Weekly Message: The battle belongs to the Lord our God (2Chroniciles 32; Isaiah 37)
by Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce
Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical precepts & Gospel Music
July 6 2017 & Oct.28/2021
King Hezekiah vs. Sennacherib (King of Assyria) historical event in 2 Chronicles 32 and Isaiah 37 and 2 King19 provide us wisdom and godly counsel. The battle between Hezekiah and Sennacherib belongs to God not men. What factors resulted in Hezekiah winning the victory and why Sennacherib lost the battle? What the Lord had done for this battle? What implication and biblical principles that we shall lean from this historical event? Let us discover it today.
When the Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities, thinking to conquer them for himself. Sennacherib (king of Assyria) challenged King Hezekiah and said,
“On what are you basing your confidence that you remain in Jerusalem under siege? … Now do not let Hezekiah deceive you and mislead you like this. Do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to deliver his people from my hand or the hand of my fathers. How much less will your god deliver you from my hand! (2Chroniciles 32:14-15) Sennacherib also wrote letters insulting the Lord, the God of Israel, and saying this against him, “Just as the gods of the peoples of the other lands did not rescue their people from my hand so the god of Hezekiah will not rescue his people from my hand.” (2Chroniciles 32:17)
Even Sennacherib’s officers spoke further against the Lord God and against his servant Hezekiah.( 2Chroniciles 32:16).
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 men’s hands. (2Chroniciles 32:19).
Facing Sennacherib who intended to make war on Jerusalem, King Hezekiah reacted as follows,
1) First, He consulted with his officials and military staff about blocking off the water from the springs outside the city and they helped him. (2Chroniciles 32:3)
2) Second, He appointed military officers over the people and assembled them before him in the square at the city gate and encouraged them with these words: “be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him. For there is a greater power with us than with him, with him is only the arm of flesh. But with us is the Lord our God to help us and fight our battles.” (2Chroniciles 32:6-7).
3) Third, King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah (son of Amoz) cried out in prayer to heaven about him. During the dialog between King Hezekiah and Sennacherib, King Hezekiah emphasized, “The Lord our God will save us from the hand of the king of Assyria.”
God answered King Hezekiah and Isaiah’s prayers, “the Lord sent an angel, who annihilated (demolish, destroy completely, exterminate, wipe out) all the fighting men and the leaders and officers in the camp of the Assyrian king. So he withdrew to his own land in disgrace and when he went into the temple of his god. Some of his sons cut him down with the sword. (2Chroniciles 32:21-22).
According to Isaiah 37:33-38, the Prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz sent a message to Hezekiah in Isaiah 37:33-35, “The Lord says concerning the king of Assyria, “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 declares the Lord. “I will defend this city and save it, for my sake and for the sake of David my servant.” Then the angel of the Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand men 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 Nisroch, his sons Adramelech and Sharezer cut him down with the sword, and they escaped to the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son succeeded him as king. (Isaiah 37:36-38). The Lord used a sudden outbreak of a particularly virulent plague to slay the Assyrian army. Herodotus records that the army camp was infected with mice (or rats) (2 Kings 19:35).[1]
The Lord saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib, king of Assyria. Hezekiah had every great riches and honor and he made treasuries for his silver and gold and for his precious stones, spices, shields and all kinds of valuables. He succeeded in everything he undertook. (v.27, 30).
During Hezekiah's reign and his acts of devotion are written in the vision of the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. Hezekiah rested with his fathers and was buried on the hill where the tombs of David’s descendants are. All Judah and the people of Jerusalem honored him when he died. (v.32-33).
Compare and contrast both kings and the elements of victory
1) Hezekiah’s repentance of his prideful heart: When Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death, he prayed to the Lord, who answered him and gave him a miraculous sign. But Hezekiah’s heart was proud and he didn’t respond to the kindness shown to him: therefore the Lord’s wrath was on him and on Judah and Jerusalem. Then, Hezekiah repented of the pride of his heart as did the people of Jerusalem. Therefore the Lord’s wrath did not come upon them during the days of Hezekiah.
2) Hezekiah’s faith, trusts in the Lord, and ensures his people the Lord will save them, and the battle belongs to the Lord their God.
3) Hezekiah relies on the Lord rather than an arm of flesh.
4) He acted devotion, called for godly counsel and prayed with the prophet Isaiah.
5) In contrast, Sennacherib depends on the arm of flesh, his own hand and the gods (the work of men’s hands.) He said, “No god of any nation or kingdom has been able to deliver his people from my hand or the hand of my fathers.” Sennacherib's pride and insulted Hezekiah's Lord, resulting in losing the battle.
The application and theological principles
1).The Lord is faithful in keeping promises to King David, and answers the prayers of Hezekiah, King of Judah.
2).King Hezekiah sought God and prayed earnestly were the essential elements to save the city and modify the judgment.
3).The battle belonged to God, the angel of the Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp. King Hezekiah even didn't need to fight with Assyrian army; a virulent plague slays his enemy’s army.
4). Humble, meekness, and moral obedience to the Lord are the elements of gaining God’s blessing.
5). In every consequence depends on God rather than arm of flesh, and awareness of the battle belongs to God.
6) .Do not despise the power of prayers and godly counsel.
Bibliography,
Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie Study Bible (NIV). Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986
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