King Hezekiah had serious troubles. The Assyrian army had rolled through Judah and captured all of the fortified cities except Jerusalem. They planned to lay siege to Jerusalem, and when it fell, they intended to deport the Israelites to other parts of their empire and make the Promised Land Assyrian territory.

There was no reason to doubt they could do this. They conquered every other nation they attacked, and the gods of those nations couldn’t protect them. Judah’s defenses had fallen like dominoes and now a powerful Assyrian army was at the gate, ready to break down the walls of Jerusalem.

Hezekiah Asks for Prayer

Hezekiah’s royal officials carried the Assyrian field commander’s threatening message to the king and he tore his royal robes in sorrow. He put on sackcloth and sent his officials to find the prophet Isaiah and ask for help.

“They told him, ‘This is what Hezekiah says: This day is a day of distress and rebuke and disgrace, as when children come to the moment of birth and there is no strength to deliver them.’” 2 Kings 19:3

King Hezekiah had worked so hard to bring his nation back to the Lord and now it appeared all was lost. Worse than that, this threat to their existence was from a pagan king who had the audacity to mock God.

“It may be that the Lord your God will hear all the words of the field commander, whom his master, the king of Assyria, has sent to ridicule the living God, and that he will rebuke him for the words the Lord your God has heard. Therefore, pray for the remnant that still survives.” 2 Kings 19:4

Isaiah had an answer from the Lord for these Assyrian insults. He sent this message back to Hezekiah:

“Do not be afraid of what you have heard – those words with which the underlings of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me. Listen! When he hears a certain report, I will make him want to return to his own country, and there I will have him cut down with the sword.” 2 Kings 19:6-7

God’s Diversionary Tactics

The Assyrian field commander was still harassing the people of Jerusalem when he heard that Sennacherib had left Lachish.  He went to find out what was going on and discovered that the king was marching out to meet an attack from Ethiopia.

Sennacherib couldn’t attack Jerusalem and fight Ethiopia at the same time, so he sent another intimidating letter to Hezekiah warning him not to rely on his God. Other gods had not protected Gozan, Harran, Rezeph, Hamath, Arpad, Lair, Sepharvaim, Hena and Ivvah when Assyria attacked. Why did Hezekiah believe his God would protect Jerusalem?

Hezekiah went to the temple and spread the letter out before the Lord; then he prayed.

“Lord, 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 the words Sennacherib has sent to ridicule the living God. “It is true, Lord, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste these nations 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 alone, Lord, are God.” 2 Kings 19:15-19

God gave Hezekiah a break by diverting Sennacherib south to meet Ethiopia.  Hezekiah used the time well; he went to the temple and laid out the situation before God. His faith was strengthened and he prayed that all the nations of the earth would see that Israel’s God alone was God.

God Answers Sennacherib

Sometime later Sennacherib returned to Lachish and sent another message to Jerusalem. He ridiculed God and Hezekiah and told the people of Jerusalem to give up because the odds were against them. No other nation had withstood Assyria, no other gods had been able to protect against the Assyrian onslaught.

“Then they called out in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to terrify them and make them afraid in order to capture the city. They spoke about the God of Jerusalem as they did about the gods of the other peoples of the world – the work of human hands.” 2 Chronicles 32:18-19

But God was ready with an answer. Assyria believed that they had built an empire by their own power, but God had news for them.

“Have you not heard? Long ago I ordained it. In days of old I planned it; now I have brought it to pass, that you have turned fortified cities into piles of stone. Their people, drained of power are dismayed and put to shame.” 2 Kings 19:25-26

The nations Assyria defeated were also enemies of God and he used Assyria to punish them. Now that the job was complete, God was going to give Assyria what they deserved for their cruelty and arrogance.

“But I know where you are and when you come and go and how you rage against me. Because you rage against me and because your insolence has reached my ears, I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth, and I will make you return by the way you came.” 2 Kings 19:27-28

God Takes Care of Judah

In the middle of this prophecy God promised Hezekiah that he would provide food for the Israelites even though the Assyrians had prevented them from planting crops. Soon their enemy would be gone and in the next two years enough food would spring up in the fields to feed the nation. In the third year they would be able to sow and reap as they had before.

But this was the end of the line for Sennacherib.

“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. I will defend this city and save it for my sake and for the sake of David my servant.” 2 Kings 19:32-34

The End of the Assyrian Assault

The Assyrians had ridiculed God and said he couldn’t defend Jerusalem, but God proved them wrong.

“That night 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. One day, while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisrok, his sons Adrammelek and Sharezer killed him with a sword, and they escaped to the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son succeeded him as king.” 2 Kings 19:35-37

2 Chronicles 32:21 says that Sennacherib went home in disgrace and his own flesh and blood cut him down. God not only protected Jerusalem, but he gave Sennacherib an ignominious end.

God Restores His People

Assyria had exacted a heavy toll on Judah, but when they withdrew God completely restored his people. He even restored the wealth Assyria exacted from Hezekiah as tribute.

“So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria and the hand of all others. He took care of them on every side. Many brought offerings to Jerusalem for the Lord and valuable gifts for Hezekiah king of Judah. From then on he was highly regarded by all the nations.” 2 Chronicles 32:22-23

It’s God’s prerogative to raise up and take down the leaders of the world. He sent Sennacherib down in disgrace and elevated Hezekiah, as only God could do. He answered Hezekiah’s prayer; he showed the nations that he alone was God.