Isaiah 37:1-7
Hezekiah saw his situation for what it was. He had no hope, no way out, no avenue for a good outcome. Due to a thousand previous poor decisions, by him and others, he arrived at the one place where his choices were gone. He only had one place to go; one source of help. He tore his clothes and went to the temple of the Lord. It was a time of repentance and Hezekiah led the way. He also sent his representatives to see Isaiah and tell him how these guys blasphemed the Lord. Hezekiah wanted to deliver the people from Assyria but he had no means to do so. He was like the children come to birth but there was no strength to bring them forth. Hezekiah went to pray but the answer came through Isaiah.
God told Hezekiah not to be afraid that He would deliver them from the threat. God would send a spirit to him. He will cause this man to hear a rumor and return to this land. It's not clear what the rumor would be, possible threat or unrest at home. There he will fall by the sword.
Isaiah 37:8-20
When Sennacherib heard that Egypt was coming out to fight him he sent word to Hezekiah that he shouldn't be deceived to think that God would save them. No other god was able to save any of the other nations he took. Tirhakah was Pharoah's brother. This was a half hearted attempt to honor the commitment made to Judah for all the tribute given to them for protection. But Egypt had no power against Assyria.
Imagine Hezekiah's distress when this letter came. There were no options. Egypt was no help. Assyria wasn't intimidated in the least. So, Hezekiah was in a completely hopeless situation and had no other choice than to rely wholly on the Lord to deliver him. Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord and spread the letter out. It was a presentation to the Lord, as if to say, "Here it is, Lord. My faith is in Your Alone, what do you want to do about this?" Hezekiah prayed.
Hezekiah acknowledged the Most High God; maker of heaven and earth, the Lord of all. He asks the Lord to hear, to see and to understand. This is fascination, it's the same thing God said to them. Then Hezekiah pointed out that Sennacherib didn't see Him that way. The Assyrians were powerful among nations and this was intimidating to men. But they had not come against those who knew and had relationship with the Living God. Hezekiah pointed out that when He saves them everyone will know that He is the Lord alone.
Isaiah 37:21-38
The Lord said through Isaiah, "Because you have prayed." God acknowledged that the Assyrians had heaped insults on Him. He said He would put a hook in his nose and bit in his mouth. This was a common method of torture by the Assyrian towards their captives. They often led their captives away with a hook in their nose. God turned their ways against them.
God said that He made it all. Long ago He formed it in His will. Who are they to rage against Him? This nation was nothing. God ordained the rise and fall of nations, kings and power. This is hard for us to see; but we must know this and stand in this knowledge and in His power.
Once again there would be a remnant out of Judah. Assyria would not enter the city, shoot an arrow, nor build a siege ramp. God would supernaturally defend this city and save it for His sake and for the sake of David.
The angel of the Lord went out and put to death 185,000 men In the Assyrian camp. It doesn't say how many total Assyrians there were but the remainder woke up to find 185,000 dead. What a scene this was! To know the power of one angel, to have killed that many men in one night, would terrorize any army. Sennacherib pulled out and went back to Nineveh.
According to Herodotus, the Egyptians were miraculously delivered when Assyria was rendered powerless by a swarm of field mice that ate the leather of their shield handles, quivers, and bowstrings. The parallel accounts of an unexpected and hurried withdrawal by Assyria, and Sennacherib's unusual admission that he had not conquered Jerusalem, suggest some catastrophic disaster affected Assyria's ability to continue the campaign. These conflicting reports suggest that attempts were made to develop rational explanations for this unexpected outcome.
One day while Sennacherib was worshiping his god Nishroch, two of his sons killed him with the sword.
©2018 Doug Ford
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