Q&A with Tim Rowe
Author of "The Spirit of Rabshakeh is Alive and Well in America"
Q: Many people may not be familiar with Rabshakeh. First, tell us about him and where he’s found in the Bible.
A: Rabshakeh was the mouthpiece and high-ranking chief official for the King of Assyria, King Sennacherib, and is mentioned in three books of the Bible, 2 Chronicles (Chapter 32), 2 Kings (Chapters 18,19), and Isaiah (Chapters 36,37). Assyria was the most powerful empire in the world at this time and was known for its savagery and violence. They had sacked the kingdom of Israel and carried it into captivity and during the reign of King Hezekiah who was king of Judea, Rabshakeh came to the wall of Jerusalem with his army and tried to get King Hezekiah to surrender his kingdom. He used eight primary tactics to persuade Hezekiah to give up his kingdom and allow Assyria to absorb his country of Judea.
Q: What attributes about Rabshakeh do you equate with our modern culture?
A: Rabshakeh had a smug and arrogant attitude. He believed nothing rivaled what the Assyrian Empire could offer. Resist him and you would be annihilated (canceled). He was sure that he was right, and all other opinions were wrong. He thought he had the angle on life, and nothing could compare to what he had to offer. The same defiant spirit is seen more and more in America, where so many say God is not needed or wanted, the Bible is full of myths and its moral code is dangerous, Jesus Christ is devalued, and Christianity is no longer seen as necessary to live life to its fullest. So many in our culture think they have all the answers and violently oppose all those who think and act differently. We are driven to wallow in self-sufficiently and no longer trust God. Faith is seen as a relic of the past, as we embrace all the glitter of the current culture that happily rejects God.
Q: Each chapter talks about the tactical attacks Rabshakeh used on Hezekiah. Which attack do you believe came closest to working against Hezekiah and is it working in our culture today?
A: We see all of the tactics at work in the culture in America, but the foundational tactic that is used the most is this: "Why Bother Trusting God?" This is the main thrust of the spirit of Rabshakeh—to challenge one's trust in God and to demonstrate that one does not need to trust in God. We all trust something, and the main question is who or what do you trust or have faith in when times get tough? What or who do you cleave to in tough circumstances? If the heart can be turned away from trusting in God, the other tactics become so much easier and so much more dominant in one's life. Almost everything in education, television, media, politics, and socially accepted norms is geared toward attacking our trust in God as a foolish waste of time.
Q: What can we learn from the way Hezekiah handled these attacks that apply to our current society?
A: Hezekiah did three things to combat these tactics. First, he humbled himself. Humility is the foundation of all trust. Do we pridefully rely on our own strength, knowledge, and ability, and the thousand alternatives that bombard our minds daily, or do we humbly place ourselves at the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ? The second thing Hezekiah did was pray. Prayer is powerful, prayer is mighty, prayer is passionate, prayer is unlimited in its possibilities, and prayer is vital to one's walk with God. Prayer is like breathing, and the impact prayer has on our world has been woefully underestimated. The third thing Hezekiah did was he let God fight the battle. We all want to be the superhero, the prime mover, and the solution bringer. But God wants to fight our battles, and if we let Him, we can conquer any earthly foe and bring about complete victory no matter the odds.
Q: You use the prayer of Hannah as the template of a powerful prayer. Why?
A: Hannah starts her prayer by saying “O Lord of Hosts.” This is an important name of God, Yahweh Sabaoth, which describes God as a warrior who fights for His people. She was in great pain and vexed in her heart about her barrenness. Her prayer was raw and unfiltered as she poured out her soul to God. Hannah’s prayer was not a ten-second exercise of a few rushed words that lacked faith and simply fell to the ground with no impact. Verse 12 of 1 Samuel 1 says she spent a long time praying, or in the Hebrew she “multiplied her praying.” She clung to God and refused to let go until He answered her prayer. This is the tenacity of prayer that relentlessly pursues God to breathe life into any situation.
A: Rabshakeh was the mouthpiece and high-ranking chief official for the King of Assyria, King Sennacherib, and is mentioned in three books of the Bible, 2 Chronicles (Chapter 32), 2 Kings (Chapters 18,19), and Isaiah (Chapters 36,37). Assyria was the most powerful empire in the world at this time and was known for its savagery and violence. They had sacked the kingdom of Israel and carried it into captivity and during the reign of King Hezekiah who was king of Judea, Rabshakeh came to the wall of Jerusalem with his army and tried to get King Hezekiah to surrender his kingdom. He used eight primary tactics to persuade Hezekiah to give up his kingdom and allow Assyria to absorb his country of Judea.
Q: What attributes about Rabshakeh do you equate with our modern culture?
A: Rabshakeh had a smug and arrogant attitude. He believed nothing rivaled what the Assyrian Empire could offer. Resist him and you would be annihilated (canceled). He was sure that he was right, and all other opinions were wrong. He thought he had the angle on life, and nothing could compare to what he had to offer. The same defiant spirit is seen more and more in America, where so many say God is not needed or wanted, the Bible is full of myths and its moral code is dangerous, Jesus Christ is devalued, and Christianity is no longer seen as necessary to live life to its fullest. So many in our culture think they have all the answers and violently oppose all those who think and act differently. We are driven to wallow in self-sufficiently and no longer trust God. Faith is seen as a relic of the past, as we embrace all the glitter of the current culture that happily rejects God.
Q: Each chapter talks about the tactical attacks Rabshakeh used on Hezekiah. Which attack do you believe came closest to working against Hezekiah and is it working in our culture today?
A: We see all of the tactics at work in the culture in America, but the foundational tactic that is used the most is this: "Why Bother Trusting God?" This is the main thrust of the spirit of Rabshakeh—to challenge one's trust in God and to demonstrate that one does not need to trust in God. We all trust something, and the main question is who or what do you trust or have faith in when times get tough? What or who do you cleave to in tough circumstances? If the heart can be turned away from trusting in God, the other tactics become so much easier and so much more dominant in one's life. Almost everything in education, television, media, politics, and socially accepted norms is geared toward attacking our trust in God as a foolish waste of time.
Q: What can we learn from the way Hezekiah handled these attacks that apply to our current society?
A: Hezekiah did three things to combat these tactics. First, he humbled himself. Humility is the foundation of all trust. Do we pridefully rely on our own strength, knowledge, and ability, and the thousand alternatives that bombard our minds daily, or do we humbly place ourselves at the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ? The second thing Hezekiah did was pray. Prayer is powerful, prayer is mighty, prayer is passionate, prayer is unlimited in its possibilities, and prayer is vital to one's walk with God. Prayer is like breathing, and the impact prayer has on our world has been woefully underestimated. The third thing Hezekiah did was he let God fight the battle. We all want to be the superhero, the prime mover, and the solution bringer. But God wants to fight our battles, and if we let Him, we can conquer any earthly foe and bring about complete victory no matter the odds.
Q: You use the prayer of Hannah as the template of a powerful prayer. Why?
A: Hannah starts her prayer by saying “O Lord of Hosts.” This is an important name of God, Yahweh Sabaoth, which describes God as a warrior who fights for His people. She was in great pain and vexed in her heart about her barrenness. Her prayer was raw and unfiltered as she poured out her soul to God. Hannah’s prayer was not a ten-second exercise of a few rushed words that lacked faith and simply fell to the ground with no impact. Verse 12 of 1 Samuel 1 says she spent a long time praying, or in the Hebrew she “multiplied her praying.” She clung to God and refused to let go until He answered her prayer. This is the tenacity of prayer that relentlessly pursues God to breathe life into any situation.
Q: As a practicing lawyer working in the judicial system for over four decades, what do you see as the biggest threat to our nation as a whole?
A: War has been declared on the Christian faith, just like Rabshakeh declared war on the Jewish faith. Fear is the fuel that advances this war to the public classroom, to the public arena, and to the walls of government. There is a growing segment of radical groups, media outlets, and politicians who want to criminalize Christianity. Canada, our neighbor to the north, has already embraced the spirit of Rabshakeh and begun criminalizing Christianity through the misguided application of “hate” laws, and America is soon to follow suit. The truths of the Bible have become a menace to society. In their place America has set up political and social idols that we must pay homage to or be prepared to be ostracized with a scarlet C on our backs. People would prefer to burn the Bible rather than believe it. People loudly raise their voices to clamor for social justice, diversity, inclusion, and equity, not knowing these terms are an illusion without God. We think we are so enlightened to follow these “noble” concepts, but when the polished façade is peeled away, all we have are the old tenets of communism and socialism that have never worked in any country or during any age. These ideas breed hate, division, and contempt and must be enforced through coercion, intimidation, and violence. Truth is not only lacking in our culture, but it is actively suppressed in our schools, in our media, and in our politics. It is a fatal blow to any nation to reject God and treat Him like an enemy. We have become a people raging against the only One who can set them free from a thousand chains of bondage that enslave the soul.
Q: You use the term “Yahweh” throughout the book. Is there a reason you chose that designation for God?
A: It has nothing to do with any particular belief system or denomination. Yahweh Sabaoth, Lord of Hosts, is the most frequent compound name of God used in the Bible. I used “Yahweh” throughout the book because of the richness of the meaning of the word. It is a sacred word for God in Scripture and emphasizes that He is everything perfect, just, good, and holy in an endless capacity. Yahweh means He is the coming one who will meet us in our time of need and is the becoming one who says I am whatever you need in life. I used this word to convey these dimensions of God, and that He has covenant with those who believe and will never leave or forsake us.
A: War has been declared on the Christian faith, just like Rabshakeh declared war on the Jewish faith. Fear is the fuel that advances this war to the public classroom, to the public arena, and to the walls of government. There is a growing segment of radical groups, media outlets, and politicians who want to criminalize Christianity. Canada, our neighbor to the north, has already embraced the spirit of Rabshakeh and begun criminalizing Christianity through the misguided application of “hate” laws, and America is soon to follow suit. The truths of the Bible have become a menace to society. In their place America has set up political and social idols that we must pay homage to or be prepared to be ostracized with a scarlet C on our backs. People would prefer to burn the Bible rather than believe it. People loudly raise their voices to clamor for social justice, diversity, inclusion, and equity, not knowing these terms are an illusion without God. We think we are so enlightened to follow these “noble” concepts, but when the polished façade is peeled away, all we have are the old tenets of communism and socialism that have never worked in any country or during any age. These ideas breed hate, division, and contempt and must be enforced through coercion, intimidation, and violence. Truth is not only lacking in our culture, but it is actively suppressed in our schools, in our media, and in our politics. It is a fatal blow to any nation to reject God and treat Him like an enemy. We have become a people raging against the only One who can set them free from a thousand chains of bondage that enslave the soul.
Q: You use the term “Yahweh” throughout the book. Is there a reason you chose that designation for God?
A: It has nothing to do with any particular belief system or denomination. Yahweh Sabaoth, Lord of Hosts, is the most frequent compound name of God used in the Bible. I used “Yahweh” throughout the book because of the richness of the meaning of the word. It is a sacred word for God in Scripture and emphasizes that He is everything perfect, just, good, and holy in an endless capacity. Yahweh means He is the coming one who will meet us in our time of need and is the becoming one who says I am whatever you need in life. I used this word to convey these dimensions of God, and that He has covenant with those who believe and will never leave or forsake us.
About Tim Rowe:
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Tim Rowe is a lawyer and author of the new book “The Spirit of Rabshakeh is Alive and Well in America.” The son of a missionary, Rowe received a B.A. with distinction in History and Classics from Indiana University and graduated cum laude from Indiana University School of Law. He has been an attorney for over 40 years and is partner in the law firm, Rowe and Hamilton. He was host of a weekly TV show called "Faith and the Law" as well as a radio program, "You and the Law," for over five years. His previous books include “The Heart: The Key to Everything in the Christian Life,” and “The Magnificent Goodness of God and How It Will Transform Your Life.”
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