Hezekiah calls on the Lord for help

When King Hezekiah heard the terms of the Assyrians, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and went to the Temple to pray. He sent his palace administrator, court secretary and leading priests to the prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz, to pray for those who were left.

The prophet relayed a message back to the King, that the Lord said for him to not be disturbed by the blasphemous speech against the Lord from the Assyrian king's messengers. The Lord would move against him and the king would receive a message he was needed at home. Then the Lord would have him return to his land where he would be killed with a sword.

King Sennacherib received word that the King of Ethiopia was leading an army to fight against him. Before leaving to meet the attack he sent a message to Hezekiah that Assyria had crushed everyone who stood in their way and he should not be any different. So Hezekiah read the letter and prayed very hard to the Lord to rescue them from the Assyrians.

Isaiah also sent a message to Hezekiah, that the Lord heard his prayer and spoke against him. In a very long prophecy (from verses 21 through 28), Isaiah tells that King Sennacherib had taken credit for his conquering of people and cities, and become arrogant against the Lord. So the Lord would soon put a hook in his nose and bridle in his mouth and make him return by the road on which he came.

Then Isaiah told Hezekiah that there would be proof the Lord would protect his city. This year he would eat only what grows up by itself and also the next year. But in the third year, Hezekiah would plant crops and harvest them and tend to vineyards and eat their fruit. And all who were left in Judah would take root again and flourish. A remnant of the Lord's people would spread out from Jerusalem, a group of survivors from Mount Zion. The passion of the Lord would make it happen!

Further, Isaiah said that the king of Assyria would not have his armies enter Jerusalem to shoot their arrows. They would not march outside the city, in fact, the king would return to his own country on the road by which he came. For the Lord would not let him enter the city, for the honor of the Lord and sake of his servant David.

That night, the angel of the Lord went out to the Assyrian camp and killed 185,000 Assyrian troops and the King broke camp and returned to his own land. He went to his capital of Nineveh and one day while worshiping at the temple of the god Nisroch,his sons killed him with their swords and another son, Esarhaddon became the next king of Assyria.

BIBLE NOTES SHOW: God was most angry with Sennacherib for his arrogance in believing his kingdom had grown because of his own efforts.
The Assyrians treated captives cruelly. They used them for entertainment, pulling strips of skin from them until they died. They put a hook through the nose of some slaves. God was saying that the Assyrians would be treated the way they had treated others.

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY? Is your faith just a little spark that needs to be fanned into a roaring blaze? Like King Hezekiah, even the smallest spark of faith of true believers can have that spark fanned into flames. God can restore our faith and rekindle a blazing fire of commitment to him, just as he did for Hezekiah. What an amazing story of hopelessness to having prayers answered!
Praise be to God!

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:
HEALTH:
My niece Suzanne who was in a terrible car accident and is in the hospital with many broken bones. Pray for her healing. Also Gabe, Wanda, Janice Long’s parents. especially her mother whose cancer has returned, and Arlene’s nephew David. Pray for my neighbor Al who is nearing the end of his life. Pray for Carolyn’s brother Ronald who has cancer. Pray for our friend Michelle who was diagnosed with MS. Pray for Cyndi Sullivan who was given 14 months to live with cancer, but has made it six years. The pain has returned and she needs our prayers.
UPDATE on Barb who went in for back surgery and had a heart attack and stroke, she has 90 percent of her speech back and is home , but continues to have a problem with one arm and hand. She will require long therapy and insurance may soon be a problem since her job was not held for her.
Pray for Robert Sargent with lung cancer and Marthaline Sargent with serious health issues..
Pray for Carolyn’s friend Margaret and her husband who were in a car accident. As elderly drivers they may face a life change which may cost them their independence. Let’s all raise our voices to God to hear our prayers.
Pray for the speedy recovery of Sandy in Minnesota who underwent successful brain surgery for a tumor recently.
SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary
RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John
LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter, Brian
SUPPORT: Haiti, Chile, survivors of Japan’s earthquake, survivors of the devastating tornadoes in our southernmost states and Joplin, Missouri. Pray too, for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom.