Thursday, December 26 – 2 Kings 18, 19

1. Reflect on Hezekiah’s reaction to the Assyrian king’s threat. (2 Kings 19:1-4)

2. Observe the extraordinary and miraculous way God destroyed the enemy in one night. (2 Kings 19:35-37)

3. Do you believe that the Lord has the same power today as He did in the past?

4. Draw your own conclusions by comparing the trial Hezekiah faced with the ones you encounter today.

Commentary and Reflection:

We have been studying the Assyrian invasion of Jerusalem and how God delivered the city by sending an angel who killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in a single night. Did you know there are historical records outside of the Bible that reference this event? Some suggest that a plague caused the massive loss, aligning with the biblical account of divine intervention.

You may recall that the Assyrian king’s Rabsaces mocked King Hezekiah, advising him not to trust in the king of Egypt. Eventually, the Egyptians confronted Sennacherib, forcing him to retreat to Nineveh, Assyria, where he was assassinated by two of his own sons.

Did you know that the Pharaoh of Egypt who came to aid Jerusalem was Tirhakah? The Bible mentions him (2 Kings 19:9). Interestingly, this Pharaoh was a Black man, not originally from Egypt. The text states he came from Ethiopia, but he was from Sudan.

2 Kings 19:21-34 records Isaiah’s inspired words in response to Sennacherib’s invasion, and these same words are recorded in Isaiah 37:22-35. The poetic and beautiful language conveyed a seemingly impossible but comforting message of security to Hezekiah and Judah.

I quote from Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary:

“All Sennacherib’s motions were under the Divine cognizance. God himself undertakes to defend the city; and that person, that place, cannot but be safe, which he undertakes to protect.

The invasion of the Assyrians probably had prevented the land from being sown that year. The next is supposed to have been the sabbatical year, but the Lord engaged that the produce of the land should be sufficient for their support during those two years. As the performance of this promise was to be after the destruction of Sennacherib’s army, it was a sign to Hezekiah’s faith, assuring him of that present deliverance, as an earnest of the Lord’s future care of the kingdom of Judah. This the Lord would perform, not for their righteousness, but his own glory.

May our hearts be as good ground, that his word may strike root therein, and bring forth fruit in our lives.” (Matthew Henry Concise Commentary, 2 Kings 19:20-34).

The story in 2 Kings 18 and 19 is a repetition of what is recorded by Isaiah and also appears in 2 Chronicles. Although these accounts were written by different authors, they were inspired by God to repeat and confirm the prophetic Word. How wonderful! What God does through His prophets is truly amazing!

Isaiah’s writings begin by focusing on the spiritual preparation he sought to instill before the Assyrian and later Babylonian invasions. In the second part of his book, Isaiah speaks of the glories of the New Jerusalem and the ultimate victory of God’s people returning from captivity.

But here is the incredible part! When the Jews returned from captivity, Isaiah had already passed away. How could he write about events that would occur a century after his death? He could because God revealed it to him. Isaiah either wrote it or dictated it to his assistants, who carefully preserved his words.

Keep this in mind: God uses His prophet, but what the prophet writes is not from the prophet—it is from God. And God ensures that His Word reaches its intended destination. Hallelujah!

I pray this reflection is a blessing to you!