2 Kings 19 Hezekiah Pt 4

Sennacherib did NOT like how Hezekiah didn’t fall at the feet of his men. He is coming back and this time, he means to grind Jerusalem under his foot.

No matter what Sennacherib “means” to do, God is STILL bigger than him. Hezekiah KNOWS this, but he is still scared. God meets him where he is and gives all the people a miracle that is FAR beyond their imagination! Let’s rejoin our story as God proves HE is stronger than ANY other gods this world can come up with.

♥ ♦ ♥

The contingent of Assyrian soldiers is feeling frustrated. They are hoping for some action when the Rabshakeh taunts the people. It will be fun to putting down a rebellion but the people of Judah refuse to even speak. After an hour of standing around waiting for something to happen the Tartan decides it is time to leave.

As the contingent approaches Lachish they notice that the camp is much smaller than when they left on their mission. Three regiments remain encamped about the city instead of the ten who were originally on this campaign. The Rabshakeh is especially concerned because his master is not among those that remain. He doesn’t expect his king to be in a rear guard position but leaving without his cupbearer is extremely troubling to the Rabshakeh.

The Rabshakeh has served Sennacherib many years in this position. Sennacherib is not always pleasant to be around and he has his mean streaks but such is the Rabshakeh’s life. He knows no other and he desires no other.

The Tartan is able to learn of the king’s new location with ease. His rank as the highest military officer is not without its perks. No Assyrian soldier dares hold anything back from him. It will mean his life if any man is found doing so.

The Tartan, though he has little love for the Rabshakeh, takes him aside and shares the news he has gathered.

“Our king has heard a rumor that the king of Lachish has escaped to Libnah. He and his men went after him. The king can not permit such an act to go unchallenged.”

“Then we must leave at once for Libnah” replies the Rabshakeh.

“We will leave as soon as our men have had a chance for a meal and some sleep. We have had a long and disappointing day.”

“We need to leave now! Won’t the men be revived by the thought of joining the king in another battle?”

The Tartan is firm. “They will not be battle ready without food and rest. We will leave in six hours.”

The Rabshakeh has no authority in military matters so he wisely chose to let the matter go. He too will eat and rest while waiting for the Tartan’s orders to march on.

While the Tartan, the Rab-saris, the Rabshakeh and their contingent of soldiers rest the king of Assyria is busy. He and his troops are besieging the city of Libnah. They are also gathering intelligence reports from spies all around them. One such spy brings a very disturbing report. He is brought directly to the king, once he shares the first kernel of information with the guard.

“I hear you have some news for me” inquires Sennacherib.

“I do my king. I have learned that the king of Cush is planning to join in battle against you.”

“And who will he be joining with?”

“That is not clear my king.”

“I have my own suspicions. You can leave now.”

After the spy leaves Sennacherib’s tent the king begins to pace the space. His pacing speed grows in proportion to his increasing anger. “How dare that impotent king think he can stand against Assyria! He will learn the error of his ways and pay for his arrogance. Him and his God will be nothing but a footnote in history once I’m through with him; if they even get that much ink.”

It isn’t long after Sennacherib’s meeting with the spy that the contingent from Jerusalem reaches the new campaign headquarters. The Rabshakeh seeks out the tent of the king immediately. He feels naked in the absence of his king. As soon as he reaches the tent entrance, he knows something is wrong. Pieces of pottery lie scattered across the threshold. The Rabshakeh knows this is a common occurrence when his master is angry.

The Rabshakeh doesn’t even bother to pick up the shards of pottery. He marches directly into the tent of the king to lend his master whatever support he needs. The Rabshakeh falls to his knees just inside the threshold, embedding pieces of pottery into his calves and knees, to demonstrate his supplication to his king.

“Great king how may I serve you?”

“It took you long enough to get here” barks Sennacherib. “What news to you bring from Jerusalem? Are the people in rebellion yet?”

The Rabshakeh has forgotten that he too brought bad news for his king. Sennacherib’s mood will certainly darken even more once he hears how the people refused to even answer his taunts. He begins to fear for his own safety at this point, but there is no getting around the facts of his visit. Doing so will only seal his execution date.

“My king I brought your words to Hezekiah and the people of Judah. I spoke in their tongue so all could hear and understand.”

“And” prompts Sennacherib as he takes a step closer to the man kneeling before him.

“The king sent three of his advisors to meet with us. The only words they spoke during our entire visit was to introduce themselves and ask us to speak in Aramaic so the people wouldn’t understand. We refused their request and delivered your warning.”

“AND” growls Sennacherib.

“And those were the only words from the mouths of the entire people of Judah. They refused to even interact with us on the most basic of issues.”

“AND” barks Sennacherib a mere hand’s breadth from the face of the Rabshakeh.

“And we left to return to you” squeaks the Rabshakeh.

Sennacherib roars in anger and strikes the Rabshakeh in the face, sending him flying across the tent. The Rabshakeh lies unconscious and bleeding against the wall. Sennacherib storms from his tent and went in search of the Tartan. He will drag the full accounting from him.

The Tartan sees the king coming from across the camp. The set of his shoulders and the force of his footfalls alerts the Tartan to the king’s mood before a word is even said. The Tartan prepares himself for what is sure to come.

“I have heard that you left Jerusalem without a single convert or inflicting any dissention.”

“This is true my king.”

“And how do you account for this?”

“We acted to the limits of our orders my king. You gave us no leave to strike the people with military force. Words were our only weapons and when they refused to engage in them, we had only two choices; stand there and look foolish or withdraw with the promise of future retaliation. I chose the latter.”

“You made it clear then that there would be consequences for their refusal?”

“Most assuredly my king. They will suffer your wrath for their insolence.”

Sennacherib’s face takes on a mirthless smile, one steeped in malice instead. He will see to it that the people of Jerusalem indeed suffered for their insolence.

“Locate a scribe and a messenger. Have them report to my tent at once. Also have someone collect the Rabshakeh from the floor of my tent and see to his injuries.”

The Tartan bows before his king and goes off to see to the king’s commands with utmost urgency. He understands Sennacherib’s unspoken words about his own fate narrowly missing that of the Rabshakeh’s whose injuries are as of yet unknown.

As the king approaches his tent, he sees the Rabshakeh being carried out by two soldiers. The Rabshakeh is a faithful servant. He hopes that he has not done too much damage. He does not enjoy the thought of breaking in a replacement for him while on the field of battle.

The messenger and scribe arrive alongside the Tartan at the same time the king reaches his tent. The three men follow Sennacherib into his tent. None dare to mention the blood pooled by the wall or the trial of it that lies splattered across the coverings for the floor.

Sennacherib sits down on his stool and the malevolent smile returns to his lips. He takes a moment to compose himself before speaking.

“I have a message for the king of Judah. You are to place it in no other hands but his own. Is this clear?”

“Yes my king” replies the messenger. “I will not fail you.”

“See that you don’t.” Sennacherib then looked over to the pool of blood, drawing the eyes of those in the room with his.

These men have been around long enough to know that they mustn’t let Sennacherib see their fear. He would capitalize on it if they did. Drawing their eyes away from the pool of blood they see Sennacherib looking intently at them, like a cat waiting for a mouse to try and move past it. After a few seconds Sennacherib lessens his gaze and moves onto the matter he has summoned them for.

“Thus you shall speak the Hezekiah king of Judah: ‘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. Behold, you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, devoting them to destruction. And shall you be delivered? Have the gods of the nations delivered them, the nations that my fathers destroyed, Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Telassar? Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of the city of Sepharvaim, the king of Hena, or the king of Ivvah?’” (2 Kings 19:10-13).

The scribe rushes to transcribe each word of his king’s message. His pen moves with speed but also care lest his master find some error in his work and punish him. As soon as he is done writing and blotting the scroll, he handed it to the Tartan who then presents it to Sennacherib. Sennacherib looks it over very carefully as if searching for that one small error he can pounce upon. None are found and Sennacherib, after ensuring that the ink is dry, rolls the scroll and seals it with his wax signet. After the wax is firm, he holds the scroll out towards the messenger.

“Take this immediately to Jerusalem and lay it in the hands of Hezekiah, king of Judah.”

“Am I to await an answer my king?”

“There is no answer but surrender. IF he falls to his knees before you after reading this message then by all means bring me back a reply. If not, do not tarry in that god forsaken town. Return to me at once.”

The messenger bows deeply, retrieves the scroll from Sennacherib’s hand and exits. He will complete his mission with all due haste.

Sennacherib dismisses the scribe and he and the Tartan talk of battle strategies long into the night.

The messenger reaches Jerusalem the following morning. He has traveled all night. He wants this message in the hands of the king of Judah as soon as possible. Not only so he can be done with this assignment, but also to see how their king responds to such strong words. He has heard of the God of Israel and Judah. He has heard stories of His miracles. He wants to know if He will stand by while His people are threatened AND His name is challenged.

Hezekiah is in his throne room when word reaches him regarding the messenger carrying a letter from Sennacherib.

“Why did you not bring it with you?”

“My king he has orders to deliver it to none other than the hands of the king of Judah. He says he will die before relinquishing it to another.”

“Very well. Bring him to me.”

The messenger enters the throne room. He pauses to bow to Hezekiah, then approaches and holds out the scroll for him to take. Once Hezekiah has received the scroll, he steps a few paces back to watch the king’s face as he read Sennacherib’s words.

Hezekiah breaks the seal with his thumb nail and unrolls it. He begins reading the words of Sennacherib. Within the time it takes to read the first sentence Hezekiah is obviously disturbed by what is contained herein. Hezekiah’s face first registers surprise then begins to darken with anger as he moves deeper into the words of Sennacherib. The scroll appears to vibrate as the tremors of barely contained fury shake Hezekiah’s hands. When he has come to the end of Sennacherib’s words, he raises his eyes to take in the messenger. Hezekiah takes a deep calming breath before speaking.

“You have completed your mission. You may go in peace.”

The messenger stumbles, catching himself just in time to prevent a fall, as he makes his way from the throne room. He hadn’t even thought about any danger from Judah while on his mission for Sennacherib. Hezekiah’s words bring that possibility to his mind for the first time. He wished the king had said more, but he did not fall to his knees in supplication. That is the only answer Sennacherib felt worth reporting. The messenger however is most impressed by Hezekiah’s control of his obvious distress. The messenger can only wonder whether the distress was fear of Sennacherib’s open threat or rage at Sennacherib’s disrespect for Judah’s God.

After the messenger leaves the throne room, Hezekiah stands with the scroll still clutched in his hands and makes his way to the Temple of the Lord. Once beyond the door and out of sight of the people, his knees give way and he falls on his face before the Lord. He remains in this position for a time, letting the coolness of the floor leach the fire of his anger from him. Once he feels sufficiently calm he raises himself to his knees and lays the scroll on the floor in front of him. Hezekiah knows where his hope lies so he begins to pray.

With his head bowed toward the ground Hezekiah begins; “O Lord, the 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…” Hezekiah raises his face towards heaven and touches his own features as he called out his request to the Lord. “…Incline Your ear, O Lord, and hear; open Your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib,…” Hezekiah points to the scroll spread before him, “…which he has sent to mock the living God…” Hezekiah settles back on his heels as he acknowledges the truth of Assyria’s conquests. “…Truly, O Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands and have cast their gods into the fire,…” Hezekiah raises his from up again with strength and speaks the pure truth behind the reason all the other kingdoms fell. “… for they were not gods, but the works of men’s hands, wood and stone. Therefore they were destroyed…” Hezekiah sinks back down as all his fury drains from him. All that remains is sorrow and humility. He knows Judah too had sinned but he will trust in his God, no matter what His answer. “…So now, O Lord our God, save us, please, from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You, O Lord, are God alone” (2 Kings 19:15b-19).

Having poured out his heart before the Lord, Hezekiah sinks to the floor. He rests in the presence of the Lord. He knows nothing more to do.

 

God is listening as Sennacherib speaks his words to his messenger. He watches as Hezekiah breaks the seal with his thumbnail. He hears as Hezekiah poured out his heart before Him. And He speaks concerning the arrogance and blasphemy of Sennacherib.

“Isaiah.”

“Speak Lord, Your servant is listening.”

“Sennacherib has gone too far. He has blasphemed my name one time too many. He has reached the end of my patience. And My servant Hezekiah has asked for My help.”

“This isn’t the first time he had done so my Lord.”

“No. But this is the first time he has fallen on his face before me personally.”

“What would You have me do my Lord?”

“I would have you take him My message.”

“What is it You wish me to say to him?”

“I will have you tell him that I have seen his distress. That Sennacherib, in challenging Judah has challenged Me. And I don’t take that challenge lightly. Sennacherib will find out what a REAL God can do. He claims he has overcome gods before, but he has only faced man-made gods. Gods of wood and stone who can neither hear nor act. I can do both and he will see this for himself.”

Isaiah smiles as he hears the righteous indignation in the words the Lord is speaking. Sennacherib is in for a rude awakening!

God speaks to Isaiah the words he wants brought to Hezekiah’s ears. Isaiah takes his cloak and staff and makes his way towards the Temple. The Lord has told him that this is where Hezekiah waits.

Isaiah quietly enters the Temple and sees his king lying on the floor. He softly walks over to him, kneels next to him and touches him on the shoulder.

Hezekiah’s eyes spring open and he sees Isaiah kneeling by his side. Isaiah’s eyes are soft and full of compassion. Hezekiah quickly sits up but before he can stand Isaiah speaks softly to him.

“The Lord has heard your prayer and sent you an answer.”

Tears flow from Hezekiah’s eyes like the Jordan at flood stage. Isaiah moves back just a little to allow Hezekiah to weep in peace. After a few minutes the fountain of tears begins to dry and Hezekiah speaks.

“You have brought word from the Lord?”

Isaiah nods. “From the mouth of God through the tongue of Isaiah. He has sent you comfort.”

“I want to hear EVERY word the Lord has spoken! But Judah needs to hear it as well. The throne room is the place this message should be shared. A place where it can be copied and shared with ALL of Judah.”

Isaiah smiles at the wisdom of Hezekiah. “That is a very wise idea my king.”

The two men rise from the Temple floor and make their way back to the palace. Hezekiah stops to wash his face before taking his seat on the throne.

Isaiah stands in the center of the room ready to share the words of God through the prophet Isaiah. Hezekiah takes a deep breath and speaks what his heart is longing for.

“Speak the words of the Lord to His people, Judah.”

The Spirit of the Lord settled upon Isaiah and he began to speak the words of the Lord.

“Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel:…” Isaiah places his hand over his heart as he shares the words the Lord has specifically for Hezekiah. “…Your prayer to Me about Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard. This is the word that the Lord has spoken concerning him:…” Isaiah draws his hands out as if encompassing the entire room or the entire nation to give them comfort. “…‘She despises you, she scorns you – the virgin daughter of Zion; she wags her head behind you – the daughter of Jerusalem…’” Isaiah’s face hardens and he speaks God’s words of anger against Sennacherib’s arrogance. “…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!…” Isaiah points his finger as if addressing Sennacherib himself face to face. “…By your messengers you have mocked the Lord, and you have said…” Adopting a proud stance Isaiah takes on the persona of Sennacherib. “…‘With my many chariots I have gone up the heights of the mountains, to the far recesses of Lebanon; I felled its tallest cedars, its choicest cypresses; I entered its farthest lodging place, its most fruitful forest. I dug wells and drank foreign waters, and I dried up with the sole of my foot all the streams of Egypt.’”

Isaiah’s stance changes again as he speaks to the arrogance of Sennacherib. The arrogance that had him believe he had done all this. Isaiah points towards Heaven with every ‘I’ he delivers. “Have you not heard that I determined it long ago? I planned from days of old what now I bring to pass, that you should turn fortified cities into heaps of ruins, while their inhabitants, shorn of strength, are dismayed and confounded, and have become like plants of the field and like tender grass, like grass on the housetops, blighted before it is grown…”

Isaiah’s face takes on a look of scrutiny as if looking into the very place where Sennacherib now sits. “…But I know your sitting down and your going out and coming in, and your raging against me. Because you have raged against me and your complacency has come into my ears, I will put My hook in your nose and My bit in your mouth, and I will turn you back on the way by which you came.”

Isaiah’s face softens as he speaks again to Hezekiah with a promise of a sign to seal a promise yet to be shared. “…And this shall be the sign for you; this year eat what grows of itself, and in the second year what springs of the same. Then in the third year sow and reap and plant vineyards, and eat their fruit. And the surviving remnant of the house of Judah shall again take root downward and bear fruit upward. For out of Jerusalem shall go a remnant, and out of Mount Zion a band of survivors. The seal of the Lord will do this…”

The sternness returns to Isaiah’s voice and he gives the absolute promise of God. “…Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the king of Assyria: He shall not come into this city or shoot an arrow there, or come before it with a shield or cast up a siege mound against it. By the way that he came, by the same he shall return, and he shall not come into the city, declares the Lord. For I will defend this city to save it, for My own sake and for the sake of My servant David” (2 Kings 19:20-34, emphasis added).

Isaiah is spent by the time he finishes speaking. There is not a dry eye or a downcast face in the room. All are rejoicing. The scribes have been carefully recording the words so they can be sent out to the districts in the city for all to hear. Once they have written the final word, the head scribe hands the parchment to Isaiah to look over for mistakes or missed words.

Isaiah carefully reads the scroll. Once he is satisfied that these are indeed the very words of God he rolls it up and hands it to the king. Hezekiah looks down at the scroll he holds and is grateful for what it contains. The very words of God, tangible proof that He heard his prayer. He will revisit these words many times over the rest of his life. Isaiah politely bows and leaves the throne room. His mission is complete.

The people of Jerusalem receive the same words from the Lord at the hands of messengers Hezekiah dispatched. They need their faith bolstered as much as he does. The people hold fast to this promise, even though Assyria approaches their walls this very day. God has promised to fight for them. They will wait and see how He accomplishes His word.

Night falls and the sounds of the great army of Assyria arriving can be heard within the walls of Jerusalem. Sounds of soldiers laughing and talking amongst themselves. Men who believe they have nothing to fear and are destined for victory. The smell of their campfires and the food being prepared fills the night air.

As the night wears on the people on both sides of the wall fall into an excited sleep. Assyria because they believe they will be victorious come sunrise and Jerusalem because they know that the Lord their God is about to do a mighty work.

The first rays of the morning make their way across the sky. The priests begin preparation for the morning sacrifice. They relight the lamps in the Temple and replace the showbread with fresh loaves. The people begin to rise from their beds to begin their morning routines. And a few men begin to move about in the camp outside the walls of Jerusalem.

Morning brings more activity in the city but the camp remains eerily quiet. Those inside the walls know nothing about this silence until it is broken by screams that punctuate the morning. The watchman turns his full attention to a handful of soldiers running from tent to tent.

The running soldiers are checking on their comrades. Instead of waking their fellows to join them in their morning meal they are finding them dead, lying on their beds as if still reposed in sleep yet with their eyes wide open. From tent to tent this small group of men race, panic increasing with each tent visited.

The commotion makes its way to the area where the king is camped. He rouses from his sleep to see what is going on. He is surprised that the Tartan and the Rab-saris have not risen yet.

“Attend me and report!” barks Sennacherib to anyone within the sound of his voice.

One of the men who had been racing from tent to tent approaches the king. Fear is evident in every pour of his body as he falls before the king.

“What is going on!” demands Sennacherib.

“The men! They are all dead!”

“What are you talking about? Stand up and face me!”

“We were on guard for the last watch of the night. When no one came to relieve us a couple of scouts were sent to check on our replacements. They reported back that no one was stirring in the camp. A few more men were sent to rouse our replacements but when they entered the tents they found everyone inside dead! We have been searching since then for signs of life anywhere.”

“And what have you found?”

“Other than a handful of men, and yourself my king, all are dead.”

“This can’t be true. I will see this for myself.”

Sennacherib goes straight to the tent of the Tartan. He pulls back the flap and thrust his head inside. Just as the soldier had stated, the Tartan lies on his bed lifeless. Sennacherib quickly pulls his head back and drops the tent flap. He moved quickly around the circle of his encampment and finds only a servant still living. Even the Rabshakeh lies lifeless on his bed.

“This has to be the work of their God” exclaims Sennacherib. “Muster the men that remain! We leave immediately!”

A trumpet sounds for the men in the camp to assemble. The ranks of men are seriously depleted as they take their customary spots. Mere hundreds stand where tens of thousands had stood the previous night. What men remain stand before their king trembling with fear.

“We leave NOW! Gather nothing, for their God may have cursed even our food.”

The remaining men quickly close ranks and begin following their king. Their pace is closer to running than marching as they make their way out of the valley.

The people within the city have been alerted to the Assyrian’s distress and gather along the top of the walls to observe them. They watch them as they muster for retreat. They cheer as they nearly run back to their own land. And they rush out the gates to gather some the spoils once what is left of the Assyrian army has fled from sight.

Hezekiah appoints men to dispose of the bodies. One hundred and eighty five thousand men lie dead that morning. Their bodies are both burned and buried by the men appointed by Hezekiah. It takes a month to complete the task and rid the valley of the stench of decay.

Hezekaih appoints others to gather the spoils that remain after the people have seen to their own immediate needs. The Assyrians left enough behind to provide for the people of Jerusalem for quite some time. This will allow the land to heal from the damage the Assyrians have caused. The Lord promised that it would be ready to replant in two years. The spoils gathered will be made to last, until the land yielded its bounty again, without difficulty.

Hezekiah hears later that Sennacherib fled back to his home in Nineveh. Sennacherib is a broken man after this. He not only fears the God of Israel but all other gods. He will not strike out again for conquest. Two of his sons, Asram-melech and Sharezer, in an effort to expunge their father’s shame strike him down with a sword as he worshiped in the house of his god Nisroch. His son Esarhaddon will rule in his place while his brothers escape to the land of Ararat, to avoid any supporters of Sennacherib who might try to avenge his death.

(to be continued)

Can we say MIGHTY GOD! He watches over, and hears, His people. This kind of miracle doesn’t happen every day, but when it does, we better take notice! God moved for at least two reasons. 1) He was not about to let Sennacherib throw Him in with all the other gods who are worthless and unable to protect the people that serve them. GOD IS REAL and has POWER to act. And 2) Hezekiah humbled himself and pleaded with God for help.

God HEARS our prayers! He doesn’t always answer them in this same kind of miracle. Sometimes He even says, “No” to what we ask Him for. But He ALWAYS hears us. Sometimes in that prayer, he even changes our hearts so we can pray what is his will, instead of our own.

God is STILL able to defend His own name! He may not do it in big obvious ways, but His name stands, while every other name fails. There is a time coming soon where He will let man see what it is like without Him. His quiet during that time does NOT mean that He is powerless. It means, “Just you wait. You are reaching the end of your rope. And it is going to HURT when I yank you back. It’s coming. You have MY word on it.”

Father God, thank You for Your stories. I wish things were easier to follow and put in the exact order of events, but my lack of knowledge does NOT dampen my faith! I want to hear Your stories and walk in them. Thank You for letting me do this with my imagination. I’m CERTAIN You placed it in me. And I wonder if it was specifically for this purpose.

I AM SO GRATEFUL that You hear each and every one of my prayers. And that You also say; “No” to some of them. I have no idea where I would be today if You answered all of them exactly how I asked You to. I would have fewer children, and that alone would be a horrible loss in my life. Thank You for knowing what I need, even when I don’t.