Hezekiah and Sennacherib
Introduction: These historical events describe the defense of Jerusalem under the rule of King Hezekiah who had brought tremendous revival of worship to the LORD God after his father King Ahaz had led the people into despicable and vile idol worship for sixteen years. Hezekiah placed his complete faith in the LORD. When threatened by overwhelming forces he took extra steps to fortify Jerusalem, but knew that their only real hope was in the LORD. The miraculous protection of Jerusalem from the powerful army of King Sennacherib mocked and shamed the Assyrians who had overflowed with arrogant pride and had even blasphemed the Almighty God as they boasted.
NOTE: Scripture passages are from the King James 21st Century Version.
A — Hezekiah Reversed the Practices of His Father and Served the LORD
2 Kings 18 “3 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did. 4 He removed the high places, and broke the images, and cut down the Asherah poles, and broke in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made; for until those days the children of Israel burned incense to it; and he called it Nehushtan. 5 He trusted in the LORD God of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah.”
2 Chronicles 32 “7 Be strong and courageous. Be not afraid nor dismayed by the king of Assyria and all the multitude that is with him, for there are more with us than with him. 8 With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles.”
Comments: Hezekiah served the LORD with his whole heart unlike his father Ahaz as he destroyed all the objects of false worship and directed attention to the living God. He took extra steps to fortify Jerusalem and build up stocks of weapons of war when he knew King Sennacherib of Assyria was moving into Judah. He encouraged the people to trust that with the LORD on their side they were not in fact outnumbered by the larger army of the Assyrians. However, by the 14th year of Hezekiah, Sennacherib had taken fortified cities in Judah and Hezekiah submitted to paying tribute to him.
B — Rabshakeh Shouted Out the Assyrian Threat to Jerusalem
2 Kings 18 “30 Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria. 33 Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? 35 Who are they among all the gods of the countries that have delivered their country out of mine hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand?”
Comments: Rabshakeh the commander called to those on the city wall in their own language with an offer of safety and comfort if they would surrender. He wanted not only Hezekiah’s representatives, but also all others in earshot to hear and understand — in order to undermine their loyalty to King Hezekiah and to forsake the LORD. He directly challenged them not to believe that the LORD could protect Jerusalem, referring to other nations that had fallen because their gods had not been able to deliver them. Hezekiah’s representatives went to him with their clothes torn as a sign of dismay, and told him of all that Rabshakeh had spoken.
C — Hezekiah Sent Men to Isaiah; Isaiah Gave an Answer from the LORD
2 Kings 19 “3 Thus saith Hezekiah: This day is a day of trouble and of rebuke and blasphemy. 4 It may be the LORD thy God will hear all 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. Therefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant who are left. 6 And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say to your master, Thus saith the LORD: Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me. 7 Behold, I will send a blight upon him, and he shall hear a rumor and shall return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.”
Comments: Hezekiah showed the traditional Jewish signs of humiliation and grief before the LORD, then sent his officials and some elders of the priests in sackcloth to the prophet of the LORD. They asked him to pray for a response to the reproach made to the name of the living God. The LORD was already aware and had an answer for them. Isaiah sent them back to Hezekiah with the word from the LORD: they were not to be afraid because the servants of the king of Assyria had blasphemed the LORD. The LORD would bring a halt to Sennacherib’s prosperity and a rumor would cause him to return to his own land where he would die by the sword.
D — Hezekiah Prayed to the LORD
2 Kings 19 “15 And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said, O LORD God of Israel, who dwellest between the cherubims, Thou art the God, even Thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. Thou hast made heaven and earth. 16 LORD, bow down Thine ear, and hear; open, LORD, Thine eyes, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, who hath sent him to reproach the living God. 19 Now therefore, O LORD our God, I beseech Thee, save Thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that Thou art the LORD God, even Thou only.”
Comments: Hezekiah directed his prayer to the LORD God of Israel who dwells between the cherubim above the mercy seat, and he declared from his heart that the LORD is the only God of all the nations of the earth. He petitioned him to listen to the words and look upon the reproach sent by Sennacherib. He acknowledged that the kings of Assyria had destroyed many nations and their gods because those gods were just the work of men’s hands. Therefore Hezekiah urgently implored the LORD to save his people in order that all the kingdoms of the earth would know that there is only one LORD God. This approach showed that Hezekiah’s greater concern was for the glory of the LORD, and not for himself.
E — The LORD Defended Jerusalem for His Own Sake and for the Sake of David
2 Kings 19 “32 Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria: He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor cast a mound against it. 33 By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the LORD. 34 For I will defend this city to save it for Mine own sake, and for My servant David’s sake. 35 And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred fourscore and five thousand.”
2 Chronicles 32 “22 Thus the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria and from the hand of all others, and guided them on every side. 23 And many brought gifts unto the LORD to Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was magnified in the sight of all nations from thenceforth.”
Comments: The LORD said Sennacherib would not enter Jerusalem or even shoot an arrow there — he would return by the way he had come. The LORD defended Jerusalem for his own sake and for the sake of his servant David. That night the angel of the LORD went out and killed 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. When the survivors arose in the morning all the corpses were there. So Sennacherib returned without ever personally being at Jerusalem, and stayed at Nineveh. It happened as he was worshipping his god that his own sons killed him with the sword as the LORD had said. The LORD was honored as many brought gifts for him at Jerusalem, and Hezekiah was magnified in the sight of all nations.
Reflections in Prayer
LORD, I thank you for the record that shows how quickly you allowed the people to turn away from the pagan leadership of King Ahaz to worship the living God after King Hezekiah began to reign. Hezekiah sought you with all his heart and directed those under his rule to destroy the vestiges of idol worship. LORD, may I depend upon your direction for my life while also effectively using resources you have already provided to me. I want prayer to be an essential factor for meeting the needs of believers, much the same as Hezekiah and Isaiah brought the pressing need for Jerusalem to you in prayer. In the spiritual battle that continually rages in the world around me, LORD, comfort my soul with the truth about your unequaled power. I believe LORD, that throughout all history you always know the composition and activities of all nations and their leaders and you have determined ahead of time the limits of their power and the length of their existence. All who trust in your name are to rely on your patience, your grace, and your mercy. Amen.
Published 27 September 2014