---

---

---

Isa 36:12-22 - The Lord Will Surely Deliver Us

Isa 36:12  But Rabshakeh said, Hath my master sent me to thy master and to thee to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men that sit upon the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?
Isa 36:13  Then Rabshakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and said, Hear ye the words of the great king, the king of Assyria.
Isa 36:14  Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you.
Isa 36:15  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.
Isa 36:16  Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me: and eat ye every one of his vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his own cistern;
Isa 36:17  Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards.
Isa 36:18  Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, The LORD will deliver us. Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
Isa 36:19  Where are the gods of Hamath and Arphad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim? and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?
Isa 36:20  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?
Isa 36:21  But they held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not.
Isa 36:22  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.

The adversary is "more subtle than any beast of the field", and he knows just how to attack us at our weakest point. When we seek to have him deal with our strongest assets, he makes it clear that he has no intention to show any mercy whatsoever:

Here is what Hezekiah's representatives, types of us, had requested of Rabshakeh, Sennacherib's captain:

Isa 36:11 Then said Eliakim and Shebna and Joah unto Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray thee, unto thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and speak not to us in the Jews' language, in the ears of the people that are on the wall.

But our adversary knows the advantage of speaking our language, and using our own language to draw us away from our fear of the Lord. So he answers us in this way:

Isa 36:12  But Rabshakeh said, Hath my master sent me to thy master and to thee to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men that sit upon the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?

The message of this verse is contained in these verses in the New Testament:

Mat 4:8  Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
Mat 4:9  And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

But Christ knew the heart of the adversary because He made him as he is, and he knew what the king of Assyria had done to Hezekiah after demanding tribute from Hezekiah. What the king of Assyria did, as we read last week, was to send Rabshakeh and a great host to destroy Jerusalem. That was how Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, expressed his gratitude for Hezekiah's submission, and the huge tribute he had placed upon Hezekiah. That is also how the adversary treats us every time we try to reason with him or seek to appease him in any way. Unlike Hezekiah who submitted to the tribute Sennacherib placed upon him, Christ did not for one moment succumb to the temptation to depend upon mankind for His welfare, and He immediately told the devil:

Mat 4:10  Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Christ was in the same situation Hezekiah was in when He stood before Pilate, and Pilate, in the spirit of Rabshakeh, made this statement to our Lord:

Joh 19:10  Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?
Joh 19:11  Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.

We are told that Christ had cried out to His Father to deliver Him and He was heard in that He feared:

Heb 5:7  Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;

Christ was heard and delivered from death while Pilate and the Jews who accused Christ are all dead and are all awaiting their resurrection to judgment.

The Lord wants us to have the same mind of Christ and put the things of the spirit before the ease and pleasures of our flesh. This is how we are to think as Christ:

Rom 8:18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Rom 8:19  For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. ["The Christ"]
Rom 8:20  For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Rom 8:21  Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
Rom 8:22  For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
Rom 8:23  And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
Rom 8:24  For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
Rom 8:25  But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
Rom 8:26  Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Rom 8:27  And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

These words are Christ who is also crying out to us a message promising to deliver us from our oppressors. His Words and His promises directly contradict every word of Rabshakeh:

Isa 36:13  Then Rabshakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and said, Hear ye the words of the great king, the king of Assyria. Isa 36:14  Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you.
Isa 36:15  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.

Rabshakeh is the captain of Sennacherib, the king of Assyria. These words are blasphemous against the Lord, and they are an assault upon the Lord's people by others who know "the Jew's language". Speaking in an unintelligible language which "the people on the wall", meaning "the watchmen" of Israel, could not understand is the last thing in the world Rabshakeh intends to do. His very purpose is to draw away as many of Hezekiah's people to himself as he can. There is no man of God at this point, sent to tell them to submit themselves to the king of Babylon or to seek the peace of that city. That is not the message of these chapters of Isaiah. There is a time for that message, but the message of Isaiah 36 is that the Lord will deliver us from the king of Assyria and from all the powers of Babylon's lies and false doctrines. Rabshakeh is aware that Hezekiah is clearing out of the land all of the false prophets and ungodly high places in Judah, but he is appealing to the hearts of those who have had their idols taken from them and destroyed, and He is asking them to give up without a fight, as so many do and so many have done. We have just recently been told 'You have to believe what we are saying or you will end up in the second death'. Like Hezekiah we are purging out of our land the false doctrines such as there will be no thousand year reign, and therefore there will be no first resurrection preceding that thousand year reign, and that there will be no second death for the judgment of all those who are not partakers of the first resurrection. The priests of the high places were secretly teaching against everything being taught by those who were faithful to the Lord's commandment to worship only in Jerusalem. That commandment is applicable until this very day as it is applied to the church of the firstborn to which we are all still commanded to come and worship the Lord:

Heb 12:18  For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,
Heb 12:19  And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:
Heb 12:20  (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:
Heb 12:21  And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)
Heb 12:22  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
Heb 12:23  To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
Heb 12:24  And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
Heb 12:25  See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:

Isa 36:16  Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me: and eat ye every one of his vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his own cistern;
Isa 36:17  Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards.

"Come out to me... until I come and take you away" is like telling us we must pay a huge unbearable tribute if we do not wish to be destroyed, and as soon as the tribute is paid, Sennacherib still sends "Tartan, Rabsaris and Rabshakeh... with a great host" to destroy Jerusalem. It makes no difference at all if we and Hezekiah submit to the adversary. Rabshakeh will still demand more and will still rob us of our crown of life. Rabshakeh typifies our rebellious old man, who tells us we cannot make war with him, and at the same time we are told, and Rabshakeh admits, that he is intent upon our destruction.

Rom 6:21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
Rom 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Our rebellious old man is a heartless taskmaster, and it is true that of ourselves we cannot make war with the beast, which we are by nature. It is a Biblical doctrine that we sin even when we don't want to do so:

Rom 7:15  For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
Rom 7:16  If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
Rom 7:17  Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:18  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Rom 7:19  For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Rom 7:20  Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:21  I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
Rom 7:22  For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Rom 7:23  But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

"It is no more I that do it, but sin that dwells in me" is the power which Rabshakeh, speaking for Babylon within, has over us. The northern kingdom of Israel, allied with Syria against the Lord's people in Judah under Hezekiah, symbolizes our helplessness and our hopelessness in fighting against Babylon within us. Of ourselves the battle is lost before it begins, and it is all by God's design.

Pro 16:4  The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

Isa 63:17  O LORD, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants' sake, the tribes of thine inheritance.

Rom 9:16  So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
Rom 9:17  For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
Rom 9:18  Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

The power of the beast within us, and Babylon's power over us, is derived from the great red dragon, that old serpent the devil, and Satan (Rev 12:9).

Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

That power is given to the serpent through the food he is given to eat. He is given 'dust' to eat, and that 'dust' is our flesh:

Gen 3:14  And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

Gen 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Serpents do not literally "eat... dust". Serpents are carnivores, and without Christ in us, Satan really does spiritually have us for lunch day in and day out. Christ Himself, our own Creator, has placed within our members a law against which, as we read here in Romans 7, we really are helpless and hopeless except for what comes next here in Romans 7:

Rom 7:24  O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Jas 4:12  There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

...As well as these encouraging and edifying words of Truth:

Php 4:13  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Our carnal nature is so sure of its dominion over us that it treats us with disdain and as the utter slaves to our flesh that we are by nature. However, just like Goliath, the lies of Assyria and Babylon do not have a chance against the stone that is targeted right at their very head, the father of all lies, "That old serpent the devil... and his angels".

So our flesh and its master tells us:

Isa 36:18  Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, The LORD will deliver us. Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
Isa 36:19  Where are the gods of Hamath and Arphad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim? and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?

Samaria is the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel. In other words, Samaria symbolizes all those who were part of us only yesterday, and have now allied themselves with Syria, a Gentile nation like Sodom, the city the Lord had destroyed with fire back in Abraham's day.  The destruction of Samaria, Judah's and Hezekiah's own people at one time, is now being accomplished through Assyria, the same people as Babylon, and it is occasioned for this reason:

Isa 10:5 O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine [the Lord's] indignation.
Isa 10:6 I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.

2Ki 18:11  And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria, and put them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes:
2Ki 18:12  Because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD their God, but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them.

The law of Moses typifies "the law of Christ" (Gal 6:2) just as the first man Adam typifies Christ, who is called "the last man, Adam":

1Co 15:45  And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

The physical northern kingdom of Israel, worshiping the idols of Jezebel, signifies each of us professing Christ and His doctrines while at the same time refusing to "hear them, nor do them". Hence, because of the idols of our hearts, we were 'Babylonians' at heart even before we are carried away into the great harlot Babylon and her daughter harlots. Spiritually we are all born into self-worship, so we just naturally "worship the beast", and the beast is just naturally drawn to the great harlot whose commission from God Himself is to seduce His people.

Pro 7:11  (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:
Pro 7:12  Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)
Pro 7:13  So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,
Pro 7:14  I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.
Pro 7:15  Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.

We have all fallen for the lies of the great harlot, but by the mercies of God we are "coming out of her" (Rev 18:4), and by those same mercies we will not "crucify the Lord afresh and put Him to an open shame" by  falling prey to the lies of the great harlot.

Isa 36:20  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?

The fact that Ahaz, Hezekiah's father, and then Hezekiah himself had subjugated themselves to the king of Assyria and had voluntarily made themselves tributaries to his sovereignty demonstrates that "all men, small and great, rich and poor, free and bond" submit themselves to and worship the beast and his image; the religious beast whose deadly wound is healed (Rev 13:3) and who is now in bed with the great whore of Babylon. Hezekiah and Judah, in this historical event, symbolize the Lord's remnant who "come out of her" and declare their dependence upon the Lord and upon Him only.

Isa 36:21  But they held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not.

"Answer him not" is the king's commandment until this very day. Rabshakeh is the spokesman for the great whore, and this is what the Lord's remnant are commanded to this very day:

2Jn 1:7  For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh [in our flesh - vs 9]. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
2Jn 1:8  Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
2Jn 1:9  Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
2Jn 1:10  If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:
2Jn 1:11  For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

Verse nine is just another way of repeating what this same apostle tells us in his first epistle:

1Jn 5:2  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
1Jn 5:3  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
1Jn 5:4  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

Our faith and our heavens must endure a fiery trial and be purified of any and all wood, hay, and stubble before we will be accepted of God, who is doing all of this within us by the counsel of His own will.

1Co 3:13  Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.

Jas 1:2  My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Jas 1:3  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

1Pe 4:12  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1Pe 4:13  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

The trial of our faith is revealed to us when we are faced with the demands of our flesh under whose sovereignty we have placed ourselves.

So we read:

Isa 36:22  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.

Rabshakeh and his master, the king of Assyria, are rich in the things of this age. They even have the gold and silver and treasures of the Lord's house, because we give it to them. Yet spiritually the king of Assyria is "wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked", and as such Assyria and Babylon are the type and shadow of our own outwardly "rich man" whose treasures are not in heaven and are very corruptible. Our own personal "rich man" is anything within us which, like Rabshakeh, exalts itself against the knowledge of God. That is what will keep us out of the kingdom of God if we are not shown His mercy. Christ warns us against trusting in our own 'riches', our own understanding, and our own doctrines, and in the idols of our own heart as in this story about a young rich man who came to inquire of Christ:

Mat 19:16  And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
Mat 19:17  And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
Mat 19:18  He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
Mat 19:19  Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 19:20  The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
Mat 19:21  Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
Mat 19:22  But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

The law of Moses serves as Rabshakeh, and as the king of Assryia to us. It essentially teaches that if we are physically rich, then we must be righteous, because that is the promise given to those who are obedient to the law. Paul informs us that the righteousness that is within the law "is not for a righteous man" (1Ti 1:9), and produces self righteousness (Php 3:6).

Rabshakeh was full of his own "law of the Gentiles" self righteousness, which comes from keeping the law:

Deu 7:12  Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the LORD thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers:
Deu 7:13  And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee.
Deu 7:14  Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle.
Deu 7:15  And the LORD will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all them that hate thee.

We do not generally see ourselves as physically 'rich', and therefore this story seems to be targeted at some few rich Christians. But this section of scripture is really speaking to all of us when we possess huge idols of our own hearts which we value so much we are willing to appropriate the Lord's riches, His words and His doctrines, as cover for those idols of our heart. It is in that state of mind that we think we are "rich and increased with goods and in need of nothing". In that state of mind the Lord lays upon His elect "all sickness, and...the evil diseases of Egypt" as He drags us to Himself.

Eze 14:1  Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me.
Eze 14:2  And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Eze 14:3  Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?
Eze 14:4  Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols;

Eze 16:17  Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, and didst commit whoredom with them,

Rev 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Rev 3:18  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Rev 3:19  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Because Christ's disciples were taught that being rich was the result of being obedient to God, they were dumbfounded when Christ told them that our riches keep us from knowing Him, and that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God:

Mat 19:23  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 19:24  And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
Mat 19:25  When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?

Christ knew in advance what would be the impact of His words concerning how we esteem ourselves to be rich in His Truth, even when we are really "wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked". Nevertheless, when He made this statement, He was speaking to and admonishing His own disciples. The rich young man was not even there at that time.

So He reveals just how any and all of us are saved:

Mat 19:26  But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

It is only through Christ that any of us can "sell all [we] have", all our "idols of [our] hearts", and be converted into little children wanting to please their heavenly Father.

In spite of the false doctrine of some, the truth remains that Christ created us to be motivated by both pain for disobedience and by rewards for obedience, as Peter here demonstrates and as Christ reaffirms:

Mat 19:27  Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?
Mat 19:28  And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration [G3824, paliggenesia] when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Mat 19:29  And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
Mat 19:30  But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.

Peter wants to know what is the reward for being faithful to Christ and His doctrines and Christ tells Peter that the reward is beyond his wildest dreams. In essence Christ tells Peter that it will be through him and all others who will remain faithful "to the end" "the whole house of Israel" will be saved (Eze 37:9)

Let's notice that in verse 28 Christ uses this word to let us know when we will receive our reward:

G3824
παλιγγενεσία
paliggenesia
pal-ing-ghen-es-ee'-ah
From G3825 and G1078; (spiritual) rebirth (the state or the act), that is, (figuratively) spiritual renovation; specifically Messianic restoration: - regeneration.
Total KJV occurrences: 2

This word appears but just two times in all of the scriptures. It is here in Mat 19 and again in Titus 3:

G3824
παλιγγενεσία
paliggenesia
Total KJV Occurrences: 2
regeneration, 2
Mat_19:28, Tit_3:5

Tit 3:4  But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
Tit 3:5  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration [G3824, paliggenesia], and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Tit 3:6  Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

When we put the words of God "line upon line and precept upon precept" we find that what Christ is promising Peter really is far beyond his wildest dreams, because the physical twelve tribes of Israel will be "obtain mercy... through [Peter's and our] mercy... [only] when the fulness of the Gentiles be come in":

Rom 11:25  For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
Rom 11:26  And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
Rom 11:27  For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
Rom 11:28  As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.
Rom 11:29  For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
Rom 11:30  For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
Rom 11:31  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.

The "as touching the election" here is the physical election of the physical nation of Israel, and not the spiritual election of the spiritual "Israel of God" of :

Gal 6:15 Certainly, it doesn't matter whether a person is circumcised or not. Rather, what matters is being a new creation.
Gal 6:16 Peace and mercy will come to rest on all those who conform to this principle. They are the Israel of God. (GWV)

When will "the fulness of the Gentiles be come in"? We need not guess because we are given the timeline of these events:

Eze 16:48  As I live, saith the Lord GOD, Sodom thy sister hath not done, she nor her daughters, as thou hast done, thou and thy daughters.
Eze 16:49  Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.
Eze 16:50  And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.
Eze 16:51  Neither hath Samaria committed half of thy sins; but thou hast multiplied thine abominations more than they, and hast justified thy sisters in all thine abominations which thou hast done.
Eze 16:52  Thou also, which hast judged thy sisters, bear thine own shame for thy sins that thou hast committed more abominable than they: they are more righteous than thou: yea, be thou confounded also, and bear thy shame, in that thou hast justified thy sisters.
Eze 16:53  When I shall bring again their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, then will I bring again the captivity of thy captives in the midst of them:
Eze 16:54  That thou mayest bear thine own shame, and mayest be confounded in all that thou hast done, in that thou art a comfort unto them.
Eze 16:55  When thy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their former estate, and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former estate, then thou and thy daughters shall return to your former estate.

Where is "the whole house of [physical] Israel" until the regeneration, the 'paliggenesia'?

Eze 37:9  Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.
Eze 37:10  So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.
Eze 37:11  Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.

Should we not all tremble before the inspired words "when" and "then"? All we must do is believe what the scriptures tell us, and we will know the timeline of the salvation of physical Israel and all outward Jews. They will be redeemed "when Sodom... and Samaria" are redeemed, and "when your sisters Sodom and her daughters return to their former estate". "Return to your former estate" is simply speaking of being redeemed from our sinful state, and returning to our very Creator. In other words, outward Israel will be saved when all the rest of mankind returns to their Creator. That will be after Christ's elect are raised from the dead at the beginning of the thousand year reign, and only after the short season of rebellion which follows the thousand year reign of Christ and His resurrected elect. The Lord's mercy to them will come only through Peter and through all of us as His elect:

Rom 11:30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
Rom 11:31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.

And that is some of the blessings, "and the glory and the honor", which will be awarded all those who "give up all" as Peter put it, to follow Christ. After the thousand year reign, followed by a short season of rebellion, fire will come down from God out of heaven and will annihilate all flesh on the earth. That will be the beginning of the destruction of mankind's "last enemy [which] is death":

1Co 15:26  The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

All those who are in the first resurrection at the beginning of the thousand years had to first be judged, and their old man had to be destroyed outwardly (1Pe 4:17) by dying daily (1Co 15:31) and by presenting themselves as a "living sacrifice" (Rom 12:1) in the Lord's service and by being "crucified with Christ" (Gal 2:20). Only then will we be given "the crown of life" (Jas 1:12 and Rev 2:10-11) of being "kings and priests" (Rev 1:6 and Rev 5:10) in that "blessed and holy... first resurrection" (Rev 20:4-6). In that same order, meaning the natural must always precede the spiritual (1Co 15:44-46), all natural flesh must first be destroyed outwardly before the "manifested sons of God" (Rom 8:18-19), the rulers of the thousand year reign, can then begin to judge all of mankind from Adam to the end of the thousand year reign, spiritually and collectively as "Satan and his angels" in the second death/lake of fire/ white throne judgment:

Mat 25:41  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

So there it is. We are made to know of some of blessings and the rewards for those who overcome the fear of what Babylon can do to us, and who are granted to ignore all the words of the spirit of Rabshakeh, and are given to "cast down every thought which exalts itself against the knowledge of Christ" (2Co 10:5), and to depend solely upon the Lord's mercy for our salvation:

Joh 15:14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
Joh 15:15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

Here is how Paul feels about how the things we must suffer, compare to all the blessings to be bestowed upon us as the Lord's bride, His friends and His chosen "very elect":

Rom 8:18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Rom 8:19  For the earnest expectation of the creature [All mankind of all time] waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

Rev 20:1  And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
Rev 20:2  And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
Rev 20:3  And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they [of "the first resurrection" (vs 6)] sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Rev 20:5  But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

There are but two resurrections, and Christ Himself makes that very clear:

Dan 12:1  And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
Dan 12:2  And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Dan 12:3  And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

As it turns out, "thy people" are actually Abraham's spiritual "one... seed", (Gal 3:16) who are "inward... Jews" (Rom 2:28-29), "in Christ... neither Jew nor Greek" (Gal 3:26-29)), and they are called "the Israel of God" (Gal 6:15-15). "Your people" are those who "have overcome the wicked one" in this age and who win "a crown of life" in this age (Rev 2:10-11), and have their names written in heaven (Luk 10:20 and Heb 12:23). It is "the firstborn [whose] names are written in heaven". It is most certainly not those to whom Christ will say "Depart from me you cursed, into everlasting fire... the lake of fire/second death... prepared for the devil and his angels":

Mat 25:41  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

Christ repeats this same message in John 5:

Joh 5:28  Marvel not at this: for the hour cometh, in which all that are in the tombs shall hear his voice,
Joh 5:29  and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment. (ASV)

The people involved in these two resurrections are separated by a "great gulf" which cannot be bridged.

Luk 16:26  And beside all this, between us [first resurrection] and you ["they that have done evil"... 2nd resurrection] there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

There is a thousand years of the Lord's elect ruling over the kingdoms of this world which separates these two resurrections. It is not possible to bridge that gulf and bring those who will be judged after the thousand years over into the first resurrection. Neither is it possible for those who are blessed of the Lord and given a kingdom, and who are given to take part in that "blessed and holy... first resurrection", to be hurt of the second death:

Mat 25:34  Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom [Rev 11:15] prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

Mat 25:41  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

Rev 2:11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

All of this is summarized in the first six verses of Revelation 20:

Rev 20:1  And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
Rev 20:2  And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
Rev 20:3  And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Rev 20:5  But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

The Lord is so gracious as to reveal even more of His work to us:

Rev 20:7  And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
Rev 20:8  And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
Rev 20:9  And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
Rev 20:10  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Then the very next thing revealed to us immediately following this ultimate deception and rebellion of "the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth" is:

Rev 20:11  And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Rev 20:12  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:13  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life [Whoever was not in the first resurrection] was cast into the lake of fire.

When the book of life is opened at the great white throne, it will be revealed for all to see those whose names were written in that book and who will be judging angels in this "great white throne... resurrection to judgment".

Those whose names are written in the book of life are those "who first trusted in Christ" (Eph 1:12). They are also called "the church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven". This is the group who were judged in this age and who died with Christ first and whose names will appear in that "book of life" at the great white throne judgment:

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

Heb 12:23  To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

This concludes our study today on how we are to wage spiritual warfare.

Next week, Lord willing, we will continue our studies on this topic of spiritual warfare and we will see what Hezekiah, a type of who we are, did when He was confronted with the threats of Rabshakeh, the captain of Sennecharib, the king of Assyria.

These are our verses for our next study:

Isa 37:1  And 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.
Isa 37:2  And he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests covered with sackcloth, unto Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz.
Isa 37:3  And they said unto him, Thus saith 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.
Isa 37:4  It may be the LORD thy God will hear the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God, and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that is left.
Isa 37:5  So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah.
Isa 37:6  And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say unto your master, Thus saith the LORD, Be not afraid of the words that thou hast heard, wherewith the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.
Isa 37:7  Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.
Isa 37:8  So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah: for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish.
Isa 37:9  And he heard say concerning Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, He is come forth to make war with thee. And when he heard it, he sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying,
Isa 37:10  Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, Let not thy God, in whom thou trustest, deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.
Isa 37:11  Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands by destroying them utterly; and shalt thou be delivered?
Isa 37:12  Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed, as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were in Telassar?
Isa 37:13  Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arphad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah?