2 Kings 19

2 Kings 19

Due to the uncertainty of the situation, Hezekiah truly wondered what the outcome of the impending battle would be. He wondered if the Assyrians would actually be given the ability to overtake Judah as they had done in Israel. Instead of responding to their threats and going out to war, however, Hezekiah went to Isaiah to inquire of God. He wanted to know what God’s plan was, as He was ready and willing to follow it. Isaiah assured Hezekiah that God had heard all the threats the Assyrians had made. He had heard how they had spoken harshly against Him. Therefore, God promised that they would soon return to their land, and the general that had caused so many problems would meet his death there.


This general, Rabshakeh, did return to Assyria only to find that Sennacherib was engaged in yet another battle. He sent word back to Hezekiah and the Judahites one last time, asking how they thought they would win. He again called God weak, believing that there was no way in which He could protect Judah. He again reminded them that no nation had ever defeated Assyria. Hezekiah did not respond to his outrageous threats. Instead, he began to pray. While he prayed for the protection of his country, his prayer was anything but self-centered. He began the prayer by praising God. He praised God for who He was and what He had already done. He then made his requests, but not for his own sake. He prayed that God would become known throughout the nations as a result of this battle. Hezekiah was more concerned about God’s glory than his own life. What an example! Too many times, our prayers become too self-centered. While it is important to turn to God in our troubles and ask for help, we many times forget to praise Him for what He has already done. We must never forget to worship and praise God when we pray, not making prayer just a check list of our needs (and many times wants).

God heard Hezekiah’s prayer and sent a message back through the prophet Isaiah. He promised that Assyria would surely fall. If they tried to attack Judah, they would not find victory. In the end, Sennacherib would be killed as well. God was preparing a remnant out of Judah. They would not all be destroyed (even with their upcoming exile into Babylon). They were still His people, and as He had promised Abraham and David before them, they would remain His people forever. They would be so large that they would be hard to number, and one out of the line of David would always reign over them. God was not going to allow the Assyrians threats of total destruction deter His plans that had been set in motion for hundreds of years. So when the Assyrians attacked, God destroyed them. 185,000 men died that day, and the Judahites knew that God had protected them.

Matt