36:16,17
Some of the things the Assyrian commander has been saying have had an element of truth in them, but some of what he said was utterly false, as we have here. Having your own vine and fig tree was a symbol of peace and security. The commander was promising them peace, saying why suffer when you can be well off? The Assyrians deported people for the cities they conquered, and resettled other people groups in that city. The Israelites would know that (it had already happened to Samaria), and the commander is then up front that later they would be deported, but he says it would be to a land of grain and new wine. One might even say a land of milk and honey. In reality it would be more like being transported to a concentration camp.
36:18
More attacks on the leader mixed with some truth. It was true that Assyria had conquered many nations, none of them had been able to stand against her. The “gods” of these nations had not been able to do anything to stop Assyria, why should things be any different with the Lord? We need to realise that the one thing the enemy fears above all else is that we will put our trust in the Lord. We also need to be aware how difficult it is to trust in the Lord, there will be many things that seem to speak against it. These other nations and their gods had been defeated! But these “gods” were in reality nothings. The Lord is the one true God. Moreover, Assyria had conquered only because God had ordained it, had allowed it. If we want to see the truth and know the truth we need to know the Lord.
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