SCRIPTURE: 2 KINGS 19
JERUSALEM’S DELIVERANCE FORETOLD (vs. 1-13)
When king Hezekiah heard what Sennacherib, king of Assyria had said, he tore his clothes and put on sack clothes and went to the temple of the Lord. He sent Eliakim, the palace administrator, Shebna, the secretary and the leading priests all wearing sack clothes to prophet Isaiah with this message: “This is the day of distress, rebuke and disgrace. The king of Assyria ridiculed the living God. Therefore pray for the remnants that still survives.” (v.4)
Then Isaiah said: “This is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid of what you have heard words that blasphemed me. I am going to put such as spirit in him that when he hears a certain report, he will return to his own country, and there I will have him cut down with the sword” (v. 6-7). Now Sennacherib received a report that Tirhakah, the Cushite king of Egypt was marching out to fight against him. He again sent messengers to Hezekiah, king of Judah with this word: “Do not let the God you depend on deceive you when he says, “Jerusalem will not be handed over to the king of Assyria. Surely you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the countries, destroying them completely. And will you be delivered? Did the gods of the nations that were destroyed by my forefathers deliver them – the gods of Gozan, Haran, Rezeph and the people of Eden who were in Tel Assar? Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of the city of Sepharvaim or Hena or Ivvah?
” (vs, 10-13)
HEZEKIAH’S PRAYER (vs. 14-19)
Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord praying: “O Lord, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Give ear, O Lord, and hear; open your eyes, O Lord, and see; listen to the words Sennacherib has sent to insult the living God. It is true, O Lord, that the Assyrian kings had laid waste these nations and their lands. They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by men’s hands. Now, O Lord our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, O Lord, are God” (vs. 14-19).
ISAIAH PROPHESIES SENNACHERIB’S FALL (vs. 20-37)
The word of the Lord came to Isaiah prophesying that the king of Assyria will not be able to defeat them and a remnant of Judah will take root below and bear fruit above. A remnant will come out of Jerusalem at Mount Zion with a band of warriors. God will defend Judah for the sake of David.
The night, the angel of the Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning – there were all the dead bodies! So Sennacherib, king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there. One day, while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer cut him down with the sword, and they escaped to the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son succeeded him as king.
THOUGHTS:
Hezekiah depended on the Word of God and prayer. He took the matter before the Lord. His only desire was to glorify God before the heathen army. God assured him of peace and victory and the enemy was defeated. If you are facing a battle, seek the Lord with faith. He will sustain you with strength to handle it. And be sure to glorify His name.
Sennacherib had captured all the fortified cities of Judah. He sent a message to Hezekiah to surrender. Hezekiah went to the temple and prayed . God answered his prayer and delivered Judah by sending an army to attack Assyrian camp forcing Sennacherib to leave at once. If you are facing any crisis, respond it with prayer for his guidance. Don’t wait until things are hopeless. It only takes a tiny spark of fire remain to rebuild into a roaming blaze. There remained only a small remnant of true believers but God rebuilt it into a strong nation. God can use a glimpse of faith to restore blazing faith in you. What you should do is to ask God to use it to rekindle the fire of commitment to him.