2 Kings 19:1-7
Chapter 19 identical to Isaiah 37.
Jerusalem was the only city left that had not been conquered by the Assyrians. With them camped at the wall, it was a rather bleak outlook. Upon hearing the report from his men, Hezekiah put on the garments of mourning after tearing his clothes in grief. He then went straight to the house of the Lord and sent men to Isaiah to request a prayer on their behalf. He likened their situation to a mother who carried a child to term but had no strength to give it birth. Unless the Lord intervened there was no hope.
The response from the Lord was not to be afraid. They were the words of a Rabshakeh; while they might strike fear in men, they were nothing to God. They were not to be afraid because God was already dealing with it. We might see a small rebuke toward Hezekiah for putting so much weight in the words of this man. God was on the throne and He was going to send the Assyrian home where he would meet his demise.
2 Kings 19:8-13
The Rabshakeh went home upon the apparent rumor that Assyria was being invaded. They also learned that Egypt was coming up from the south to help Judah. The Rabshakeh wants to leave a parting thought with Hezekiah and the people. He doesn't want the Jews to think for a moment that the Lord delivered them. In his mind this was just a coincidence!
2 Kings 19:14-19
Hezekiah does the only thing he knows to do; he takes his concern to the Lord. The picture of him spreading this letter out is symbolic of laying the problem out before the Lord. There's an element of letting go of it and turning it over to Him. There are important elements to this prayer:
- Identity: God of Israel, God alone
- Soveriegnty: God of all the kingdoms of earth
- Fame: creator
- Willingness to hear and see the affairs of man.
- Statement of the situation
- Petition for salvation
- The renown of the Lord
Did God learn anything in this prayer? Did Hezekiah? Was God moved to Hezekiah? Or was Hezekiah moved to God?
2 Kings 19:20-34
These are important words for us to consider in verse twenty. Because he prayed, the Lord heard. The Lord desires for us to bring our concerns to him. Therefore, it offends him when we don't. How often are we guilty of knowing we should pray, even telling someone we are prayer, but we never get around to it. We can learn from Hezekiah. Approach the Lord. Take our case to Him; all our grief, fears, emotions and all the other baggage. Also, we should consider the other side of this. We don't just bring our problems, but we bring our joy and our praise. This is what it looks like to walk daily, hourly, minute by minute with the Lord.
The Lord's rebuke to the Assyrians is clear and its stirring just to read. "Have you not heard?" I can only imagine the cheering of Hezekiah and His staff upon hearing this. It is concise and decisive of the Lord's view of Assyria; their existence, purpose and lifespan; but more importantly what they would not do. They would not enter Jerusalem. In fact, they were going home. God defends His city for His sake and the sake of David.
God raised this army to do his will. He said he will put a hook in their nose and return them back to the way they came. Assyrian prisoners were led around by putting hooks in their noses and chained or tied together. In their pride, they would be led by God in a similar way.
2 Kings 19:35-37
The angel of the Lord went out and killed 185,000 in the Assyrian camp in one night. Wow! We don't know if this was all the army or most; it was enough though. The ones who spoke so proudly and boasted at the wall, fell in one night, by one angel. Sennacherib was defeated; this was unheard of. What was reported to the world? Was it widely known that the great Assyrian army was dessimated by the Lord God of Israel?
©2016 Doug Ford
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