2 Kings 18:13–19:37

"Fourteenth" agrees with Isaiah 36:1; and it is the only number that will harmonize with Isaiah 38:5. It may be for lack of faith that men try hard to make Scripture square with secular history, or what claims to be history. A date in the Bible may not come out even with Babylonian or Assyrian chronology. It may disagree with some untrustworthy pagan inscription. At once commentators cry "Transcriber's error" — as if monuments and clay tablets that are only half read must correct the word of God!

A great work had been done throughout Judah, restoring the ruined features of the worship of the true God. Yet no sooner was it finished than the enemy came to swallow them up! People who judged by circumstances instead of Scripture would stumble at once. Was it not plain that Hezekiah had done wrong in rejecting the traditions of his fathers? Was God now chastening him and them for his rash reformation?

One would have thought all was over — the idols broken, and plenty of fruit and good works... But after he is established in the indescribable grace of God, even then, as one may say, the real struggle begins... In the same way, Satan often brings up his armies in seasons of sweetest enjoyment. He camps around us and watches for every opportunity to win us to himself. It is very strange, but we often find it so, that we are more off our guard at such a time of blessing than at any other.

The Lord did not send him because of any guilt on Judah's part, as was the case with Israel, but it was to be a test of the faith of the godly king Hezekiah.

Because of their former sins, Israel had become subject to the Assyrian, whom God had called "the rod of His anger." They had now been restored to righteousness under Hezekiah. Even so, God in His wise yet gracious government may have seen fit to let them suffer for a while for their past. In this way they would fully realise, by bitter and humiliating experience, what a serious thing it is for a people to turn from the living God to idols.

For fourteen years he had walked with God and prospered. Then, for the first time, failure appears in his course. Instead of driving back the invasion of the king of Assyria, as he once would have done, he tries to buy it off. At the beginning of his reign, with no visible resources, he had freed himself from the king of Assyria and did not serve him. Now he is established in success and surrounded with power on every side. Yet he cannot hold that position, and he admits he is powerless. He had taken it when nothing but faith supported and authorised him.

All Judah sacked, the Assyrian army besieging the only city still standing... Did they have any resource, this weak "remnant that is left"? Yes, indeed! They still had the Lord's temple, His beloved city, Mount Zion, the son of David and his throne, the prophet who carried the word of God. They still had far more than David himself had in the cave of Adullam! The flesh might lose heart; faith could not in any way.

The Assyrian who came in Isaiah's day to take Jerusalem is the type of the final Assyrian who threatens the land and the people with destruction.

So I judge that we have his own confession. Whatever the piety of the king may have been, offence was mixed in with it. I do not think Hezekiah would have said, "I have done wrong," if God had been fully guiding him… This was a very heavy tax. It was a war tax. It was compensation for the trouble and expense the king of Judah had put him to… It was not the old tribute, but a great deal more. Such is the effect of an immature action even from a faithful man.

Hezekiah takes his first false step in the very thing that marks his walk above all else — his trust… When he saw all the cities of Judah fall into the hands of the king of Assyria, his heart failed him… Fear gripped him. Like Peter, he looked at the wind and lost sight of the Lord. He compared himself to the king of Assyria, instead of comparing the king of Assyria to the Lord.

By this fact, we can measure the depth of the trial this man of God had to pass through. On one side, the invasion of his whole country except for Jerusalem. On the other, a fatal illness — and this at the very time when he had restored the worship of the true God to his people, wiped out idolatry, and freed Judah from Assyrian bondage! No wonder his faith wavered under such a trial.

We never gain by hasty acts. We cannot deliver ourselves, and we are not meant to… Hezekiah suffered, and so did God's house — a grievous thing in his eyes… "At that time Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of the Lord, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid." This was all the harder because he was the one who had sought to bring them back to something like their former splendour. Now it was all undone.

It seems this attempt to throw off the yoke of Assyria came too soon; or perhaps the good king went beyond his faith… His desire was right. But in his zeal for the prosperity and glory of his kingdom, he may have gone ahead of God's time… Because of their former sins, Israel had become subject to the Assyrian, whom God had called "the rod of His anger." Even though Hezekiah had restored them to righteousness, God in His wise yet gracious government may have seen fit to let them suffer a while for their past. In this way they would fully realise, by bitter and humiliating experience, what a serious thing it is for a people to turn from the living God to idols.

Hezekiah found that the tribute he sent to the king of Assyria was no guarantee of protection from attack. He could have kept the gold and silver, and Assyria still would not have defeated him — as he learned by experience when he trusted the Lord. The king of Assyria proved himself treacherous by sending a great army against Jerusalem.

The explorations brought to light the annals of Sennacherib, written by himself or at his direction… His account of his first campaign, when a tribute satisfied him, matched 2 Kings 18 in the most striking way. The details agreed — the names of places, especially Lachish, and the amount of tribute received.

Because of their former sins, Israel had become subject to the Assyrian, whom God had called "the rod of His anger." Under Hezekiah they were restored to righteousness. Even so, God in His wise and gracious government may have seen fit to let them suffer for a while for their past. In that way they might fully realise by bitter and humiliating experience what a serious thing it is for a people to turn from the living God to idols. So poor Hezekiah pays the heavy fine imposed on him — "three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold." To get this enormous amount, he had to almost strip bare the house of God he had just restored. He stripped his own palace too, taking the treasures and utensils of silver and gold from both.

In His government, God allowed the king of Assyria to take the fortified cities of Judah. Good king Hezekiah had a moment of weakness. His eye was on the great forces of Sennacherib, like Peter with his eye on the strong wind. He "gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the LORD and in the treasuries of the king's house," and even stripped the doors of the temple to show that he was under the king of Assyria. It was indeed a moment of weakness, not the normal attitude of this godly man.

We do not read that Hezekiah appealed to the Lord at this time, so this may have been a time when his faith wavered... This would be humiliating to him. We cannot help wondering whether he could have avoided it by earnestly asking the Lord to step in. Later he did ask, and the Lord worked a miracle: He delivered Jerusalem and sent the king of Assyria away in humiliating defeat.

We never gain by hasty acts. Hezekiah had acted ahead of the Lord, at the wrong moment, and now he meets His rebuke and His chastening. "And Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the LORD." This was a sore trial to a pious man. It was not only that Hezekiah suffered, but God's house suffered — a grievous thing in his eyes. For Hezekiah, I am sure, the treasures of the king's house were small compared with the LORD's house. "At that time Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of the LORD, and from the pillars that Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid." This was harder still. He himself was the man who had sought to bring them back to something like their former splendour, and now it was all undone.

The pious king also did what he could to fortify himself. He sent the humblest message to the proud Assyrian, gave him all the silver in the LORD's house, and stripped off the gold from its doors and pillars for him. It was all in vain. There was little of the simplicity, strength, or wisdom of faith in all this. No wonder God's blessing was not with him there, and the enemy grew bold enough to demand everything.

Hezekiah might have kept the gold and silver, and Assyria still would not have defeated him. He learned this by experience as he trusted the Lord.

So the truest saint, the man most known for his trust, may fail in that very thing. It is exactly where God gives us grace to stand out that we have to watch. Satan has a grudge against us. He will try to break us down in the very thing in which God has given us grace.

The tribute Hezekiah sent to the king of Assyria was, he found, no guarantee of his protection from attack. Hezekiah might have kept the gold and silver and still not be defeated by Assyria, as he found by experience in trusting the Lord. The king of Assyria proved himself treacherous in sending a great army against Jerusalem.

Returning to the chapter before us, we find the king of Assyria refused to be put off. He liked his three hundred talents of silver and his thirty talents of gold well enough. And he saw that stripping the temple was only an encouragement to make greater demands. So he pushes his advantage... And so he decides to try. He sends the Tartan, the Rabsaris and the Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah with a great army. The target now is not the fortified cities, but Jerusalem.

The king of Assyria had besieged and conquered Lachish. Now he sends his servants. The Tartan is the general at the head of his armies. The Rabsaris is the chief chamberlain, whose duties are not too well known. The Rabshakeh is the political head of the king's household and his spokesman on important occasions. They stand before Jerusalem, and Hezekiah's servants, Eliakim, Shebna and Joah come out to them. Apart from this moment, our account agrees almost word for word with the one in Isaiah 36 and 37.

This is a title. It means "chief cupbearer." Sennacherib sent the officer who held it to Jerusalem, along with the Tartan (general) and a Rabsaris. He was the chief spokesman. Because he could speak the Jews' language, he is thought to have been either a convert to the Jewish faith or a Jew who had abandoned it.

That was the place where Ahaz despised the gracious word of the Lord spoken through Isaiah some thirty years before. Now, in the same place, the Assyrian hurled rude insults at the Lord and the king.

There is a great deal of truth in the world's talk. So far Rabshakeh was quite right. The king of Egypt was only a reed; and the Assyrian could see very well how empty it was to trust Egypt. But the Assyrian could not see the wisdom of trusting in the Lord... Now you see how the world's wisdom becomes folly the moment it comes near God. Wise enough about Egypt — that was plain. But the moment he thinks of God: foolishness.

But here is a very serious thing to consider. Judah's unfaithfulness had given the enemy an occasion to blaspheme the true God and to deny His existence. Since you had high places and altars, these were the Lord for you, he says. He knows the Lord only by the idols which Judah had made its gods. He had the right to say to them, You have the same kinds of gods I do, and you serve them in the same way.

The king of Assyria had besieged and captured Lachish. Now he sends his servants. First the Tartan, the general at the head of his armies. Then the Rabsaris (chief chamberlain), whose duties are not well known. Then the Rabshakeh, the political head of the king's household and his spokesman on important occasions. They stand before Jerusalem, and Hezekiah's servants — Eliakim, Shebna and Joah — come out to them.

The leader of the Assyrian army (called the Rabshakeh) called from outside Jerusalem to talk with Hezekiah. Hezekiah sent three of his trusted men to hear what the Rabshakeh had to say. Of course, walls and barred gates protected the city.

Son of Hilkiah, and chief of the household of Hezekiah… Eliakim must have held a high office. Scripture names him before the scribe and the recorder. In Isaiah 22 God calls him His servant. God would set Shebna aside, and clothe Eliakim and raise him up as governor. Eliakim was to have the key of David, and to open and shut with real power. He is here a type — a picture — of Christ when He comes to take His place over Israel.

"In that day I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah… And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open"… Here we cannot fail to see the type — the picture — of Christ replacing the Antichrist.

Treasurer to Hezekiah. God denounced him through the prophet Isaiah. It seems he later became scribe or secretary.

The close of the chapter shows us the unworthy Shebna set aside. He had crept into the place of chief minister, next to the throne. He lived only for himself. Even beyond death he sought nothing but his own name and glory.

That is the place where Ahaz despised the gracious word of the LORD spoken through Isaiah some thirty years before. Now, in that same place, the Assyrian hurled insults at the LORD and the king.

It is true that Hezekiah's servants were weak here. Nothing could be won by trying to appease the enemies of the Lord. It is always good to remember that they are enemies. Ask no favours of them, and expect none. But these three men were alarmed. They feared the effect on the Jewish people, so they begged him not to speak in the Jews' language where the people could hear… That suggested an idea to him. It gave him a new weapon, a new argument, a new way of appealing to the people. He might never have thought of it if the fears of Hezekiah's servants had not put it into his head.

How, then, does Hezekiah meet all these proud words? With the silent dignity of faith. "The king's command was, 'Do not answer him.'" That was how the king carried himself in front of the people. In fact, that is always how faith carries itself: calm, composed and dignified before men, while ready at the same time to sink into the dust in humility before God.

The king of Assyria, who had besieged and conquered Lachish, sends his servants. The Tartan is the general at the head of his armies. The Rabsaris is the chief chamberlain, whose duties are not well known. The Rabshakeh is the political head of the king's household and his spokesman on important occasions. They stand before Jerusalem, and Hezekiah's servants, Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah, come out to them.

The first part of the Rabshakeh's speech deals with Hezekiah's trust in the Lord. We have seen that trust marking his devotion... Here the enormous pride of the Assyrian comes into the open. Could Hezekiah, stripped of his territory, shut up in Jerusalem like a bird in a cage, resist the Assyrian army? The last thought that occurs to the enemy is that someone might trust in an invisible God. He never imagines that Hezekiah might live by other principles, or have other help than the world's.

How little the natural man understands the ground of the trust of faith! You say you have "strategy and power for war." Nothing of the sort. It was God who had the strategy; it was God who had the power against the Assyrian... There is a great deal of truth in the world's talk. So far Rabshakeh was quite right. The king of Egypt was only a reed. The Assyrian could see very well how empty it was to trust Egypt. But he could not see the wisdom of trusting in the Lord... Wise enough about Egypt: that was plain. But the moment he thinks of God — foolishness.

The Rabshakeh then declared that "the great king, the king of Assyria" demanded to know where Judah put its confidence. He accused Judah of speaking "mere words" in claiming they had plans and power for war. It may be a question whether Judah had said this or not... He assumed Judah might have enlisted Egypt for help, as Israel had done before. But Hezekiah had not expressed any confidence in Egypt.

But here is a very serious thing to consider. Judah's unfaithfulness had given the enemy an occasion to blaspheme the true God and to deny His existence. Since you had high places and altars, these were the Lord for you, he says. He does not know the Lord except through the idols Judah had made its gods.

He did not realise that the very fact of Hezekiah's removal of the high places was evidence of his trust in the living God.

This was indeed putting Hezekiah's faith to the test — faith must pass through the furnace. It will not do to say that we trust in the Lord; we must prove that we do, and prove it when everything seems to be against us. How, then, does Hezekiah meet all these lofty words? In the silent dignity of faith. "The king's command was, 'Do not answer him.'"

Rabshakeh, speaking to the men of Judah, accused Hezekiah of deceiving his own people by his confidence that the Lord would deliver them. Would the Lord deliver Jerusalem? Yes! Assyria soon found that the Lord, whom they claimed had sent them against Jerusalem, was a God of awesome power and judgment. He would judge them for their lying claim to represent Him. But He delayed His intervention for a time, as a test of Hezekiah's faith.

How little the natural man understands the ground of the trust of faith! "And have counsel and strength for the war." Nothing of the sort. It was God who had counsel; it was God who had strength for the Assyrian... There is a great deal of truth in the world's talk. So far Rab-shakeh was very right. The king of Egypt was only a reed. The Assyrian could see very well how empty it was to trust Egypt. But the Assyrian could not see the wisdom of trusting in Jehovah... now you see how the world's wisdom is folly whenever it comes near to God. Wise enough about Egypt — that was plain. But the moment he thinks of God, foolishness.

Here the Assyrian shows his overwhelming pride. Hezekiah had lost his territory and was shut up in Jerusalem like a bird in a cage. Could he resist the army of the Assyrian? The last thought that occurs to the enemy is that a man may trust in an invisible God. It never crosses his mind that Hezekiah might have other governing principles, other help than the world's. If he were trusting in someone, it must be Egypt. Egypt was exactly the enemy his campaign was aimed at, and he thought Hezekiah had revolted because he was expecting Egypt's help... The world can never understand that Christians are not seeking to be allied with the world.

He knew nothing of "the LORD, the God of the Hebrews" — the great "I AM." So he treated everything Moses and Aaron had said to him about sacrificing to God as "vain words." The things of God must always seem empty, useless and meaningless to the unsanctified mind of man. People may use His name as part of the flippant vocabulary of a cold and formal religion, but they do not know Him. To a believer's heart His precious name holds everything he could ever need or desire. To an unbeliever it has no meaning, no power, no value.

If I may summarise the speech of Rab-shakeh, he says to them, "It is no use relying on the LORD. If Hezekiah tells you that you may rely on the LORD he is deceiving you... I am the one who is mighty and I am resolved to take you to a land better than yours. Nobody has been able to resist me, so I am the lord, and the LORD you are relying on is nothing."

This was indeed putting Hezekiah's faith to the test — faith must pass through the furnace. It will not do to say that we trust in the Lord; we must prove that we do, and that when everything seems to be against us. How, then, does Hezekiah meet all these lofty words? In the silent dignity of faith. "The king's command was, 'Do not answer him.'" That was how the king carried himself in the eyes of the people. And that is always the bearing of faith: calm, self-possessed, dignified in front of men. At the same time, faith is ready to sink into the dust of self-abasement before God.

His trust in God was being questioned by the enemy, who was defying and mocking him. What should he do? Let the enemy talk, but himself keep quiet, looking humbly to God... Let him say so, Hezekiah, and just trust in your God whom the enemy does not know!

The enemy's very last thought is that a man may trust in an invisible God. He never imagines that Hezekiah might have other governing principles, other help than that of the world. If he were trusting in someone, it must be in Egypt.

There is a great deal of truth in the world's talk. So far Rabshakeh was quite right. The king of Egypt was only a reed. The Assyrian could see very well how empty it was to trust Egypt. But he could not see the wisdom of trusting in the LORD... Wise enough about Egypt: that was plain. But the moment he thinks of God — foolishness.

Egypt gave no help to Israel. It only wounded them badly, like a staff that breaks under the weight of the man leaning on it and pierces his hand. Whenever God's people turn to Egypt for help and form ungodly alliances, they do so to their own hurt and shame. Egypt is the picture of the world.

He mixed truth into insolent, deceitful, and profane reproach of every kind. There were those (not Hezekiah) who really did look to Egypt for help. But the aim of it all was to drive the Jews to despair, and to carry out the designs of Assyria.

He assumed Judah might have enlisted Egypt for help, as Israel had done before (ch.17:4). But Hezekiah had not expressed any confidence in Egypt.

Israel's terrible disaster through Shalmaneser's invasion no doubt shook his confidence. Then Hezekiah saw all the cities of Judah fall to the king of Assyria, and his heart failed him... Fear gripped him. Like Peter, he looked at the wind and lost sight of the Lord. He compared himself to the king of Assyria, instead of comparing the king of Assyria to the Lord.

This reliance on Egypt was especially offensive to God. He had delivered them from that very people by His judgments at the start of their national history. It is just as offensive to God when a Christian goes back to the world-system. God delivered him from it and from its coming judgment. Yet he leans on its power or its wisdom, instead of finding his resource in God as emergencies arise.

"Do not answer him," and "spread it before the LORD." Silence and prayer. When Satan throws out a flood of unbelieving questions, do not answer him, but spread it all out before the Lord. Nothing at such a time can hold up the soul except complete dependence on God... And the Lord did hear, and did save, and did deliver.

Rabshakeh's words sounded very plausible. He knew how weak Egypt was, and the Jews were inclined to trust Egypt. Isaiah had already warned the people about it. He completely misread Hezekiah's action in destroying the high places. Far from being an offence against the Lord, it was full obedience to His word in Deuteronomy 12:1-6. So many earlier kings, even the good ones, had overlooked this commandment of the Lord. Hezekiah had been obedient and faithful.

Insults, lies, and irreverent abuse of every kind are mixed here with some truth. There were people (not Hezekiah) who did look to Egypt for help. But the aim of it all was to drive the Jews to despair and to carry out the designs of Assyria. So the king's own piety, his zeal for Jehovah in throwing down the altars of false gods, is cunningly twisted into a charge of robbing Jehovah of His honour. And it was Jehovah, he pretended, who had given his master orders to come up against Hezekiah. The enemy knows how to give his own wicked schemes a religious look, as easily as he can blacken the most faithful of God's servants. What a mercy to have the unerring standard of His word to test and be tested by!

Rabshakeh could not tell the difference between the idols and Jehovah. To him Jehovah was only an idol, one out of many. Since Hezekiah had broken down all the idols, he imagined these were different forms of Jehovah's worship. That was the heathen idea of God… So he taunts king Hezekiah's ministers with having destroyed the worship of Jehovah.

But here is a very serious thing to consider. The unfaithfulness of Judah had given the enemy an occasion to blaspheme the true God and to deny His existence. Since you had high places and altars, these were the Lord for you, he says. He does not know the Lord except by the idols which Judah had made its gods. He had the right to say to them, You have the same kinds of gods I do, and you serve them in the same way.

Hezekiah had honoured God by destroying this idolatrous worship and returning to the true worship of having one altar, a symbol of Christ.

He did not realise that the very fact of Hezekiah's removal of the high places was evidence of his trust in the living God.

The last thing that occurs to the enemy is that someone may trust in an invisible God. It never crosses his mind that Hezekiah might have other governing principles, other help than that of the world… The world can never understand that Christians are not seeking an alliance with the world. And there is nothing surprising in this scepticism when we look at the condition of Christendom all around us. Is religion threatened with danger? Is it under attack or persecution? The Christian world at once turns to the governments of this world to escape it or to be rescued from it… The unbeliever is justified when he says to us, "But 'if you say to me, We trust in the LORD our God' — in actual fact, you are not trusting Him any more than we are!"

The enemy was questioning his trust in God, defying him and mocking him. What should he do? Let the enemy talk, but himself keep silent, looking humbly to God. The enemy was saying, The Lord is with me against you. Let him say so, Hezekiah, and just trust in your God whom the enemy does not know!

The Rabshakeh offered then a bribe of 2000 horses if Judah would pledge allegiance to the king of Assyria (v.23). He adds a warning. They could not drive back even one Assyrian captain, even if they trusted Egypt. So he knew how to appeal both to their greed and to their fear.

He dwells in you, and you in Him; that is where the world has no knowledge, and that is how the world is no match for a Christian. It does not know his resources. No — it will taunt him about it, just as the Rabshakeh taunted Hezekiah when he said, "I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them."

There is a great deal of truth in the world's talk. So far the Rabshakeh was very right. The king of Egypt was only a reed, and the Assyrian could see clearly the emptiness of trusting Egypt. But the Assyrian could not see the wisdom of trusting in the Lord... You see how the world's wisdom becomes folly the moment it draws near to God. Wise enough about Egypt — that was plain. But the moment he thinks of God, foolishness.

Hezekiah had lost his land and was shut up in Jerusalem like a bird in a cage. Could such a man resist the Assyrian army? The last thing the enemy thinks of is that a man may trust an invisible God. It never crosses his mind that Hezekiah might live by other principles, with other help than the world's. If he were trusting in someone, it had to be Egypt.

Israel's king was warned not to gather horses for himself, nor wives, nor gold (Deuteronomy 17:14-20)... Solomon himself tells us in Proverbs 21:31 that "the horse is made ready for the day of battle." He adds what he later quite forgot: "but the victory belongs to the Lord."... But David wrote before Solomon began to reign, "The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue" (Psalm 33:17)... In days of danger the Lord is worth more to His people than regiments of cavalry.

Note, then, this remarkable scene. Go to the sanctuary. There you see one poor, weak, lonely man on his knees, pouring out his soul to Him who dwelt between the cherubim. No military preparations, no reviewing of troops... everything looks like weakness. On the other side, see a mighty conqueror leading a huge army flushed with victory, all of them eager for plunder. Surely, one might say, humanly speaking, it is all over with Hezekiah and Jerusalem.

His trust in God was being questioned by an enemy who was defying and mocking him. What should he do? Let the enemy talk, and keep quiet himself, looking humbly to God. The enemy was saying, The Lord is with me against you. Let him say it, Hezekiah, and simply trust in your God, whom the enemy does not know.

Here the Assyrian lays bare his formidable pride. Hezekiah had lost his territory and was shut up in Jerusalem like a bird in a cage. Could he resist the Assyrian army? The last thought that occurs to the enemy is that someone may trust an invisible God. He cannot imagine that Hezekiah has other governing principles, other help than the world's. If he were trusting in someone, it must be in Egypt.

The Rabshakeh then offered a bribe of 2,000 horses if Judah would pledge allegiance to the king of Assyria (v. 23). He adds a warning. They would not be able to drive off even one captain of the Assyrians, though they put their trust in Egypt. So he knew how to appeal both to their greed and to their fear.

Horses were forbidden to Israel (Deuteronomy 17:16). They were brought from Egypt (1 Kings 10:28)… The Assyrian armies were famous for horses (1 Kings 20:20, 25; 2 Kings 18:23).

How little the natural man understands the ground on which faith rests! "Do you think that mere words are strategy and power for war?" Nothing of the sort. It was God who had the counsel; it was God who had the strength against the Assyrian. This proud servant of a proud king says, "Behold, you are trusting now in Egypt, that broken reed of a staff, which will pierce the hand of any man who leans on it." There is a great deal of truth in the world's talk. So far Rabshakeh was quite right. The king of Egypt was only a reed. The Assyrian could see how empty it was to trust Egypt. But he could not see the wisdom of trusting the Lord… Wise enough about Egypt: that was plain. But the moment he thinks about God — foolishness.

This reliance on Egypt was especially offensive to God. He had delivered them from that very people by His judgments, at the start of their national history. God has delivered the Christian from the world-system and from its coming judgment. It is equally offensive to Him if that Christian goes back to the world, relying on its power or its wisdom instead of finding his resource in God as emergencies arise.

Do we need to reason with him, to enter into argument, or even conversation, or to answer him at all? Our first parents proved the point only too well, to their own ruin and that of their descendants. The man of faith is not tempted to answer him. "But the people were silent and answered him not a word, for the king's command was, 'Do not answer him.'" It is only a matter of keeping quiet and leaving the enemy to his threats or his sweet words… God uses this open attack of the Assyrian against Himself and against His anointed to strengthen and revive the people.

There is a great deal of truth in the world's talk. So far Rab-shakeh was very right. The king of Egypt was only a reed. The Assyrian could see very well the emptiness of trusting in Egypt. But the Assyrian could not see the wisdom of trusting in Jehovah. "But if you say to me, We trust in Jehovah our God" — now you see how the world's wisdom is folly whenever it comes near to God. Wise enough about Egypt: that was plain. But the moment that he thinks of God — foolishness.

He takes first the folly of trusting in Egypt, and there he was right. Second, that they had only to look for Jehovah's vengeance, since they had been destroying Jehovah's altars. Third, that he had come up as a servant of Jehovah to do His will and to avenge Himself on Jerusalem… But it was not merely Eliakim and Shebna and Joah who heard; it was Jehovah. Rab-shakeh had no idea that the Lord God was listening. He had no idea that the Lord God would answer quickly. For he had now dared to use that name for deliberate blasphemy. He had dared the authority of Jehovah where it was known. He had dared God!

Rab-shakeh is a title, meaning 'chief cup-bearer.' Sennacherib sent this officer to Jerusalem, and he was the chief spokesman. Because he could speak the language of the Jews, some think he was either a convert to the Jewish faith or a Jew who had abandoned it. If so, he may have known Isaiah 10:5-6, for he says, "Moreover, is it without the LORD that I have come up against this place to destroy it? The LORD said to me, 'Go up against this land and destroy it.'"

God used Assyria as the rod of His anger to discipline Israel (Isaiah 10:5-6) and other nations. But Assyria was only the instrument in God's hand for carrying out His judgments. He did not understand this, so he boasted as if his own power made him so successful in his military campaigns… Therefore the Lord said, "Shall the axe boast itself against him who chops with it?… as if the rod should shake itself against him who lifts it up."

More than this, he wanted them to think that even the Lord was against them, for he tells them that the Lord told him to go against the land and destroy it (v.25). So, in common with many religious men today, he did not hesitate to use the Lord's name deceitfully.

Would the Lord deliver Jerusalem? Yes! Assyria soon found that the Lord they claimed had sent them against Jerusalem was a God of awesome power and judgment. He would judge them for their deceitful claim to represent Him. But He delayed His intervention for a time, as a test of Hezekiah's faith.

In 2 Kings 18:26, Ezra 4:7 and Isaiah 36:11 the word appears as "the Syrian language" or "tongue"… Aramaic is the language of Aram. It covers the language of Chaldea and that of Syria. Mesopotamia, Babylonia and Syria were its proper home… In 2 Kings 18:26 and Isaiah 36:11 the heads of the people asked Rabshakeh to speak to them in Aramaic. That way the uneducated would not understand what was said.

The term Hebrew language does not, however, occur in the Old Testament. There it is called the language of the Jews, as in 2 Kings 18:26, or the lip of Canaan, as in Isaiah 19:18.

It is true the servants of Hezekiah were rather feeble. Pleading with the enemies of the Lord wins nothing. It is always well to remember that they are enemies. Ask no favours of them, and expect none. But these three men were alarmed. They were afraid of the effect on the Jewish people, so they begged him not to talk in the Jews' language where the people could hear… It gave him a new weapon, a new argument, a new way of appealing to the people. He might not have thought of it if the fears of Hezekiah's servants had not put it into his head. The very thing they feared, and asked him not to do, gave him the idea of doing it.

Rabshakeh (a title, not a name), Sennacherib's commander-in-chief, was the speaker. He was a skilled diplomat, and delivered his crafty speech in "the Jews' language."… They little knew the cunning Rabshakeh. He gained an advantage from their fear… He does his best to frighten the ordinary people. He hoped to stir up rebellion in the city, and so take it without a siege.

The three servants of Hezekiah asked Rabshakeh to speak in the Aramean language. They did not want the common people to hear his words in Hebrew (v. 26). They should have realised their request would be useless. In fact it only encouraged Rabshakeh to speak louder to all the people on the wall… If he could not persuade the leaders of the people, he would do his utmost to weaken the people themselves.

Rabshakeh speaks in Hebrew to the people on the wall. Hezekiah's servants beg him to speak in the Syrian language. He refuses with words of defiance and contempt. The danger of seeing the people become discouraged may have filled Hezekiah with anguish. But the same danger leaves the believer's soul calm and at peace. He has only to keep silence. His trust in God answers everything.

Eliakim and the others begged him to speak Aramean instead of the Jewish tongue. Their pleas only drew out more daring insolence… The blasphemer taunted them, asking whether the Lord would deliver Jerusalem. He never thought who was listening. Not only Eliakim, Shebna and Joah, not only the men on the wall, but the Lord Himself heard him. It was now His affair. Then at last the faith of Hezekiah begins to shine again, for it was his command not to answer him.

This is a title. It means 'chief cup-bearer.' Sennacherib sent the officer who held it to Jerusalem, along with the Tartan (general) and a Rab-saris. He was the chief spokesman. Because he could speak the Jews' language, people think he was either a convert to the Jewish faith or a Jew who had abandoned it.

The Hebrew language, common to the Jews. Rab-shakeh was asked to speak in the Syrian language (Aramaic). But he wanted the people of Jerusalem to understand him, so he spoke in Hebrew.

There was nothing to be gained by pleading with the enemies of the Lord. It is always good to remember that they are enemies. Ask no favours of them, and expect none. But these three men were alarmed. They were afraid of the effect on the Jewish people, so they begged him not to talk in the Jews' language where the people could hear. And what could that do but draw out from Rab-shakeh a stronger appeal and more boasting than ever… It suggested an idea. It gave him a new weapon, a new argument, a new way of appealing to the people. He might not have thought of it if the fears of Hezekiah's servants had not put it into his head. The very thing they feared and asked him not to do gave him the idea of doing it.

They should have realised their request would be pointless. In fact it only encouraged the Rabshakeh to speak louder to all the people on the wall. He urged them to hear the words of the great king of Assyria. If he could not persuade the leaders of the people, he would do his utmost to weaken the people themselves.

He does his best to frighten the ordinary people, "shut up like a bird in a cage," as Sennacherib's own inscription states. He hoped to stir up rebellion in the city, in order to take it without laying siege to it. But he laboured in vain; "the people held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not."

Rabshakeh became very abusive and shouted a vulgar appeal to the people. It needs no further comment.

Rab-shakeh stood and shouted in their own language to the people on the walls. The blasphemer had no idea who was listening to his mocking demand, whether Jehovah would deliver Jerusalem. Eliakim, Shebna and Joah heard him. So did the men on the wall. But so did Jehovah Himself. It was now His affair.

Hezekiah's servants beg the Rab-shakeh to speak in the Syrian language. He refuses in words of defiance and scorn. The danger of seeing the people discouraged may have filled Hezekiah with anguish. But that same danger leaves the believer's soul calm and at peace. He has only to keep silent. His trust in God answers everything.

These three men were alarmed. They were afraid of the effect on the Jewish people, so they begged him not to talk in the Jews' language where the people could hear... It suggested an idea. It gave him a new weapon, a new argument, a new ground for appealing to the people. He might not have thought of it if the fears of Hezekiah's servants had not put it into his head. The very thing they feared and asked him not to do gave him the idea of doing it.

They should have realised their request would be useless. In fact it only made the Rabshakeh speak more loudly to all the people on the wall. He urged them to hear the words of the great king of Assyria. If he could not persuade the leaders of the people, he would do his best to weaken the people themselves.

"Rabshakeh" is a title, not a name. Sennacherib's commander-in-chief was the speaker. He was clearly a skilled diplomat, and he delivered his cunning speech in "the Jews' language"... He does his best to frighten the ordinary people. He hoped to stir up rebellion inside the city, so as to take it without having to lay siege to it. But he worked for nothing: "the people were silent and answered him not a word, for the king's command was, 'Do not answer him.'"

Rabshakeh stood and cried out in their own tongue to the people on the walls, warning them against their king... The blasphemer had no idea who was listening to his taunting question about whether the Lord would deliver Jerusalem. It was not only Eliakim, Shebna and Joah, and not only the men on the wall, but the Lord Himself. It was now His affair.

God had set His name in Jerusalem, where Solomon built the temple. This was God's centre on earth, and of it we read, "Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised in the city of our God! His holy mountain, beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion... the city of the great King" (Psalm 48:1-2). Were Hezekiah and the Jews to willingly leave that city and go to another land "like their own land"?

Listen to the king of Assyria. He will let you live in peace. Then he will carry you off to "a land like your own land, a land of grain and wine, a land of bread and vineyards"... No doubt you will be in slavery too, but the Assyrian will see to it that you are happy! Satan has always spoken like this to the hearts of men. Woe to the one who listens to him, for the prince of this world never makes a man happy.

The Rabshakeh speaks in Hebrew to the people on the wall. Hezekiah's servants beg him to speak in Aramaic. He refuses with defiance and scorn. The danger of the people losing heart may well have filled Hezekiah with distress. But that same danger leaves the believer's soul calm and at peace. He has only to keep silence. His trust in God answers everything.

It is true that Hezekiah's servants were weak. Pleading with the enemies of the Lord would win nothing. It is always well to remember that they are enemies. Ask no favours of them, and expect none. But these three men were alarmed. They were afraid of the effect on the Jewish people. So they begged him not to talk in the Jews' language where the people could hear. What could that do but draw out from Rabshakeh a more forceful appeal and more boasting than ever… It suggested an idea. It gave him a new weapon, a new argument, a new way of appealing to the people. He might never have thought of it if the fears of Hezekiah's servants had not put it into his head.

And now Rabshakeh attacks the person of the king. Hezekiah is a deceiver, a seducer (vv. 29, 32). He is lying to you when he urges you to trust in the Lord (v. 30). Do not listen to Hezekiah (vv. 31-32). Listen to the king of Assyria (v. 28). He will let you live in peace. Then he will carry you away to "a land like your own land, a land of grain and wine, a land of bread and vineyards" (v. 32). That land is just as full of good things as the land of Canaan. That is where you will find real abundance. No doubt you will be in slavery too, but the Assyrian will make sure you are happy! Satan has always spoken like this to the hearts of men. Woe to anyone who listens to him, for the prince of this world never makes a man happy.

Rabshakeh, speaking to the men of Judah, accused Hezekiah of deceiving his own people by his confidence that the Lord would deliver them. Would the Lord deliver Jerusalem? Yes! Assyria found very soon that the Lord was a God of awesome power and judgment. They had claimed that He sent them against Jerusalem, and He would judge them for that deceitful claim of representing Him. He delayed His intervention for a time, as a test of Hezekiah's faith.

But it was not only Eliakim and Shebna and Joah who heard; it was Jehovah. Rabshakeh never imagined that the Lord God was listening, or that the Lord God would answer very soon. He had now dared to use that name for deliberate blasphemy. He had defied the authority of Jehovah where people knew that name. He had defied God!

The danger of seeing the people become discouraged may have filled Hezekiah with anguish. But the same danger leaves the believer's soul calm and at peace. He has only to keep silent. His trust in God answers everything.

If the king's ministers were foolish, the people at least were wise, and the people were wise because the king was wise… He heard it, and he tore his clothes. It was not for the loss of his three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. It was not even for the stripping of the house of Jehovah. But now Jehovah was insulted. Now there were appeals to the people in the Jews' language to weaken their confidence in Jehovah. This touched his heart.

Rabshakeh could not distinguish between the idols and the Lord. The Lord to him was only an idol — one out of many idols. Hezekiah had broken down all the idols, so he imagined they were different forms of the Lord's worship. That, after all, was the pagan idea of God.

None of those nations was depending on the only true God. But Hezekiah honestly sought the grace and guidance of the God of all the earth. None of the gods of the nations had been able to deliver those nations from Assyria. So, the Rabshakeh argued, how could Hezekiah expect the Lord to deliver him?

Here is a very serious thing to consider. Judah's unfaithfulness had given the enemy an occasion to blaspheme the true God and to deny His existence. Since you had high places and altars, these were the Lord for you, he says. He does not know the Lord except by the idols which Judah had made its gods.

Rabshakeh falsely claimed that the Lord had told the Assyrian king to destroy Jerusalem. Then he made his appeal against Hezekiah to the citizens within hearing. He clearly knew their leaning toward idols, so different from their king's. Many of them were secretly trusting in false gods and not in the Lord. So the reminder that the gods of many other cities had failed to deliver was likely to carry weight with them.

Eliakim, Shebna and Joah were not the only ones who heard. The Lord heard too. Rabshakeh never imagined that the Lord God was listening. He never imagined that the Lord God would answer quickly, now that he had dared to use that name for deliberate blasphemy. He had dared the authority of the Lord where it was known. He had dared God!

He heard it, and he tore his clothes. It was not for the loss of his three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. It was not even for the stripping of the house of the Lord. But now the Lord was insulted. Now there were appeals to the people in their own language to weaken their confidence in the Lord. This touched his heart.

It is simply a matter of keeping silent and leaving the enemy to his threats or his smooth talk. The people trust the words of the king, their leader, and imitate his faith. The Assyrian attacks God openly, and His anointed king too. God uses that attack to strengthen and revive the people.

He does not try to make the difficulty look small. He admits that the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations and their countries. But why did those nations fall? Because their gods were not like the Lord. They did not know what it was to put their case into the hands of the living God who made heaven and earth. This was the secret of their overthrow.

Rabshakeh could not tell the difference between the idols and Jehovah. To him Jehovah was only an idol, one among many. Hezekiah had broken down all the idols, so he imagined they were different forms of Jehovah's worship. That was the heathen idea of God.

He does not know the Lord except by the idols which Judah had made its gods. He had the right to say to them, You have the same kinds of gods I do, and you serve them in the same way. And now you are saying: As for us, we trust in the Lord! Which Lord, tell me? The Lord of the high places, or the Lord of the altar you have just set up?

He appealed to the citizens within hearing, against Hezekiah. He knew well how much they leaned towards idols, so unlike their King. Many of them were secretly trusting in false gods and not in the Lord. So the reminder that the gods of many other cities had failed to deliver was likely to carry weight with them. Still, Hezekiah's command to the men to keep silence held, and they answered him not a word.

What of the gods of Hamath, Arpad, Sepharvaim, Hena and Ivvah? And what of Samaria? All of these had fallen to the bondage of Assyria. The answer is simple. None of those nations was depending on the only true God. But Hezekiah honestly sought the grace and guidance of the God of all the earth.

These gods could be seen, but could not see. God was the living God, who dwelt in heaven. These had the form of living creatures, but without life, and were found on earth. He acted as He pleased. These could not act at all. They began in the craftsman's imagination and owed their shape to the workman's skill. "Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands" — worthless objects, apart from the value of the metal they were made of. How could a dying creature make a living God to save him? Man could mould the metal into human form. He could shape it after the noblest of God's creatures on earth. But where was the life, where the will, where the power? "Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them." They might look like living souls, while in reality they were dead before God — however devoted and good they appeared.

It was not merely Eliakim and Shebna and Joah who heard; it was Jehovah. Rabshakeh never imagined that the Lord God was listening, or that the Lord God would answer quickly. Yet now he had dared to use that name for deliberate blasphemy. He had dared the authority of Jehovah where it was known. He had dared God!

The risk of seeing the people lose heart may have filled Hezekiah with anguish. But the same danger leaves the believer's soul tranquil and peaceful. He has only to keep silence. His trust in God answers to everything.

It is true that Hezekiah's servants were weak. There was nothing to gain by trying to appease the enemies of the Lord. It is always well to remember that they are enemies. Ask no favours of them, and expect none. But these three men were alarmed. They feared the effect on the Jewish people, so they begged him not to talk in the Jews' language where the people could hear. And what could that do? It only drew from Rabshakeh a more violent appeal and more boasting than ever… The very thing they feared and asked him not to do gave him the idea of doing it.

God's judgment on the pride and arrogance of Shebna would make room for a true servant of Jehovah. Isaiah 22:20-21 says God would call His servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, clothe him with Shebna's robe, hand him Shebna's government, and make him a father to the people of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Notice that Shebna is the one called "over the house" in Isaiah 22:15. But in Isaiah 36:3, 22, and Isaiah 37:2, Eliakim is "over the house," and Shebna is named after him as "the scribe." So during the reign of Hezekiah, Eliakim rose and Shebna fell from his very high position.

The blasphemer taunted them, demanding to know whether Jehovah would deliver Jerusalem. He never thought who was listening. Not Eliakim, Shebna and Joah only, nor the men on the wall as well, but Jehovah Himself. It was now His affair. And then at last the faith of Hezekiah begins to shine once more, for his command was to give the man no answer.

The people answered nothing, for Hezekiah had so instructed them (v. 36). That left the whole matter in God's hand. They could wait for His time to intervene as He saw fit. Eliakim, Shebna and Joah brought to Hezekiah the report of what Rabshakeh had said. They did so in a spirit of self-judgment, with their clothes torn. There was no bitter hatred in it, and no self-confidence. Instead there was the lowly humility of men who knew they had no power of their own. Their one concern was that God Himself would step in for them.

Hezekiah bows as a man who trusts in Jehovah. He heard the report, and he tore his clothes. It was not for the loss of his three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. It was not even for the stripping of the house of Jehovah. But now Jehovah was insulted. Now there were appeals to the people in the Jews' tongue to weaken their confidence in Jehovah. This touches his heart. He tore his clothes and went in sorrow to plead before the Lord.

No doubt you will be in bondage too, but the Assyrian will see that you are happy! Satan has always spoken like this to the hearts of men. Woe to him who listens to him, for the prince of this world never makes a man happy. Do we need to reason with him? Do we need to argue with him, or even talk with him, or answer him at all? Adam and Eve proved that only too well, to their own ruin and the ruin of their descendants. The man of faith is not tempted to answer him… He need only keep silent and leave the enemy to his threats or his honeyed words. The people trust the words of the king, their leader, and imitate his faith.

In deep humiliation and sorrow the godly man went to the house of the Lord and sent messengers to Isaiah. This is most blessed. He did not call a council of his advisers — a meeting of the captains — to talk the matter over. He did not send first to the prophet either. Faith knows a better way than that. He went straight into the presence of the LORD, and the sending to Isaiah was secondary. Many of our failures as His people happen because we do not go to the LORD first.

He tore his clothes and put on sackcloth, the symbol of repentance and self-judgment. This was negative, but he also took the positive action of going into the house of the Lord. There he would find positive help. No doubt the Lord guided him when he sent Eliakim, Shebna, and the elders of Israel to Isaiah the prophet.

What gave him such rare power in this fight was the feeling that he was nothing — that "an arm of flesh" was of no use. In a word, it was the Lord or nothing... Faith enabled Hezekiah to withdraw from the scene and make it entirely a question between the Lord and the king of Assyria. It was not Sennacherib and Hezekiah, but Sennacherib and the Lord. This tells us the meaning of the sackcloth. Hezekiah felt himself to be utterly helpless, and he took the place of helplessness.

This confidence did not shut out anguish. The extreme danger did press on the heart. They do wear sackcloth and tear their clothes as a sign of affliction, of humiliation, and of mourning. But the danger drives Hezekiah and his people towards the house of God and towards the words of God. They go there for counsel, strength, and comfort... But one thing is enough for the afflicted remnant, and it ought to be enough for us. The Lord is there, and the defiance is against Him, not against us.

He heard it, and he tore his clothes. It was not for the loss of his three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. It was not even for the stripping of the house of the Lord. But now the Lord Himself was insulted. Now there were appeals to the people in their own language to weaken their confidence in Him. This touched his heart. He tore his clothes and went before the Lord in sorrow to plead with Him... He goes to the Lord; they are sent to the Lord's servant. This was right. He looks in prayer to God Himself, and he expects an answer through His servant.

The godly king did what he could to strengthen his defences. He sent the most humble message to the proud Assyrian. He gave him all the silver in the Lord's house, and stripped off for him the gold from its doors and pillars. But it was useless. There was little of the simplicity, strength, or wisdom of faith in all this. No wonder the blessing of God was not with him there. No wonder the enemy grew bolder and asked for everything.

All this reviling brought back Hezekiah's trust in the Lord. He saw that appeasing this world was of no use. All his trust must be in the Lord his God, as it had been before, even if he had been caught off guard for a moment.

And Hezekiah also tore his clothes. In deep humiliation and sorrow the godly man went to the house of the Lord and sent messengers to Isaiah. This is most blessed. He did not call a council of his advisers. He did not call a meeting of the captains to talk the matter over. He did not send first to the prophet. Faith knows a better way than that. He went straight into the presence of the LORD, and the sending to Isaiah was secondary. Many of our failures as His people happen because we do not go to the LORD first.

He goes to Jehovah; he sends them to Jehovah's servant. This was right. He looks in prayer to God Himself, and he expects an answer through His servant.

As the evil among the people grew, God always found an emergency man for Himself. Through that man He could speak to their consciences. We see this clearly in 2 Kings 19:2 and 2 Kings 22:12-14. In the first case, Hezekiah sends two of his officers, along with the elders of the priests, all covered with sackcloth. They go to Isaiah about the blasphemous words of the proud Assyrian. Note that "the elders of the priests" made up most of the group. Yet Hezekiah did not send them to the High Priest of the day. He sent them to a man quite outside their order — the son of Amoz.

They show us that the priesthood had completely lost its original place as the channel between Jehovah and His people… But God never rebuilds an order of things that has failed in the hands of men. In His great grace He goes on to something better. Everything that man has handled so badly will be perfect in Christ on the day He appears.

God's judgment on the pride and arrogance of Shebna would make way for a true servant of Jehovah. Isaiah had said, "In that day I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah" (Isaiah 22:20). Note this: Isaiah 22:15 calls Shebna "over the house." But in Isaiah 36:3, 22, and Isaiah 37:2, Eliakim is "over the house," and Shebna comes after him as "the scribe." So during the reign of Hezekiah, Eliakim was rising, and Shebna was falling from his very high position.

When Hezekiah heard the report, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth, the symbol of repentance and self-judgment. This was negative, but he also took the positive action of going into the house of the Lord. There he would find positive help. No doubt the Lord guided him when he sent Eliakim and Shebna and the elders of Israel to Isaiah the prophet.

Did they have any resource, this weak "remnant that is left" (v. 4)? Yes, indeed! They still had Jehovah's temple, His beloved city, Mount Zion, the son of David and his throne, and the prophet who carried the word of God. They still had far more than David himself had in the cave of Adullam! The flesh might become discouraged; faith could not. In the middle of this indescribable disaster, faith had everything that gave it firm assurance… Faith listens to the voice of the prophet, and closes its ear to the blaspheming voice of the enemy's servant.

And equally beautiful is his message to God's prophet. He does not mention himself in the danger of Jerusalem. It is the honour of the Lord that is at stake; the honour of the living God is at stake. The Assyrian had defied the God of Israel. Indeed, Hezekiah's comfort was that the Lord had heard it all and knew it all. What lessons and what comforts are here for us also! Then he requests prayer.

The Living God. — He directed attention to the living God. That speaks of one, and only one, divine Being. There are not two living Gods. Now their fathers had understood what this name meant. It marked out their God, the Lord Jehovah, as completely different from the idols of the nations. Those had no life. "They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat" (Psalm 115:5-7). This heaps scorn on the idols, on their makers, and on their worshippers.

Hezekiah was not a man of great faith. But he saw that the profane king of Assyria was not only challenging him. He was reproaching the God of Israel... Even if Hezekiah's faith was small, the Lord answered his cry, for the glory of His Name was in question.

Then, second, he turned to the prophet, through whom God had been speaking. He confessed the low condition of himself and his people. He spoke of them as "the remnant that is left." He recognised the unity of all Israel. The ten tribes had now gone into exile. He did not fall into the trap of assuming that the two tribes he ruled were more than a "remnant," left by the mercy of God.

Did they have any resource, this weak "remnant that is left" (v. 4)? Yes, indeed! They still had the Lord's temple, His beloved city, Mount Zion, the son of David and his throne, the prophet — bearer of the word of God... The flesh might become discouraged. Faith could not be discouraged at all. In the middle of this indescribable disaster, faith had everything that gave it firm assurance, everything that comforted it, everything that made it rejoice in the affliction: Immanuel, the presence of God with His people.

He goes to the Lord; they are sent to the Lord's servant. This was right. He looks in prayer to God Himself, and he expects an answer through His servant... And the answer is immediate. "Say this to your master. This is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid of the words you have heard. The servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me with them."

He goes to the Lord; they are sent to the Lord's servant. This was right. He looks in prayer to God Himself, and he expects an answer through His servant… And the answer is immediate.

He did not call a council of his advisers. He did not gather the captains to talk the matter over. He did not send to the prophet first. Faith knows a better way than that. He went straight into the presence of the LORD, and the sending to Isaiah was secondary. Many of our failures as His people happen because we do not go to the LORD first.

Similar distress has been often repeated in the history of the Church. A climax arises that finds saints of God pathetically weak in meeting the attacks of the enemy. What is their resource? Only the grace of God. So Hezekiah asked Isaiah to pray. He asked that God would rebuke the words of the Rabshakeh, and preserve the small remnant of Israel still left in the land.

And equally beautiful is his message to God's prophet. He does not mention himself in the danger of Jerusalem. It is the honour of the Lord that is at stake; the honour of the living God is at stake. The Assyrian had defied the God of Israel. Yes, Hezekiah's comfort was that the Lord had heard it all and knew it all. What lessons and what comforts are here for us also! Then he requests prayer.

Hezekiah was not a man of great faith, but he discerned that the ungodly king of Assyria was not only challenging him, but was reproaching the God of Israel… Even if Hezekiah's faith was small, the Lord answered his cry, for the glory of His Name was in question.

Did they have any resource, this weak "remnant that is left" (v. 4)? Yes, indeed! They still had the Lord's temple, His beloved city, Mount Zion, the son of David and his throne, and the prophet who carried the word of God. They still had much more than David himself had in the cave of Adullam! The flesh might lose heart. Faith could not, for in the middle of this indescribable disaster faith had everything that gave it firm assurance, everything that comforted it, and everything that made it rejoice in the affliction: Immanuel, the presence of God with His people.

But one thing is enough for the afflicted remnant, and ought to be enough for us: the Lord is there; it is He, not ourselves, who has been defied.

The divine answer through Isaiah was brief. Do not be afraid. The blessed assurance for faith first — Fear not! The promise of deliverance is the second thing in Isaiah's answer.

When the servants brought this message to Isaiah, the prophet did not hesitate to tell them what the Lord said… God took account of the words that had blasphemed Him (v.6). God would work behind the scenes. He would cause the king of Assyria to hear a rumour that drove him back to his own land. There he would die by the sword among his own people (v.7). His own sons killed him (v.37).

In deep humiliation and sorrow the godly man went to the house of the Lord and sent messengers to Isaiah. This is most blessed. He did not call a council of his advisers or a meeting of the captains to talk the matter over. He did not send first to the prophet. Faith knows a better way than that. He went straight into the presence of the LORD, and the sending to Isaiah was secondary. Many of our failures as His people happen because we do not go to the LORD first.

God's answer through Isaiah was brief: "Do not be afraid." The blessed assurance for faith comes first — do not be afraid! The promise of deliverance comes second in Isaiah's answer.

This confidence did not shut out anguish. The extreme danger did press on the heart. They do wear sackcloth and tear their clothes as a sign of affliction, humiliation and mourning. But the danger drives Hezekiah and his people to the house of God and to the words of God, to receive counsel, strength and comfort... But one thing is enough for the afflicted remnant, and it ought to be enough for us. The Lord is there. It is He, not we, whom the enemy has defied.

Hezekiah was not a man of great faith. But he saw that the godless king of Assyria was not only challenging him. He was also insulting the God of Israel... Even if Hezekiah's faith was small, the Lord answered his cry, for the glory of His Name was in question.

The word of the Lord is fulfilled to the letter. News came that Tirhakah, king of Ethiopia, who had seized Egypt, was advancing against the king of Assyria. His own aim was exactly the conquest of Egypt, so he left suddenly to meet Tirhakah.

When the servants brought this message to Isaiah, the prophet had no need to hesitate. He told them to report the words of the Lord to Hezekiah: he was not to be afraid of the boasting words from Assyria, for God took account of those words which had blasphemed Him (v.6). God would work behind the scenes, causing the king of Assyria to hear a rumour to drive him back to his own land, where he would suffer death by the sword among his own people (v.7). His own sons killed him (v.37).

Scripture tells Hezekiah's life at length. In his reign, Sennacherib's attack on Jerusalem pictured a still greater deliverance from a future king of Assyria. God so controls the evil and the passions of men that He makes them serve His purpose. He gives a hint of what He will yet do for His own glory.

But one thing is enough for the afflicted remnant and ought to be enough for us: the Lord is there; it is He, not ourselves, who has been defied. So let us say like Hezekiah: perhaps the Lord will hear the words of the one who reproaches the living God, and punish the words He has heard. And the Lord will answer us.

Hezekiah was not a man of great faith. But he saw that the godless king of Assyria was not only challenging him. He was reproaching the God of Israel... Even if Hezekiah's faith was small, the Lord answered his cry, for the glory of His name was in question. So we have God's own reply to the king.

God would work behind the scenes. He would make the king of Assyria hear a rumour that drove him back to his own land. There he would suffer death by the sword among his own people (v.7). His own sons killed him (v.37). So Hezekiah had relief for a short time. The rumour made Rabshakeh leave Jerusalem, because the king of Assyria had another battle front at Libnah (v.8).

The word of the Lord is fulfilled to the letter. Tirhakah, king of Ethiopia, had seized Egypt, and he was now advancing against the king of Assyria. Egypt was the very thing the Assyrian had set out to conquer. So the news made him leave at once to meet him.

God's answer was not long delayed. "And that night the angel of the Lord went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. And when people arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies." The result was that the king retreats in dismay. He returns and lives in Nineveh. But as the Lord had sent a blast upon him in Palestine, so now he must fall in his own land. "And as he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his god, Adrammelech and Sharezer, his sons, struck him down with the sword and escaped into the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son reigned in his place." So every word of the Lord was accomplished.

Hezekiah is in this way a type of the true Immanuel, of Him before whom the Assyrian, the destroyer of Israel, will fall. This is a very important history, as it foreshadows the events of the last days.

God would work behind the scenes. He would make the king of Assyria hear a rumour that drove him back to his own land. There he would suffer death by the sword among his own people (v.7). His own sons killed him (v.37). So Hezekiah was given a short respite. The rumour made Rabshakeh leave Jerusalem, because the king of Assyria had another front of battle with Libnah (v.8).

The word of the Lord is fulfilled to the letter. Tirhakah, king of Ethiopia, had seized Egypt. News came that he was marching against Sennacherib, whose own aim was exactly the conquest of Egypt. So Sennacherib set out at once to meet him.

He was not to come into the city. He was not even to besiege it. He was not to shoot an arrow there, nor to come before it with shield, nor to build a siege ramp against it. By the way that he came, by that same way should he return. Now that way had clearly been along the low country, the great highway between Syria and Egypt. From Lachish, in the south-west of the land, Sennacherib first sent to demand the surrender of Hezekiah and his people. From Libnah, when about to move south to meet Tirhakah, King of Ethiopia, his last insulting message was sent (2 Kings 19:8-9).

It is clear as light in the three accounts in Scripture that the great king never besieged Jerusalem. He was content to send his servants and a large part of his army from Lachish. The general in command (Tartan), the chief chamberlain (Rab-saris) and the chief cup-bearer (Rab-shakeh) did come to Jerusalem, and the last of them insulted Hezekiah, threatened the worst horrors of a siege in the hearing of those sitting on the wall, and blasphemed Jehovah as if He were powerless like the other gods. It is no less clear that Rabshakeh returned to his master, who had gone from Lachish to Libnah, and sent a message to Hezekiah again — shorter and yet more blasphemous.

What a humiliation, and yet how simple! First came a rumour in his own land, after the blast that Jehovah would send in His land. Last of all, he himself was kept for a far more humiliating fate, in front of his own subjects in his own land.

Now he says to Hezekiah, "Do not let your God, on whom you rely, deceive you" (v. 10), likening Him to the false gods that he, the Assyrian, had destroyed. It was a direct "reproach" against the "living God." The Assyrian king was blocked in his plan and wounded in his pride. The rage that filled him now shows itself in its true character. It is the God of Israel whom he opposes.

Hezekiah goes up to the house of the Lord a second time. It is no longer a question of humiliation, as it was the first time. It is a direct attack on the name of the Lord whom Hezekiah honours. God must take account of this letter. The king places God's cause into God's own hands, but he knows that to honour His name, the Lord will save His humbled people.

Tirhakah or Taharka (the Tehrak of the monuments) came into conflict with Assyria in the fourteenth year of Hezekiah. Sennacherib was attacking Libnah when he heard that the king of Ethiopia had come out to fight against him. Sennacherib sent a second threatening letter to Hezekiah; but God miraculously destroyed his army in the night.

"Do not be afraid of the words you have heard," said Isaiah. "The servants of the king of Assyria have used them to blaspheme Me. Behold, I will put a spirit in him. He will hear news, and he will return to his own land. And I will make him fall by the sword in his own land" (vv. 6-7). The word of the Lord came true to the letter. Tirhakah, king of Ethiopia, had seized Egypt. News came that he was advancing against Sennacherib, whose own goal was that very conquest of Egypt. So Sennacherib left at once to meet him.

God would work behind the scenes. He would cause the king of Assyria to hear a rumour that drove him back to his own land. There he would suffer death by the sword among his own people (v.7). His own sons killed him (v.37).

But Sennacherib, king of Assyria, was not finished with Jerusalem. News came to him that the King of Ethiopia was coming to make war against him. Even so, he was still determined to subdue Jerusalem. He sent messengers again to Hezekiah, arrogantly telling him, "Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you, saying, Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria" (v.10).

He had previously sent his spokesmen with this message to the people: "Let not Hezekiah deceive you … neither let Hezekiah make you rely on the Lord" (2 Kings 18:29-30). Now he says to Hezekiah, "Let not your God, on whom you rely, deceive you" (v. 10), likening Him to the false gods that he, the Assyrian, had destroyed. It was a direct "reproach" against the "living God."

Hezekiah goes up to the house of the Lord a second time. It is no more a question of humiliation like the first time, but one of a direct attack on the name of the Lord whom Hezekiah honours. God must take account of this letter. The king places God's cause into God's own hands, but he knows that to honour His name, the Lord will save His humbled people.

With that work done, he must go back humbled and beaten, for he had gone beyond the task he was given... "But I know your sitting down, your going out, your coming in, and your raging against Me. Your raging against Me and your arrogance have come up into My ears. So I will put My ring in your nose and My bridle in your lips, and I will make you go back by the way you came."

Before he left, Sennacherib sends a written message to Hezekiah. He had earlier sent his spokesmen to the people with this message: "Do not let Hezekiah deceive you … do not let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD" (2 Kings 18:29-30). Now he says to Hezekiah, "Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you" (v. 10). He likens Him to the false gods that he, the Assyrian, had destroyed. It was a direct "reproach" against the "living God." He had been blocked in his plan and wounded in his pride. Now the rage that filled the Assyrian king shows itself in its true character. It is the God of Israel whom he opposes.

This proud enemy of God called on the people of Judah not to let Hezekiah deceive them, but to refuse to believe him. Sennacherib's own aim was to have Judah let him deceive them into thinking that God was no better than the idols of the nations.

None of the nations had been able to resist Assyria. So Sennacherib was fully confident that the God of heaven and earth could not deliver Jerusalem either.

Sennacherib is notorious for his reviling letter to Hezekiah, which he sent "to reproach the living God." He had been successful against the cities of Judah, but God did not allow him to enter Jerusalem. He had beaten many lands whose gods were made by human hands. That success filled him with pride and arrogance, so he did not stop at blaspheming the God of Israel. He had hardly realised that he was only God's instrument for punishing the nations. He thought all his victories came from his own strength and skill, and he raged foolishly against the living God.

How terrible is the host of hell that Satan brings at such a time, to test the faith of the child of God. What threats, what shouting, what blasphemy, what trickery. Rabshakeh's rage is an exact picture of Satan's hatred. "Do not answer him," was Hezekiah's command… The king had the wicked unbelieving letter read to him. Then he "went up to the house of the LORD and spread it before the LORD." Hezekiah's conduct in this fierce trial shows two points of immense value to the tried soul. "Do not answer him," "and spread it before the LORD." Silence and prayer. When Satan throws out a flood of unbelieving questions, do not answer him, but spread it all out before the Lord.

Hezekiah goes up to the house of the LORD a second time. This time it is not a matter of humbling himself, as it was the first time. Now it is a direct attack on the name of the Lord whom Hezekiah honours. God must take account of this letter. The king places God's cause into God's own hands. But he knows that the Lord will save His humbled people, in order to honour His name.

The proud king of Assyria did not know what lay ahead of him, though the Lord had already told His servant Hezekiah… This was a direct challenge to Israel's God, and God was not slow to take it up.

The history we have seen in the earlier chapters is only a testimony to the total destruction that awaits the final Assyrian and his armies. That destruction will come in the latter day, upon the mountains of Israel.

He had already sent his spokesmen to the people with this message: "Do not let Hezekiah deceive you … do not let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD." Now he says to Hezekiah, "Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you." He is likening Him to the false gods that he, the Assyrian, had destroyed. It was a direct "reproach" against the "living God." Blocked in his plan and stung in his pride, the Assyrian king is full of rage. That rage now shows its true character. It is the God of Israel whom he opposes.

He had been successful against the cities of Judah, but God did not allow him to enter Jerusalem. He had won against many lands whose gods were made by human hands. That success filled him with pride and arrogance, and he went as far as blaspheming the God of Israel. He had little idea that he was only God's instrument to punish the nations. He thought all his victories came from his own strength and skill, and in his folly he raged against the living God.

The Lord used him to beat down the pride of Israel. "However, he does not mean so." He only wants to feed his own pride. Israel should have stood for their true boast, the Lord Himself, and looked to Him in humility to plead their cause. Instead they sought what the nations sought, and their God gave them up to this proud and cruel enemy. But if the Lord disciplines His own people for their faults, He will surely punish the overbearing wickedness of His enemies.

Sennacherib went on to say that the gods of many nations had not saved those nations from destruction by Assyria. So, he argued, Judah could not depend on their God to save them. He had little idea that the gods of the nations — his own nation included — were helpless idols, while the God of Israel created all things.

Hezekiah goes up to the house of the Lord a second time. The first time, the question was one of humiliation. This time it is a direct attack on the name of the Lord whom Hezekiah honours. God must take account of this letter. The king places God's cause into God's own hands. He knows that the Lord will save His humbled people, to honour His name.

The Assyrian came full of his proud confidence. That very thing drew out the arm of the Lord in defence of His despised city. The Assyrian despised Zion, so God speaks by the prophet — and it is Zion that despises the Assyrian. For, as we have already observed, God speaks according to His thoughts.

The words that prophecy puts in his mouth are the words spoken by Rabshakeh, the servant of Sennacherib, and by the king in his letter to Hezekiah. The same boastful spirit that marked Sennacherib later marked Antiochus Epiphanes… and it will appear in full in the king of the north in the last days.

Now he says to Hezekiah, "Do not let your God, on whom you rely, deceive you" (v. 10). He puts Him on a level with the false gods that he, the Assyrian, had destroyed. It was a direct "reproach" against the "living God." The Assyrian king was blocked in his plan and wounded in his pride. His rage now shows its true character. It is the God of Israel whom he opposes.

Region in Mesopotamia, to which some of the Israelites were carried captive. The "river Gozan" may mean the river at Gozan, and most identify this with the river Habor, now Khabour.

City where "the children of Eden" lived, whom the Assyrians had conquered. The names listed with it suggest Telassar was in Mesopotamia, but no one has identified it.

None of the nations had been able to resist Assyria. So Sennacherib was fully confident that the God of heaven and earth could not deliver Jerusalem either.

He had no idea that the gods of the nations, including his own, were helpless idols. Israel's God, unlike them, created all things.

He might insult, whether himself or through his servants. Still the great king of Assyria had to learn that God knew all about him. God had made him only the instrument of His own dealing with the nations. Once that work was done, he had to go back humbled and struck down, for he had exceeded his commission... "Have you not heard that I determined it long ago? I planned it from days of old. Now I have brought it to pass, that you should turn fortified cities into heaps of ruins."

He had met the kings of Hamath and Arpad, and others. But when he did, it was on his own terms and in his own way. He had never met an opponent like Hezekiah. In fact, Hezekiah's uncommon power in this contest came from the sense that he was nothing. He knew that "an arm of flesh" was of no use. In a word, it was the Lord or nothing.

Hezekiah puts the matter entirely into the Lord's hands, and withdraws from it himself. He does not try to make little of the difficulty — he admits that "the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations and their countries" — but why? Because their gods were not like the Lord. Those nations never knew what it is to put their case into the hands of the living God who made heaven and earth. This was the secret of their overthrow.

None of the nations had been able to resist Assyria. So Sennacherib was fully confident that the God of heaven and earth could not deliver Jerusalem either.

Now he says to Hezekiah, "Let not your God, on whom you rely, deceive you" (v. 10). He likens Him to the false gods that he, the Assyrian, had destroyed. It was a direct "reproach" against the "living God." The Assyrian king was blocked in his plan and wounded in his pride. The rage that filled him now shows itself in its true character. It is the God of Israel whom he opposes.

The records show the great cruelty of the Assyrians. They were less humane than the Babylonians. They impaled some of their victims, burnt others, and they even flayed the king of Hamath alive.

Toi, king of Hamath, sent congratulations to David on his victory over Hadadezer. It was more than a hundred miles further north than Dan, but it became tributary to Solomon and he built store cities there. It afterwards fell into the hands of the Assyrians.

Hezekiah puts the matter entirely into Jehovah's hands, and retires out of it himself. He does not try to make little of the difficulty. He admits that "the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations and their countries." But why? Because their gods were not like Jehovah. They did not know what it was to put their case into the hands of the living God who made heaven and earth. This was the secret of their overthrow.

The Assyrian thought he was only doing his own will in punishing Samaria and Jerusalem. He said, "By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom, for I am prudent. I have removed the boundaries of the peoples, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a strong man" (Isa. 10:13). He did not understand that he was only the rod of God's anger, used to carry out God's judgment on His rebellious and idolatrous people. So the Lord said to him, "Shall the axe boast itself against him who chops with it… as if the rod should shake itself against those who lift it up" (verses 5, 15). This proud boasting of the Assyrian only brought the judgment of God upon them (verse 12).

Sennacherib sends the king another message, this time as a letter. Again Hezekiah goes with it straight to the LORD. He read it and went up into the house of the LORD and spread it before the LORD. What blessing there would be in the lives of all God's people! What wonderful evidence of His power and His love we might have — if only we took everything that happened to us at once into the presence of God and spread it before Him!

Earlier he had sent his spokesmen to the people with this message: "Do not let Hezekiah deceive you … do not let Hezekiah make you rely on the LORD" (2 Kings 18:29-30). Now he says to Hezekiah, "Do not let your God, on whom you rely, deceive you" (v. 10). He puts Him on the same level as the false gods that he, the Assyrian, had destroyed. It was a direct "reproach" against the "living God." Blocked in his plan and wounded in his pride, the Assyrian king now shows his rage in its true character. It is the God of Israel whom he opposes.

Hezekiah goes up to the house of the Lord a second time. The first time, it was a question of humbling himself. This time, it is a direct attack on the name of the Lord whom Hezekiah honours. God must take account of this letter. The king puts God's cause into God's own hands. He knows the Lord will save His humbled people, to honour His own name.

What gave Hezekiah such uncommon power in this contest? He sensed that he was nothing. He knew that "an arm of flesh" was of no use. In a word, it was Jehovah or nothing. This shows itself above all in the act of spreading the letter before the Lord. Faith enabled Hezekiah to step out of the scene and make it entirely a question between Jehovah and the king of Assyria. It was not Sennacherib and Hezekiah, but Sennacherib and Jehovah.

They read the wicked, unbelieving letter to the king. Then he "went up to the house of the LORD and spread it before the LORD." How Hezekiah behaved during this fierce trial gives the tried soul two points of immense value. "Do not answer him," and "spread it before the LORD." Silence and prayer. When Satan throws out a flood of unbelieving questions, do not answer him, but spread it all out before the Lord. At such a time nothing can sustain the soul but complete dependence on God.

Sennacherib sends the king another message, this time as a letter. Again Hezekiah goes with it straight to the LORD. He read it, went up to the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD. Think of the blessing there would be in the lives of all God's people! Think what wonderful evidence of His power and His love we might have, if we took everything that happened to us straight into the presence of God and spread it before Him!

When the king of Assyria sent letters to him, "he went up to the house of the LORD and spread them before the LORD." So he conquered. When summoned to prepare for death, "he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD." So he was raised up. But when the ambassadors from the king of Babylon came to him, "he showed them the house of his precious things." SO HE FELL. … If he had gone and spread Merodach's letter before the Lord, the world's flattery would have had no hold on him. Its angry threats had already failed to move him.

Now he says to Hezekiah, "Do not let your God, in whom you trust, deceive you" (v. 10). He compares Him to the false gods that he, the Assyrian, had destroyed. It was a direct "reproach" against the "living God." The Assyrian king was blocked in his plan and wounded in his pride. His rage now shows itself for what it really is. It is the God of Israel whom he opposes.

"Do not answer him," "and spread it before the LORD." Silence and prayer. When Satan throws out a flood of unbelieving questions, do not answer him, but spread it all out before the Lord. Nothing at such a time can hold up the soul except complete dependence on God.

Then Hezekiah prayed. In his prayer he did not first plead for help. Instead he beautifully gives God His place of absolute pre-eminence and dignity (v. 15). Does this not remind us of the instructions of the Lord Jesus about how to pray? — "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name." The word "Father" speaks of God's primacy. "In heaven" speaks of His supremacy. "Hallowed be Your name" speaks of His dignity, as set apart from all others.

And how he pleads with the Lord who dwells between the cherubim! It is written, they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb. Yes, the mercy seat between the cherubim is our place of victory. The enemy, with all his power, was completely defeated.

It is His place and throne of majesty, and He allows nothing there contrary to it (see Isaiah 37:16). Yet it is also where He dwells among His people, in the place of glory, because He has set His throne there. He governs them and speaks to them there.

Hezekiah puts the matter entirely into the LORD's hands, and steps out of it himself. He does not try to make the difficulty look small. He admits that "the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations and their countries." But why? Because their gods were not like the LORD. They never knew what it is to put their case into the hands of the living God who made heaven and earth. This was the secret of their defeat. What triumphant faith! What bold, confident pleading!

The king places God's cause into God's own hands, but he knows that to honour His name, the LORD will save His humbled people.

Prayer should always match the revelation given to God's people. What suited Solomon and Hezekiah would not be fitting for us. We should not address God as the God of Israel, nor speak to Him as dwelling between the cherubim.

Sennacherib sends the king another message, this time in the form of a letter. Again Hezekiah goes with it straight to the LORD. He read it and went up into the house of the LORD and spread it before the LORD. What blessing there would be in the lives of all God's people! What wonderful proofs of His power and His love we might have, if everything that happened to us were taken at once into the presence of God and spread out before Him!

Instead of answering the letter himself, he committed it entirely to the Lord. Could the Lord be trusted to answer? Yes, indeed! If we too commit such things to the Lord, instead of fighting or arguing, can we not trust the Lord to answer better than we might imagine?

So, in giving God His place, we take the place of totally dependent creatures. In that dependence Hezekiah begged the Lord to bend His ear, to hear and take note of the words of Sennacherib. By those words the Assyrian was reproaching the living God Himself (v. 16).

God Jehovah was unseen, yet seeing all that went on. These gods could be seen, but could not see. God was the living God, who dwelt in heaven. These had the form of living creatures, but without life, and were found on earth. He acted as He pleased. These could not act at all... They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear.

The Living God. — To the living God He directed attention. That speaks of one, and only one, Divine Being. There are not two living Gods. The name defines their God, the Lord Jehovah, as completely different from the idols of the nations. Such idols had no life.

Now he says to Hezekiah, "Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you" (v. 10). He is comparing Him with the false gods that he, the Assyrian, had destroyed. It was a direct "reproach" against the "living God." ... It is the God of Israel whom he opposes.

The faith of this humble, self-abased man had brought the Lord God of Israel and the king of Assyria into direct contact. So the same Lord God of Israel graciously led the man covered with sackcloth into the rich spoils of victory over his enemy. Hezekiah had said, "He has sent to reproach the living God"; the Lord replies, "Whom have you reproached? — the Holy One of Israel."

The proud king of Assyria was at the gates of Jerusalem with a mighty conquering army. You would expect to find Hezekiah among his men of war — buckling on his armour, strapping on his sword, mounting his chariot. But no. Hezekiah was different from most kings and captains. He had found a place of strength that Sennacherib knew nothing about. He had discovered a field of battle where he could conquer without striking a blow.

Hezekiah puts the matter entirely into the Lord's hands, and withdraws from it himself. He does not try to make little of the difficulty — he admits that "the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands" — but why? Because their gods were not like the Lord. They did not know what it was to put their case into the hands of the living God who made heaven and earth. This was the secret of their overthrow. What triumphant faith! What bold, confident pleading! Where, we may ask, was the difficulty that such faith would not overcome? Faith that deals with the One who made heaven and earth thinks little of an army, however large. Faith can see vast numbers of angels, and mountains covered with chariots of fire, defending those who can trust the Lord.

Sennacherib further declared that the gods of many nations had not saved those nations from destruction by Assyria. So Judah could not depend on their God to deliver them either. How little he realised that the gods of the nations — including his own nation — were helpless idols. The God of Israel, in contrast, created all things.

Earlier he had sent his spokesmen with this message to the people: "Do not let Hezekiah deceive you… and do not let Hezekiah make you rely on the Lord." Now he says to Hezekiah, "Do not let your God, on whom you rely, deceive you." He is likening Him to the false gods that he, the Assyrian, had destroyed. It was a direct "reproach" against the "living God." The Assyrian king was blocked in his plan and wounded in his pride. The rage that filled him now shows itself in its true character. It is the God of Israel whom he opposes.

And so the whole trial is cast into the bosom of the Lord. Isaiah gives the answer now, just as he did before. "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, 'Your prayer to me about Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard.'" Trust in the Lord is never in vain. It is impossible to trust Him too much.

When the king heard the wicked, unbelieving letter, he "went up to the house of the Lord and spread it before the Lord." Hezekiah's conduct during this fierce trial shows two points of immense value to the tried soul. "Do not answer him," and "spread it before the Lord." Silence and prayer. When Satan throws out a flood of unbelieving questions, do not answer him, but spread it all out before the Lord. Nothing can sustain the soul at such a time except complete dependence on God. As Rabshakeh spoke of the surrounding nations, so Satan points to this one and that; they once claimed to be the servants of God, and where are they now? And you are no better, he says.

Suppose we took everything that happens to us at once into the presence of God and spread it out before Him. What blessing there would then be in the lives of all God's people! What wonderful evidences of His power and His love we might have!

Hezekiah puts the matter entirely into the Lord's hands, and steps out of it himself. He does not try to make the difficulty look small — he admits that "the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations and their lands" — but why? Because their gods were not like the Lord. They did not know what it is to put their case into the hands of the living God who made heaven and earth. That was the secret of their overthrow.

Their origin lay in the craftsman's imagination, and their shape came from the workman's skill. "Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands" — worthless objects, apart from the value of the metal they were made of. The work of human hands: what could they do for man? How could a dying creature make a living God to save him? What need has a man of a God he can manufacture himself? Man could mould the metal into human form, shape it after the noblest of God's creatures on earth — but where was the life, where the will, where the power?

Now he says to Hezekiah, "Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you" (v. 10), likening Him to the false gods that he, the Assyrian, had destroyed. It was a direct "reproach" against the "living God." The Assyrian king was blocked in his plan and wounded in his pride. The rage that filled him now shows itself in its true character. It is the God of Israel whom he opposes.

Then Hezekiah prayed. He did not begin by pleading for help. Instead, he beautifully gives God His place of absolute pre-eminence and dignity: "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" (v. 15). Does this not remind us of the Lord Jesus' instructions on how to pray? — "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name." "Father" speaks of God's primacy. "In heaven" speaks of His supremacy. "Hallowed be your name" speaks of His dignity, set apart from all others.

He admits that the king of Assyria had conquered other nations and lands. That king burned their gods in the fire, since they were only idols of wood and stone (vv. 17-18). But Hezekiah was appealing to the only true God to save Jerusalem from this arrogant king. He did not limit his reason to Jerusalem's need for deliverance. Rather, he wanted all the kingdoms of the earth to know that God is the LORD, and He alone.

Hezekiah goes up to the house of the Lord a second time. It is no longer a matter of humbling himself, as the first time, but of a direct attack on the name of the Lord whom Hezekiah honours. God must take account of this letter. The king places God's cause into God's own hands, but he knows that to honour His name the Lord will save His humbled people. "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" (v. 19).

Then Hezekiah prayed. In his prayer he did not first plead for help. Instead he gives God His place of absolute pre-eminence and dignity: "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" (v.15). Does this not remind us of what the Lord Jesus taught about how to pray? — "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name." "Father" speaks of God's primacy. "In heaven" speaks of His supremacy. "Hallowed be your name" speaks of His dignity as apart from all others.

Hezekiah goes up to the house of the Lord a second time. This time it is not about humbling himself, as the first visit was. This time the name of the Lord whom Hezekiah honours is under direct attack. God must take account of this letter. The king places God's cause into God's own hands. But he knows that the Lord will save His humbled people, to honour His own name.

He did not limit the reason for this to Jerusalem's need for deliverance. Rather, he wanted all the kingdoms of the earth to know that God is the LORD, and He alone. Is it possible that God could ignore a plea like this? Certainly not!

Hezekiah puts the whole matter into the Lord's hands and steps out of it himself. He does not try to make the difficulty look small. He admits that "the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands." But why did those nations fall? Because their gods were not like the Lord. They never knew what it was to put their case into the hands of the living God who made heaven and earth. This was the secret of their overthrow. What triumphant faith! What bold, confident pleading!

The Lord will never refuse to come into a difficulty, if only we let Him act and do not rob Him of His own glory... Others have noticed that grace enabled Hezekiah to step out of the difficulty altogether. He covered himself with sackcloth instead of putting on his armour. That very act declared that he could not cope with the king of Assyria. His posture in the house of the Lord said this — God or nothing.

If Hezekiah carries his God's interests on his heart when the enemy attacks, the Lord answers him. He will not let the world insult "the virgin daughter of Zion," since she is the bride of the Great King... So God defends the character and honour of His beloved ones, guilty but humbled, when they defend His own honour and character.

Again Hezekiah goes with it straight to the LORD. He read it and went up into the house of the LORD and spread it before the LORD. Think what blessing there would be in the lives of all God's people! Think what wonderful evidence of His power and His love we might have — if we took everything that happened to us straight into the presence of God and spread it out before Him!

We do not read on this occasion that Hezekiah sent to Isaiah for help. But God at once sent word by Isaiah to assure Hezekiah that his prayer was heard (v.20). He added much more to encourage and strengthen the faith of the godly king.

Hezekiah did spread Sennacherib's letter before the Lord, but instead of an instant answer, the reply is sent to him by Isaiah (2 Kings 19:20).

In such dependence Hezekiah begged the Lord to listen closely to the words of Sennacherib. By those words Sennacherib was reproaching the living God Himself (v.16)... but Hezekiah was appealing to the only true God to save Jerusalem from this haughty king. He did not confine the reason for this to Jerusalem's need for deliverance. Instead, he wanted all the kingdoms of the earth to know that God is the Lord, and He alone. Is it possible that God could ignore a plea such as this? Certainly not!

And so the whole trial is placed in the hands of the Lord. Isaiah gives the answer, as before, so now. "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Your prayer to me about Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard." Trust in the Lord is never in vain. It is impossible to trust Him too much.

The Lord will never refuse to be brought into a difficulty, if only He is allowed to act, and is not robbed of His own glory... It has been observed that Hezekiah was enabled, by grace, to withdraw from the difficulty altogether. He declared his inability to cope with the king of Assyria by the very act of covering himself with sackcloth instead of putting on his armour... The faith of this humble, self-abased man had brought the Lord God of Israel and the king of Assyria face to face. So that same Lord God of Israel graciously led the man covered with sackcloth into the rich spoils of victory over his enemy. Hezekiah had said, "He has sent to reproach the living God"; the Lord replies, "Whom have you reproached? — the Holy One of Israel."

Such was the decree of God, for even in the case of enemies God is just as firm, and governs just as thoroughly, as He does among His friends. It is not man who governs in any case, but God... It is not a question of which party has the most strength or the most wisdom. It is never so in the world, for God acts according to His own sovereignty... The very fact that the Assyrian came full of his proud confidence was what drew out the arm of the Lord in defence of His despised city.

And what a beautiful answer to Hezekiah's prayer, sent through the prophet! The Lord had heard, He had seen. He knew everything that had happened and every word that had been spoken. The message ends with the reassuring word, "I will defend this city, to save it, for My own sake, and for My servant David's sake."

The Lord will never refuse to be brought into a difficulty, if only we let Him act and do not rob Him of His own glory… Others have noted that grace enabled Hezekiah to step out of the difficulty altogether. He covered himself with sackcloth instead of putting on his armour. That very act declared that he could not cope with the king of Assyria. His attitude in the house of the Lord said this — God or nothing. The faith of this humble, self-abased man had brought the Lord God of Israel and the king of Assyria into direct contact. So that same Lord God of Israel graciously led the man in sackcloth into the rich spoils of victory over the enemy.

"The virgin, the daughter of Zion." Was there no fear then? Was there no anguish of heart? How could this be said truthfully? Because God speaks according to His own thoughts. God looks at Zion as something the Assyrian's foot had never defiled. She was a virgin daughter of Zion, and God never meant that the Assyrian should walk there. He had allowed him to ravage elsewhere. But Zion, however unfaithful Zion might be, was not set aside for the hand of the Assyrian. Zion might even fall in war, but the Assyrian himself must fall.

The Assyrian came full of proud confidence, and that very fact drew out the arm of Jehovah in defence of His despised city. But when He speaks through the prophet, because the Assyrian despised Zion, it is Zion that despises the Assyrian.

If Hezekiah carries the interests of his God on his heart when it comes to the enemy, Jehovah answers him. He will not let the world reproach "the virgin-daughter of Zion," because she is the bride of the Great King… So God defends the character and honour of His beloved ones, guilty but humbled, when they defend His own honour and character.

Verse 21 uses strong words indeed… We are not meant to copy them in the way we deal with enemies of the truth today. But this is God's Word about what was a righteous response at that time to a man who was a wicked enemy of God. For God questions Sennacherib, "Whom have you mocked and reviled? Against whom have you raised your voice and lifted your eyes to the heights?" The answer is most solemn — "Against the Holy One of Israel."

We may see in Sennacherib a sample of "the wilful king"… Hezekiah too, covered with sackcloth, may be seen as a sample of the righteous remnant in the last days. They cry for deliverance from the hand of the mighty oppressor. Then the Lord shall "bring them into the wilderness and speak tenderly to them," and "the virgin, the daughter of Zion, shall shake her head at him who made the earth to tremble and shook the kingdoms."

God questions Sennacherib: "Whom have you mocked and reviled? Against whom have you raised your voice and lifted your eyes to the heights?" The answer is most solemn — "Against the Holy One of Israel" (v.22). Through his messengers Sennacherib reproached the Lord. He told Him in effect that Assyria had enough chariots to leave God helpless against him.

The name "Holy One of Israel" means that the God of Israel is completely separate from all evil. His eyes are too pure to look at evil. The seraphim say the same thing when they cry out in front of His throne: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts."

In the Old Testament God is spoken of as "The Holy One of Israel" only about 37 times. Just 30 of these occur in Isaiah, so it is the characteristic title of God in his book.

The Assyrian in his foolishness had lifted up his eyes against the Holy One of Israel. He had been the rod of the wrath of God. God had given him this power long before. But he had become proud of his success, and he had not feared to lift himself up against God. He had said: "I have come up… I will cut down… and I will enter… I have dug… I have dried up…" Yet it was the Lord who had decreed the ruin of the nations and of His people by this means.

God uses the pride and wickedness of the wicked to chastise His people. Afterwards He destroys the instrument. The Assyrian, God's rod to strike Israel, glorifies himself against God, who breaks the rod.

As others have observed, grace enabled Hezekiah to step out of the difficulty altogether. He showed he could not cope with the king of Assyria. He did it by covering himself with sackcloth instead of putting on his armour. His posture in the house of the Lord said this — God or nothing. The faith of this humble, self-abased man had brought the Lord God of Israel and the king of Assyria into direct contact. So that same Lord God of Israel graciously led the man in sackcloth into the rich spoils of victory over the enemy. Hezekiah had said, "He has sent to reproach the living God"; the Lord replies, "Whom have you reproached? — the Holy One of Israel."

"That night the angel of Jehovah went out and struck down a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the camp of the Assyrians. When they got up early in the morning, they were all dead bodies." As a result the king retreats in dismay. He returns and lives in Nineveh. But as Jehovah had sent a blast upon him in Palestine, so now he must fall in his own land… So every word of Jehovah came true.

If it is so with Jerusalem, how much more so with the Assembly, the Bride of Christ. She is a weak remnant among ruins, lacking the power to bring to birth. She is brought so low that the enemy can say, "Do not let your God, in whom you trust, deceive you." Yet she is precious to Christ, who will make her sit with Him on His throne.

Through his messengers Sennacherib reproached the Lord. He told Him, in effect, that Assyria had enough chariots to make God helpless against him. Sennacherib's proud boasting continues through verse 24. He said he would cut down the tall cedars of Lebanon and its cypress trees, leaving the whole country defenceless against his power.

He had said: "I have come up … I will cut down … and I will enter … I have dug … I have dried up …" (verses 23–24). Yet it was the Lord who had decreed the ruin of the nations and of His people by this means (verses 25–26).

The 'forest of his CARMEL' in 2 Kings 19:23 and Isaiah 37:24 reads, in the margin and in the Revised Version, 'forest of his fruitful field.' It does not refer to any forest connected with Carmel.

In Scripture the cedar always stands for power or high position, if not pride. When the king of Israel would pour contempt upon the king of Judah, he compared himself to a cedar and Judah's king to a thistle (2 Kings 14:9). The Psalmist uses it to express the prosperity of the righteous, "He shall grow as the cedar in Lebanon" (Psalm 92:12). When judgment comes upon the great of the earth, the prophet Isaiah says it is the day of Jehovah upon the cedars of Lebanon (2:13).

How withering indeed if only the king of Assyria had paid attention to it! Had he not heard long ago that God had made the forests of Lebanon and the waters the king boasted of drying up? It was the God who made these things who had given Sennacherib his power to crush fortified cities into heaps of ruins. … Though these nations gave way to Assyria, Assyria would yet give way and perish like the grass. How useless her boasting was then!

He did not understand that he was only the rod of God's anger, used to carry out God's judgment on His rebellious and idolatrous people. So the Lord said to him, "Shall the axe boast over him who hews with it… as if a rod should wield him who lifts it?" This proud boasting of the Assyrian only brought God's judgment down on them.

The total fall of the haughty Assyrian's kingdom followed a few years after. God is able to bring down those who walk in pride. How blessed to hear His voice and know His love! Real as that fall was, it was no more than a shadow of the great chief of the eastern nations in the last days. In the same way, Judah's rescue and blessing under the son of David of that day was only the witness of a brighter age and a more lasting glory. Then Jehovah will lift up the one who was low and bring down the high one.

He had been the rod of God's wrath. God had given him this power long before. But he had become proud of his success, and he was not afraid to lift himself up against God. He said: "I have come up … I will cut down … and I will enter … I have dug … I have dried up …" (vv. 23-24). Yet it was the Lord who had decreed the ruin of the nations and of His people by this means (vv. 25-26).

God's answer to him comes in verses 25-28. How withering indeed if only the king of Assyria had paid attention to it! Had he not heard long ago that God had made the forests of Lebanon and the waters the king boasted of drying up? It was the God who made these things who had given power to Sennacherib to crush fortified cities into heaps of ruins. … Though these nations gave way to Assyria, Assyria would yet give way and perish like the grass. How futile was her boasting then!

The Assyrian thought he was only doing his own will in punishing Samaria and Jerusalem. He said, "By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom, for I am prudent … I have removed the boundaries of the people, and have robbed their treasures" (Isa. 10:13). He did not understand that he was only the rod of God's anger, used to carry out God's judgment on His rebellious and idolatrous people. So the Lord said to him, "Shall the axe boast itself against Him that hews with it … as if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up" (verses 5, 15). This proud boasting of the Assyrian only brought God's judgment upon them (verse 12).

God knew Assyria's dwelling place and all her activities, including her rage against God Himself (v. 27). If she had kept her hostility to the nations she conquered, she might not have fallen so soon. But she added blasphemy against the God who had exalted her. So God would put His hook in her nose and His bridle in her lips and turn her back the way she had come (v. 28). So God may use one nation to punish another. But when that nation is then puffed up with pride, God knows how to bring it down to a humiliating level.

The history in the earlier chapters is only a testimony to the total destruction that awaits the final Assyrian. His armies will fall with him, in the latter day and upon the mountains of Israel. This will be all the more striking because God will first let him capture Jerusalem. He will kill some of the men and treat some of their women with contempt. Jerusalem must pay the penalty of its sins.

God gives His answer in verses 25-28. How crushing it would have been, if only the king of Assyria had paid attention to it! Had he not heard long ago that God had made the forests of Lebanon and the waters the king boasted of drying up? The God who made these things is the One who had given Sennacherib power to crush fortified cities into heaps of ruins.

God does not shape His thoughts to fit circumstances as they come up. His thoughts and plans control the circumstances. What a blessing to know that He is Master of all things! Even "the wrath of man praises Him, and the rest of that wrath He holds back." Nothing else can give the smallest comfort while we live in such a scene of confusion as the one around us.

God sent the Assyrian to discipline His people because of their sins. The Assyrian had no idea what God was doing. His heart was full of pride, and he was set on destroying and conquering nations. He never realised that he was only God's instrument, carrying out God's will against those nations because of their evil deeds.

The great king of Assyria could insult as much as he liked, by his own mouth or by his servants. Still he had to learn that God knew all about him, and had made him only the instrument of God's own dealings with the nations. Once that work was done, he had to go back humbled and struck down, because he had gone beyond his orders. Would God approve his rage against Himself?

It is not man that governs in any case, but God. God is sovereign, and so He acts according to His own will. It is not a question of the party that has the most strength or the most wisdom. It is never so in the world, for God acts according to His own sovereignty. Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome did not gain world empire because they were stronger than others.

So God may use one nation to punish another. But when that nation then swells with pride, God knows how to bring it down to a humiliating level.

The record gives much of Hezekiah's life, because in his reign Sennacherib's attack on Jerusalem was a picture of a still greater rescue from a future king of Assyria. God controls the evil and the passions of men so completely that He makes them serve His purpose. Through them He gives a hint of what He will yet do for His own glory.

The Assyrian, the great king, might insult God, whether himself or through his servants. Even so, he had to learn that God knew all about him. God was making him only the instrument of His own dealing with the nations. When that work was done, he had to go back humbled and struck down, because he had gone beyond what God sent him to do. Would God approve his rage against Himself?

The Midianites did not know that it was Jehovah who had delivered Israel into their hands. In reality they were only the rod that it pleased Him to use to punish His people. As with the Assyrian (Isa. 10): "Ah, Assyria, the rod of my anger; the staff in their hands is my fury," and so on. When He has finished with His rod, He can break it or burn it.

Isaiah uses the same illustration of grass on the housetops to show God's judgment on His enemies. He says, "They were like plants of the field and like tender grass, like grass on the housetops, blighted before it is grown." It is a figure to show the effect of judgment on the haters of Zion. Under the wrath of God, it would soon be clear that they were cut off from the sources of nourishment and life. So they would wither away like grass that has no depth of soil. There would be no fruit, then, for God or man — nothing for the mower or for the binder of the sheaves.

Hezekiah did all he could to defend the city. He cut off the water, built walls, raised towers, made darts and shields, and appointed captains. Then he spoke his comforting message. "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or dismayed before the king of Assyria and all the horde that is with him, for there are more with us than with him. With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God, to help us and to fight our battles." No wonder the people rested on the words of Hezekiah. They are good and helpful words to rest on in faith in all our warfare down here.

The total fall of the haughty Assyrian's kingdom followed a few years later. Those who walk in pride God is able to humble. How blessed to hear His voice and know His love! Real as it was, however, it was no more than a shadow of the great chief of the eastern nations in the latter day.

The Assyrian in his foolishness had lifted up his eyes against the Holy One of Israel. He had been the rod of God's anger. God had given him this power long before. But he had grown proud of his success, and he was not afraid to lift himself up against God. He had said: "I have come up … I will cut down … and I will enter … I have dug … I have dried up …" But it was the Lord who had decreed the ruin of the nations and of His people by this means.

He could insult all he liked, himself or through his servants. Still, the great king of Assyria had to learn that God knew all about him. God had made him only the instrument of His own dealings with the nations. That work done, he must go back humbled and struck down, for he had gone beyond his commission. Would God approve his rage against Himself?

God knew Assyria's dwelling place and all her activities, including her rage against God Himself (v. 27). If she had confined her hostility to the nations she conquered, she might not have fallen so soon. But she added blasphemy against the God who had exalted her. So God would put His hook in her nose and His bridle in her lips, and turn her back by the way she had come (v. 28). God may use one nation to punish another. But when that nation is then puffed up with pride, God knows how to bring it down to a humiliating level.

But it was not only Eliakim and Shebna and Joah who heard; it was the Lord. Rabshakeh never imagined that the Lord God was listening. He never imagined that the Lord God would answer so soon. But now he had dared to use that name for deliberate blasphemy. He had defied the authority of the Lord where it was known. He had defied God!

How much fury against God's people they show! What boasting about former victories they make! What blasphemy and railing against God they are permitted to utter!… Their rage was ungoverned. Their fury seemed unbridled. Yet God still kept control, and in His own time reined them in.

The invader's letter, with all its boastings, all its threats, all its scoffs, all its revilings, is laid down quietly before the Lord. It has reached the right address. The Lord declares about its writer: "I know your sitting down and your going out and coming in, and your raging against me."

So Hezekiah is a picture of the true Immanuel, the One before whom the Assyrian, the destroyer of Israel, will fall. This is a very important history, as it foreshadows the events of the last days.

The great king of Assyria could insult all he liked, whether by himself or by his servants. He still had to learn that God knew all about him, and was making him only the instrument of His own dealings with the nations. That work done, he had to go back humbled and struck down, for he had gone beyond his commission. Would God approve his rage against Himself?

God used Assyria as the rod of His anger to discipline Israel (Isaiah 10:5-6) and other nations. But Assyria was only the instrument in God's hand for carrying out His judgments. He did not understand this, so he boasted as though his military campaigns had succeeded by his own power.

God's answer is: "…I will put My hook in your nose, and My bridle in your lips, and I will turn you back by the way you came" (Isaiah 37:29). Compare these words with God's words to Gog in Ezekiel 38:4: "I will turn you back, and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you forth."

What fury against God's people they show! What blasphemy against God they are allowed to utter!… Ungoverned as their rage was, and unbridled as their fury seemed, God still kept control, and in His own time reined them in.

If Hezekiah keeps the interests of his God on his heart when the enemy threatens, the Lord answers him. He will not allow the world to insult "the virgin-daughter of Zion," since she is the bride of the Great King… So God defends the character and honour of His beloved ones, guilty but humbled, when they defend His own honour and character.

So the king retreats in dismay and returns to live in Nineveh. But as the Lord had struck him in Palestine, so now he must fall in his own land. "As he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons struck him with the sword." So every word of the Lord was carried out.

The mightiest man is only a reed in the hands of the Almighty. Saul must prophesy; he is no stronger than his servants, though his evil heart still held its purpose against David. But God put a hook in his nose and turned him in a way he would not go, as He did with the Assyrian in a later day (see 2 Kings 19:28).

The past Assyrian returned to his own land, and there was killed by his sons… A future Assyrian, after partial success, is to come up a second time, and there and then be overwhelmed.

Hezekiah had already received the sign of the enemy's final overthrow (2 Kings 19:29-31) without asking for it. God had kept this remnant alive with no human help, and from it He would form the new Israel. Here Hezekiah learns by what means this remnant would be saved.

They would continue in the land to eat that year "such as grows of itself," a volunteer crop. Clearly they had not been able to sow any crop, so they could not count on a harvest. But God would provide what they needed. The same would be true in the second year, most likely because conditions were still unsettled. But in the third year they were to sow and reap, to plant vineyards and eat of their fruit (v.29). So for three years Jerusalem had the assurance of safety from the enemy's attacks.

In the first year they would eat what grew from the fallen grain. It was a poor harvest, but it would keep them from dying of hunger. As prophecy, it is the story of how the remnant at Jerusalem was preserved. In the second year the growth would be stronger. In the third year the harvest and the fruit of the vine would come... The Lord would establish the remnant of Judah again, and fill them with His blessings.

In glowing colours the Holy Spirit shows us this striking sign, shining in vividness and freshness against the dark background of the enemy's overwhelming devastation of the land... Here, again, we find resurrection pictured.

God tells them that their small remnant who have escaped the offence of Assyria would "take root downward and bear fruit upward" (v.30). A stable character of being properly rooted would result in fruit "upward", that is, fruit for God... "The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this." How good for Jerusalem to depend on Him!

If this is true of Jerusalem, how much more of the Assembly, the Bride of Christ. She is a weak remnant in the middle of ruins. She lacks the power to bring to birth, and she is brought so low that the enemy can say, "Let not your God, in whom you trust, deceive you." But she is precious to Christ. He will make her sit with Him on His throne, and will plant her forever in the courts of God like a tree covered with blossom and fruit.

The Lord then gives Hezekiah a sign of His deliverance: in the first year they would eat what grew from the fallen grain — a poor harvest, but enough to keep them from starving. Prophetically, this is the history of the preservation of the remnant at Jerusalem. In the second year there would be strength of growth; in the third year the harvest and the fruit of the vine would come. … The Lord would establish the remnant of Judah again and fill them with His blessings.

Continuing His prophecy of blessing to Judah, God tells them that their small remnant who have escaped the attack of Assyria would "take root downward and bear fruit upward" (v. 30). A settled, properly rooted condition would result in fruit "upward" — that is, fruit for God.

The remnant of Judah would not be so shut up in Jerusalem as to be prisoners there. It is not escaping from Mount Zion, but escaping from Sennacherib. "The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this." How good for Jerusalem to depend on Him!

Further, it comes to light in God's sovereignty, which preserves a remnant in days of darkness and failure, and while the enemies of the people of God are attacking them. Scripture records this in 2 Kings 19 and in Isaiah 37.

How well suited the language is here. In glowing colours the Holy Spirit shows us this striking sign, shining with freshness against the dark background of the enemy's devastation of the land… "And the surviving remnant of the house of Judah shall again take root downward and bear fruit upward … the zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this" (Isa. 37:30-32). Here, again, we find resurrection pictured.

Hezekiah, too, covered with sackcloth, may be viewed as a sample of the righteous remnant in the latter day, crying for deliverance from the hand of the mighty oppressor… Then indeed "the surviving remnant of the house of Judah shall again take root downward and bear fruit upward … the zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this."

If it is so with Jerusalem, how much more so with the Assembly, the Bride of Christ — a weak remnant among ruins, lacking the power to bring to birth, and so brought low that the enemy can say, "Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you." Yet she is precious to Christ, who will make her sit with Him on His throne, and will plant her forever in the courts of God like a tree loaded with blossom and fruit.

Continuing His prophecy of blessing to Judah, God tells them that their small remnant who have escaped the offence of Assyria would "take root downward and bear fruit upward" (v.30). A stable character of being properly rooted would result in fruit "upward", that is, fruit for God. "For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and out of Mount Zion they that escape" (v.31 — JND trans.). The remnant of Judah would not be so shut up in Jerusalem as to be prisoners there. It is not escaping from Mount Zion, but escaping from Sennacherib... How good for Jerusalem to depend on Him!

The remnant of Judah should be established anew by the Lord, and filled with His blessings.

The hour of freedom and victory for Israel has come, and it is the LORD who has done it all. But this is not like ordinary war. The noise of human fighting and bloodshed will end... Truly, "the zeal (or jealousy) of the LORD of hosts will perform this."

Bringing the whole earth under God's rule will be a huge task. But as our scripture says, "The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this." We can well rejoice that it will be so.

Therefore the Lord declared that the king of Assyria would not come into Jerusalem, nor even shoot an arrow there... Before he was able to get that far, God would intercept his progress, and make him return by the same way he came. For God would defend the city to save it. Why? For His own name's sake and for the sake of David, God's servant (vv.33-34).

Hezekiah carries his God's interests on his heart when the enemy is in question. So the LORD answers him that He will not let the world insult "the virgin daughter of Zion"; she is the bride of the Great King... So God defends the character and honour of His loved ones, guilty but humbled, when they defend His own honour and character.

Isaiah 36-39 tell the story of Sennacherib's invasion, its outcome, and the deadly sickness of Hezekiah, which came before it. This teaches the remnant how they should wait on the Lord. In substance, this deliverance is a picture of what will happen with the Assyrian in the last days.

Hezekiah too, covered with sackcloth, can be seen as a sample of the righteous remnant in the last days. They cry for rescue from the hand of the mighty oppressor.

If this is true of Jerusalem, how much more of the Church, the Bride of Christ. She is a weak remnant among ruins, without strength to give birth, and brought so low that the enemy can say, "Let not your God, on whom you rely, deceive you." Yet she is precious to Christ. He will make her sit with Him on His throne, and will plant her forever in the courts of God like a tree loaded with blossom and fruit.

The Assyrian would not enter the city, shoot arrows into it, or build a siege ramp against it. Yet the enemy army was surrounding it at that very moment. But God intervened because of His name, and because of David His servant, toward whom He would revoke neither His covenant nor His promises.

God looks at Zion as something the Assyrian's foot had never defiled. It was a virgin daughter of Zion, and God never meant that the Assyrian should walk there. He had allowed him to ravage elsewhere, but Zion — however unfaithful Zion might be — Zion was not reserved for the hand of the Assyrian. Zion might even fall in wars, but the Assyrian himself must fall. This was God's decree. Even with His enemies God is just as absolute, and governs just as fully, as He does among His friends. It is not man that governs in any case, but God.

The Assyrian himself did not realise this. He "does not intend it so." He meant to ravage Jerusalem as well as Samaria, doing to them what he had already done to many of the surrounding peoples. As we know from the historical Scriptures, though he distressed and threatened Jerusalem, he did not take it. He was only like an axe or a rod in the hand of the Lord, and could not dictate to the One who wielded him.

Sennacherib's army, remember, was not destroyed at Jerusalem. 2 Kings 19:32-33 plainly shows this. He was not to come into the city. He was not even to lay siege to it... By the way that he came, by that same way he should return. Now that way had clearly been along the low country, the great highway between Syria and Egypt... Then in one night, at a place not named, his army was cut down by a sudden plague, for 185,000 were destroyed by angelic power.

So every word of Jehovah was accomplished.

In Hezekiah's time God told them, "in quietness and in trust shall be your strength." The Assyrian would not even build a siege ramp before Jerusalem. They were to stay perfectly calm and firm; and the army of Assyria was destroyed. But when a certain time of judgment had come, in Jeremiah's time, then the man who went out of the city to the Chaldeans, their enemies, would save himself.

At the time of the end God will again limit the scourging power of the king of the North, the Assyrian, against Jerusalem... Like Sennacherib, he is permitted to bring his armies to the very gates of the Holy City, but it appears that at that time he is not allowed to capture the city.

This will be the more striking because he will first be allowed to capture Jerusalem... Jerusalem must pay the penalty of its sins. The Assyrian, the king of the north in the book of Daniel, will then withdraw southwards for other ambitions. He will come up again, and by then Jehovah will have owned His people Israel. He will be put down and destroyed for ever.

The Assyrian should not enter the city, nor shoot arrows into it, nor cast a bank against it; and yet the enemy army was surrounding it at that very moment. But God intervened because of His name, and because of David His servant, toward whom He would revoke neither His covenant nor His promises.

So the Lord declared that the king of Assyria would not come into Jerusalem, nor even shoot an arrow there. In fact, he would not come against it with a protecting shield nor build a siege mound against it (v.32). Before he was able to get that far, God would intercept his progress, and make him return by the same way he came.

He might insult God, in person or through his servants, but the great king of Assyria had to learn that God knew all about him. God was making him only the instrument of His own dealing with the nations. Once that work was done, he had to go back humbled and struck down, for he had gone beyond his orders... "But I know your sitting down, and your going out, and your coming in, and your raging against me. Your raging against me and your arrogance have come up into my ears. So I will put my ring in your nose, and my bridle in your lips, and I will make you go back by the way by which you came."

Could the overthrow of Sennacherib have been the fulfilment of Psalm 76? In a measure it may be viewed as foreshadowing it. In measure only we can say, for Sennacherib's army, let us remember, was not destroyed at Jerusalem. 2 Kings 19:32-33 plainly shows this. He was not to come into the city. He was not even to lay siege to it. By the way that he came, by that same he was to return, and that way had clearly run along the low country, the great highway between Syria and Egypt... Then in one night, at a place not mentioned, his army was more than decimated by a sudden plague, for 185,000 were cut off by angelic action... His soldiers fell we know not where, while Asaph, who wrote the psalm, foretells a victory shown at Jerusalem, for there God broke the arrows of the bow, the shield, the sword, and the battle.

Some apply the siege Isaiah describes to Sennacherib, who was only a foreshadowing of the enemy to come. They cannot get past Isaiah's own prediction — which came true — that Sennacherib would not come into the city of Jerusalem, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with a shield, nor cast a bank against it... In fact this siege is the one at the close of this age. Then the great alliance of the north-eastern nations will be broken, after an earlier success against the Jews.

The path of faith does not always look the same. In Hezekiah's time the people were told, "In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength," and the Assyrian should not even cast a bank before Jerusalem. They were to stay perfectly calm and firm; and Assyria's army was destroyed. But the time for judgment came in Jeremiah's day. Then the man who went out of the city to the Chaldeans, their enemies, would save himself.

The Assyrian would not enter the city, shoot arrows into it, or build a siege mound against it. Yet at that very moment the enemy army was surrounding it. But God stepped in because of His name, and because of David His servant. He would take back neither His covenant nor His promises (vv. 32-34).

It is in us God shows what He is. You say you are the most feeble and miserable. Yet it is you God would choose, if He wanted to show the immense riches of His grace. He cannot stop in this goodness. It is not humility to limit His goodness by saying we are too little and unworthy. He forgives for the sake of His own name. He restores and leads for His own name's sake. He begins, continues, and finishes up to heaven itself, and always for the sake of His name.

They with their fathers have failed, but God had made promises to David. Where they could not speak of themselves, they could tell of the promises. David had died, but the promises held good: his children had failed, but God's words could not.

The Lord remembered the house of David and his covenant, and because of that covenant the deserved judgment was held back.

Hezekiah goes up to the house of the Lord a second time. This time it is not a question of humbling himself, as it was the first time. It is a direct attack on the name of the Lord whom Hezekiah honours. God must take account of this letter. The king places God's cause into God's own hands. But he knows that the Lord will save His humbled people, to honour His name. "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."

"And that night the angel of the Lord went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. And when people arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies." The result was that the king retreats in dismay. He returns and lives in Nineveh. But as the Lord had sent a blast on him in Palestine, so now he must fall in his own land… So every word of the Lord came true.

Real as it was, it was no more than a shadow of the great ruler of the eastern nations in a day still to come. In the same way, Judah's deliverance and blessing under the son of David of that day only pointed to a brighter time and a more lasting glory. Then the Lord will lift up the one who was low and bring down the high one.

God is wonderfully patient with the cruelty and arrogance of His enemies. That does not mean He is indifferent, as many would like to think. He gives time for repentance. But when it is clear that men will not change, sudden and awesome judgment falls from a righteous God. Hezekiah had trusted God, and though the answer seemed slow in coming, it did come in God's time. In one night the angel of the Lord killed 185,000 men in the camp of Assyria! What a shock to those who remained!

How foolish the great men of this world can be! They boast in their own achievements and challenge the Almighty God without a thought… One angel from the Lord was enough to destroy the best of Assyria's army. One angel was enough to send Sennacherib back to his own land, to meet the judgment God had reserved for him, just as Isaiah the prophet had said.

Sennacherib had never counted on meeting such an opponent. He had never thought that his letter would be read by the eye of the living God. He expected to meet flesh and blood, sword and spear, as he had always been used to meeting. But look — a man of faith prays, God hears, and out goes the angel of the Lord, and in a moment mows down 185,000 men… So we see something of Hezekiah's vast resources. He knew the value of being alone with God. He felt more comfort and real power in the secret of God's presence than when surrounded by troops of armed warriors. He knew something of the reality of the words the Apostle later wrote: "When I am weak, then I am strong." And we may say this: if Sennacherib's army had been millions instead of thousands, the angel of the Lord would have thought just as little of sweeping them all off the face of the earth in a moment. When the Lord decides to act for His people, in answer to their prayers, He takes no account of anything or anyone.

The Old Testament speaks of the morning many times. Look at those verses, and you cannot miss how much they matter for us today. The night of Egypt's slavery ended "when the morning appeared" (Exodus 14:27). The power of the idol Dagon lay completely overthrown in the "morning" (1 Samuel 5:4). The Assyrian army lay completely defeated "in the morning" (2 Kings 19:35). How wonderfully the Lord Jesus speaks in John chapter 16 about the joy His own would have on that resurrection morning! Their sorrow would become joy. So the joy of victory "comes in the morning."

Perhaps Sennacherib realised that Hezekiah's God was greater than he himself was. He left Jerusalem with the rest of his army and returned to Nineveh. But there he did not turn to the true God, as his experience told him he ought to. Instead, while he was worshipping in the temple of Nisroch, his false god, two of his own sons killed him. They escaped to the land of Ararat. Nisroch was no protector of his deluded worshipper. But the living God was behind this judgment on Sennacherib. Though the wheels of God's government grind slowly, their results are absolutely certain.

That night the judgment stroke fell. The whole Assyrian army of 185,000 men was struck down by the angel of the LORD. As prophecy, it stands for the end of the Assyrian. He will enter Israel's land during the great tribulation, and he will perish like Sennacherib's army.

The result was that the king retreats in dismay. He returns and lives in Nineveh. But as Jehovah had sent a blast upon him in Palestine, so now he must fall in his own land… So every word Jehovah spoke came true.

He would win a glorious victory over the foe, but he would do so without leaving his sweet retreat in the sanctuary. He would make the temple his council chamber and make his military plans on his knees. So he conquered — so he won a silent victory. The king of Judah was on his knees. At the same time God was bringing the king of Assyria back to his own land with a hook in his nose and a bridle in his lips, like a wild beast. This is a striking example of what pride always leads to.

If she had limited her hostility to the nations she conquered, she might not have fallen so soon. But she added her blasphemy against the God who had raised her up. So God would put His hook in her nose and His bridle in her lips, and turn her back by the way she had come (v.28). God may use one nation to punish another. But when that nation is then puffed up with pride, God knows how to bring it down to a humiliating level.

The Assyrian was not to enter the city, shoot arrows into it, or build a siege ramp against it. Yet the enemy army was surrounding it at that very moment. But God stepped in for the sake of His name, and for the sake of David His servant. He would not take back His covenant or His promises to David (vv. 32-34).

Perhaps Sennacherib realised that Hezekiah's God was greater than he was. He left Jerusalem with the rest of his army and returned to Nineveh. But there he did not turn to the true God, as his experience told him he ought to.

As far as we know, no record of this has turned up among the dug-up remains of Assyrian libraries and monuments. And no wonder! These ancient kings wanted the public to forget their defeats and humiliations, just as men do today.

Scripture tells Hezekiah's life at length for a reason. In his reign, Sennacherib's attack on Jerusalem was a foreshadowing of a still greater deliverance from a future king of Assyria. God so controls the evil and the passions of men that they serve His purpose. He gives a hint of what He will yet do for His own glory.

This is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid of the words you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me. Behold, I will put a spirit in him, so that he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land, and I will make him fall by the sword in his own land. The king of Assyria little realised what God had prepared for him, because in his pride he had dared to insult the Almighty.

The king retreats in dismay — he returns and lives in Nineveh — but as the Lord had sent destruction on him in Palestine, so now he must fall in his own land... So every word of the Lord came true.

He might naturally have hoped for security at least in the temple of his god. But no. He did not know what it was to cover himself with sackcloth in the presence of Him who dwells between the cherubim. So this was the treatment he received at the shrine of the god he worshipped... Such will be the end of all those who exalt themselves against the Lord and His people.

His sons strike him with the sword as he bows down in the house of Nisroch his god. He had said to Hezekiah: The Lord will not deliver you; and now his god Nisroch was unable to deliver him while he was worshipping before him.

But there he did not turn to the true God, as his experience told him he should. Instead, two of his own sons killed him while he was worshipping in the temple of Nisroch, his idolatrous god. They escaped to the land of Ararat. Nisroch was no protector of his deluded worshipper. But the living God was behind this judgment on Sennacherib. Though the wheels of God's government grind slowly, their results are absolutely certain.

This name appears in the Authorised Version in 2 Kings 19:37 and Isaiah 37:38 as the place to which two sons of Sennacherib fled after killing their father; but in both passages the Hebrew word is Ararat... Armenia lies west of the Caspian Sea.

Sennacherib lived after that in Nineveh. There his own sons murdered him. An Assyrian cylinder in the British Museum contains a record of this deed.

The total fall of the haughty Assyrian's kingdom followed a few years later. Those who walk in pride God is able to humble... Real as it was, however, it was no more than a shadow of the great chief of the eastern nations in the latter day.