Bonny Sanders

On 1/21/2017 at 1:19 PM, Ann O'Maly said:

Could it be that Hezekiah did actually form an alliance with Egypt and those symbols were a declaration of this? 

Yes, Isaiah warned about making an alliance with Egypt, but apparently Hezekiah did anyway. And Rabshakeh wasn't contradicted when he talked about Judah's trust in Egypt ... just like he wasn't contradicted when he talked of Judah's trust in YHWH ... because both those statements were true. 

And before anyone says, 'Oh but Hezekiah was a good king who only relied on God so he wouldn't have formed political alliances,' it's worth considering that other good kings formed political alliances with their neighboring lands - good king Solomon with Egypt (by marrying Pharaoh's daughter; note 1 Ki. 3:3); good king Jehoshaphat with wicked Ahab and Ahaziah (2 Chron. 18:1-3; 20:34-37 but cp. v. 32).

Also look at Josiah. He was a much-loved king who restored 'true worship.' He didn't make an alliance but he meddled in a political situation, i.e. he tried to prevent Pharaoh Necho and his army joining with the remaining Assyrians against the new Babylonian empire to get Harran back. Maybe he thought he was acting in line with God's purpose ('why is Egypt helping those evil Assyrians who have oppressed our people for so long?'). Whatever Josiah's motives, it was a big error of judgment that cost him his life.

So, good Judahite kings who loved and worshipped YHWH, sometimes got politically involved. Actually, it's kinda naive to think you can be a king ruling a kingdom or country without being 'political' and cutting deals with the surrounding kingdoms or countries.

If anyone is a little wary of the OP video, here is an article from the Biblical Archaeology site. 

http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-sites-places/jerusalem/king-hezekiah-in-the-bible-royal-seal-of-hezekiah-comes-to-light/

I'm sure the name Dr. Eilat Mazar will already be familiar to many of you. 

To the person who suggests Hezekiah could have compromised with Egypt, this is what the 2005 Watchtower says on the subject:

18:19-21, 25—Had Hezekiah made an alliance with Egypt? No. Rabshakeh’s accusation was false, as was his claim to have come with “authorization from Jehovah.” Faithful King Hezekiah relied solely on Jehovah.
 

We might want to do research before we reply.

It's interesting when you look this up that it is acknowledged that it is historically inaccurate on several counts, that the artist was focusing on drama rather than truthfulness.

Is her new husband one of Jehovah's witnesses?