Today let’s look at the Isaiah 36. Today’s title is “When you are attacked by the enemy”. By enemy I mean by Satan.
Ephesians 6:12
We daily have a struggle with Satan. Therefore, today let’s look at what we should do when Satan attacks us.
Today’s passage records how King Hezekiah of Judah dealt the invasion of the southern kingdom of Judah by the Assyrian army.
As I have said earlier, chapters 36 to 40 serves the purpose of a bridge tying the first half and the second half of Isaiah together. Isaiah has 66 chapters. Just as the Bible made up of 66 books are divided up into the Old Testament, 39 books, and the New Testament, 27 books, Isaiah too is divided into the first half to chapter 39 and the second half which is 27 chapters starting from chapter 40. In it Isaiah in chapters 36 to 29 records events that actually occurred in that age to show that what Isaiah prophesized will actually occur.
The event that actually occurred was Judah was miraculously taken care of, saved from the attack of Assyria. Let’s look at how Judah was taken care of.

I. Don’t fear (Vs. 1-10)
First let’s look at the enemy’s skilled scheme. First please read verses 1 and 2.
Vs. 1, 2
“The fourteenth year of Hezekiah” (1) is historically 701 B.C. “Sennacherib king of Assyria attacked all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them.” (1) In one of the Assyrian chronicles, the Taylor prism, now preserved in the British Museum, records in detail that 46 of Hezekiah’s cities were conquered by Sennacherib, but Jerusalem did not fall.
“Then the king of Assyria sent his field commander with a large army from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem.” (2) That was to urge them to surrender. “Lachish” (2) is a town 50km Southwest of Jerusalem. It was from there that the “field commander with a large army” (2) were sent to King Hezekiah.
When the commander came to Jerusalem he “stopped at the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field.” (2) This is the place that before Isaiah had met Hezekiah’s father, King Ahaz in Isaiah 7:3. King Ahaz had heard that the allied forces of Aram and Ephraim (Israel) had attacked and he was troubled about what he should do. Then the Lord through Isaiah said the following to him. “Be careful, keep calm and don’t be afraid.” (7:4) Even so King Ahaz didn’t depend upon Isaiah’s words. He didn’t depend on the Lord, but asked help from Assyria. They received help from Assyria and were able to overcome the crisis. However, next they were attacked by Assyria. Assyria which had destroyed Northern Israel and Aram seized the neighboring countries and with violent force next attacked the Southern kingdom of Judah. The Assyrian commander “at the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field” (2) warns King Hezekiah.
Hezekiah’s father made a mistake and didn’t follow God’s Words and depended on a power that he could see. Now he made the same mistake. He too also when Assyria attacked sought help from Egypt. He though if he asked help from Egypt, somehow they would be o.k. However, their security blanket was not big enough. It was too short to watch over Judah.
Therefore, what he had his eyes on was money. He gave money to the Assyrian King and made a peace treaty. However, they were also easily deceived by the peace treaty. The Assyrian king, Sennacherib, broke the agreement that he made with King Hezekiah and “sent his field commander with a large army” (2) to close in on Judah. Hezekiah thought that he would succeed with money, but even so even though he was a proper promise, he was deceived. Even though he thought by his own thinking somehow things would work out, he didn’t succeed and it was fruitless effort. Even though we know better, man repeats the same mistake over and over again. In conclusion, there is no other solution except to depend upon the Lord. There is no other way except for us to depend upon the Lord.
Please look at verse 3. “Eliakim son of Hilkiah the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary, and Joah son of Asaph the recorder went out to him.” (3) “The palace administrator…the secretary, and…the recorder” were representatives of the Israel. They are as representatives of King Hezekiah are now meeting with the field commander of Assyria.
What the field commander said to them is written in verses 4 to 10. First, let’s look at verses 4 to 6.
Vs. 4-6
“On what are you basing this confidence of yours?” (4) This question is also being asked of us. When you are in a pinch like this, “what are you basing” (4) your confidence on? What are you depending upon? Hezekiah depended on humanistic things. He depended on the Egypt’s military strength. However Egypt is just a “splintered reed of a staff, which pierces the hand of anyone who leans on it!” (6) That won’t solve anything. The real solution is to put your confidence in God. Therefore, Hezekiah and the people of Judah said, “We are depending on the LORD our God.” (7) It is never too late to repent. No matter how big a mistake you make, when you are shown your mistake, you need only to repent. Therefore, Hezekiah repented of his attitude and made a decision to put his confidence only in the Lord and followed only the Lord.
However, when Hezekiah made such a decision, the commander says something strange to shake him up, “But if you say to me, ‘We are depending on the LORD our God’-isn’t he the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah removed, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You must worship before this altar’?” (7)
Here the commander says, you say to me, ‘We are depending on the LORD our God’.” However, this Lord is the Lord of the “high places and altars Hezekiah removed”, (7) isn’t he? In other words, he wants to say, “Can you still say that the Lord will save you?” However, the field commander was wrong. Hezekiah was reforming the Jewish worship and religion. He was purifying the worship by removing the idolatrous practices that had crept into the Jewish faith. “He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made for… the Israelites had been burning incense to it.” (II Kings 18:4) Therefore, this was all a mistake of the commander. He was wrong based upon wrong information, told a lie and told it to the three officials, but it wasn’t true.
There reason that he said such a thing was because of Satan’s power working behind him. God’s enemy, Satan, hates Israel and is trying to ruin her and put her in chaos. Satan feels no compunction about lying and saying that someone did something that he didn’t do. This is Satan’s favorite trick. He threatens by criticizing with such things as “That person said that.” “He did that.”
That’s not all. Please look at verses 8 and 9.
Vs. 8 & 9
Here he is completely making fun of Israel. The commander is saying to the people of Judah that if they can find people who can ride horses then he will give them two thousand horses. The Kingdom of Judah at one time had many horses, but now Assyria has taken “all the fortified cities of Judah” (1) and they have lost most of their military strength, and Jerusalem is in isolated condition with no support. Even if they received the horses they didn’t have any riders to put on them. The condition of the army that Hezekiah commanded was such that it was unable to have victory over even Assyria’s king Sennacherib’s lowest level commanding officer. There was an overwhelming difference in military strength. The commander is clearly showing off the overwhelming difference in military strength. He is saying that it won’t help to depend upon God. It won’t help to worship God. It won’t have any effect. It is useless.
Moreover, in verse 10 he says, “Furthermore, have I come to attack and destroy this land without the LORD? The LORD himself told me to march against this country and destroy it.” He is saying that coming up and destroying the Southern kingdom of Judah was by the will of God! This is wrong. It is true that Assyria was used as a tool of God to punish the Kingdom of Judah. However, it must be remembered that was as a tool, not to destroy Judah. They are talking like this because they are prideful, and have forgotten their position. Quite the reverse they are blaspheming the God of Israel. It is true that God through Assyria showed Judah her sin, but that was not so that Judah would be destroyed, but by that repent and be exempt from sin’s doom. Such an assertion is from Satan. It is just Satan’s clever plan. This is the plan of the enemy Satan. Satan even uses God’s name in lies. He asserts with no compunction as if it came from God. The enemy always attacks us this way. How we should deal with this plan is written in verses 11 and 12. It records how we deal with enemies who are wrong.
Vs. 11 & 12
Hezekiah’s three servants, “Eliakim, Shebna and Joah” (11) asked the field commander not to speak to them in Hebrew, but to speak to them in Aramaic. The people of Judah spoke Hebrew so they said they didn’t want him to speak Hebrew, but wanted him to speak Aramaic. That is because they were afraid that the people of Judah would hear the words that the field commander spoke and become depressed. They thought the people would hear it and everyone would be frightened. So that that wouldn’t happen, they asked him to speak in Aramaic.
However, that reversed the result in that the field commander realized their weak point. The field commander rejected the servants of Hezekiah’s request. In a bigger voice, in Hebrew that everyone could understand he continued to call out. The servant’s request instead disclosed their weak points and heightened the field commander’s spirit. The field commander crudely said to the people of Judah, “who, like you, will have to eat their own excrement and drink their own urine?” (12) This not only caused fear, but it was a strong warning of the horrible result of more opposition.
We must not look lightly at our enemy, Satan, but must not overly worry either. Even if the enemy takes advantage of your weak points and attacks, don’t fear the threat, and you must by the name of the Lord boldly confront him.
The opposite word of fear is not peace or security. The opposite word is “faith”. For example, if on the road you are on there is a bridge and you must cross it, if you think that the bridge may break, fear will grip you. However, if you know that the inner sides of the bridge have strong reinforced concrete, then you can cross without any fear. You can trust that it would never break. Like this the secret to having victory over fear it to have complete faith in God. People who have faith don’t live in their own strength

and wisdom, but live seeking God’s unlimited resources and ability so they don’t fear. When we think that we have to do everything by our own hands, we have continuous worries and fears within us. By just living seeking God’s hand, we are set free from fear.
In the Bible the most recorded word is not “love” or “be humble”, but “Don’t fear”. It is used 366 times in the Bible. Some people says 365 times, but correctly it is 366 times. Someone said that the word is recorded not 365 times, but 366 times because God was counting the leap year. God is saying “Don’t fear” once a day every day. To fear is unbelief.
When the Israelites heard the negative report of the 10 people who went to spy out the land of Canaan, they were fearful about going to Canaan, in despair, and complained to God. Then God sent them back to the wilderness and they died there. To look at the situation and fear is to not have faith in God so they were punished. Those who believe that God created them and loves them are not fearful.
In your life too there may be a time when you are completely surrounded by the enemy. Even though you thought that by your own thinking all will go well, but it was fruitless effort. There are times when you may be at a standstill. However, not matter what condition you are in, even if Satan is taking advantage of your weaknesses and attacks you, you must not fear. You must look at the Lord who is with you. Believe that the Lord loves you and that he is fighting for you. You must leave everything in his hands. When you are attacked by the enemy that is the first thing you must do.

II. Stand firmly in the faith (Vs. 13-17)
Next let’s look at verses 13 to 17. First let’s read verses 13 to 15.
Vs. 13-15
The field commander in a loud voice so that all the people of Jerusalem could hear told the message of King of Assyria in Hebrew. First of all he said, “Do not let Hezekiah deceive you. He cannot deliver you!” (14) Hezekiah is saying “The LORD will surely deliver us; this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” (15) and he is trying to persuade you to trust in the Lord, but the Lord will never deliver you. In other words he is inciting the people to turn their backs on Hezekiah. A fraction of the people of Jerusalem who were skeptical about Hezekiah’s anti Assyria policy were shaken up.
That’s not all. If you look at verses 16 and 17, here the field commander is speaking to them with honeyed words and is skillfully tempting them. If Israel will stop depending on the Lord and make peace with the King of Assyria, and surrender then he says to them, “Each of you will eat fruit from our own vine and fig tree and drink water from your own cistern, until I come and take you to a land like your own-a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards.” (16,17) When you are hungry, when you are thirsty, to be told that you will be able to “eat fruit from your own vine and fig tree and drink water from your own cistern” (16) it is usual to think that you will do what is being asked of you.
Before, after Jesus fasted for 40 day and 40 nights when he was led into the wilderness. Satan used the same approach on Jesus and tempted Jesus. “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” (Matt. 4:3) This is saying that if you are really the Son of God, show us proof. That was not necessary. Jesus is the Son of God is a fact. To question the Father, God, like that is to shake up the Son’s trust relationship with the father and lead him to sin. Satan understood this well and tempted Jesus, but as might be expected Jesus saw through Satan’s plan and said, “It is written; ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” ‘Matt. 4:4) When you are hungry, to be told things like that you are lured into the temptation That is Satan’s favorite trick. Satan always speaks with honeyed words and tempts, but it is all deceit.
This time too, the field commander faced the people of Judah and tempted them with honeyed words. That was certainly a huge temptation for the people of Judah. It seemed stupid to struggle this much depending on the Lord. It took a lot of risk. There were probably some people what thought if they have to live such a miserable life that they have to eat their own excrement and drink their own urine, then “No way! Thank you!” If they have to live despairingly while holding on to fear and uncertainties, then they should quickly surrender and follow what they say. That is the favorite trick of Satan who tries to deceive us. The more difficulties we have, the more firmly we need to stand in faith.

III. Just remain silent and wait expectantly for the Lord (Vs. 18-22)
Lastly, let’s look at verses 18 to 22. First look at verses 18 to 20.
Vs. 18-20
The commander continues to call out to the people to not be misled by Hezekiah. He says that there no gods of any nations who “ever delivered their lands from the hand of the king of Assyria.” (18) Therefore, it is impossible for the God of Israel too. The God that Hezekiah believes in too won’t be able to deliver Jerusalem from the hand of Assyria neither. At that time, there wasn’t any nation that was able to overthrow the control of Assyria so what the commander is saying in realty seems reasonable. How the people of Judah responded to his words is recorded in verses 21 and 22.
Vs. 21 & 22
How the people responded was they “remained silent and said nothing in reply.” (21) The reason they “remained silent and said nothing in reply” (21) was “because the king had commanded, ‘Do not answer him.’” (21) It was the King’s command. That is a very clever thing. Often when we should be silent we are not able to be silent and fail. There are times when we suffer a loss. It is not necessary to listen and argue about every single thing that Satan attacks. At such times the best method is to be silent. It’s best to remain silent and say nothing in reply and ignore him. It is because you talk to him that it becomes a problem.
The biggest reason that Eve lost to Satan’s temptation and sinned was because she talked to him. When the serpent came and tempted her, she chattered with him. It would have been better for her to have remained silent. If when the serpent spoke to her, she didn’t say anything it shouldn’t have become a problem. In our real life it is difficult not to say even a word, but she should have said, “If you want to know about that, please ask my husband. I don’t really know.” If she would have done that, everything would have been prevented.
She didn’t realize her position. Even though her husband was the spiritual leader, she thought she could wander around with Satan. She got carried away and chattered with him.
However, it is not necessary to say anything. If you don’t argue, Satan will leave you. He will think that it won’t do any good to talk to you. If you can talk about the Bible, Satan will go away.
Please remember Jesus. When Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, three times he quoted the Bible saying “it is written”. God’s Word is the eternal unchanging power, the weapon for having victory over the temptation of Satan. Jesus didn’t say anything more than the Word of God.
When we are attacked by the enemy the best method for dealing with it is to remain silent. It is not necessary to say anything and you must not reply. It’s o.k. to just remain silent. Silence allows the opportunity to not stand on the same level and confront the opponent, but to look upon God, and depend on Him.
David was hated by King Saul. His life was at stake and he wandered in the wilderness of Judah for 10 years. In Psalms he confesses about where he put his hope and salvation.
Psalms 62:1,2,8
He put his hope in the Lord himself. He said, The Lord “along is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.” He just remained silent and waited expectantly for the Lord and poured out his heart to the Lord in prayer.

We have a hard time waiting. We don’t like to wait. We want things right away. We live in such a society. We want to see a solution. However, there are times when we have to wait. There are times when we have to remain silent and say nothing. How many times do we fail because when we should be silent, we can’t be silent! We can’t discern when we should be silent and when we should confront.
When the fighting is fierce, the enemy is standing in front of us, when we are about ready to fall, what we should do is be silent and wait expectantly upon the Lord. All we have to do is depend upon the Lord. We need to realize that we are the most powerless, weak, hopeless being, and like a child come before God. Please believe that God is always watching over us and he saves us and is always prepared to take care of us. When we are attacked by the enemy, that is the best method.