Page 74 - Isaiah Student Worktext

V. 11-12 The Rabshekah was fluent in the Hebrew language and was using it, not to make things easier
for the spokesmen for King Hezekiah, but to make sure that all who were listening would hear the
threats and taunts as well.

The Rabshekah responds with a graphic prediction: those who are listening in will soon be ‘eat[ing] and
drink[ing] their own waste’ due to the siege that was coming. In his ‘compassion’, he wanted them to
be able to hear what was coming.

V. 13-17 Now the Rabshekah turns up the attack, and speaks directly to the people. He tells them that
Hezekiah is deceiving them and that the Lord is deceiving them. Nothing can save them. Then, he
promises them peace and prosperity if they will surrender. Again, this is the same line Satan uses on us.

V. 18-20 Now, he warns them not to listen to any promises about the power of God. He compares the
One True God to the other ‘gods’ who had failed other groups of people conquered by the Assyrians. In
V. 19, he lists some of them.

Evil always over-reaches its power. It has no power without God’s consent Job 1: 12 But just as Satan
was expelled from heaven for trying to make himself equal with God, evil has always tried to bite off
more than it could chew. Those who have tried to conquer the world always sought just ‘a little bit’
more. Alexander the Great, Napoleon and Hitler were all defeated by overextending themselves.

The Rabshekah overextended by claiming to have more power than God. Again, this is a picture of the
conceit and arrogance of Satan.

V. 21-22 The people answered him ‘not a word’, at the king’s command. Still, they tore their clothes as
they prepared to go give a report to the king.

Chapter 37 - Main Idea: The battle between God and the king of
Assyria comes to a head, and God wins effortlessly, symbolizing also
Christ’s defeat of our eternal enemies.

The world has long sought for power and strength through military might.
Whether talking about horses and chariots or nuclear weapons, nations consumed with their own power
have tried to demonstrate strength this way. Nations that are not involved in the arms race look to the
powerful nations with fear. This chapter, along with so many other passages in scripture, tell us that the
ultimate power belongs to God, and God alone.

V. 1-4 King Hezekiah’s response to the visit from the spokesman for the king of Assyria was to tear his
clothes. This is a demonstration, not of fear necessarily, but of humility before the Lord. In previous
passages, Hezekiah has sought assistance from other nations, other powers. Now, he turns to the Lord.

Our lesson from that is simply this: God should be our FIRST resource in all things. Hezekiah sends his
companions to the prophet, Isaiah, to seek his prayers and advice. Hezekiah hopes that Isaiah would
‘remind’ God of the blasphemy that the Rabshekah spoke on the Assyrian king’s behalf. He asks that
Isaiah pray for the ‘remnant’.

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