Deliverance From Assyria
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and of Samaria; shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols,
so do to Jerusalem and her idols?”
Isaiah 10:10, 11
. Judah had nothing
to fear; for their trust was in Jehovah.
The long-expected crisis finally came. The forces of Assyria,
advancing from triumph to triumph, appeared in Judea. Confident of
victory, the leaders divided their forces into two armies, one of which
was to meet the Egyptian army to the southward, while the other was
to besiege Jerusalem.
Judah’s only hope was now in God. All possible help from Egypt
had been cut off, and no other nations were near to lend a friendly
hand.
The Assyrian officers, sure of the strength of their disciplined
forces, arranged for a conference with the chief men of Judah, during
which they insolently demanded the surrender of the city. This demand
was accompanied by blasphemous revilings against the God of the
Hebrews. Because of the weakness and apostasy of Israel and Judah,
the name of God was no longer feared among the nations, but had
become a subject for continual reproach. See
Isaiah 52:5
.
“Speak ye now to Hezekiah,” said Rabshakeh, one of Sennacherib’s
chief officers, “Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What
confidence is this wherein thou trustest? Thou sayest, (but they are but
vain words,) I have counsel and strength for the war. Now on whom
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dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?”
2 Kings 18:19, 20
.
The officers were conferring outside the gates of the city, but within
the hearing of the sentries on the wall; and as the representatives of
the Assyrian king loudly urged their proposals upon the chief men
of Judah, they were requested to speak in the Syrian rather than the
Jewish language, in order that those upon the wall might not have
knowledge of the proceedings of the conference. Rabshakeh, scorning
this suggestion, lifted his voice still higher, and, continuing to speak
in the Jewish language, said:
“Hear ye the words of the great king, the king of Assyria. Thus
saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to
deliver you. Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, saying,
The Lord will surely deliver us: this city shall not be delivered into the
hand of the king of Assyria.
“Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make
an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me: and eat