Here we have a record of the long-threatened attack on Jerusalem from the army of Sennacherib the king of Assyria. He sends his servant Rabshakeh to speak to the people of Jerusalem and to encourage them to surrender (v1-3).

The tactic is to discourage the leaders and the people by basically arguing that no army and no god has been able to withstand the army of Sennacherib (v4-10). They even say the Lord will not help Jerusalem because King Hezekiah had removed the high places of worship (v7). He failed to understand that this action was something the Lord desired and was pleased with as these high places were notorious places of false worship. Rabshakeh even argued that it was the Lord who had sent his army to attack Jerusalem.

It is a very foolish thing for an unbeliever to think they know God’s will by looking at what is happening around them. It is God’s word alone that reveals God’s will and that makes sense of what God is doing in this world.

Hezekiah’s officials try to protect the people of Jerusalem from hearing these discouraging taunts but they continue to persist (v11-20). Discouragements from the enemies of God are real issues for God’s people and to counteract we need to go back to the King of kings.