THE PEOPLE RESTED ON THE WORDS OF THE KING
2 Chron 32:1-23
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.
9 After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send his servants to Jerusalem, (but he himself laid siege against Lachish, and all his power with him,) unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying,
10 Thus saith Sennacherib king of Assyria, Whereon do ye trust, that ye abide in the siege in Jerusalem?
11 Doth not Hezekiah persuade you to give over yourselves to die by famine and by thirst, saying, The Lord our God shall deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
12 Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall worship before one altar, and burn incense upon it?
13 Know ye not what I and my fathers have done unto all the people of other lands? were the gods of the nations of those lands any ways able to deliver their lands out of mine hand?
14 Who was there among all the gods of those nations that my fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out of mine hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of mine hand?
15 Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you on this manner, neither yet believe him: for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of mine hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of mine hand?
16 And his servants spake yet more against the Lord God, and against his servant Hezekiah.
17 He wrote also letters to rail on the Lord God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people out of mine hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of mine hand. 18 Then they cried with a loud voice in the Jews' speech unto the people of Jerusalem that were on the wall, to affright them, and to trouble them; that they might take the city.
19 And they spake against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth, which were the work of the hands of man.
20 And for this cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven.
21 And the Lord sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword.
22 Thus the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all other, and guided them on every side.
23 And many brought gifts unto the Lord to Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah: so that he was magnified in the sight of all nations from thenceforth.
In 705 B.C. a new king named Sennacherib, (his name meant “bramble of destruction”) son of Sargon, began to occupy the throne of Assyria. This new king was immediately faced with major problems. The kingdom that he had inherited from his father was already beginning to fall apart at the seams so Sennacherib’s first duty was to build a powerful army of over 200,000 troops that could be used to put down any rebellion or civil unrest.
His kingdom stretched across what is now most of Iran, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, northern Israel, and parts of Saudi Arabia. This area included the land of the Philistines, Phoenicians, Babylonians and the Palestinians. Every one of these nations was a hot spot of rebellion in his kingdom and Sennacherib was not about to allow them to go free without a fight.
His army was victorious first at Babylon as he destroyed and sacked the city, bringing that nation back under the control of his government. Then he turned westward and attacked the nations of Philistia, Phoenicia and others who were supported in their fight against Sennacherib by the Egyptians. When the smoke cleared from these great battles, Sennacherib’s army stood as victors and these nations were firmly under the powerful grip of Sennacherib once again.
Because of his great victories, Sennacherib felt invincible. He had consulted his god, Assur, and had been assured that he would be victorious.
(According to ancient historical records, Assur was the Assyrian god. Assyria had been so named because that area had come under the influence of Asshur, the second son of Shem who was the son of Noah.)
Assyria had established its national capitol at the city that bore the name of Asshur but the capitol was later moved to Nineveh, a city that had been built by Shem many generations before.
As Sennacherib had defeated city after city of those nations who opposed him, he would slaughter and torture multitudes of their inhabitants. In many stone carvings that show his victories, he is depicted with mounds of heads of his victims surrounding him. He would impale many of those he conquered upon sharp poles and allow them to hang in the streets as examples to any who would rise against him. He would lead endless streams of captives into lifelong slavery under his harsh treatment.
After defeating all of his other enemies and then defeating the Egyptian army in the battle of Eltekeh in 701 B.C., Sennacherib then turned his attention toward Judea and prepared to take Jerusalem.
What was Israel and Hezekiah to do now? Was this the end for them? Was this to be their last days as a nation? It would seem that there was no hope but read with me what happens next inside the city.
Hezekiah stood before the people of Jerusalem and said:
2Ch 32:7-8, 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: 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.
Sennacherib sent envoys to try to persuade Hezekiah to surrender, but in vain. He next sent a threatening letter, which Hezekiah carried into the temple and spread before the Lord.
Here is Sennacherib’s letter to Hezekiah found in 2 Kings 19:10-13.
"Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, Let not thy God in whom thou trustest deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria. Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, by destroying them utterly: and shalt thou be delivered? Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed; as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were in Thelasar? Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arpad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivah?"
Hezekiah finally had learned his lesson of obedience to the Lord. His faith was not in his own power, or that of his military forces, or the defenses of the city of Jerusalem. His faith was in the God of Israel and so it was to God that he brought his prayer for deliverance.
After Hezekiah told the people, they rested on the words of the king. Can I preach for a few moments this morning.
God is still in control. As people if we are not careful we will trust in everyone’s words except the kings words. Can I say this, I don’t have to set the preachers down, I bring through and give them your name address and social security number, where you work, who you’re married to and where you sit during the service and tell him everything about you so he can call you out and tell you things to get you all hyped up. There is words that come from the King and if you’re not careful you will allow a Sennacherib in your life to say don’t trust in the words of the King. The Pastor told that preacher what to say.
You can rest on the words of God.
