I. Hezekiah’s reaction to words of Rabshakeh. (1-5)
Hezekiah's first reaction when his people told him what Rabshakeh, was to humble himself and wear a sackcloth.A sackcloth is worn during the funerals. It was a mourning cloth. Hezekiah took on the accountability of the deaths of his people in all the cities that had fallen to Assyria.
Hezekiah went to the house of God to pray to God, while sending his officials to Isaiah. He told the officers to ask isaiah to pray for the people: "Therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left." (v4)
This is was opposite of what King Ahaz did in the same crisis (isaiah 7:14), who refused to go to God.
II. Isaiah’s words of assurance to King Hezekiah. (6-7)
Isaiah responded to the officers, that God has heard the blasphemous words of Rabshakeh. God has taken the words personally, and will protect Jerusalem. The Assyrians will be distracted by "rumours", and will postpone their attack on Jerusalem.
Many times we hear the "words" of our enemies and Satan, to make us afraid. But they mean nothing if God is on our side.
III. Rabshakeh’s letter to Hezekiah (8-13)
As prophesied by Isaiah, Rabshakeh heard that the King of Assyria had left Lachish and gone to Libnah to quell another uprising.
At the same time, Egypt is also marching up, led by the Ethiopian prince, Tirhakah. This probably brought some false comfort to the smaller nations in Palestine, though Isaiah had prophesied that Egypt cannot protect Judah against Assyria.
Rabshakeh knew that Judah may think that the threat is over, so he sent a letter to Hezekiah to maintain the momentum of fear. "Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you by promising that Jerusalem will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria." (v10) No other gods have saved their own nations, how could God save Jerusalem or it's king?
IV. Hezekiah’s prayer. (14-20)
Hezekiah went to the house of the Lord again, and spread the letter out before God, and prayed. His first words was to glorify God: "O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth." (v16) This is a prayer of faith, that God, who had created the universe, nothing is impossible for Him to do.
In contrast, Hezekiah said all the gods that the Assyrians have cast into the fire are not gods but creation of human hands. He called on God to save them so that everyone will know that God is the true God.
V. God's Answer to Hezekiah (21-35)
God heard Hezekiah's prayer and answered with a plan to destroy the Assyrian King. God said that everything the Assyrians said against Jerusalem was said against God. “‘Whom have you mocked and reviled? Against whom have you raised your voice and lifted your eyes to the heights? Against the Holy One of Israel!" (v23)
In fact, whatever the Assyrians were doing - the destruction of the cities - were in God's plans from long ago. They have no rights to boast about it at all. “‘Have you not heard that I determined it long ago? I planned from days of old what now I bring to pass" (v26)
The Lord is aware of everything that goes on within the Assyria, and because of their rage against God, they will be turned back to where they come from with a "hook in their nose", the same thing they were doing to their enemies. (v28-29)
God promised that the people will continue to have food to eat over the next 3 years, as that is the biggest worry when the enemies put up a siege. The Assyrian army will never get a chance to shoot an arrow inside of Jerusalem, nor cast up a siege mound on its walls. "For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David.” (v35)
We must realise that those who criticise or mocked Christians are actually mocking God. God will hold them accountable, and will protect us according to His will.
VI. God strikes the Assyrians (36-38)
However, Hezekiah did not just stand idle even though Isaiah promised salvation from the Lord. The King did what a king must do - to defend the city in the event of a siege. He strengthened the walls, and food and weapons were brought into the city. And the most important thing is water to ensure they can withstand a very long siege.
2 Chronicles 32 described how the Gihon Springs were tunneled into the city's Siloam Pool. It was a marvel of engineering in those days, as 1750 feet of rock was carved out for the tunnel. As the tunnel is hidden under water, the Assyrians would not know it exists. That's why Rabshakeh said wrongly to the officers that the Jewish soldiers will "..eat their own dung and drink their own urine" (Isaiah 36:12)
The Assyrian army finally arrived in force around 701 BC. They have already destroyed the walls of Lachish and had conquered that city. Sennacherib did not personally come, perhaps leading a separate campaign. Hezekiah knew that sooner or later, they will be able to breach Jerusalem's wall as well.
We don't know the details of what happened, but the Bible simply said: "And the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. And when people arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies." (v36) Some historians said it was possible that the Assyrian army caught a deadly disease, such as bubonic plague from the mice, or cholera. Regardless, there was no doubt that God brought it upon the Assyrians, and protected the people in Jerusalem.
In the annals of Sennacherib, he mentioned he took forty-six fortresses and towns in Judah, and captured over 200,000 people. But he never mentioned the taking of Jerusalem. He also never mentioned his dead soldiers.
Sennacherib took his army away from Judah and continued to fight other wars until 690 BC. He was killed by his two of his sons in his palace at Nineveh in 681 BC, as prophesied by Isaiah in verse 7. This was the same year that Isaiah died, and Hezekiah never knew this as he died in 687 BC. Sennacherib was replaced by a third son, Esarhaddon, who continued to make threats against Hezekiah's next heir, Manasseh. (See the history in Historical Overview Part 2)
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