus Christ.
They taught that the creator was sort of an offshoot or emanation from God because matter is evil and God could not create matter or be touched by matter (flesh) for that would make God evil.
They taught a definite dichotomy of spirit and matter.
If there was a divine Messiah He would have to be totally spirit and not fleshand since Jesus of Nazareth was flesh, He could not be the divine Messiah.
They divided mankind into two classes:
a.
the pneumatikoi - the spiritual elite, that select few who were able to embark on the long intellectual search for God
b.
the psuchikoi - those who had physical life, but whose spiritual life was quite inadequate ever to attain to the knowledge which was necessary to reach God.
They denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
E.
There are two major reasons for the church today to contend for the faith.
Antinomianism - under grace we are so spiritual we cannot sin.
Gnosticism - Neo-orthodoxy: God is Wholly Other; denial of the Divine/Human nature of Jesus Christ.
BOTH ARE A PERVERSION OF THE NATURE AND CHARACTER OF GOD AND JESUS.
III.
SOME OBVIOUS CONCLUSIONS FROM Jude 1:3
A.
The faith is something delivered to us. It is not something manufactured or discovered on our own. IT IS REVEALED FROM GOD!
B.
The faith is something once for all delivered. Each generation is obligated to relearn and rethink and reexperience it, BUT IT IS OF PERMANENT AND UNCHANGING NATURE.
C.
The faith is something which is entrusted to God’s consecrated people. IT IS NO MAN’S PRIVATE PROPERTY!
D.
The faith is something which must be defended or tended for. A duty such as this is the obligation of every generation of Christians.
I.
WHAT IS THE FAITH?
A.
According to this context, and according to the general theme of the whole Bible, THE FAITH is: THE HOLINESS OF GOD AND THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST!
Jude said contend for the faith because some were perverting the grace of God, and denying the only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
The first attack upon THE FAITH was an attack upon the veracity of God in the Garden of Eden (God lied or would not be faithful to keep His word).
The Bible, from beginning to end, is one majestic, historical account of the FAITHFULNESS OF GOD (historical demonstrations of God’s mighty and powerful fulfillments of His promises) finally demonstrated in The Son.
The Bible is also God’s revelation of guidelines and commandments on the proper human responses to that FAITHFULNESS.
The FAITH is not what man must do, however; it is what God has done! The FAITH is not our response systematized.. THE FAITH IS NOT baptism, Lord’s Supper, prayer, stewardship. THESE ARE OUR RESPONSES TO THE FAITH! THEY ARE OBEDIENCES TO THE FAITH. (Incidentally, THE FAITH is not a particular political philosophy, theological system, evangelistic method, nor an emotion).
Our faith, our trust, is not in our response, BUT IN THE PERSON OF GOD AND JESUS. IT IS A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP.. NOT A SYSTEM.
Systems may offer guidelines and opportunities within which we may express this personal relationship, BUT IF WE GET TO PREACHING THE SYSTEM INSTEAD OF THE PERSON, WE WILL DEPERSONALIZE THE RELATIONSHIP!
I like the way Leroy Garrett says it: The Faith is response to the fact that Jesus Christ is God’s Son and the Lord of life. It is the acceptance of the Lordship of Christ, the yielded life. All else is peripheral. The faith is that Jesus Christ is God’s Son and Lord of all our lives.
Carl Ketcherside says it this way: When you have skimmed off all the theological wranglings and interpretations, and strained out all the gnats, the opinions and deductions of men, the one faith is Jesus. He is the center of it. He is also the circumference of it.
O.T. Prophets, faced with materialistic, immoral, flippant inhumane society focused their preaching on GOD’S HOLINESS, JUSTICE, FAITHFULNESS, LOVE AND JUDGMENT. If they were ever to redirect those people it would be in responsenot to budgets, buildings and banquetsbut to God who is holy, faithful and just.
Isaiah 30:9-11 Preach to us smooth things, illusions; speak no more of the Holy One of Israel.
The Woman at the Wellneeded not a social program but to know and trust Jesus.
The 5000 in Galileeneeded not to be fed but to assimilate the very nature of Jesus into their minds.
The churches of Asia Minor, at the close of the first century, faced the onslaught of political oppression, false teaching and carnal materialism. How DID JESUS TELL JOHN TO PREPARE THEM FOR THIS? REPENT!! MOTIVATION FOR REPENTANCE? VISION OF THE GLORIFIED, FAITHFUL, OMNIPOTENT LORD JESUS.. AND SOVEREIGN, RULING THRONE OF GOD.
When Jesus took the 12 aside to crystalize their faith in preparation for the coming crucible of His arrest, trial and crucifixion, HE DID NOT TRY TO ENTERTAIN THEM, ORGANIZE THEM INTO COMMITTEES. HE SAID, WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?!
On the day of questioning in His final encounter with the Jewish nation during the last week of His ministry MANY ASKED HIM RELEVANT SOCIAL, THEOLOGICAL AND MORAL QUESTIONS. BUT THEY DIDN-‘T EVEN KNOW THE RIGHT QUESTION TO ASK!
THE RIGHT QUESTION IS: WHAT THINK YE OF CHRIST; WHOSE SON IS HE? That is the burning issue. Always has beenalways will be! That is the faith!
B. What is the Church doing about THE FAITH?
I think she has neglected The Faith and put too much emphasis on response.
a.
Too much emphasis on sharing, caring, experiencing, feeling. and NOT ENOUGH ON WHO GOD IS, WHO CHRIST IS AND WHAT THEY HAVE DONE!
b.
Too often the church has assumed everyone (including believers) have all the depth and width and breadth and height they need in knowing God!
c.
There is no way to know God except as we learn of His deeds in history and in the historical personage, Christ.
d.
Too many Christians want to talk about knowing God through main-street existentialism called my feeling, my experience.
e.
We cannot assimilate the faithfulness of God, His justice, holiness, righteousness EXCEPT THROUGH BELIEVING, TRUSTING THE DIVINE RECORD OF HIS NATURE. THE BIBLE.
f.
We dare not trust our feelings or experiences! FEELINGS AND EXPERIENCES VACILLATE.
g.
A man does not know he is saved and forgiven because he feels good after he is baptized! He may only feel wet, cold, half-drowned. He knows he is saved and forgiven because GOD IS WHO HE IS AND GOD KEEPS HIS WORD AND GOD HAS SAID IT! THAT MAY MAKE HIM FEEL GOOD, BUT IT IS THE VERACITY OF GOD THAT MAKES HIM FORGIVEN!
Let me make some suggestions:
a.
Preachers, Bible school teachers, take the great book of Isaiah and preach through itteach through it, chapter by chapter. I guarantee you you-’ll meet THE HOLY, FAITHFUL, RIGHTEOUS GOD. The problems those O.T. prophets faced are as relevant as your morning newspaper. and they met them by preaching WHO GOD IS!
b.
Preach through the book of Revelation. WHAT THE CHURCH FACED THEN IS WHAT THE CHURCH FACES NOW. THE ANSWER FOR THE CHURCH NOW!
c.
Preach and teach through the book of Hebrews, chapter by chapter. The humanity of Christ, Christ conquering sin in the flesh, earning our redemption through His absolute faithfulness, is one of the grandest themes of the N.T. But not much is ever heard about it!
IF EVER WE NEED TO TAKE THE PULSE OF LOST HUMANITY IT IS NOW. THAT PULSE BEAT CRIES OUT. Is THERE SOMEONE I CAN TRUST ABSOLUTELY? IS ANYONE WISE, FAITHFUL AND JUST IN CHARGE OF THIS CHAOTIC WORLD OF OURS? WILL JUSTICE EVER BE DONE? WILL GOOD TRIUMPH? IS THERE AN ABSOLUTE BEING? THE PULSE BEAT OF HUMANITY IS IN ITS LITERATURE AND MUSICMODERN LITERATURE AND MUSIC SAYS NOTHING SOLID, ABSOLUTE, DEPENDABLE, HONEST.
C.
Peter tells us that (2 Peter 1:3-4) through His precious and very great promises, we escape from the corruption that is in the world and become partakers of the divine nature.
A most significant passage is in 2 Corinthians 1:20. All the promises of God find their -Yes-’ in him.
In other words, men need above all else to hold on to the veracity of God.. and the whole work of Jesus was to establish beyond any reasonable doubt the veracity of God!
The great need of the church of the fist century was not to find God in their own experience, but to remember the veracity of God confirmed by the resurrected Christ. Too OFTEN THERE IS NOT MUCH IN OUR OWN EXPERIENCE WHERE GOD MAY BE FOUND!
Governments betray us; friends betray us, even the human heart is deceitful above all things.
The great apostle Paul, dealing with the frustration of men when they experience the unfaithfulness of their fellow men, advised, What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? By no means! Let God be true though every man be false. Romans 3:4
When David Livingstone sailed for Africa the first time a group of his friends accompanied him to the pier to wish him Bon Voyage. Some of them, concerned for the safety of the missionary, reminded him of the dangers which would confront him in the dark land to which he was journeying. In fact, one man urged Livingstone to remain in England. In response, David Livingstone opened his Bible and read aloud the portion of our Lord’s last recorded words in Matthew’s gospel, chapter 28: Lo, I am with you always. Turning to the one who would have prevented his going, the missionary said: That, my friend, is the word of a Gentleman. So let us be going.
The world tries to motivate people and change people into peace-loving, caring, helping individuals by programming, entertaining, indulging, feasting, organizing, working, legislating themAND IT HASN-‘T WORKED YET!
I fear that in some places the church has tried to copy the world.. BUT LIFE’S GREATEST CRISES AND PROBLEMS CANNOT BE DEALT WITH BY ORGANIZATION, ENTERTAINMENT.
THE ONLY SURE THING UPON WHICH TO CLING IN THE STORMS AND DARKNESSES IS THE FAITHFULNESS, HOLINESS, JUSTICE, MERCY OF GOD.. THIS IS SURE WHETHER WE FEEL GOOD OR HAPPY, OR WHETHER WE ARE FED OR HUNGRY, AND WHETHER WE CAN DO ANY WORK OR NOT!
When this fleshly light begins to go outall I want to know is: WHO IS GOD? WHO IS CHRIST? Do THEY KEEP THEIR WORD?
It would be comforting, should I linger at death to have friends and family reassure me of their love and concern.. BUT WHAT I WILL REALLY BE CRYING OUT IN THE DEPTHS OF MY SOUL, IS, Is JESUS WHO HE CLAIMEDWILL HE MAKE GOOD ON HIS PROMISESWILL I GO ON LIVINGWILL I STAND BEFORE HIM JUSTIFIED. It certainly won-’t be, Was my program rightdid I do enough for Him EVERYBODY WANTS SOMEBODY TO CARE. Isaiah cared, Daniel cared, Ezekiel cared, Paul cared, John cared, BUT WHAT THEY PREACHED WAS THE FAITHFULNESS AND MERCIFULNESS OF GOD, MANIFESTED IN THE FLESH IN JESUS CHRIST. Lots of people cared about Mary and Martha and Lazarus at the graveyard. Lots of people were trying to comfort them by sharing in their suffering. BUT WHAT THEY REALLY NEEDED. THE REALLY CRITICAL QUESTION. THE FOCAL POINT OF THEIR VERY BEING WAS. IS JESUS REALLY THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE! WHO IS THIS JESUS?!
E.
J. B. Phillips, author of the famous Phillips N.T., wrote, Your God Is Too Small. In it he says:
The trouble with many people today is that they have not found a God big enough for modern needs. While their experience of life has grown in a score of directions, and their mental horizons have been expanded. their ideas of God have remained largely static. It is obviously impossible for an adult to worship the conception of God that exists in the mind of a child of Sunday school age, unless he is prepared to deny his own experience of life.. if he tries it he worships or serves a God who is really too small to command his adult loyalty and cooperation. Then he goes on to list 13 Unreal Gods which are too small. YOU OUGHT TO READ THIS BOOK!
It seemed as if all seven hundred reporters from newspapers, radio stations, and TV networks wanted to talk to Wernher von Braun following the launching of the mighty Saturn V. The Cape Kennedy noise was at a high decibel range. And von Braun wanted to escape it all for the moment. He grabbed the arm of a newspaper friend, Adon Taft. Come on, let’s get away where we can talk. Taft, religion writer of the Miami Herald, pushed away from the crowd with the space scientist and made his way toward the shoreline. Pacing rapidly back and forth, von Braun seemed to be in deep thought. Taft waited for his companion to speak. We must learn to consider God as creator of the universe and master of everything, von Braun began. We need a greater Lord than we have had in the past.
This is life eternal that they know theethe only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. John 17:3
II.
WHY MUST WE CONTEND FOR THE FAITH?
A.
Because evil homilia corrupts good morals 1 Corinthians 15:33
The false teaching that denied the resurrection was corrupting the morals of the Corinthian Christians.
It was the false teaching in the church that prompted Jude to exhort the brethren to contend for the faith.
The symbolically representative churches of Asia Minor in the book of Revelation had one great problem above all othersfalse teachers.
The first line of attack for the church is not in the area of doingbut in the area of thinking. The doing will never be right until the thinking is right.
In a very small but dynamic book, John Stott’s Your Mind Matters, the author says, The battle is nearly always won in the mind. It is by the renewal of our mind that our character and behavior become transformed. He says further, … there must be solid content in our evangelistic proclamation of Christ. It is our responsibility to set Jesus Christ forth in the fullness of his divine-human person and saving work so that through this. God may arouse faith in the hearer. Such evangelistic preaching is far removed from its tragic caricature, all too common today, namely an emotional, anti-intellectual appeal for -decisions-’ when the hearers have but the haziest notion what they are to decide about or why.
Brethren, short-term, high-pressure, emotional-manipulation of men and women is not only contrary to scriptural principlesand not only fails to bring true and lasting discipleshipthe sheer superficiality of it makes enemies of the faith, those who have been dishonestly manipulated.
a.
One minister wrote in to Christianity Today, Motivational talks. are not needed. Supply techniques. Please show us the -tricks of the trade.-’
b.
It is imperative that the church get serious about its whole teaching program. Sermons, Bible school classes, mid-week Bible studies, youth programs ALL MUST BECOME GEARED AND FOCUSED ON PLANTING THE WORD OF GOD CONSTANTLY ON THE CONSCIOUS MINDS OF CHRISTIANS! The church must become an intense, thorough, honest educational organism! It’s program must be Biblical with continuity. Not just a verse here and there, BUT WHOLE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE IN CONTINUITY.
c.
A startling, shocking book was written two years ago. Subliminal Seduction: Ad Media’s manipulation of a Not So Innocent America, by Wilson Bryan Key.
A reviewer in Christianity Today, 1-31-75, says: Quite disturbing from the Christian point of view, is Key’s assertion that -no significant belief or attitude held by any individual is apparently made on the basis of consciously perceived data.-’
d.
The word subliminal is derived from the Latin sub, (below) plus limen (lintel or threshold). Thus below the threshold of consciousness.
e.
Satan is wise enough to know that most people will not consciously do evil. HE SEEKS TO BYPASS OUR CONSCIOUS MINDS.
THERE IS A WIDE-SPREAD CONSPIRACY OF SATAN AND HIS ARMY OF HELPERS TO BYPASS THE RATIONAL FACULTIES OF MEN AND WOMEN TODAY. PRACTICALLY UNNOTICED AND UNCHALLENGED, HE IS SLIPPING FALSE INFORMATION, UNHOLY SUGGESTIONS INTO MEN’S SUBCONSCIOUS MINDS AT THE RATE OF LITERALLY 1000’S OF STIMULI DAILY! AND THE TRAGEDY OF TRAGEDIES IS IN MANY PLACES THE CHURCH IS UNWITTINGLY AIDING AND ABETTING THE ENEMY BY ITS HALF-HEARTED, SUPERFICIAL, EMOTIONAL, ENTERTAINMENT-ORIENTED PROGRAM.
f.
The reviewer mentioned earlier, states: Satan now seems to be making extensive use of the merely emotional as his special ploy. Satan, the author of imbalance and disharmony, is responsible for the current pendulum-swing away from God-ordained reason toward a mindless emotionalism, from thought to -touchy-feely-’ sensation, from the reasonableness of sound doctrine to the intuition of visionary experience. WHAT’S THE ANSWER? Listen: Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. And these words which I command you this day shall be upon your heart, and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. And you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. And you shall write them on the doorposts (lintel) of your house and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:4-9
g.
CHRISTIANS MUST DAILY, CONSTANTLY, SPRINKLE THE THRESHOLDS OF THEIR MINDS WITH THE POWERFUL WORD OF GOD TO GUARD AGAINST UNHOLY STIMULI THAT WOULD ENTER UNNOTICED BELOW THE THRESHOLD. INTO THE SUBLIMINAL!
B.
Satan was trying to destroy the church in Jude’s day by scoffers, those who rejected Christ’s authority, false teachers attempting to subvert the veracity of God and Christ.
What the church must do is contend mightily for the authority and veracity of God and Christ.
The church has been fighting the diversionary actions of Satan. We get all excited and spend our energies on the more immediate, spectacular symptoms of man’s problem. BUT THE REAL BATTLE IS WHERE, PRACTICALLY UNNOTICED AND UNCHALLENGED, SATAN IS PLANTING UNBELIEF IN THE SUBLIMINAL!
Evolutionism in our public schools and on TVnot only in science classes but in literature classes. The constant barrage of destructive teaching made respectable by calling it scientific. is subliminally planting attacks upon the veracity of God and the authority of Christ.
Passover Plotnationwide best-seller at one time. Destroyed the veracity of the word of God.
Life magazine, December, 1964whole issue devoted to destroying the veracity of the Bible and of God.
The superficiality of some of our church programsentertaining people, programming people, contesting peoplePLANTS SUBLIMINALLY IN THINKING PEOPLE’S MINDS THAT CHRISTIANITY IS NOT ALL THAT SERIOUS. GOD IS NOT ALL THAT HOLY OR ALL THAT HONEST (IF THE CHURCH MANIPULATES PEOPLE, WHAT ABOUT GOD?)
The very core of false teaching is denial of the veracity, sovereignty and authority of Christ and the Bible. The very essence of a powerless church is not smallness in number but non-existent curriculum of training in Bible evidence and exposition!!
When we reduce God to a program or contest or entertainment, we get back only what we have put inwe get back programmed people, contested people, entertained people.
HOW MANY PREACHERS, SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS, PARENTS, ARE READY TO DEFEND AGAINST EVOLUTION, PASSOVER PLOT, DEMYTHOLOGIZING THE SCRIPTURES? DON-‘T THINK YOUR CHURCH MEMBERS, YOUR CHILDREN AND THE WHOLE WORLD ISN-‘T BEING SUBLIMINALLY ATTACKED! SOME CHURCH EDUCATION, PREACHING-TEACHING PROGRAMS ARE SHALLOW AND SUPERFICIAL, AND SO. MEN AND WOMEN GET THE SUBLIMINAL IMPRESSION THAT THE CHURCH IS NOT REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT IT. THAT IT REALLY DOESN-‘T MATTER WHETHER WE PUT IN OUR MINDS WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS AS LONG AS WE GET TO SERVICES, BE SPECTATORS FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS PER WEEK, AND GO HOME FEELING GOOD!
C.
Serious, constant, thorough, contextual Bible exposition is the answer.
We want men and women to take on the nature of Christ And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another. 2 Corinthians 3:18
We want men and women to be able to check the indulgences of the flesh.
human regulations and systems have an appearance of wisdom in promoting rigor of devotion and self-abasement and severity to the body, but they are of no value in checking the indulgence of the flesh.. Set your minds on things that are above. seek the things that are above. Colossians 2:23 to Colossians 3:2
We want men and women to serve Christ. Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2
IGNORANCE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TOOL IN SATAN’S SUBLIMINAL SEDUCTION. WE DARE NOT ABANDON THE MIND OF MAN. ESPECIALLY THE SUBCONSCIOUS. TO THE ENEMY. THY WORD HAVE I HID IN MINE HEART, THAT I MIGHT NOT SIN AGAINST THEE.
D.
One of the most profound statements in all scripture is Hosea 9:10. They came to Baal-Peor and consecrated themselves to Baal, etc.
Men inevitably assimilate and take on the nature of that which they worship, adore, enthrone, place supreme value upon.
There is no such thing as detachment in worship.
When men adore or worship the god of deception, they will become deceitful; materialismthey will become materialistic; sensualitythey will become sensual.
If they worship a god of religion, they will become religious; a god of superficialities, they will become superficial.
IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE CONTEND FOR THE HOLINESS AND FAITHFULNESS, AND HONESTY AND PURITY OF GOD IF WE WANT PEOPLE TO BECOME HOLY, FAITHFUL, HONEST AND PURE!
III.
HOW SHALL WE CONTEND FOR THE FAITH, ONCE FOR ALL DELIVERED? (Jude’s answer)
A.
Study the Scriptures, Jude 1:17, remember the predictions of the apostles.
The reason Christian preachers and Christian Bible school teachers and Christian families are not contending for the faith once for all delivered, IS BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT STUDYING!
Why not?
a.
Too busy organizing
b.
Too busy committeeing
c.
Too busy going, going, going
d.
Too busy watching the TV
e.
Too difficult to really put to practice the disciplines of hermeneutics and exegesis (contextual relationships, word studies, background studies, original language studies)
Paul told Timothy to give himself to, or attend to, the public reading of scripture, to preaching, to teaching,. to devote himself to them.
Jesus relied totally on His knowledge of and trust in the Scriptures to overcome the temptations of the devil.
A PREACHER OR A CHURCH THAT IS NOT SERIOUS AND INTENSELY DEVOTED TO A PROGRAM OF THOROUGH BIBLE STUDY IS NEVER GOING TO CONTEND FOR THE FAITH! THERE MAY BE STATISTICS TO QUOTE, BUT WHAT DO STATISTICS PROVE.. ANYTHING YOU WANT THEM TO!
FIVE OF THE SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA MINOR (REVELATION) HAD GOOD STATISTICS BUT WERE TOLD TO REPENT OF THE FALSE TEACHING AND IMMORALITY RAMPANT IN THEM LEST THEIR CANDLE-STICK BE REMOVED. TWO OF THE SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA MINOR WERE STATISTICALLY POOR AND POWERLESS BUT CHRIST SAID THEY WERE RICH AND HAD AN OPEN DOOR SET BEFORE THEM!
The teachings of the apostles cannot be remembered if they are not constantly and thoroughly studied!
If you dare, give your church members the Bible Knowledge Test we give our freshmen when they come to OBC! SHOULD WE EXPECT TO DEVOTE OUR MINDS AND ENERGIES TO LEARNING TO REMEMBER HOW TO FRAME A HOUSE, ASSEMBLE AN AUTO, OPERATE ON THE HUMAN BODY.. AND NOT DEVOTE OUR MINDS AND ENERGIES TO LEARNING IN ORDER TO REMEMBER THE FAITH ONCE FOR ALL DELIVERED! MAY GOD HAVE MERCY UPON US!
B.
Preaching, Teaching, Jude 1:20-22 … build yourselves up (edify) on your most holy faith. And convince some, who doubt.
Preaching is persuasion. This concept has fallen on hard times. Too many have the idea that preaching is emotionalism or entertainment. I-’m not denying there is an element of emotion in persuasion. BUT I DESPISE AND RESIST ANY EFFORT TO BYPASS REASON TO MANIPULATE PEOPLE BY PLAYING UPON EMOTIONS SO THAT THEIR CHOICE OR COMMITTMENT IS DEPENDENT UPON THE FEELINGS AND NOT UPON THE FACTS!
I-’m a strong advocate of Alexander Campbell’s formula, FACT, TESTIMONY, FAITH, FEELING. in that order.
The work of the Holy Spirit is not to give us an exhilarating, mind-by-passing, feeling.. IT IS TO CONVICT, CONVINCE, PERSUADE! John 16
Paul went into the synagogues and reasoned daily with them from the scriptures.. Paul said, Knowing the terror of the Lord, we persuade men. Jesus was a Master logician.
In a little book entitled, Your Emotions and Your Faith, by Franklin M. Segler, the author says:
The efficacy of faith depends not upon the faith but upon the object of faith, namely Christ.
EMOTIONS ARE NOT CONSTANT.. CIRCUMSTANCES ARE NOT CONSTANT.. BUT GOD IS CONSTANT! OUR PREACHING AND TEACHING, IF IT IS TO BE EDIFYING, IF IT IS TO BUILD CONSTANCY AND SOLIDNESS INTO PEOPLE’S LIVES, MUST BE PERSUASIVE.
C.
Discipline, Jude 1:23, save some by snatching them out of the fire.
College cheating is astonishingly high according to a report of an experiment in Intellectual Digest. When teachers appealed to students-’ consciences, cheating increased! Threatening punishment was discovered to be the only way to cut down on the dishonesty!
Discipline is another concept that has fallen on hard times, both in the home, in the school and in the church. Discipline is correction. People do not like to be corrected. None of us. Hebrews 12:11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant; later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
What else could Jude mean here? No ONE HAS EVER BEEN SNATCHED FROM THE FIRE GENTLY OR TENDERLY OR PAINLESSLY!
Psychologists all over the country are changing their tune about permissiveness. Reader’s Digest, February, 1975, article Back To Basics In The Schoolhouse: N.Y. psychiatrist Richard Robertiello. has rethought his once-permissive policies on child rearing. The children of permissiveness who are now his psychiatric patients, he says, are -warm, loving and lovable,-’ but they can-’t hang on to anything, they can-’t master anything.
Jesus was firm, almost rough, with His mother, His disciples, His hard-headed countrymen.
The apostles were firm with one another (Paul with Peter). with their converts and with those who would oppose their preaching.
Jesus was firm and rough with the seven churches of Asia Minor in snatching them from the fire of Roman worldliness. He admonished them to wake up and repent. He threatened them!
BRETHREN, THERE CAN BE NO DISCIPLESHIP WITHOUT DISCIPLINE. THERE CAN BE NO CONVERSION WITHOUT CORRECTION. NOT FOR ANY OF US! IF WE ARE GOING TO CONTEND FOR THE FAITH IN A WORLD DEDICATED TO DECEIT, DECADANCE AND DESTRUCTION, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE FIRM, RESOLUTE, AND CONSTANT. SOME ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE SNATCHED FROM THE CONSUMING FIRE OF UNBELIEF AND IMMORALITY!
Listen to a characterization of these people Jude had to deal with.
a.
defiling the flesh in their dreams
b.
rejecting authority
c.
reviling glorious things and persons
d.
acting on instincts like animals
e.
walking in the way of Cain
f.
abandoning themselves for the sake of gain
g.
boldly carousing together h. looking after themselves
i.
waterless clouds (empty) carried along by winds
j.
fruitless trees
k.
wild as the waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame
l.
wandering stars, out of orbit
m.
grumblers, malcontents, loud-mouthed boasters
n.
flattering people to gain advantage
o.
scoffers
p.
those who cause divisions
ENTERTAINMENT, PARTIES, CONTESTS.. FRIEND, IT WILL TAKE MORE THAN THAT TO DEAL WITH THAT LIST!
D.
Compassion, on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. Jude 1:23
There are some whom we must pity and fear at once and the same time.
Sinners are in danger. But, sometimes, so are the rescuers.
Before a man can rescue others, he must himself be strong in the faith. His own feet must be firm on the dry land before he can throw a life-jacket to the man who is being swept away.
THE OLD SAYING IS TRUE; WE OUGHT TO LOVE THE SINNER AND HATE THE SIN.
C. S. Lewis said that troubled him unceasingly about Christianity until he realized he had been doing it all his life. HIMSELF HE LOVED BUT HATED HIS SIN!
We are not prepared to have true, saving compassion on a man if, while loving the man, we do not hate his sin. COMPASSION WILL NOT HELP A MAN COMPROMISE WITH SIN. JESUS NEVER DID!
The essence of mercy is to treat a man or woman as you would want to be treated were you in their difficulty.
THE SINNER IS NOT GOING TO BE MERCIFULLY RESCUED BY A LIBERAL, WATERED-DOWN GOSPEL WHICH DENIES THE DEITY OF JESUS, THE HOLINESS OF GOD OR THE AUTHORITY OF HIS WORD! BRETHREN, TO CONTEND FOR THE FAITH IS TO BE MERCIFUL!
CONCLUSION
I.
BRETHREN, WE MUST CONTEND, EARNESTLY, INTENTLY, AGONIZINGLY.
A.
The Greek word epagonizesthai means agonize, struggle, wrestle.
Paul said, We wrestle not against flesh and blood.
He said, The weapons of our warfare are not carnal.
We are in a struggle.. this is not a game that matters not whether we win or lose. IT IS A LIFE OR DEATH STRUGGLE.
B.
We must put on the whole armor and take up the sword of the Spirit.
We must bring every thought into captivity unto Christ,
We must not be ignorant of Satan’s devices.
C.
Vance Havner tells this incident; A minister asked a famous actor once, Why do you draw out crowds to see you act while very few come to hear me preach? The answer came back, I act my fiction as though it were fact; you preach your facts as though they were fiction!
BRETHREN, NOWHERE IS IT EASIER TO PLAY WITH THE GOSPEL THAN IN THE MINISTRY. WITH A PLEASING PERSONALITY, A GIFT OF ELOQUENCE, ADEPTNESS AT EMOTIONALISM, AND PLENTY OF BUSINESS SENSE, ONE CAN TAKE THE GOSPEL FOR A FOOTBALL AND MAKE A FEW SCORES FOR THE SPECTATORS.
BUT CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH IS NO GAME, AND WOE UNTO HIM WHO PLAYS AT IT!
II.
BRETHREN, THE FAITH WE MUST AGONIZE FOR IS ONCE FOR ALL DELIVERED UNTO THE SAINTS.
A.
It is the sovereign grace of an absolutely faithful God accomplished in and demonstrated by the Incarnate GodJesus Christ. The Faith is the Divine Person and Authority of Jesus Christ.
B.
Our appropriation of The Faith is by a personal response of faith and obedience to His authoritative commandments.
C.
WE NEED CONTEND FOR NOTHING ELSE.
D.
Is there any word from the Lord? Zedekiah asked Jeremiah that (Jeremiah 37:17) after Jeremiah had been preaching for 23 years the word from the Lord! SURE THERE WAS A WORD FROM THE LORD. BUT ZEDEKIAH WANTED A WORD THAT WOULD SUIT HIS CARNAL, WORLDLY PURPOSES!
AN EVIL AND ADULTEROUS GENERATION TODAY SEEKS A SIGN. ANOTHER WORD FROM THE LORD.. THE WORD HAS ONCE FOR ALL BEEN DELIVERED TO THE SAINTS! One of the most significant statements of this generation, in my opinion, was made by Edward John Carnell, when he said, IF IT IS TRUE THAT JESUS CHRIST DIED ON THE CROSS TO SAVE SINNERS, HAVE WE ANY RIGHT TO SAY THAT WE LOVE SINNERS IF WE FAIL TO CONFRONT THEM WITH THIS TRUTH? AND WHERE CAN WE FIND A DIVINELY VALIDATED ACCOUNT OF THIS TRUTH APART FROM SCRIPTURE? IN SUM, WE CAN EXPRESS NO HIGHER LOVE TO LOST HUMANITY THAN TO PREACH THE GOSPEL IN THE PRECISE FORM IN WHICH GOD HAS BEEN PLEASED TO REVEAL IT! MAY GOD HELP HIS CHURCH TO CONTEND EARNESTLY FOR THE FAITH ONCE FOR ALL DELIVERED UNTO THE SAINTS!
Isaiah 36:1-12
VI. CHASTENING THROUGH CAPTIVITY Chapter S 36-39
A. PRESSURE, CHAPTER 36
- PREDICAMENT
TEXT: Isaiah 36:1-12
1
Now it came to pass in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, that Sennacherib, king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah, and took them.
2
And the king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem unto king Hezekiah with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller’s field.
3
Then came forth unto him Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder.
4
And Rabshakeh said unto them, Say ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trusteth?
5
I say, thy counsel and strength for the war are but vain words: now on whom dost thou trust, that thou hast rebelled against me?
6
Behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt, whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust on him.
And it came to pass, as he (Sennacherib) was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword
Sennacherib was assassinated in 681 B.C. These men formed part of the palace guard and private bodyguard of the great Assyrian monarch. They were obviously not very efficient.
7
But if thou say unto me, We trust in Jehovah our God: is not that he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and hath said to Judah and to Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar?
8
Now therefore, I pray thee, give pledges to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.
9
How then canst thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master’s servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?
10
And am I now come up without Jehovah against this land to destroy it? Jehovah said unto me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.
11
Then said Eliakim and Shebna and Joah unto Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray thee, unto thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and speak not to us in the Jews-’ language, in the ears of the people that are on the wall.
12
But Rabshakeh said, Hath my master sent me to thy master, and to thee, to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men that sit upon the wall, to eat their own dung, and to drink their own water with you?
QUERIES
a.
Who is Rabshakeh?
b.
At which altar did Hezekiah tell Judah to worship?
c.
Did Rabshakeh threaten Jerusalem by Jehovah’s command?
PARAPHRASE
It was in the fourteenth year of the reign of King Hezekiah that Sennacherib, king of Assyria, made military expeditions against many of the fortified cities of Judah and conquered most of them. While he was occupied with the siege of Lachish, the king of Assyria sent his commander-in-chief with a great number of troops to deliver an ultimatum to Hezekiah. When the king of Assyria’s commander arrived at Jerusalem, he set up camp with his troops by the conduit of the upper pool along the road going down to the bleaching field. A trio of high officials from Hezekiah’s court went out to where the Assyrian troops were to confer with their leader: Eliakim, son of Hilkiah, chief administrator; Shebna who was formerly chief administrator but now serving as a scribe; Joah, son of Asaph, an official chronicler, all went out to talk to the Rab-shakeh. The Assyrian official said to them, Go tell this Hezekiah that the great king of Assyria wants to know what kind of a fool he is for thinking the king of Egypt will help him? The great king of Assyria wishes to inform Hezekiah of the uselessness of his strategies and conferences on war. Who in the world will be able to help him now that he has rebelled against the great king of Assyria? Egypt is not just a useless ally, she is a dangerous one. She is like a broken but sharp stem of the reedshe will pierce your hand if you lean upon her. Now before you say to me, We are trusting in Jehovah our God, let me ask you, is not this the God Hezekiah defied by tearing down all the altars you people built to your God in the high places and groves and made everyone worship only at the altar in Jerusalem? My master, the king of Assyria, wants to make a wager with youthat you don-’t have 2000 cavalrymen in your whole army. If you do, the king of Assyria will give you 2000 horses for them to ride on! Now with a tiny army like that, how do you propose to make war on even the smallest and worst section of my master’s army? With so little to offer, how do you expect to get help from Egypt? Furthermore, do you think I have come here without the help of your own God, Jehovah. Let me tell you, your own God, Jehovah, spoke to me and told me to make war on this land and destroy it. Then the three Hebrew men representing king Hezekiah said, with much consternation in their voices, Speak, O Rab-shakeh, I beg you, in the Aramaic language; we understand it. Please do not continue to speak these threats in Hebrew because our countrymen there on the city’s walls will hear and chaos will fill the city. But the Rab-shakeh said, Do you think my master has sent me just to threaten Hezekiah? I was sent to threaten the whole Jewish nation and warn them they will suffer atrocious and inhuman degradations if they do not surrender. They will eat their own dung and drink their own urine if they force my master to war against them.
COMMENTS
Isaiah 36:1-5 RABSHAKEH’S INQUIRY: This section of Isaiah is one of three different historical records of these events. The other two records are 2Kings 18, 19, and 2Chronicles 32. These three records do not contradict, but supplement one another. Chronicles seems to be, in these events, as it is in so many other parallel events, a condensation of what actually took place because Chronicles is the theological view of the theocracy while Kings is the historical view.
One might wonder why Isaiah would insert an historical narrative squarely in the middle of a series of grandly soaring and majestic prophecies. Without doubt his purpose is to give proof of his prophetic call and mission. The rapid fulfillment of Isaiah’s prediction concerning the deliverance of Jerusalem, the restoration of Hezekiah and the death of the Assyrian king would prove conclusively that he was sent from Jehovah and spoke Jehovah’s word!
There is a minor problem with the year of Hezekiah’s reign. The campaign of Sennacherib against the cities of Judah took place from 703 to 701 B.C. This would at first glance indicate Hezekiah’s reign to begin about 717-715 B.C. According to 2 Kings 18:1-2 it began in the 3rd year of Hoshea of Israel and lasted for 29 years. Hoshea was king of Israel when Shalmanezer began his siege of that kingdom. That was in Hoshea’s seventh year and Hezekiah’s fourth. Three years later Hoshea was carried captive (cf. 2 Kings 18:9-10). Israel fell to Shalmanezer in 722-721 B.C. (2 Kings 18:9 ff). This means that Hezekiah began to reign six years before the downfall of Samaria, i.e., 728-727 B.C. Edward J. Young submits the possibility of an early emendation to the Hebrew texta slight change in one of the characters in a specific Hebrew word. Only a slight alteration could change the Hebrew word -eseryis (twenty-four) to -esereh (fourteen) and thus create the apparent discrepancy here. If this were the 24th year of Hezekiah’s reign (703 B.C.) it would place the beginning of it 728-727 B.C. Young, however, offers no manuscript evidence for this possibility. Another possible explanation is that 703 B.C. may be noted as the fourteenth year in which Hezekiah was the sole ruler of Judah! It has been proven by ancient records uncovered by archaeologists that kings of antiquity often ruled a number of years in a co-regency with their aged father-kings. In other words, Hezekiah may have ruled the first 10-12 years with his father, and without his father from 717-715 B.C. for the next fourteen years. This would explain calling 703-701 B.C. Hezekiah’s fourteenth year of rule. (see also, Old Testament History, Smith/Fields, College Press, p. 556-561).
The king of Assyria took 46 cities of Judah, as we have mentioned elsewhere. Now he, himself, is occupied with an assault upon Lachish, some 30 miles southwest of Jerusalem. The king sends his Rab-shakeh to inquire of Jerusalem’s intentions toward his campaign of conquest in Judah. Rab means chief, and shakeh probably is a military officer. The Rab-shakeh was probably the emperor’s personal, most trusted military commander much like the American Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who may be depended upon for absolute allegiance to carry out very important military/political functions the President himself cannot attend to. When he spoke it was with direct and absolute authority from the king himself. To make his mission more ominously impressive, he came to Jerusalem with a great army.
Now Hezekiah had been busily restoring true and holy religion to Judah. He had been breaking down idolatrous altars, reinstituting the Passover, rebelling against paying tribute to a pagan Assyrian empire, and defeating Philistine enemies, (2 Kings 18:1-8; 2 Chronicles 29-31). When the king of Assyria came marching into Judah with his campaign of conquest, it appears Hezekiah had second thoughts about his refusal to pay tribute to Assyria and sent an apology to the king at Lachish (2 Kings 18:13-16) and stripped the gold from the doors of the temple and took silver and gold from the treasury of the temple and the palace and gave it to the Assyrian emperor. What was Hezekiah’s motive for such an apparent reversal of courage, faith and godliness being demonstrated by his unique and amazing religious reform? Perhaps he rationalized, The throne of David is in imminent danger of being overthrown and the House of David extinguished; I am old, my days are numbered, I have no child to succeed me and the king of Assyria must be placated awhile longer until a royal successor to David’s throne is produced. Or, perhaps, Hezekiah, like many rulers, compromised his convictions simply from fear,
Lachish is approximately 25 miles southwest of Jerusalem (see Map #1) and would take the Rab-shakeh two days of marching, setting up camp at night, to reach Jerusalem. Upon arriving at Jerusalem the Assyrians probably set up their bivouac in the Kidron Valley or on the slope of the Mt. of Olives, eastward from the main gates of the city. Located there also is the Gihon Spring and the Upper Pool with its new secret conduit hewn out of solid rock by Hezekiah’s workmen to hide Jerusalem’s chief water supply from the Assyrians (cf. 2 Chronicles 32:1-8). It was probably Hezekiah who first extended the wall to the western hill (known as Modern Zion). In 1970, Professor Nachman Avigad of Hebrew University unearthed a massive portion of ancient wall in the Jewish quarter of the Old City. This wall was 25 feet thick in some places and located opposite the Temple area (see Map #3). The reader may research this information in The Biblical Archaeology Review, September, 1975. Archaeologists date this wall in the late 8th century B.C. This is probably Hezekiah’s outer wall of 2 Chronicles 32:5. Hezekiah’s underground conduit (through which tourists can walk today) enabled the city successfully to withstand the Assyrian siege. A second unprotected earlier conduit has been traced from Gihon Spring, directly southward, outside the walls of David’s city, discharging its waters through a short tunnel behind a dam built across the mouth (lower end) of the Tyropoeon Valley. This was the Old Pool of Isa 22:11 and was the pool probably enlarged later by Hezekiah and called the reservoir between the two walls and was probably intended to take the overflow of his new conduit (see Map #3). Here by the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller’s field Ahaz had rejected the word of God and the promises of the true King and had turned to the Assyrians (cf. Isaiah 7:3). Now, the Assyrians are here on this same spot, a terrifying, threatening consequence of the disobedience of the rulers of God’s people.
Accompanying the Rab-shakeh were officers called the Tartan and the Rab-saris (2 Kings 18:17) and upon their arrival at the upper pool they called for the king (2 Kings 18:18). It was a calculated show of insolence and contempt for Hezekiah. But Hezekiah did not come in person. He was represented by Eliakim, Shebna and Joah. Eliakim has assumed the duties formerly assigned to Shebna, chief of the king’s house (see our comments on ch. Isaiah 22:20 ff). Shebna has been demoted to scribe. What the Rab-shakeh has to say will be recorded.
It is interesting to note the Rab-shakeh always speaks of his own king with proper respect, calling him the great king, but not once does he refer to Hezekiah as king. There is probably some psychological-warfare intended here as well as outright contempt. The Rab-shakeh’s entire speech is masterfully, though rudely done.
The Assyrian begins by challenging the confidence of Judah. The Jews apparently had demonstrated a measure of military-political confidence in something. Perhaps Hezekiah’s rebellion (2 Kings 18:7) is referred to; perhaps Rab-shakeh knows of an alliance with Egyptperhaps the Assyrian intelligence department has discovered such an alliance between Judah and Egypt. Whatever the case the Rab-shakeh is trying to destroy this confidence for he uses the word trust and rely over and over in his speech. The Rab-shakeh also evidently knows something of the details of Hezekiah’s basis for confidence. He intimates that he knows even of the words (counsel) and the preparations (strength) the Jews have made to war against the Assyrians! He arrogantly classifies them as useless.
Isaiah 36:6-12 RABSHAKEH’S INTIMIDATION: After a rhetorical question, the Rab-shakeh gives his own answer. Judah has trusted in Egypt which he characterizes as a bruised reed. Egypt was a land of reeds. For a man to try to lean on a reed was foolish, but to lean on a bruised reed was stupid. Isaiah has already characterized Egypt as big mouth who does nothing (Isaiah 30:7). King Hoshea of Israel had relied on Egypt for help against Assyria, but Egypt did not come to his aid (2 Kings 17:4). Actually, to trust in Egypt caused nations to suffer worse disaster than if they had not relied upon her. So the figure of a man trying to lean on a bruised reed and having his hand pierced! Perhaps the battle of Eltekeh, between the allied armies of Egypt-Philistines and the Assyrians, had been fought already. Egypt was soundly defeated at this battle near Ekron, according to the annals of Sennacherib. So the Rab-shakeh makes his boast of the inferiority of Egypt.
Having cut the ground from under the Jews in respect to their cherished military alliance with Egypt, the Rab-shakeh turns his sarcasm upon their religious confidence. Implied is a certain knowledge among the Assyrians of the importance attached by the Jews to their worship and reliance on Jehovah. The Assyrian’s reference to Hezekiah’s reform manifests his misunderstanding of the One True God. Hezekiah caused to be hewed down the Asherim (2 Kings 18:4-5; 2 Chronicles 31:1) and the Nehushtan (the bronze serpent the people had begun to burn incense to). The altars he tore down were evidently Canaanitish places of worship along with some altars the Jews had made for themselves contrary to God’s command that He was to be worshipped in only one place. Yet, in spite of the truth of Hezekiah’s reform, the rank and file of the people of Judah had become so accustomed to worshipping in the high places at the half-idolatrous altars, they were probably impressed with Rab-shakeh’s argument that Jehovah was displeased with them.
The Assyrian commander’s next form of intimidation is a dare. He dares the Jews to barter, negotiate (Heb. -arav), or, one might translate make a wager with the king of Assyria that they have 2000 men to ride war horses. If they can prove they have only that many, the king of Assyria will give them 2000 horses! The Rab-shakeh has no doubt already determined that Hezekiah does not have that many cavalrymen. He then continues his tirade of contempt by boasting the Jews are unable to offer reasonable opposition to the smallest and least significant of one of Assyria’s divisions of fighting-men. This would be as frightening as were the boasts and sabrerattling of Adolph Hitler when he intimidated Neville Chamberlain in the 1930’S.
Adding to the trepidation of the Jews would be the announcement of the Rab-shakeh that he had come up to Jerusalem with Jehovah’s commission to destroy it. He represents Jehovah as speaking directly to him a command to go against Judah and destroy it! The Rab-shakeh’s claim is interesting, to say the least. There are indications that Jehovah would call the Assyrians to chasten the Jews (Isaiah 5:26 ff; Isaiah 7:18 ff; Isaiah 10:5 ff; Isaiah 28:11 ff). God spoke to a number of pagan emperors through dreams, visions and prophets. We are more inclined to believe in this case, however, the Rab-shakeh is self-deceived and thinks he has been sent by the Hebrew God, or is deliberately lying to the Hebrews and received no call whatsoever. There is an inscription of Cyrus, king of Persia, claiming that the Babylonian god, Marduk (Bel), was with him in his conquests of Babylon. It was apparently a widely practiced bit of psychological-warfare among the ancients.
This so unnerved the Hebrew officials for fear his arguments would spread from the mouths of those upon the walls who were listening to the ears of all in the city, exaggerated with each telling, of course, they insist that the Rab-shakeh speak to them in aramiyth, Aramaic, and not in yehudiyth, Jewish. Though Aramaic was the common language of diplomacy at this time, it is probable that most of the Jews could not understand it. After their captivity in Babylon they could only understand Aramaic and not Hebrew. The Hebrew language is called here Jewish after Judah since the northern kingdom has already gone into captivity and Judah is the only Hebrew nation left. The people of Judah may have been calling themselves Yehudiyth for a long time to distinguish themselves from the northern kingdom. It is interesting to note the Rab-shakeh knew the Hebrew language. He was not only the chief military man, a master psychologist and well versed in world affairs; he was also a linguist.
In Isaiah 36:12 the Rab-shakeh makes it plain in the crudest and most humiliating language his purpose for coming to Jerusalem was not diplomacy but intimidation. He did not come to banter pleasantries and subterfuge with Hezekiah or his noblemen. He says bluntly his purpose was to intimidate the common people of the city, threatening them with the most degrading threats. He warns them in their own language they will eat their own dung and drink their own urine if they dare to go to war and resist the Assyrian conquest of their city. People besieged in ancient cities for three and four years in succession often resorted to atrocities such as this and worse for survival (see Josephus-’ account of the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.).
The Rab-shakeh has thoroughly intimidated the populace. They have heard him ridicule their counsels for war as if he knew every move they were making; they have heard him ridicule their dinky army as if he knew how few soldiers they really had; they have heard him claim a divine commission from Jehovah for destroying their city; they have heard terrifying threats of human privationall in their own language. And to impress them with his power to carry out his threats, he brought along a great number of troops. The Rab-shakeh is a skillful propagandist. He will make a psychological turn from intimidation to indulgence. He knows how to psych people.
QUIZ
What is the fourteenth year of Hezekiah’s reign?
What had Hezekiah done, according to II Kings, to attempt to appease the king of Assyria?
Where, most likely, did the Rabshakeh set up camp upon his arrival at Jerusalem?
Name four different areas in which the Rabshakeh attempted to intimidate the people of Jerusalem.
Why did the Hebrew officials wish Rabshakeh to speak in Aramaic?
Evaluate the Rabshakeh’s ability as a psychologist?
Isaiah 36:13-20
- PROPOSITION
TEXT: Isaiah 36:13-20
13
Then Rabshakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews-’ language, and said, Hear ye the words of the great king, the king of Assyria.
14
Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you; for he will not be able to deliver you:
15
neither let Hezekiah make you trust in Jehovah, saying, Jehovah will surely deliver us; this city shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.
16
Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make your peace with me, and come out to me; and eat ye every one of his vine, and every one of his fig-tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his own cistern;
17
until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards.
18
Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, Jehovah will deliver us. Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
19
Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim? and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?
20
Who are they among all the gods of these countries, that have delivered their country out of my hand, that Jehovah should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?
QUERIES
a.
Was Hezekiah trying to deceive the people?
b.
Why would the Assyrian king take them from their land?
c.
Why refer to the gods of other nations?
PARAPHRASE
Then the Assyrian commander-in-chief stepped forth and shouted loudly in the Hebrew language toward the people gathered on the city walls, Listen to the words of the greatest of all kings, the king of Assyria: Do not let Hezekiah’s promises deceive younothing he can do will save you. Do not let Hezekiah deceive you by telling you to trust in your Jehovahthat He will save youthat He will not let this city be taken over by the king of Assyria. I repeat, do not listen to Hezekiah! You had better listen to this proposition from the king of Assyria: He says, Surrender on my terms, open the gates of the city and come out in peace and I will let each of you go ahead living on your own land, conducting your own business, prospering, until I have time to come and take you away to a land very similar to this one where you will find as much prosperity as you do here. My taking your city is inevitable. You will be much better off to surrender. Beware that you do not be fooled by Hezekiah’s promise that your Jehovah will save you from me. The gods of no other nation have been able to deliver from the king of Assyria. Remember Hamath and Arpad? Their gods did not deliver them. Neither did Sepharvaim’s gods and Samaria’s gods. Of all the gods of these nations, which one has ever delivered them from my power? Not a one! And do you think this god of yours can deliver Jerusalem from me? Do not be foolish!
COMMENTS
Isaiah 36:13-15 TAUNT: The Assyrians were noted for their arrogant disregard of the most basic diplomatic etiquette. Their reputation was that of baseness, cruelty and insolence. Rabshakeh, asked to address his words in Aramaic to the representatives of King Hezekiah, insolently rises from his eat, steps forward (probably past the three Hebrew officials) and yells his taunt in the Hebrew language at the people gathered along the walls of the city of Jerusalem. His taunt is that Hezekiah does not know what he is talking aboutthat Hezekiah is leading the people down the path of deception. It is really an accusation that the people are being exploited by Hezekiah. It is interesting to note the emphatic repetition (4 times) of the Rabshakeh that the people not let Hezekiah deceive them. Evidently Hezekiah had impressed the people that Jehovah would deliver the city from the Assyrians. When Sennacherib first marched into Judah, Hezekiah sent a letter of apology for rebelling against him (see comments Isaiah 36:1-12). Hezekiah even sent tribute to Lachish to Sennacherib. Isaiah must have convinced Hezekiah in the interval between Sennacherib’s initial invasion and Rabshakeh’s journey to Jerusalem that the Lord would indeed deliver Jerusalem. Hezekiah made an impassioned plea to the people (2 Chronicles 32:6-8), after redirecting the city’s water supply and building new walls, that there is one greater with us than with him. It appears the Assyrians had heard of this new courage of Hezekiah and his persuasion of the people. Rabshakeh’s words must have indicated to the people that the Assyrians knew even about the passionate pleas Hezekiah made within the confines of their city walls! It would be disconcerting and frightening.
Isaiah 36:16-17 TEMPTATION: The Rabshakeh applies the pressure of fleshly concern for physical well-being, innocent enough in itself but idolatrous when it supersedes godliness as a first concern. He urges the people to think first of their stomachs. He promises that all will be well with them if they will surrender to the terms of the king of Assyria. The only sacrifice they will have to make, according to the Rabshakeh, is to be taken from their homeland. Even then, he promises, they will be taken to a land as fertile, productive and prosperous as their own. Rabshakeh does not specifically promise them they will participate as citizens or land-owners in the new land. The fertility of Mesopotamia was, in some ways, greater than that of Palestine. And that was the catch! The appeal was fleshly. The temptation was casting physical survival against a spiritual birthright. It was the age-old temptation begun with Jacob and Esau and epitomized at Christ’s temptation in the wilderness to turn stones into bread. The land of Palestine was more than mere physical sustenance to the Hebrews. It was the covenant land of their fathers. They were given this land by the mighty hand of Jehovah for a spiritual purpose. It was the land where the only altar to the One True God could be erected. If they, of their own deliberate choice, should surrender to be taken from the land, it would demonstrate their total disregard of their spiritual birthright. Later, when God removed them from their land, it was a graphic object lesson to the Jews that they had forfeited their spiritual legacy by sin and idolatry and no longer deserved to occupy the covenant land. The temptation was to weigh the invisible, ideal matters of faith against the visible, practical matters of the flesh. They were being tempted to think they were, after all, clinging to a religious illusion while they might deprive themselves of a present happiness.
The Hebrew people should have known the practice of pagan empires in transplanting people away from their homelands was not for the pleasure of the conquered people but for the security of the empire. It was a well known practice (cf. 2 Kings 18:11, etc.) and functioned well in keeping subjugated people from rebelling. Such a practice not only humiliated people and dispersed them widely but it also de-culturized them. They tended to lose their national identity and thus any strong motivation for rebellion.
Isaiah 36:18-20 TABULATION: Now Rabshakeh appeals to seeming facts of history. He tabulates all the victories the king of Assyria has had over the gods of the nations he has conquered. He begins by warning the Hebrew people not to let Hezekiah sweet talk them into depending upon their God. The Hebrew word translated persuade is yasiyth (from suth) meaning to soothe. It is almost as if Rabshakeh warns the people that Hezekiah may be trying to soothingly seduce them by saying, Jehovah will deliver us. The gods of the nations appear to have been powerless against the great king of Assyria. When the power showdown came, none of the gods of the nations could deliver from the Assyrians. The gods of the nations now sat as trophies in the Assyrian pantheon of gods. In ancient thought, religion and political power were closely connected. If a city or a nation survived and maintained its sovereignty, it was because of the power of its national god; a nation’s wanderings were accompanied by the wanderings of its gods, its victories accomplished by its gods, its defeats signs of the inferiority of its gods. If all the powerful gods of the many nations conquered by Assyria were proven powerless, what hope could the Hebrews hold that their God was any more powerful. This appeal to the power of paganism over Jehovah may seem strange to us but to the mind of the heathen, and from the heathen view of politics, religion and history, it was not strange. In fact, in some godless lands today, the same reasoning prevails. See Map #1 for the location of Hamath, Arpad and Sepharvaim.
QUIZ
How did Rabshakeh react to the request of the Hebrew officials to refrain from speaking so the people on the wall could hear?
What does the repeated warning of Rabshakeh that Hezekiah should not deceive the people about deliverance infer about Hezekiah’s appeals to them?
Where is the record of Hezekiah’s appeal to the people to trust God?
What basic temptation did Rabshakeh hold out to the people to get them to surrender to Assyria’s terms?
Why did ancient empires transplant conquered peoples away from their homelands?
What significance did Palestine have for the Jew besides a land to live on?
Why did Rabshakeh refer to the pagan gods defeated by Assyria?
Isaiah 36:21-22
- PATIENCE
TEXT: Isaiah 36:21-22
21
But they held their peace, and answered him not a word; for the king’s commandment was, saying, Answer him not.
22
Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, that was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.
QUERIES
a.
Why did the king command no answer be made?
b.
Why did the officials tear their clothing?
PARAPHRASE
But in the face of all these taunts and temptations, the people were silent, because King Hezekiah had ordered the people, Do not answer the Assyrian Rabshakeh. Then Eliakim, chief administrator, and Shebna, the royal scribe, and Joah, the royal chronicler, returned to the presence of Hezekiah with their clothes ripped and torn as a sign of their grief and misery and told him all that had been said by the Rabshakeh.
COMMENTS
Isaiah 36:21 SILENCE: The usual Hebrew word for peace, shallom, is not in this sentence. The word is yaheriyshu and is translated held their peace but literally means were dumb, silent, and is from the same root word which speaks of engraved sculpture. The idea probably is that the Hebrew officials stood before the Rabshakeh as silent as stone statues! Wise King Solomon said, there is a time to keep silence, and a time to speak. (Ecclesiastes 3:7). This was a time for silence. Hezekiah commanded it. The Hebrew word for command is mitzvah. The bar-mitzvah literally means son of command and is the ceremony observed for all Jewish boys at the age of 13 when they become sons of responsibility. In this sentence it is the mitzvah of the melek; the command of the king. Hezekiah knew that any answer his representatives or his people might give about Jehovah delivering them would not convince the Assyrians to refrain from their threats and actions. It would only agitate them. There are times when pearls and bread should not be cast before swine and dogs, lest they turn and rend you. There are times, in heated, emotional confrontations when answering taunt with taunt would inflame the situation out of control. Matthew Henry said, It is sometimes prudent not to answer a fool according to his folly. Hezekiah and Isaiah had reason enough to make an answer to Rabshakeh that God would deliver them, but such an answer would hardly appease such an unreasonable braggart as Rabshakeh. Jesus, facing just such a brazen, foolish and ungodly man in Herod, answered him not a word.
Isaiah 36:22 SUFFERING: It was not easy for the Hebrew officials to keep silent. Their dismay and despair is demonstrated in the tearing of their clothing. The Jews tore their clothing when they were sorrowful, penitent, distraught, confused and angry. All of these emotions may have been welling up within these men. One thing they knew, the Assyrians were powerful and had done all (and more) that the Rabshakeh recounted. What the future held for their city was unknown, as yet. The only alternative they had to the Rabshakeh’s tabulation of Assyrian victories was faith in Jehovah. Often, the known is distinct and threatening; the unknown veiled and sometimes even more threatening. So we are often defeated by our own reasoning. Our problems seem insoluble to our thinking. But there is enough evidence of the power of God to deliver the faithful, the believer may have victory over every threat of the enemy.
QUIZ
How silent were the people?
Why did Hezekiah command them to keep silent?
How do we know it was a struggle for them to do so?