Bible Commentaries
Isaiah 36

Verses 1-22

1. Intro:
   1. We all face an enemy! – It may be one bad thought(Anger); It may be one bad giant(Goliath); or one bad army(Assyria).
      1. The spiritual fight is exactly the same.
         1. They stem from the same foe behind it(Satan).
         2. He has the same purpose in mind(to make us fear & falter & ultimately fall)
      2. In these 2 chapters we can learn much about warfare against our own spiritual enemy the devil.
   2. A. W. Tozer, “What we need very badly these days is a company of Christians who are prepared to trust God as completely now as they know they must do at the last day. For each of us the time is coming when we shall have nothing but God. Health and wealth and friends and hiding places will be swept away, and we shall have only God. To the man of pseudo faith that is a terrifying thought, but to real faith it is one of the most comforting thoughts the heart can entertain.”
2. FACING OUR ENEMY! (ch.36)
   1. Assyria wasn’t content with just taking Israel, they wanted Judah also.
      1. There are 2 top tricks of the enemy to try to shake our confidence in God. They come by way of…Taunting us & Intimidating us!
   2. Taunts! (1-10)
   3. (2) Rabshakeh – a title not his name. A field commander.
   4. (3) Hezekiah’s 3 negotiators.
   5. (4-7) Q: In whom do you trust?
      1. Yourself? The world? The Lord?
      2. He knows the most important thing is where you put your faith(4).
         1. Satan knows that…do you?
      3. Q: How do you respond when you are being taunted?
         1. Q: In sports? On the frwy? Kids on the playground? Young adults in the College classroom?
   6. (7) Rabshakeh misunderstood this warning.
      1. There is a sign on a convent here in southern California that reads: Absolutely No Trespassing--Violators Will Be Prosecuted to the Full Extent of the Law. Signed, "The Sisters of Mercy."
   7. Intimidation! (11-20)
   8. (11-5) Aramaic(Syrian Language) was the language of diplomacy.
      1. It is similar to Hebrew but the common people would not have understood it.
   9. (16,17) The enemy offers to give you something in return for your obedience to him!
      1. i.e. 2000 horses(vs.8) & your own vine, fig tree, cistern(vs.16).
      2. But there is always an “until” involved(17).
      3. Q: What’s he offering you right now? What color is your carrot?
         1. Oh, his carrots come in all shapes & sizes!
      4. Rabshakeh is like a stranger that is offering candy to the child on the road to get into his car.
         1. Or like the snake on Jungle Book(Kaa)…“Look into my eyes” as he hypnotizes Mowgli the man-cub.
   10. (20) He destroyed 46 towns & villages…according to his own record.
       1. He destroyed the Syrian & Mesopotamian gods, which couldn’t deliver them…Why should the Judeans think the Lord would deliver them?
   11. Response! (21,22)
   12. They refused to answer!
   13. Never negotiate with Satan. (e.g. Jesus during temptation)
       1. James 4:7 “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”
       2. Eph.4:27 “do not give the devil a foothold.”
       3. 1 Pet.5:8,9 “…your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him,…”
   14. Q: What/Who is taunting or intimidating you right now?
       1. Q: What will be your biblical response?
          Q: What is your normal reaction?
   15. There is never panic in trust!