RABSHAKEH

 

 

RABSHAKEH

Sunday, February 24, 2019, the Year of Our Lord

Pastor Carolyn Sissom

 

The spirit of Rabshakeh is revealed in 2 Kings 18-19 and Isaiah Chapter 36-37.  This is the title of an Assyrian officer sent by Sennacherib (a type of the antichrist) against Jerusalem to intimidate, scorn, mock and threaten King Hezekiah and the citizens of Judah of an impending attack on Judah. Rabshaken blatantly challenged the Lord. He demands the unconditional surrender of Judah.  Rabshakeh met with Hezekiah’s delegation, and in its presence taunted Judah for trust in Egypt and trust in God.

 

We can identify the spirit of Rabshakeh in New York’s abortion policy of killing full term babies; the North Korea missile threat; the Iranian missile threat; the crisis in Venezuela as the dictator refuses to relinquish power of the government; the false flag of bullying in the U.S. to create division and cause chaos

 

Rabshakeh is the mouth piece of Satan and the voice of intimidation to instill fear in Judah.   The battle continues to rage between God and the arrogant forces who blatantly challenge the Lord.

 

Isa. 36:2 “The King of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem unto King Hezekiah with a great army.  He stood by the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller’s field.”

 

2 Ki. 18-19: Rabshakeh said to them, Say now to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: “What confidence is this in which you trust?

 “You speak of having plans and power for war; but they are mere words. And in whom do you trust, that you rebel against me?

 

Isa. 36:14-20:  Thus says the king (Sennecherib), “let not Hezekiah deceive you; for he shall not be able to deliver you.  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.  Hearken not to Hezekiah; for thus says the king of Assyria, ‘Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me; and eat every one of his vine, and every one of his fig tree, and  drink every one the waters of his own cistern…Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, The Lord will deliver us.  Has any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?  Where are the gods of Hamath and Arphad?  Where are the gods of Sepharvaim?  Have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?  They held their peace, and did not answer him a word; for the king’s commandment was saying, do not answer him.”

 

Isaiah was the Lord’s prophet to Hezekiah and Manasseh.  Isaiah had a long ministry to Uzziah, Jotham, and Ahaz, Hezekiah’s father, grand-father, etc.   The name of Isaiah signifies “the salvation of Jehovah.”   His position as adviser to King Hezekiah was that of a statesman.  Through his prophetic Office, he had tremendous influence for good in national affairs. 

 

The whole scenario pictures Satan’s assault against the integrity of the Word of King Jesus and the church of God, telling the church that she will die of famine and thirst, promising a better life under his dominion in his kingdom.  His invitation is to the “good life”, but his real intent is slavery! 

 

In such a time of testing, only the real prophet sent from God (the indwelling Christ of Col. 1:27) can speak the Word of Life which will bring the demise of such accusation and assault!

 

36:20-22:  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?  But they held their peace, and did not answer him a word; for the king’s commandment was, saying, Answer him not.  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.”

 

37:1:  “It came to pass, when King Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the Lord.”

 

Hezekiah laid the matter before the Lord in the Temple, and sent forth a delegation to Isaiah the prophet for counsel and prayer.

 

37:2-5: “Hezekiah sent Eliakim, Shebna, and the elders of the priests unto Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz. They said unto him, thus says Hezekiah, “This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of blasphemy; for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth. It may be the Lord your God will hear the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master has sent to reproach the living God, and will reprove the words which the Lord your God has heard, wherefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left. So the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah.”

 

This is the scripture which quickened me to this message.  This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of blasphemy; for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.

 

Yes, he is comparing Judah with the birthing and strength of a nation, but this also applies to our nation.  When New York, and five others states legalized full term abortion, we as a nation are in a day of trouble, of rebuke, and blasphemy.  The government of these states do not have the strength of moral character to protect the babies and bring them to birth.

 

Hank Kunneman gave a prophecy  “One who represents death, a woman shall taken and replaced by a woman of faith.  There will be a reversal of the law upon the land that aborts children.”

 

I pray the day will come in the United States when generations will look back on our generations and be appalled that we were a society who killed helpless babies, yet are very protective of animals and wild life.  Our generation is appalled at the treatment of slaves;  and the treatment of Jews in the holocaust.  How terrible and sad it is that we slaughter innocent babies.

 

 This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of blasphemy; for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.

 

Ecc. 11:5: Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things. 

 

Another word H. K. gave in his prophecy is “the Lord will receive honor from President Trump and his administration.  The enemy fears the agenda of God.  Honor shall come from the House of Representatives.  God is greater than the Senate, greater than the Supreme Court and greater than the House of Representatives. 

 

An evil spirit is sent to seek division and conflict.  It is a lying spirit.  These will over play their hand and will divide their own party.  The proud elephant party will also be shaken and humbled too.  The divisive spirit is a stench.”

 

We saw this play out last week on our television screens with regard to the Smullet hoax and those who piled on. 

 

Hezekiah’s faith was wavering when he said, “It may be the Lord your God will hear the words of Rabshakeh…”  Anyone can declare it may be, but divine faith declares it is done, or it will be done. 

 

37:6-7: “Isaiah said unto them, thus shall you say unto your master, thus says the Lord, do not be afraid of the words that you have heard, wherewith the king of Assyria has blasphemed me.  Behold, I will send a blast upon him and he shall hear a rumor, and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.”

 

This is the Word of the Lord.  Hezekiah can now act on the sure word of the Lord.   The blast was the sending of an angel from heaven with a sword---an angel who killed 185,000 men of war in one night, thus causing the king of Assyria to give up plans for a siege of Jerusalem and to return to his own land where he was killed by his own sons.

 

Sennacherib’s great army was destroyed by God through the ministry of Isaiah; and Hezekiah’s faith in God.  The war became a matter for God alone.  Our God has the ability to stop any war, if only, like Hezekia, his people will pray (2 Chron. 7:14).

 

This overthrow of the Assyrian army is one of the most astounding miracles of the Old Testament.

 

Prophet Hank Kunneman also gave a prophecy for the U.S. to watch the water in the year 2019.  The bullseye will be the northeast.  The Lord shall reveal his redemptive plan in water – great rain, great floods, and great waves.  Also  watch the water in Japan and the China Sea.

 

“2019 will be a year of extremes:  Extreme news; extreme weather; extreme sights; extreme events.”  The Lord is calling on the watchmen to pray.  We will have 90-days of extreme summer.  Many events will unfold in the summer.  Do not speak divisive words.  Prayer must rise so My Hand may move and My Hand may stop those who desire to harm you.”  (paraphrase of prophecy spoken by Hank Kunnman)

 

The Lord spoke to me a few months ago at Wed. night prayer, the strong man over the China Sea and the Sea of Japan is the god of war.  North Korea is on the Sea of Japan.  Vietnam is on the China Sea.  We must pray for our President and his staff as they go to Vietnam this week because that strong man of war has not been destroyed. 

 

37:14-20: “Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; Hezekiah went up unto the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord.  Hezekiah prayed saying, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, who dwells between the cherubims, you are the God, even you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth.  Incline your ear, O Lord and hear; open your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which has sent to reproach the living God.  Of a truth, Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations, and their countries.  They have cast their gods into the fire; for they were not gods, but the work of man’s hands, wood and stone; therefore they have destroyed them.  Now therefore, O Lord our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you are the Lord, even you only.”

 

Hezekiah’s prayer was characterized by a great simplicity of faith which recognized the throne of God, declared the immediate peril threatening the people, and asked for a deliverance which would vindicate the honor and the Name of Jehovah. 

 

The kings of Assyria were ignorant of the fact that the God of Israel was not an idol like the gods of other nations.  Had they know that He was a living God; perhaps they would have not acted in such a haughty manner.

 

The Lord granted Hezekiah a second assurance through Isaiah.  The God-defying monarch would be crushed.  Isaiah’s second and fuller message to Hezekiah declared that the sin of Sennacherib was blasphemy against the Holy One of Israel, and forgetful of the fact that he, too, in all his enterprises, was within the sphere of Jehovah’s government and power.  His judgment was imminent, and his boastings vain.

 

The promise was subsequently fulfilled.

 

37: 36-38: “Then the angel of the Lord went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians 185,000.  When they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.  Sennacherib, king of Assyria departed, went, returned and dwelt in Nineveh.  It came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Armenia; and Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.”

 

“Nisroch” means great eagle and was an eagle-headed human figure---the same as the god Asshur, the chief Assyrian god.  The eagle was worshipped by the ancient Persians and Arabs.

 

Carolyn Sissom, Pastor

Eastgate Ministries Church 

ISAIAH – Chapters 36 & 37 – The Defeat of the Assyrians

 June 3, 2014, the Year of Our Lord

 

Unchecked Copy BoxRev 16:5 - And I heard the angel of the waters saying:

“You are righteous, O Lord,
The One who is and who was and who is to be,
Because You have judged these things.

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