And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. (Revelation 8:4).
The study this week is the prayer of King Hezekiah. His dedication to God was greater than any other king in Judah according to the scriptures. Immediately prior to events in this lesson, the northern kingdom of Israel had been conquered and destroyed by the Assyrian army, whose commander was now sending threats to King Hezekiah.
Assyrians - a powerful empire known for ferocity and cruelty. They were reported to have tortured their enemies, flaying them alive, among other things, in order to terrify other nations. Their conquests included what is now Iraq, Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon. The mere mention of their approach was enough for most nations to concede defeat.
Rabshakeh - Some feel this is a person’s name; however, most feel this is a title of position and authority, as in a chief officer for the King of Assyria. Interestingly, this leader threatens the nation of Judah speaking in Hebrew. He threatens and mocks the God of Judah as well as the people and King Hezekiah himself.
Sennacherib - The King of Assyria. He was determined to conquer Jerusalem. He lived near Nineveh, the capital city of Assyria.
Hezekiah - He is the 13th King of Judah, following his father Ahaz. He undoes the evil of his father King Ahaz by restoring the temple, reinstituting the levitical priesthood, and offering sacrifices for the sins of the nation. He is also an educator, bringing revival to his countrymen. He gathers the remnant believers of the nation of Israel in order to keep the Passover. It is his heart for remaining confident in God and for standing up in the midst of the vile words of Rabshakeh against the one true God that we look to for an example.
Isaiah - The son of Amoz. He is a prophet who wrote the book of Isaiah and is a friend of King Hezekiah. The times of Hezekiah are also mentioned in the books of Jeremiah, Hosea, and Micah, but it is Isaiah who speaks to King Hezekiah about the invading Assyrians.
And Hezekiah received the letter of the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up into the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord, and said, O Lord God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth. Lord, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, Lord, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God.
Hezekiah hears of the approaching Assyrians when he receives a letter. When he received the bad news, he took it to the right place. He spreads it out before the Lord and acknowledges that the kingdom belongs to God and that he needs His power to defend it. When Hezekiah is told that the armies of the Assyrians are advancing to conquer Judah, he seeks wisdom from the prophet of God, Isaiah. The Assyrian letter is terrifying, but the word of God is trustworthy and sure. Hezekiah is wise enough to value God’s opinion overall. He knows that the nation of Judah is not strong enough to defend themselves from the Assyrians. His focus has been on the spiritual revival of his nation, but this threat seems to be very physical.
Be reminded that God has said in His word to “Seek ye first the kingdom of Heaven and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” Isaiah responds to Hezekiah, And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say to your master, Thus saith the Lord, Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me. Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and shall return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land. (2 Kings 19: 6-7).
Rabshakeh’s letter lays out his intention to overtake Judah to Hezekiah, but he stands outside Jerusalem’s gates and tells the people directly that if they unconditionally surrender to him, their lives may be spared. He tells them that their King is foolish to believe that God will rescue them, that they have defeated many nations who prayed to many gods. It is worth mentioning that the nation was prepared for this crisis before it arrived; they had turned their hearts toward God, and now the testing began. Sennacherib’s attack is personal and divisive and Hezekiah takes his cause directly to the temple and lays it before the Lord.
Of a truth, Lord, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands, And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them. Now therefore, O Lord our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the Lord God, even thou only.
It is true. This army is exceedingly cruel and has captured many nations. They have no regard for and brag about the other nation’s gods being unable to protect their people from their power. Hezekiah acknowledges that these other gods were truly no gods at all. He, like his ancestor David, positions their faith and allegiance to the one true God and calls upon Him to defend His people. “Though the others were not god, You O Lord, are the only God.”
Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, That which thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard. And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such things as grow of themselves, and in the second year that which springeth of the same; and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruits thereof. And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall yet again take root downward, and bear fruit upward. For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the Lord of hosts shall do this.
God heard the faith and diligence in Hezekiah’s request and answered him through the prophet. He tells King Hezekiah that He would defend himself against the Assyrians. God promised to save Judah for His own sake and for the promise that He had made to King David. He also gave King Hezekiah a sign - a way to prove to the victors that the battle was fought and won by God alone. Though they could not plant due to being surrounded and besieged, they would have plenty to eat. Not only would they eat for one year, God would see that there was food for them to gather the second year as well. By the third year they would be able to plant both to eat and grow again as a nation, without worry that they would starve before the harvest came in. God would provide. The army of Assyria never attacked the city, not one shot of an arrow glanced off the walls of Jerusalem. God sent an angel into the camp and 185,000 men died before they could attack, in the night. The remaining went home the same way they came in. The King of Assyria, Sennacherib was killed when he returned to his own house to worship his own gods, and his death was at the hands of his own sons.
Summary-
Prayer, whether spoken from the heart in times of joy, or poured out in great sadness, with trust in the power and reputation of God, or blinded by panic and fear, it is the wisest and most impactful thing that a Christian has the ability to tap into. Our conversations with God should never be underestimated or taken lightly. God hears every word. What a privilege that He wants to hear from us. People pray in many ways. Some read devotionals, some write out their petitions, some stand, some kneel, some raise hands and on and on. May we suggest that prayer is never posture of the body, or the sophistication of the words we use. It is the sincere and earnest posture of a faith-filled heart.
God is our father and like any good father, He desires to hear from His children. As any good child we should also expect to hear from our Father. Audibly? Maybe, maybe not - who are we to say how God may talk with His children? Our Father gave us His written word, and the purpose of it is to bring us close to the heart of God. To know how God thinks about issues, to glimpse His preferences, to perceive who He is and to comprehend the example set by the Son, read and obey the precepts contained in the pages of scripture. The whole of the Bible is about His Son Jesus. Can you see Him in the lesson today as the savior, protector, and advocate for King Hezekiah and all of Judah? Jesus sent us His Holy Spirit - to pray for us, when we are without the words, ability, or understanding. Heaven doesn’t get nervous, what is impossible for us, is already known and purposed for our good by the God of those who love and serve the Lord. He stores our prayers, and our tears, and considers them precious. They are like holy incense used in the temple to signify communion with the beauty, goodness, and faithfulness of God. Thank you Jesus!
Thank you for studying with us! God bless!