You still have your Bibles with you? If not, go get one! We'll be using them a lot today...OK, turn to 2 Chronicles 32:1--
After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah.
"After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done". Wow. Hezekiah hadn't messed up a bit, and still troubles came. Kinda sounds like what happens today, doesn't it? We what we're supposed to, we follow God, but then BOOM! Something bad happens. But as we'll see in this story, God doesn't leave us, even in the bad times. That's the awesome wonderful good news!
Hezekiah was 39 when Sennacherib threatened his kingdom. Before the mighty tyrant arrived, however, Hezekiah consulted with his advisers and military staff. Through a general consensus they decided to block off at the water from the springs outside Jerusalem; this way the Assyrians couldn't have that pleasure while at Jerusalem. Hezekiah also had Jerusalem's entire wall strengthened and rebuilt, and many weapons and shields fabricated as well. Hezekiah used his time wisely and did what he should in the time that he had. And before the Assyrians actually arrived, Hezekiah gave this speech to his people:
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles.” ~ v. 7-8
Wow! Isn't that amazing? I honestly think that we need to be reminded of this fact a bit more today, in our own battles against our own Sennacheribs...
When the Assyrian force finally came to Jerusalem, the field commander (the guy in charge; Sennacherib was at another city currently) got straight to the quick and delivered an insulting speech, part of which I will quote below:
“This is what Sennacherib king of Assyria says: On what are you basing your confidence, that you remain in Jerusalem under siege?...Now do not let Hezekiah deceive you and mislead you like this. Do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to deliver his people from my hand or the hand of my predecessors. How much less will your god deliver you from my hand!” ~ v. 10, 15
Basically, the field commander just told Hezekiah's people that their God was worth nothing. In the part that I didn't quote, the field commander listed off a whole bunch of countries and gods that his master had conquered. So in essence he was saying, "What makes you think you're so different?" in a very haughty way.
OK...keep your finger in 2 Chronicles 32, now let's flip to Isaiah 36 right now. Believe it or not, the book of Isaiah covers in pretty good detail the story of Hezekiah and Sennacherib! In v. 4-10 the field commander delievers another speech, totally attacking the God of Heaven. Hezekiah's three representatives ask the field commander to speak to them in Aramaic, but he refuses. Evidently, although Aramaic was the language used for business, not everyone knew it. Hebrew was the commonly used language by everyone. And the field commander was speaking in Hebrew. Oh, and when asked, he refused to speak in Aramaic. He said that it wasn't just for Hezekiah that these threats were prepared; they were also to frighten and scare the people of Jerusalem as well.
So after that little incident, the field commander starts up his fiery tongue once again, and basically tells the people to not listen to Hezekiah, or to let him deceive or mislead them. Of course, he backs it up with plenty of proof and reasons; it's an interesting read but too long to put in here. However, I highly recommend it!
But all told, Sennacherib and his field commander had gone a step too far. It was time for the real God to step in.
Hezekiah knew that this was a problem way too big for him to solve on his own. So, he made Sennacherib a matter of prayer and, in the temple, pleaded to God for help. Just listen to what Hezekiah said:
“Lord Almighty, the 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, Lord, and hear; open your eyes, Lord, and see; listen to all the words Sennacherib has sent to ridicule the living God." ~Isaiah 37:16-17
I think that it's interesting that Hezekiah referred to God as the living God. Sure, Sennacherib had conquered many other "gods", but this time he was up against someone bigger than he. Previously, the Assyrian king had waged war against "gods" of wood and stone, but this time he was against a god that was alive! Hezekiah brings out that point in the rest of his prayer:
“It is true, Lord, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste all these peoples 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 human hands. Now, Lord our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you,Lord, are the only God.” ~v. 18-20
It wasn't just Hezekiah and the Israelites that Sennacherib was attacking. It was God's reputation that was at stake. And God acted fast. Verse 21--
"Then"
"Then."
"Then."
No, not a while later, not in the future, not "I'll think about it". "Then"
"Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent a message to Hezekiah: “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Because you have prayed to me concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria, this is the word the Lord has spoken against him..."
God didn't delay. Right after Hezekiah prayed, God answered through Isaiah the prophet. It's too long to post here, but basically God goes on to say in so many words that Sennacherib will not be the victor. That God himself will save Jerusalem, and send Sennacherib back home like a dog with its' tail tucked between its' legs. In short,
"this is what the Lord says concerning the king of Assyria:
“He will not enter this city
or shoot an arrow here.
He will not come before it with shield
or build a siege ramp against it.
By the way that he came he will return;
he will not enter this city,”
declares the Lord.
“I will defend this city and save it,
for my sake and for the sake of David my servant!” ~v. 33-35
or shoot an arrow here.
He will not come before it with shield
or build a siege ramp against it.
By the way that he came he will return;
he will not enter this city,”
declares the Lord.
“I will defend this city and save it,
for my sake and for the sake of David my servant!” ~v. 33-35
Look at the next verse, very first word. What's it say there?
"Then"
Do I need to explain again? No delay. Let's read the whole of verses 36 & 37:
"Then the angel of the Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand 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."
To me at least, the story of Hezekiah, Sennacherib, and God seems to be one of the least known stories of the Bible. At least I don't ever remember learning about it in Sabbath School! God killing 185,000 idolatrous enemy soldiers just for his chosen, faithful people...had you heard about that before? I certainly hadn't before just a few years ago when I read about this story in a book.
I think that this story needs to be told a lot more. It's with stories like these our faith in God grows, and our relationship with Him deepens. Our prayers do not just bounce off the ceiling. God hears them, and He does answer them. Being a Christian--following Christ--doesn't mean that we're not going to have any trials. Remember what 2 Chronicles 32:1 said? "After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done..." Sennacherib attacked Jerusalem even though Hezekiah had followed God in every single particular. But this story does remind us that even when bad things happen, God is always there to help us through. God delivers.
No comments:
Post a Comment