What does 2 Kings 18:27 reveal about the Assyrian's view of God's people? Setting the Scene - King Hezekiah has rebelled against Assyria (2 Kings 18:7). - Sennacherib sends the Rabshakeh (field commander) to Jerusalem’s wall to shake Judah’s confidence. - The envoys of Hezekiah ask him to speak Aramaic, but he deliberately chooses Hebrew so every soldier on the wall can hear (18:26). Key Verse (2 Kings 18:27) “But the Rabshakeh replied, ‘Has my master sent me only to your master and to you to speak these words, and not also to the men sitting on the wall—who, like you, will have to eat their own dung and drink their own urine?’” Assyrian Viewpoints Exposed - • Utter Contempt: equating God’s people with men destined to consume their own waste shows total disdain. - • Assured Victory: the Rabshakeh speaks as if Jerusalem’s fall and starvation are inevitable (compare 18:32–35). - • Psychological Warfare: he wants panic to spread inside the city; starvation imagery is chosen to crush morale. - • Dismissal of Covenant Identity: by addressing the common soldiers directly, he treats Judah not as a holy nation (Exodus 19:6) but as any other conquered populace. - • Blasphemous Overconfidence: later he mocks Yahweh by lumping Him with powerless gods (18:33–35), revealing that the contempt for Judah is rooted in contempt for Judah’s God. Reasons Behind the Contempt - Judah’s recent political weakness (18:13–16) emboldened Assyria. - Assyria relies on military might (Isaiah 10:13–14); therefore it measures worth solely by power, not by divine promise. - Spiritual blindness: like Pharaoh (Exodus 5:2) and Goliath (1 Samuel 17:43), the Assyrians cannot fathom the living God working for His people. How God’s People Might Have Felt - Surrounded and powerless (Psalm 31:13). - Publicly ridiculed (Psalm 44:13–14). - Tempted to doubt God’s care, just as earlier generations grumbled during famine threats (Numbers 11:4–6). Contrast With God’s Perspective - God calls Judah His treasured possession (Deuteronomy 7:6). - He promises deliverance when the enemy reviles His name (Isaiah 37:6, 35). - He turns the mockery back on the mocker; the angel of the LORD will strike 185,000 Assyrians (2 Kings 19:35). Takeaways for Today - Hostile voices often measure worth by visible strength, but God measures by covenant. - Derision toward believers is ultimately derision toward God (Acts 9:4). - When intimidation paints a future of inevitable ruin, remember God’s proven record of intervening at the last moment (2 Kings 19:32–34). |
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