The Assyrian king had sent his army out to forcibly take those that were not under his control.
One by one the nations of the world fell until it came down to a small, obscure little place called Judah.
For days the foreign army entered the land and surrounded the walls of the city of Jerusalem.
Cities mightier than this fell before them but what a waste to destroy such architecture, culture, art, and its people.
The emissary of the king, known as the Rabshakeh, was a little more than a cup-bearer but was greatly trusted by the king.
He was familiar with this land and its people, for he was one of them.
Captured from the nation of Israel and put into the king’s service, he was little more than a slave and a traitor to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
Then the Rabshakeh stood and called out with a loud voice in Hebrew, and said, “Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria! Thus says the king: ‘Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you; nor let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, “The LORD will surely deliver us; this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.”‘ Do not listen to Hezekiah; for thus says the king of Assyria: ‘Make peace with me by a present and come out to me; and every one of you eat from his own vine and every one from his own fig tree, and every one of you drink the waters of his own cistern; until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards. Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, “The LORD will deliver us.” Has any one of the gods of the nations delivered its land from the hand of the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Indeed, have they delivered Samaria from my hand? Who among all the gods of these lands have delivered their countries from my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem from my hand?'” Isa. 36:13-20
The messenger for the Assyrian king did nothing but try to cast doubt in the minds of the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
What is going to be their response?
And then what should be yours?