Isaiah 36:1-22 Sennacherib
Sennacherib, king of Assyria begins to make Isaiah’s prophecies not future predictions but present events. Stand by for the hand of God! Boasting comes first.
Sennacherib is angry with Judah because King Hezekiah refused to honor the agreement King Ahaz made with Assyria. For Assyria’s protection of Judah, Judah was to become their puppets and pay them tribute. Hezekiah was a godly king and wanted Judah to serve the Lord alone. No false gods, no forced tribute!
There were two other important facts before this day happened. First, Hezekiah brought the people back to God. He tore down the high places, destroyed the altars and temples of the false gods, and even broke the bronze serpent Moses had made in the wilderness. God had instructed Moses to make it for a specific reason and season. The people had turned to worshiping it instead of the God it pointed to.
Second, Hezekiah made a treaty with Egypt for horsemen and chariots. Apparently, Judah had horses, but they didn’t have men trained for battle while riding a horse. Nor did they have chariots of their own. Isaiah warned the people that they should NOT make alliances with Egypt. Egypt could NOT protect them. I don’t know what Sennacherib did to stop Egypt but it was successful.
Before we go any farther though, there is a question I want to ask. Sennacherib tells his military commander to share something in particular with the men of Jerusalem. “Moreover, is it without the Lord that I have come up against this land to destroy it? The Lord said to me, ‘Go up against this land and destroy it’” (verse 10). What I want to know is if God really told Sennacherib to come up against Judah. Or is Sennacherib’s envoy saying this to fool the men of Jerusalem into thinking their God is with Sennacherib? It is possible that God brought Sennacherib to this place for the very purpose of demonstrating to His people His mighty hand. Maybe God told him to go up and conquer the other towns in Judah but had NO intention of letting Sennacherib conquer Jerusalem. It is AMAZING the things God does to get our attention!!!
Hezekiah’s envoys want to keep the whole matter secret from the people. If they are scared, there is no telling what they might do. But the people listened and fully obeyed King Hezekiah, even in the midst of fearful circumstances. They trusted him with their lives! And I would bank on the reason for their trust was the character and faith he displayed before them. Hezekiah trusted God with his whole heart and his whole nation.
Instead of keeping the words of Sennacherib hidden from the people, the commander called out even louder IN A LANGUAGE THAT ALL understood. NO secrets here. THEN Sennacherib’s envoy did something that would be his undoing. He disrespected God. The God who created AND rules the whole universe. NOT the God to insult!!!
We will see later on that the very insult leveled against God was the noose they made for their own necks. I don’t care how big you are, how powerful or influential you are. NOTHING & NO ONE is bigger than God. God will prove this to Sennacherib very soon.
What can I learn from this passage for my life?
First and foremost, listen and obey the voice of my King. If the people listening in had decided to ignore their king’s command, there could have been a MUCH different outcome.
Second, TRUST God with my future. I don’t need a ‘plan B’ waiting, in case God somehow doesn’t come through on my behalf. He KEEPS His word 100% of the time.
Third, God can use anything and anyone to accomplish His work in my life. God might bring a Sennacherib into my path. So long as I keep my trust in God, HE will see me through their challenges. And He has brought them before me to teach me something I wouldn’t learn another way.
Father God, thank You for knowing EXACTLY what I need and when I need it. For bringing challenges at just the right time to encourage growth. For building my faith in You. And for helping me to stand against any giant that comes my way. With my hand in YOURS there is only one outcome possible. VICTORY!!!
I want to know Your voice SO WELL Father to that NONE can trick me. Also so that I don’t believe it is a trick when I do hear You calling me to do something.
