2 Kings 19:1 – 37 “On hearing this report, King Hezekiah tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and entered the house of the LORD. And he sent Eliakim the palace administrator, Shebna the scribe, and the leading priests, all wearing sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz to tell him, “This is what Hezekiah says: Today is a day of distress, rebuke, and disgrace; for children have come to the point of birth, but there is no strength to deliver them. Perhaps the LORD your God will hear all the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to defy the living God, and He will rebuke him for the words that the LORD your God has heard. Therefore, lift up a prayer for the remnant that still survives.”
So the servants of King Hezekiah went to Isaiah, who replied, “Tell your master that this is what the LORD says: ‘Do not be afraid of the words you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me. Behold, I will put a spirit in him so that he will hear a rumor and return to his own land, where I will cause him to fall by the sword.’”
When the Rabshakeh heard that the king of Assyria had left Lachish, he withdrew and found the king fighting against Libnah. Now Sennacherib had been warned about Tirhakah king of Cush: “Look, he has set out to fight against you.”
So Sennacherib again sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying, “Give this message to Hezekiah king of Judah:
‘Do not let your God, in whom you trust, deceive you by saying that Jerusalem will not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria. Surely you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the other countries, devoting them to destruction. Will you then be spared? Did the gods of the nations destroyed by my fathers rescue those nations—the gods of Gozan, Haran, and Rezeph, and of the people of Eden in Telassar? Where are the kings of Hamath, Arpad, Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah?’ ”
Hezekiah’s Prayer (Isaiah 37:14–20)
So Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers, read it, and went up to the house of the LORD and spread it out before the LORD. And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD:
“O LORD, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the heavens and the earth. Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see. Listen to the words that Sennacherib has sent to defy the living God.
Truly, O LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste these nations and their lands. They have cast their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods, but only wood and stone—the work of human hands.
And now, O LORD our God, please save us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone, O LORD, are God.”
Hezekiah is in despair! There’s no doubt that unless God does a miracle, Judah is doomed to horrific destruction.
But Hezekiah does the most sensible thing that he can possibly do. Hezekiah sends the chief scribe, the palace administrator, and the chief priests to the prophet Isaiah, hoping for a word from the Lord. And Isaiah delivers one of the most encouraging messages possible. “Do not be afraid of the words you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me. Behold, I will put a spirit in him so that he will hear a rumor and return to his own land, where I will cause him to fall by the sword.’”
God arranges for kings of Cush and Libna to begin fighting the Assyrians. Even as Sennacherib is withdrawing, he is still sending threatening messages to King Hezekiah. Sennacherib is still mocking the God of Israel, asserting that the gods of all the other nations he has defeated have proved useless. It is at this point that Hezekiah prays a magnificent prayer.
“O LORD, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the heavens and the earth. Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see. Listen to the words that Sennacherib has sent to defy the living God.
Truly, O LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste these nations and their lands. They have cast their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods, but only wood and stone—the work of human hands.
And now, O LORD our God, please save us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone, O LORD, are God.”
APPLICATION: Hezekiah’s response to the looming threat of destruction from the Assyrians stands as an example for all of us. At any moment, the Assyrian army might attack Jerusalem, and Hezekiah knows that his people will be destroyed if that happens. But Hezekiah still trusts in the God of Israel and affirms this trust in his prayer.
What does it mean to truly trust God? To trust God, we must first know Him. It is impossible to trust a stranger. Even though Hezekiah does not realize it, he has been preparing for this critical moment through years of absorbing God’s Word and through prayer. When Hezekiah acknowledges God’s greatness, this is not idle talk, but the witness of a man who truly knows God. Hezekiah does not argue that the people of Judah deserve to be delivered; instead, Hezekiah begs God to deliver them so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that He alone is God. Hezekiah wants to be delivered, but he wants God to demonstrate His power, His might, and His glory.
How frequently do we seek God’s glory in our daily lives? If we claim to be Christians, are we good advertising for the God whom we say we worship? At work, do we give of our best, or do we slack off, dumping responsibilities on others? Are we rude or critical with our families? Do we manipulate and use people for our own ends?
Our lives should be lives of service and of demonstration of the transforming power of God.
Hezekiah has prepared himself for this crisis and he passes the test of faith. We never know when we too will be called upon to act in faith and to step out trusting that God will deliver us. But we must learn to know God if we are to be able to trust Him. We must read His Word and pray.
One misconception about prayer is that it is a monologue conducted at high speed and loud volume as if God were deaf. Such an approach is quite ridiculous when you consider that you are spending time with someone who knows you better than you know yourself. And how are you to hear from God if you keep talking? If you really want to hear from God, find someplace where you can be quiet and then ask God to speak to you. Rest assured; you will find gentle messages coming into your mind. The longer you are quiet, the more you will hear from God.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help all who read these words to find a place where they can be quiet and listen to You. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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