A king who stayed in his fortress!
The roar of the enemy is building to a crescendo. They are so vast that when you look out from the city walls it is difficult to see where they end and the countryside begins. That countryside now battered and bruised by the marching of thousands of feet. Those same feet shuffle impatiently adding to the noise of swords being sharpened and horses neighing, the battle calls of men itching for the encounter to begin. They know this fight will be easily won. Either their sheer size will terrify the city into surrendering, or their ruthless, superior battle tactics will quickly overthrow it. Either way, they put their full force into psychologically implanting fear into the hearts of every man woman and child …show more content…
Hezekiah destroyed all evidence of Idol worship when he became king. He tore down Asherah poles and smashed alters dedicated to Baal. He even destroyed the High Places where people would mix their worship of the true God, with other idols. He shattered the bronze snake that God had ordered to be made to bring healing for his people in the wilderness. This was because instead of just using it as a way to remember God’s power, the people had been bowing down to it. It had to go. Most other kings who had served God, neglected to do this, thereby allowing this compromise to continue. But Hezekiah was ruthless of his purging of Judah, and was sold out for …show more content…
They know that they have to do some damage control or the battle will surely be lost.
So they ask “Please speak to your servants in Aramaic since we understand it. Don’t speak to us in Hebrew in the hearing of these people on the wall”
But the field commander was having none of it.
“ was it only to your master and you that my master sent me to say these things and not to the people sitting on the wall- who like you will have to eat their own excrement and drink their own urine?”
He then proceeded to make promises to the people. This is my paraphrase: Surrender and you will be allowed to stay in your land and eat the fruit of your own vine. Then later I will come and take you to a very nice land, one very much like this one, where you will be able to settle and live good lives. Don’t listen to Hezekiah, no one has been able to withstand against us. And if you think your God will help you, where are the gods of all the countries we have defeated? They trusted in their gods but we were stronger.
However because Hezekiah had commanded them, the people remained silent and did not
The roar of the enemy is building to a crescendo. They are so vast that when you look out from the city walls it is difficult to see where they end and the countryside begins. That countryside now battered and bruised by the marching of thousands of feet. Those same feet shuffle impatiently adding to the noise of swords being sharpened and horses neighing, the battle calls of men itching for the encounter to begin. They know this fight will be easily won. Either their sheer size will terrify the city into surrendering, or their ruthless, superior battle tactics will quickly overthrow it. Either way, they put their full force into psychologically implanting fear into the hearts of every man woman and child …show more content…
Hezekiah destroyed all evidence of Idol worship when he became king. He tore down Asherah poles and smashed alters dedicated to Baal. He even destroyed the High Places where people would mix their worship of the true God, with other idols. He shattered the bronze snake that God had ordered to be made to bring healing for his people in the wilderness. This was because instead of just using it as a way to remember God’s power, the people had been bowing down to it. It had to go. Most other kings who had served God, neglected to do this, thereby allowing this compromise to continue. But Hezekiah was ruthless of his purging of Judah, and was sold out for …show more content…
They know that they have to do some damage control or the battle will surely be lost.
So they ask “Please speak to your servants in Aramaic since we understand it. Don’t speak to us in Hebrew in the hearing of these people on the wall”
But the field commander was having none of it.
“ was it only to your master and you that my master sent me to say these things and not to the people sitting on the wall- who like you will have to eat their own excrement and drink their own urine?”
He then proceeded to make promises to the people. This is my paraphrase: Surrender and you will be allowed to stay in your land and eat the fruit of your own vine. Then later I will come and take you to a very nice land, one very much like this one, where you will be able to settle and live good lives. Don’t listen to Hezekiah, no one has been able to withstand against us. And if you think your God will help you, where are the gods of all the countries we have defeated? They trusted in their gods but we were stronger.
However because Hezekiah had commanded them, the people remained silent and did not