Day 29

Hoshea was in his 3rd year of reigning when Hezekiah started ruling Judah. Hezekiah was 25 yrs old when he took the throne in Jerusalem and reigned until he was 54. Hezekiah lived up to God's standards by ridding of fertility shrines, phallic stone monuments, and Asherah poles. He also went as far as destroying the bronze sneak made by Moses, which the people of Israel named Nehushtan and made sacrifices to it. Hezekiah was one of a kind and obeyed God's commands to a T. During his reign, he stopped serving the Assyrian king and drove the Philistines to Gaza. In his 4th year, king Shalmanese of Assyria attacked Samaria and captured it after 3 yrs. In Hezekiah's 14th year, Sennacherib was king of Assyria and attacked all cities surrounding Judah and captured them. Hezekiah offered to pay the king of Assyria if he pulled his troops back. Sennacherib demanded 11 tons of silver and 1 ton of gold. Hezekiah raided the temple of God and even went as far as removing the doors and doorposts that had gold plating on them. Tartan, Rabsaris, and Rabshakeh were military chiefs and were sent by Sennacherib w/ a strong army to see Hezekiah. They stopped at the aqueduct of the Upper Pool on the road to the laundry commons and shouted for the king. Rabshakeh was the spokesman and sent a message to Hezekiah basically belittling and threatening him and asked who would come to his aide since he cut ties w/ the king of Assyria. Eliahim, who was in charge of Hezekiah's palace asked Rabshekeh to speak in Aramaic b/c the Hebrew he was speaking was understood by everyone gathered by the city wall. Rabshekah refused for this was public information and stated, "If you don't come to terms, they'll be eating their own turds and drinking their own pee right along with you." He told the people not to trust Hezekiah or believe God would save them from the king of Assyria. No one said anything for they were ordered by Hezekiah to do so. Eliakim and the 2 other palace officials ripped their clothes and reported back to king Hezekiah. When he learned what Rabshekeh said, Hezekiah ripped his robes, dressed in burlap, and went to the Temple of God. Eliakim and Shebna (the secretary), and all senior priests dressed in burlap and were sent w/ a message to the prophet Isaiah. The message was:

This is a black day, a terrible day-doomsday. Babies poised to be born, no strength to birth them. Maybe God, your God, has been listening to them blasphemous speech of Rabshekeh who was sent by the king of Assyria, his master to humiliate the living God; maybe God your God, won't let him get by w/ such talk; and you, maybe you will lift up prayers for what's left of these people.

Paraphrasing, Isaiah told them not to fear what was going on. The king of Assyria would be afflicted by self doubt. He'll hear a rumor, be afraid for his life, and retreat to his homeland. He'd make sure he was killed.