Hearing the Words of Authority
"Then Rabshakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and said, Hear ye the words of the great king, the king of Assyria." - Isaiah 36:13
In Isaiah 36:13, we find a pivotal moment in the history of Israel during a time fraught with turmoil and impending doom. The verse reads: "Then Rabshakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and said, Hear ye the words of the great king, the king of Assyria." This brief yet profound statement marks an important intersection of authority, fear, and the call to hear.
Rabshakeh, the messenger of the Assyrian king, stood in the sight of the besieged people of Jerusalem, delivering a message that would strike fear into the hearts of those who heard it. His voice echoed through the walls of the city, declaring the might of the Assyrian empire and undermining the confidence of the Jewish people in their God. The power of his proclamation lay not only in the words he spoke but also in the manner in which he delivered them—loud, bold, and in a language that was understood by the people. In doing so, he was both a herald of the Assyrian king and a manipulator of fear.
What stands out in this verse is the directive: "Hear ye the words of the great king." It is a call that compels attention, a demand for acknowledgment of power that seeks to overshadow the covenant promises of God. As modern readers of the Scriptures, we must not overlook the significance of authority and the competing voices that vie for our attention today. Just as the people of Judah were confronted by Rabshakeh's shout, we too are bombarded by messages in our lives that seek to instill fear, doubt, and uncertainty.
Rabshakeh’s declaration can be likened to the voices of negativity and despair we encounter in contemporary society. Whether it be through media, peer pressures, or personal circumstances, there are many "great kings" in our lives demanding our ears: the king of doubt, the king of anxiety, the king of despair. Each of these entities proclaims their dominion over us in loud, convincing tones and presents a narrative that often leads us away from faith.
But in the midst of these cries, what must our response be? As believers, we are called to discern the source of those voices. Just as the inhabitants of Jerusalem had the choice to heed the words of Rabshakeh or remember the promises of their God, we also stand at a crossroads when faced with challenges. God’s words ultimately ring louder than any earthly authority. He assures us in Isaiah 41:10: "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."
In this context, we must cultivate a posture of listening to God’s voice over the din of worldly chaos. The challenge lies not in the absence of fear but rather in choosing to listen to the voice of truth that God speaks to us amidst uncertainty. We should engage in prayer, meditate on Scripture, and immerse ourselves in worship—all ways to tune our hearts to resonate with the divine authority that overrules every earthly claim against us.
Moreover, Rabshakeh's boldness serves as a reminder of the power of spoken words. As the Apostle James reminds us in James 3:10, "Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be." We must also be mindful of the words we speak. Are we echoing the cries of fear and doubt or the declarations of faith and hope? Let our voices be ones that proclaim the goodness and faithfulness of God!
In conclusion, Isaiah 36:13 is more than a historical account; it is a timeless lesson in the power of authority and the importance of whose words we choose to heed. As we navigate our lives, let us strive to hear and hold fast to the promises of God, forever trusting that His voice carries greater weight than any earthly ruler. May we discern the messages we entertain and echo the hope that comes from trusting in the "great King"—the King of Kings.
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Isaiah 36:13 - "Then Rabshakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and said, Hear ye the words of the great king, the king of Assyria."
"Then Rabshakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and said, Hear ye the words of the great king, the king of Assyria." - Isaiah 36:13
Isaiah 36:21 - "But they held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not."
Mark 13:36 - "Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping."
Isaiah 36:14 - "Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you."
Isaiah 36:19 - "Where are the gods of Hamath and Arphad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim? and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?"
Job 36:13 - "But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he bindeth them."
Genesis 36:13 - "And these are the sons of Reuel; Nahath, and Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah: these were the sons of Bashemath Esau's wife."
Isaiah 36:3 - "Then came forth unto him Eliakim, Hilkiah's son, which was over the house, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, Asaph's son, the recorder."
Isaiah 13:1 - "The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see."
Isaiah 36:17 - "Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards."
Isaiah 36:20 - "Who are they among all the gods of these lands, that have delivered their land out of my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?"
Isaiah 36:15 - "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."
Isaiah 36:9 - "How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master's servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?"
Isaiah 41:13
isaiah 6:13
Isaiah 36:4 - "¶ And Rabshakeh said unto them, Say ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?"
Isaiah 36:10 - "And am I now come up without the LORD against this land to destroy it? the LORD said unto me, Go up against this land, and destroy it."
Isaiah 36:1 - "Now it came to pass in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, that Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the defenced cities of Judah, and took them."
Isaiah 36:22 - "¶ Then came Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, that was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rabshakeh."
Exodus 36:13 - "And he made fifty taches of gold, and coupled the curtains one unto another with the taches: so it became one tabernacle."
Numbers 36:13 - "These are the commandments and the judgments, which the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses unto the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho."
Jeremiah 36:13 - "Then Michaiah declared unto them all the words that he had heard, when Baruch read the book in the ears of the people."
Leviticus 13:36 - "Then the priest shall look on him: and, behold, if the scall be spread in the skin, the priest shall not seek for yellow hair; he is unclean."
Isaiah 36:18 - "Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, The LORD will deliver us. Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?"
Isaiah 37:36 - "Then the angel of the LORD went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses."
Isaiah 36:5 - "I say, sayest thou, (but they are but vain words) I have counsel and strength for war: now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?"
Isaiah 36:2 - "And the king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem unto king Hezekiah with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field."
"Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping." - Mark 13:36
Isaiah 36:6 - "Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him."