The
Book of Second kings
Chapter 18
[1] Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son
of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to
reign.
[2] Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned
twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Abi, the
daughter of Zachariah.
[3] And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all
that David his father did.
1) Hezekiah’s Reign (1-3)
Remember Israel has been
divided into 2 separate nations, Israel (10 tribes) and Judah (2 tribes)
During the 3rd
year of King of Israel Hoshea’s reign, Hezekiah becomes King of Judah
Hezekiah was 25 yrs old
when he became king and he reigned 29 yrs
We know his daddy King Ahaz was a wicked man (shut up the house of God, cut up vessels of house of God)
BUT thank the LORD for his
momma Abi the daughter of Zechariah
Hezekiah did right in
the sight of the LORD
[4] He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves,
and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days
the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.
[5] He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him
among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.
[6] For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his
commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses.
[7] And the LORD was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth:
and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not.
[8] He smote the Philistines, even unto Gaza, and the borders thereof, from the
tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.
2) Hezekiah’s Righteous Deeds (4-8)
Hezekiah is determined to serve the LORD. If you
will serve the LORD there must be a putting off of the old man and a putting on
of the new Rom 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us
therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
A.
Removed
2 K 18:4 Hezekiah did
not stop with restoring order at the house of God but he removed the high
places
He put a stop to all the
false worship and idolatry of his day. (how popular was this with everybody?)
2 K 18:4 Hezekiah broke
the brazen serpent that Moses had made as Israel had begun to worship it
Num
21:4-9 The Brazen Serpent points forward to Jesus Jn 3:14,15
Discouragement
The way for Israel was hard in the wilderness
No water, no bread, God’s provisions
(manna) did not satisfy them
The people spoke against God and against
Moses
Destruction For their complaining,
God sent deadly serpents amongst the Israelites
The bite was painful and deadly “the wages of sin is death”
Disclosure
The people
came to Moses and confessed their sin
(1J1:9)
They sought Moses to pray that the serpents be taken away and he
did!
Likeness-
God told Moses to make a replica of a serpent and set it upon a pole
Moses
made one of brass. It looked like a serpent but had no poison, no venom
Everyone
that is bitten, when they look, will live
Whosoever
looks is like whosoever believeth
Lifted-
The serpent would be
elevated, exalted in the sight of others
Jesus
said, “If I be lifted up I will draw all men unto me”
Look
and live- All have
sinned--- All are snake bitten
The
remedy was to look by faith and the offer is made to all
There
was no other way but to look
Did not say the serpent
would be taken away, but if they’ll look, they’ll live
800 yrs later Israel
still possesses the brazen serpent and now they worshipped it.
They believe the brazen
serpent is the cure.
It is not in the Material
OR the Manner OR the Method But the MAN CHRIST JESUS
Some will exalt a
leader, education, customs & habits, buildings BUT it should be only JESUS
Hezekiah noted this false worship of things and broke the brazen serpent into pieces and called it Nehustan
Nehustan
means a piece of brass. That’s all it was, a religious relic, an instrument God
had used
2
Chr 29:1-11 Hezekiah
began to reign when he was five and twenty years old, and he reigned nine and
twenty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Abijah, the daughter of
Zechariah.
[2] And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all
that David his father had done.
[3] He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of
the house of the LORD, and repaired them.
[4] And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them together
into the east street,
[5] And said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and
sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and carry forth the
filthiness out of the holy place.
[6] For our fathers have trespassed, and done that which was evil in the eyes
of the LORD our God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces
from the habitation of the LORD, and turned their backs.
[7] Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps, and
have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy place unto the
God of Israel.
[8] Wherefore the wrath of the LORD was upon Judah and Jerusalem, and he hath delivered
them to trouble, to astonishment, and to hissing, as ye see with your eyes.
[9] For, lo, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our
daughters and our wives are in captivity for this.
[10] Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the LORD God of Israel,
that his fierce wrath may turn away from us.
[11] My sons, be not now negligent: for the LORD hath chosen you to stand
before him, to serve him, and that ye should minister unto him, and burn
incense.
In Hezekiah’s first month of
office he re-opened the doors of the house of God
He re-established the priest’s office and the singers. The house of God was thoroughly cleansed and repaired.
Return
By his actions, Hezekiah is returning Judah to the Word of God and to Holy Living.
Reconciliation
2 Chr 29:20 Then Hezekiah the king rose early, and
gathered the rulers of the city, and went up to the house of the LORD.
[21] And they brought seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and
seven he goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom, and for the sanctuary, and
for Judah. And he commanded the priests the sons of Aaron to offer them on the
altar of the LORD.
[22] So they killed the bullocks, and the priests received the blood, and
sprinkled it on the altar: likewise, when they had killed the rams, they
sprinkled the blood upon the altar: they killed also the lambs, and they
sprinkled the blood upon the altar.
[23] And they brought forth the he goats for the sin offering before the king
and the congregation; and they laid their hands upon them:
Hezekiah re-establishes the
priests to offer sacrifices unto God
The sin offering was
made to seek God’s forgiveness and restore a right relationship with God
The blood represented
transfer of sins from the guilty to the innocent (Looking forward to Jesus)
2 Chr 29:24 And the priests killed them, and
they made reconciliation with their blood upon the altar, to make an atonement
for all Israel: for the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin
offering should be made for all Israel.
[25] And he set the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, with
psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad
the king's seer, and Nathan the prophet: for so was the commandment of the LORD
by his prophets.
[26] And the Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with
the trumpets.
[27] And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the altar. And
when the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD began also with the trumpets,
and with the instruments ordained by David king of Israel.
[28] And all the congregation worshipped, and the singers sang, and the
trumpeters sounded: and all this continued until the burnt offering was
finished.
[29] And when they had made an end of offering, the king and all that were
present with him bowed themselves, and worshipped.
[30] Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing
praise unto the LORD with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And they
sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped.
The sacrificial offering by
blood had thus obtained the forgiveness of God.
The singers began to sing
and The King and all that were present worshipped the LORD GOD.
2 Chr 29:35 And also the burnt offerings were
in abundance,with the fat of the peace offerings, and the drink offerings for
every burnt offering. So the service of the house of the LORD was set in order.
Now Hezekiah has set in order the service at the
house of God.
Rejoicing
2 Chr 29:36 And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the
people, that God had prepared the people: for the thing was done suddenly
The people rejoiced in the
LORD their GOD
Reinstitution of
the Passover
1)
Proclamation
2 Chr 30: 1 And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah,
and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the
house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the LORD God of
Israel.
[2] For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation
in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month.
[3] For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not
sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves
together to Jerusalem.
[4] And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation.
[5] So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel,
from Beer-sheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the passover unto
the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem: for they had not done it of a long time in
such sort as it was written.
King Hezekiah with things now set in order at the House of God,
wants to re-institute the Passover
The Passover
Commemorates the time when God spared Israel by the blood
God “Passed Over” the
house (Ex 12:13,23), after this death
plague Pharaoh freed Israel from Egypt
This Passover was to be
observed yearly (Ex 12:47)
Neither Judah or Israel
had kept the Passover in a long time. It had been neglected
King Hezekiah realized they had missed the first month observance
BUT according to Num 9:9-11, there is a provision that allowed this Passover to be observed in the 2nd month
The king wrote letters
and invited Judah & Israel to keep the Passover in the 2nd month
2)
Posts
2 Chr 30: 6 So the posts went with the letters from the
king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the
commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the
LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of
you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.
The posts are to take the
kings message and read it throughout the kingdom of Judah and Israel.
The message is an
invitation
We are to take Gods
message and share it (Matt 28:18-20)
3)
Profitable Message
2 Chr 30: 6 So the posts went with the letters from the
king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the
commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the
LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of
you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.
[7] And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, which trespassed
against the LORD God of their fathers, who therefore gave them up to desolation,
as ye see.
[8] Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto
the LORD, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and
serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from
you.
[9] For if ye turn again unto the LORD, your brethren and your children shall
find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come
again into this land: for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will
not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him.
The message invites the
nation to return to the Lord and He will return to you
Obviously this message is
given by Hezekiah after many in Israel were taken away captive into Assyria
The king reminds the people
not to resist or decline this invitation. Do not rebel against the LORD
If Israel will return to
the LORD, the LORD will allow compassion on those taken captive
If they will return to
the LORD, the LORD will allow them to return to the land
John 6:37 and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. God has made them a promise!
4)
Provoked
2 Chr 30: 10 So the posts passed from
city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but
they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them
The posts went with the
kings message and were mocked and laughed at
Nehemiah was mocked (Neh
4:1-3)
Paul was mocked (Acts
17:32-34) on Mars Hill
But we must not let
ridicule and resistance stop the message from going forth
5)
Passover Maintained
2 Chr 30: 11 Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of
Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.
[12] Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to do the
commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word of the LORD.
[13] And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of
unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation.
[14] And they arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all
the altars for incense took they away, and cast them into the brook Kidron.
[15] Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second month:
and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and
brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the LORD.
[16] And they stood in their place after their manner, according to the law of
Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood, which they received of
the hand of the Levites.
Nevertheless, many did
receive the message and humble themselves to come to Jerusalem
James 4:6 God
resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble
God gave them one heart
and they kept the word of the LORD .
A great congregation
gathered and they took away false altars
The priests were ashamed.
The common people had more zeal than the priests and
thus the priests sanctified themselves
The priests sprinkled
the blood upon the mercy seat
6)
Prayer Made
2 Chr 30: 17 For there were many in the
congregation that were not sanctified: therefore the Levites had the charge of
the killing of the passovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them
unto the LORD.
[18] For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh,
Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the
passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying,
The good LORD pardon every one
[19] That prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though
he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.
[20] And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.
Many of the congregation
were not prepared for the Passover observance
Many were participating
unclean (unworthily) & ignorantly
Thus King Hezekiah
prayed for them and the LORD healed the people
7)
Power Sent
2 Chr 30: 21
And
the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of
unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the
priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the
LORD.
[22] And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good
knowledge of the LORD: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days,
offering peace offerings, and making confession to the LORD God of their
fathers.
[23] And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they
kept other seven days with gladness.
[24] For Hezekiah king of Judah did give to the congregation a thousand
bullocks and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the congregation a
thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep: and a great number of priests
sanctified themselves.
[25] And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and
all the congregation that came out of Israel, and the strangers that came out
of the land of Israel, and that dwelt in Judah, rejoiced.
[26] So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of Solomon the son
of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem.
[27] Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice
was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling place, even unto
heaven.
The people praised the LORD,
they sang, they taught the good knowledge of the LORD.
They feasted and they
confessed their sins to the LORD.
The people have unity,
joy and peace
It had been more than
200 yrs since Israel had such a celebration
Their voice was heard
and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling place, even unto heaven
God will hear our
prayers
Zech 10:6 for I am the
LORD their GOD, and will hear them
Ps 4:3 the LORD will
hear when I call unto him
Ps 18:6 I called upon the Lord and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even unto his ears
Pr 15:29 The LORD is far
from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous
1Jn 5:14 and this is the
confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his
will, he heareth us: and if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know
that we have the petitions we desired of him
Relationship
2 K 18:5-7a Because Hezekiah trusted the LORD and kept
HIS commandments, the LORD blessed
God prospered Hezekiah
everywhere he went
Remarkable Events
2 K 18:7b-8 Hezekiah’s
daddy had put Judah into bondage paying tribute to the King of Assyria
Hezekiah rebelled
against this policy and did not serve the Assyrians
God blessed Hezekiah’s
reign with victories over the Philistines
[9] And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was the
seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of
Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it.
[10] And at the end of three years they took it: even in the sixth year of
Hezekiah, that is the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken.
[11] And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria, and put them
in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes:
[12] Because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD their God, but transgressed
his covenant, and all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded, and would
not hear them, nor do them.
3) Hezekiah’s Reference (9-12)
In Hezekiah’s 4th
yr in the land of Judah, the Assyrians surrounded Israel and 3 yrs later Israel
succumbed
The Assyrian’s
conquered, captured and carried Israel away into captivity
God allowed this because
Israel obeyed not the voice of the LORD their GOD
Hezekiah saw what
happened when his neighbor rejected GOD
This should be a valuable
lesson and give King Hezekiah incentive to stay with GOD
We must know to look to
Jesus and follow HIM completely
[13] Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of
Assyria come up against all the fenced cities of Judah, and took them.
[14] And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying,
I have offended; return from me: that which thou puttest on me will I bear. And
the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents
of silver and thirty talents of gold.
[15] And Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the
LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house.
[16] At that time did 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, and
gave it to the king of Assyria.
4) Hezekiah’s
Review (13-16)
In the 14th year of his reign, Hezekiah and Judah were attacked by the Assyrians and their new king Sennacherib
Many of the cities of
Judah were taken and now Jerusalem hangs in the balance
Hezekiah, with all of
his reformations and the reference pointing to Israel’s defeat compromised
You would think that
God’s man is immune from attack BUT there will be testings come our way
The Assyrians make a
demand for tribute money
Unwisely, Hezekiah tried
to satisfy Assyria with the gold and treasures from the temple
With a complete lack of
faith, Hezekiah was unsuccessful (read
vs 17 – the Assyrian’s soon returned)
[17] And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rab-shakeh from
Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great host against Jerusalem. And they went up
and came to Jerusalem. And when they were come up, they came and stood by the
conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of the fuller's field.
[18] And when they had called to the king, there came out to them Eliakim the
son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah
the son of Asaph the recorder.
5) Hezekiah’s Realization (17-18)
The Assyrians have been paid
off BUT returned.
No one can help but the LORD
& Hezekiah is determined to serve Him
The Assyrian’s send 3
leaders and a great army to gather against Jerusalem.
The Assyrian’s call for King
Hezekiah to come out AND instead three of Judah’s leaders step out.
The Assyrian’s are
shocked that Hezekiah and Judah did not just give up.
BUT Hezekiah had begun
to prepare his people for the trial
2 Chr 32:1 After these things, and the
establishment thereof, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into
Judah, and encamped against the fenced cities, and thought to win them for
himself.
[2] And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he was purposed
to fight against Jerusalem,
[3] He took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of
the fountains which were without the city: and they did help him.
[4] So there was gathered much people together, who stopped all the fountains,
and the brook that ran through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the
kings of Assyria come, and find much water?
[5] Also he strengthened himself, and built up all the wall that was broken,
and raised it up to the towers, and another wall without, and repaired Millo in
the city of David, and made darts and shields in abundance.
[6] And he set captains of war over the people, and gathered them together to
him in the street of the gate of the city, and spake comfortably to them,
saying,
[7] Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of
Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us
than with him:
[8] With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us,
and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of
Hezekiah king of Judah.
He did everything he
could and trusted the LORD for the outcome
Hezekiah plugged the
springs outside the city and channeled the water thru an underground tunnel
Hezekiah built up the
walls and fortified the city with a great arsenal
Remember, what was said of the woman who anointed Jesus Mark 14:8 She hath done what she could :
Hezekiah spoke to
encourage the people. They need strength, courage & determination
Hezekiah said (vs 7) there be more for us than
with him. (vs 8) The LORD is
with us---- Immanuel
Rom
8:31 If God be for us who can be against us?
We must be built up in the
faith
Acts 20:32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and
to the word of his grace, which is able to
build you up , and to give you an inheritance
among all them which are sanctified.
Col 2:6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
Hezekiah’s words are words
of faith and his actions are actions of faith
James 2: 14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man
say he hath faith , and have not works ?
can faith
save him? 15 If a brother or sister be naked, and
destitute of daily food, 16 And one of
you say unto them, Depart in
peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those
things which are needful to
the body; what doth it profit? 17 Even so
faith , if it hath not works ,
is
dead, being alone. 18
Yea, a man may say, Thou hast
faith , and I have works : shew
me thy faith
without thy works , and I will shew thee my faith
by my works . 19
Thou believest that there is one
God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and
tremble. 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works
is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works , when he had offered Isaac his son
upon the altar? 22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works , and by works was faith
made perfect? 23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith,
Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was
called the Friend of God. 24 Ye see then how that by works
a man is justified, and not by
faith only. 25
Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works , when she had received the
messengers, and had sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the
spirit is dead, so faith without
works is dead also.
The people rested in
the words of Hezekiah. I believe Hezekiahs words were words of the LORD
[19] And Rab-shakeh said unto them, Speak ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the
great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?
[20] Thou sayest, (but they are but vain words,) I have counsel and strength
for the war. Now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?
[21] Now, behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon
Egypt, on which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is
Pharoah king of Egypt unto all that trust on him.
[22] But if ye say unto me, We trust in the LORD our God: is not that he, whose
high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and hath said to Judah
and Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem?
[23] Now therefore, I pray thee, give pledges to my lord the king of Assyria,
and I will deliver thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set
riders upon them.
[24] How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my
master's servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?
[25] Am I now come up without the LORD against this place to destroy it? The
LORD said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.
6) Hezekiah’s Resolve (19-38)
The field commander of
the Assyrian army asserts himself and asks “in what confidence do you trust?”
“Nothing can save you
from my power” he assumes
“How can you rebel
against Assyria?” He begins to demoralize Israel and try to drive them to
despair
Satan attacks the same
way “you are such a rotten sinner, you
are hopeless” “nobody cares for you”
(21) If you trust
in (man) Egypt, they are weak and your alliance will only cause you hurt
(22) If you trust
in the LORD your God, did Hezekiah not take away His altars?
He
misunderstood, Hezekiah did not take away the altar of the LORD, he
re-established it!
Israel used
to have many altars NOW they have just one. Ha! Ha! (He thought more was
better)
(23) The field
commander asks Judah to just give up.
The devil
doesn’t want to fight, you may win! OR the battle may draw you closer to God!
The battle
could be a testimony of what the LORD has done for future generations
The devil
just wants to talk you into giving up (Luke 4:5-8)
(23) I will give
you 2000 horses to give up, but you don’t have any riders
(24) We will beat
you with one hand tied behind our back
(25) The field
commander even says that the LORD is on the side of Assyria.
It sure
looks like Assyria is successful
God did allow Assyria to carry Israel away (2K
17:20,23) for Israel had sinned.
BUT they could not say they were doing the will of God no
more than JUDAS could
They were doing their will and God foreknew it and
allowed it
[26] Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna, and Joah, unto
Rab-shakeh, Speak, I pray thee, to thy servants in the Syrian language; for we
understand it: and talk not with us in the Jews' language in the ears of the
people that are on the wall.
[27] But Rab-shakeh said unto them, Hath my master sent me to thy master, and
to thee, to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men which sit on the
wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you.
[28] Then Rab-shakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language,
and spake, saying, Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria:
[29] Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be
able to deliver you out of his hand:
[30] Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD will
surely deliver us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king
of Assyria.
[31] Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an
agreement with me by a present, and come out to me, and then eat ye every man
of his own vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the
waters of his cistern:
[32] Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of
corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of oil olive and of honey,
that ye may live, and not die: and hearken not unto Hezekiah, when he
persuadeth you, saying, The LORD will deliver us.
(26) Judah asks that
the field commander speak in the Syrian language only
It was bad enough for the
leadership to have to hear his discouraging words
But should all of the people
of Judah hear this, they might surrender out of discouragement
(27) But the more
fear, discouragement and despair the enemy could spread the better
The enemy
will not change his language nor his tactics
He
threatened “the longer you wait to surrender the more you will eat dung and
drink piss”
(28) The field
commander said “Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria”
glorifying self
(29) The enemy
wants the people of Judah to doubt their own leaders
(30) The enemy
wants to build fear and unbelief
amongst Gods people
(31) The enemy
wants to make surrender and attractive option
(32) The enemy
wants to paint captivity as a beautiful picture of life
2 T2:26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will
[33] Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the
hand of the king of Assyria?
[34] Where are the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad? where are the gods of
Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah? have they delivered Samaria out of mine hand?
[35] Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered
their country out of mine hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of
mine hand?
[36] But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the
king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not.
[37] Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and
Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, to Hezekiah with
their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rab-shakeh.
(33-35) The enemy
wants to destroy our trust in God
He questions
“is there any god who can protect his people from the power of Assyria?”
The enemy mistakenly thought the LORD GOD was just like any other god.
(36-38) The
people of Judah did not try to match wits with demon logic
They just
held their peace (silence) as Hezekiah had commanded them
Surely they
were affected by this attack (2 Cor 4:8-9)
We must
demonstrate self control just as Jesus was silent (Is 42:2, 53:7) (Pr 17:27,16:32, 26:4)
Things may
be hard for Judah BUT the battle is not lost
The leaders came to Hezekiah with their clothes rent (grief, sorrow & mourning)
[19: 1] And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD.
7) Hezekiah’s Response (2K19:1)
When Hezekiah heard and
saw all these threats he went into the house of the LORD
He sent for the man of
God Isaiah
Hezekiah
prayed and sought the face of the LORD