The Lord’s Answer to Hezekiah’s Prayer

II Kings 19:20–37
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The Lord’s answer to Hezekiah’s request in the previous verses is recorded in the remaining verses of this chapter. This answer came through Isaiah and was delivered to the king by a messenger. He assured Hezekiah that he would be safe in Jerusalem and judgement would come to Sennacherib.

He explains how Sennacherib had not mocked or blasphemed Jerusalem or Hezekiah but the Holy One of Israel. It is true that Assyria had dominated Israel and had killed many of its citizens but Sennacherib could not claim personal credit for his success. Instead he was merely an instrument in the hand of God who said, “I have done it,” “I have brought it to pass” (v. 25). Sennacherib’s achievements were not to be attributed to his strength or another nation’s weakness, but to God who had ordained, planned and brought it to pass.

Sennacherib had planned to lead the Jews shamefully back to Assyria (l8:3l-32) but instead he himself would return shamefully, led by the very god he had ridiculed (v. 28). The Judeans had not been able to raise crops outside the walls of Jerusalem because of the Assyrians presence. God now promises that He will feed them miraculously for two years by food that grows naturally and then the third year they will be able to return to their normal cycle of sowing and reaping.

The angel of the Lord came that very night while the Assyrian army was sleeping and killed l85,000 soldiers. Sennacherib returned to Nineveh and 20 years later was killed by two of his own sons. His son, Esarhadon, then succeeded him as king.

Application

Just as in the case of Sennacherib, it is foolish for me to think that I am solely responsible for all the  achievements of things that have happened under my leadership.