Assyria Defeated II Kings 19

II Kings 19:33 "By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the LORD."

We found previously that the 10 tribes (c17 v4)have been taken. Hezekiah is king in Judah. Jerusalem is surrounded and seems about to fall. We know that Israel rebelled and captivity is their punishment for making to themselves images of false gods and worshipping them. In the midst of this, a revival takes place. Hezekiah does his best to bring everyone together to worship the one true God and to do it at Jerusalem.

Then the representative of the king of Assyria dares to lump the LORD God in with all the images he has burned and otherwise destroyed.

II Chronicles 30:19 "And they spake against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth, which were the work of the hands of man."

Here are the ones involved in this chapter:

Jehovah, Hezekiah, Isaiah, Sennacherib, Rabshakeh

After the threats made by Sennacherib against Jerusalem, Hezekiah called a prayer meeting with Isaiah. He sent a message to Isaiah asking him to entreat God for Jerusalem.

v4 "It may be the LORD thy God will her all the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God; and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left."

So Isaiah prayed and received an answer to pass on to Hezekiah.

v6 "...Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me. v7 Behold I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour and shall return to his own land and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land."

King Sennacherib sent another message, yet threatening more and Hezekiah went to pray to the LORD in person. Jehovah answered through Isaiah.

v16 "LORD bow down thine ear, and hear: open, LORD, thine eyes and see, and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God."

v22 "Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice and lifted up tine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel."

Then came a promise from the LORD concerning Judah. They shall yet spring forth.

v30 "And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall yet again take root downward, and bear fruit upward."

As predicted, Sennacherib's army was destroyed in the night and the king was killed by his own sons as he worshipped his own false god. The verse is interesting.

v35 "And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand and when they arose early in the morning behold, they were all dead corpses."

They really had a bad morning. It was well deserved for they came up against Jerusalem but elevated the battle when they defied the living God. The LORD needed but one angel to take care of their mighty army.

This chapter and the previous are very important for they tell of the loss of the promised land for a season. We have seen here the promise that Judah would yet spring up. It is important because Christ has not yet come to carry out the redemption plan. I've used the analogy that Israel (children of Abraham, Issac and Jacob) was like a pregnant lady carrying the promise that salvation would come. It seems impossible with the nation destroyed but we will see, if we re blessed to continue our study, that God's promises always come true.

We see the phrases often and they are a comfort "And it came to pass" "And so it was", if the LORD says it, it will come to pass. We have been blessed and have much to look forward to.

Psalm 3:1-3 "LORD, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me. Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head."

Assyria defeated after Hezekiah's prayer. Keywords: Bible Study, Old Testament, Kings, Hezekiah, Assyria, Isaiah.