By Joseph Ametepe
Introduction:
One of the characteristics of the believers God used to advance His cause in their generations is that they were men of effective and effectual prayer. In other words, they had power with God through prevailing and persevering prayer. When trials and troubles come their way, they quickly turned their attention to God and poured out their hearts to Him in all honesty and humility of heart. By turning to God and pouring out their hearts to Him, they demonstrated their total dependence on Him to deal with their difficult and desperate circumstances.
In fact, these believers would not give God rest. And they would not give themselves rest either until God’s hand of intervention was revealed in their desperate and difficult circumstances. They drew near to God with confident assurance that He would indeed respond to their prayers. They took God at His word. Their personal relationship with God was intimate and instructive.
One of such believers is King Hezekiah of Judah, who reigned over the southern kingdom of Judah from 728-697 B.C. His name “Hezekiah” means “Yahweh is my strength.” He was one of the godly kings of Judah. He turned to the Lord his God and trusted Him with all his heart. During his reign, Hezekiah brought about extensive spiritual reforms. He restored the Temple of Jerusalem and eliminated idolatrous practices in the land of Judah (see 2 Kings 18-20; 2 Chronicles 29-32; Isaiah 36-39).
In fact, the writer of 2 Kings vividly captures Hezekiah’s exceptional zeal for the Lord and unwavering commitment and devotion to Him in 2 Kings 18:5-7a. There we read: “He trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel, so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those who were before him. For he held fast to the LORD. He did not depart from following him, but kept the commandments that the LORD commanded Moses. And the LORD was with him; wherever he went out, he prospered.” What an enviable description of Hezekiah’s trust and total dependence on the Lord his God!
Although Hezekiah turned to the Lord and trusted Him with all his heart and brought reforms in the kingdom, yet he encountered various distressing trials. One of them was the invasion of Judah by dreaded army of the King of Assyria, the world’s superpower of that era. You see, the Assyrian army had conquered and overran many nations, including the northern kingdom of Israel. Not being satisfied with their conquests, they set their sights on the southern kingdom of Judah. Judah must also be conquered and brought under subjection to Assyrian rule and reign. There was no denying of the fact that the Assyrian enemy was fully dedicated to completely conquering Judah and Jerusalem.
As such, when the Assyrian army led by Sennacherib, the King of Assyria, came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them, He sent to the King of Assyria, saying, “I have done wrong, withdraw from me. Whatever you impose on me I will bear” (2 Kings 18:14). The King of Assyria demanded from Hezekiah a tribute to the tune of 11 tons of silver and one ton of gold. To pay this outrageous tribute, Hezekiah emptied the temple and palace treasuries and stripped the layers of gold off the doors and doorposts of the temple (see 2 Kings 18:15-16).
But the question is: would paying this excessively high price tag satisfy the King of Assyria? No, not at all! The King of Assyria was not satisfied. As such, he sent messengers and a great army from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem (see 2 Kings 18:17). His message to the Judean monarch was simple and succinct. Complete surrender! The Rabshakeh, the commander and chief spokesman for Sennacherib delivered the message of complete surrender in a rather boastful and blunt manner. He did not mince words (see 2 Kings 18:19-35).
Despite all his devotion and dedication to the Lord his God, Hezekiah suddenly found himself in a desperate and difficult situation. Hezekiah’s first response was one of total humility and heartfelt dependence on the Lord for His help in this time of distress. He tore his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth. These were expressions of deep mourning and humility (see 2 Kings 19:1). He would also send his officials to Isaiah the prophet, earnestly pleading for his prayer on behalf of the nation (see 2 Kings 19:2-4).
The prophet Isaiah, who had already been ministering for 40 years since the days of Uzziah (see Isaiah 6:1) also called Azariah (see 2 Kings 14:21), responded with words of assurance to the messengers of Hezekiah. The Lord promised and predicted the defeat and demise of the King of Assyria (see 2 Kings 19:5-7). As if to rubbish the encouraging promise the Lord gave to King Hezekiah through His prophet, Isaiah; the King of Assyria, sent messengers again to Hezekiah. Again, his message was, complete surrender. In his message, the King of Assyria even “advised” King Hezekiah of Judah not to let the LORD deceive him that Jerusalem would not fall into his hands (see 2 Kings 19:9-10). He backed up his words with a list of several nations the Assyrian kings had conquered and overran during their reign of terror (see 2 Kings 19:11-13).
Hezekiah had a choice to make! To panic or to pray! To believe the boastful words of the King of Assyria or the blessed words of the King of all the earth! To live in fear or to live by faith! To turn to Egypt for help as several of Judah’s kings had done or to turn to the Lord for help! Hezekiah chose to turn to the Lord. He would live by faith – believing the blessed words of the King of all the earth. And pray.
We will now turn our attention to the “Prayer of Hezekiah!” This is recorded in 2 Kings 19:14-19. This prayer is also recorded in Isaiah 37:14-20 with a slight variation. My focus will be on his prayer as recorded in 2 Kings 19:14-19. By way of an overview, first of all, we will examine what the Bible reveals about the reception and the reading of the letter sent to Hezekiah in 2 Kings 19:14a. Second, we will explain the response of Hezekiah in a time of crisis in 2 Kings 19:14b-15a. Third, we expand on Hezekiah’s reverent adoration of the Person of Yahweh in 2 Kings 19:15b. Fourth, we will expound on Hezekiah’s recognition of power of Yahweh in 2 Kings 19:15c. Fifth, we will explore Hezekiah’s request for Yahweh’s attention in 2 Kings 19:16. Sixth, we will elaborate on Hezekiah’s reasoning with Yahweh in 2 Kings 19:17-18. Seventh and finally, we will emphasize Hezekiah’s earnest request for Yahweh’s action in 2 King’s 19:19.
Let’s now dig deeper into the “Prayer of Hezekiah” by examining what the Bible reveals about the:
I. RECEPTION AND THE READING OF THE LETTER (v. 14a).
Apparently the messengers sent to King Hezekiah by the Rabshakeh, the commander and chief spokesman of King Sennacherib of Assyria brought a letter with them. This letter contains the words recorded in 2 Kings 19:10-13. The Rabshakeh himself had left Jerusalem after his proud and pompous threatening of the Judean people (see 2 Kings 18:19-35). But now he sent a letter to Hezekiah, the King of Judah with words that were carefully crafted to undermine his trust in the Lord his God (2 Kings 19:10). Not only, that the letter contains words that threatened to discourage and despair the King of Judah and build fear in his heart (2 Kings 19:11-13). Though not in Jerusalem, the Rabshakeh sent the letter to attack Hezekiah from a distance. It was a clever military strategy employed by the Rabshakeh. He and the Assyrian army were away from Jerusalem. But he wanted Hezekiah to feel their presence through the letter. Making Hezekiah feel their presence though they were far away, served as a strategic means of increasing pressure on him.
This is why the reception and the reading of the letter deserve special attention. The Bible’s record of them simply says: “Then Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it” (2 Kings 19:14a; ESV).
Hezekiah’s life has been filled with stress since the coming of the dreaded Assyrian army to Jerusalem. He earnestly sought the help of the Lord by sending his officials to the prophet Isaiah to intercede for the people. He received an encouraging word from the Lord through His prophet. But before he could breathe a sigh of relief, a letter from the King of Assyria was delivered to him. Pressure was mounting up on the Judean monarch.
Why was it necessary for Hezekiah to receive the letter and read it? Often, when we are facing some kind of trial or difficulty, we tend to handle it poorly because we fail to see the situation correctly. For Hezekiah to see his situation accurately and respond appropriately, he must receive the letter and carefully read its contents. By doing so, Hezekiah clearly saw that Jerusalem’s situation was desperate. Not only that, he knew that they would need nothing short of divine intervention!
What circumstances and challenges are you facing in your life right now? If everything is going well in your life right now, you can thank God. But sooner or later, you will be facing difficulties and challenges, especially if you desire to live godly in Christ Jesus (see 2 Timothy 3:12). Please, know that it is important for you to see them accurately. If you fail to see them accurately, you will handle them poorly and suffer defeat and discouragement. Just as Hezekiah took the time to receive and read the letter, so also must we take time to ponder the challenges and circumstances facing us. By doing so, God’s Spirit will enable us to see them accurately and set ourselves on the path of handling them well.
Letters are not a modern invention. They have been in use since the days of old. They can bring good news as well as bad news. They can even be used to distress us and disturb our peace as was the case in King Hezekiah’s life. The story is told of one old preacher who received a letter with no sender or return address on the envelope. When he opened it, he saw a single piece of paper with only one word: “Fool!” He took it to the pulpit the next Sunday, and said: “I received an unusual letter this week. Never before have I received a letter where the writer signed his name, but forgot to write anything else!” You get the point. Well, Hezekiah received no such letter. He would read it and take it with him to the house of the LORD.
Transition: Having examined what the Bible reveals about Hezekiah’s reception and reading of the letter sent to him, we now explain the:
II. RESPONSE OF HEZEKIAH (vv. 14b-15a).
What Hezekiah did after receiving and reading the letter is of utmost importance. Hezekiah’s response revealed where his trust lies. His trust, his confidence, his hope, is in the Lord his God. Hezekiah’s response is vividly captured in these words: “And Hezekiah went up to the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD. Then Hezekiah prayed before the LORD” (2 Kings 19:14b-15a; ESV).
Please notice the threefold reference to the majestic and matchless name of God - “LORD.” You see, Hezekiah’s focus was on the LORD, that is, Yahweh, the self-existing, the self-sufficient, and the sustainer, sovereign and supreme deity of the universe. Because Hezekiah’s focus was on the Yahweh, his heart full of confidence in Him.
Now, I would like you to notice that Hezekiah’s response in this time of crisis is threefold. First, the Bible tells us that “Hezekiah went up to the house of the LORD” (2 Kings 19:14b). Now the question is; why is Hezekiah’s going up to the house of the LORD an important part of his response in this time of crisis? Here is why? Remember, Hezekiah was under great stress and pressure. He was greatly distressed and desperate. But, you see! Hezekiah did not allow his distress and despair to spin him into a rejection of Yahweh’s power and present help. He was fully aware that this was a more urgent time than ever to seek the LORD his God.
Please understand that when the Bible says, “Hezekiah went up into the house of the LORD,” we should not assume that it implies that he went into the holy place itself. The holy place was forbidden for all except priests. What it simply means is that King Hezekiah went to the outer courts of the house of the LORD, to seek Yahweh in the place which was open to him as a man of Israel. You see, a previous king of Judah, King Uzziah, saw his reign terribly brought to an end when he broke this command of the LORD to stay out of the holy place of the temple (see 2 Chronicles 26:16). To discipline the proud and disobedient king, God swiftly and summarily struck him with leprosy. King Uzziah was an isolated leper until the day of his death (see 2 Chronicles 26:17-21).
The second of the threefold response of Hezekiah is stated simply and succinctly as “and spread it before the LORD” (2 Kings 19:14c). Hezekiah went up to the house of the LORD. Then he spread out the letter he had received and read, to the LORD. You see, Hezekiah’s focus was on the LORD. His faith was in the LORD. His future lied in the hands of the LORD. As such, Hezekiah expressed his total dependence on the LORD by spreading the letter before Him. Bible Commentators Patterson and Austel eloquently share this insight on Hezekiah’s spreading of the letter before the LORD: “As a child bringing his broken toy to his father for repair, so Hezekiah laid the issues in God’s sight for resolution.”
The third of the threefold response of Hezekiah is the best of all. The Bible speaks of it in these brief and blessed words: “Then Hezekiah prayed before the LORD” (2 Kings 19:15a). The Hebrew verb translated “prayed” comes from the root verb “palal.” It also means “to entreat,” “to make supplication,” “to intercede,” or “to interpose.” Hezekiah meant business with the LORD, that is, Yahweh, the self-existing, the self-sufficient, the sovereign, the sustainer and the supreme Deity of the universe. You see, Hezekiah knew what a privilege it is to personally pray to Yahweh. As such, he approached Yahweh to entreat Him. Hezekiah drew near with confidence into God’s presence, to the throne of grace, that he might receive mercy and find grace to help in time of great need (see Hebrews 4:16).
Indeed, King Hezekiah did exactly what every believing child of God should do in such a crisis-situation. Pray to the LORD! Pour out one’s heart to the LORD! Place into the LORD’s hands one’s cares and concerns – with confidence assurance that He has a perfect solution for them. By going up to the outer courts of the house of the LORD, and spreading the letter before the LORD and praying before the LORD, Hezekiah effectively exemplified Psalm 55:22. “Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will never permit the righteous to be moved.” Knowing that Yahweh cares for His own, Hezekiah cast all his cares on Him (see 1 Peter 5:7), as he poured out his heart to Him in prayer.
Please notice that Hezekiah’s response in verse 14 is different from his response in verses 1-5 where he sent his officials to the prophet Isaiah to intercede on behalf of the nation. This time, Hezekiah himself prayed to the Lord his God. He took his cares and concerns directly to Yahweh. Both approaches are appropriate for a believing child of God who is facing a crisis in his or her life. Ask other believers to intercede on your behalf. But don’t forget to pray to the Lord yourself! Through the saving work of Christ, you have direct access to the Lord – to personally cast all your cares on Him.
Transition: Having explained Hezekiah’s response in a time of crisis, we now expand on Hezekiah’s
III. REVERENT ADORATION OF THE PERSON OF YAHWEH (v.15b).
Although King Hezekiah was facing tremendous pressure, he took the time to honor Yahweh by his reverent adoration of Him! Yes, Hezekiah’s situation appears hopeless and so desperate! Yet he begins his prayer with genuine adoration of the Lord his God. He doesn’t rush into pleading for help from the Lord. Rather, Hezekiah focuses on the Person of Yahweh – speaking of Him in adoring and adulating terms. Here is how the Bible records Hezekiah’s reverent adoration of the person of Yahweh. “O LORD, the God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth” (2 Kings 19:15b; ESV).
Please notice that Hezekiah’s reverent adoration of the Person of Yahweh is fourfold. First, he addressed Him as “LORD.” This is God’s special or proper name. It derives from YHWH (see Exodus 3:14 and Isaiah 42:8). This name has not been pronounced by the Jews because of the reverence for the great sacredness of the divine name. This divine name, speaks of God as being self-existing and self-sufficient. Hezekiah reverently adores God: “You are who You are. You are altogether self-sufficient, needing nothing from anyone.”
Second, Hezekiah spoke reverently of his God as “the God of Israel.” This title of God certainly reminded King Hezekiah that the LORD was indeed the covenant God of Israel. This title assures Hezekiah that God has bound Himself in a covenant relationship with Israel. As a result, He should not forsake His people at this crucial hour. He should not forget them in their hour of need. He should not fail Israel in their desperate hour.
Third, Hezekiah respectfully described God as the One who is “enthroned above the cherubim.” With eyes of faith, Hezekiah the great splendor and majesty of the One who is later described in the Book of Hebrews as “the Majesty on High” (Hebrews 1:3), “the Majesty in the heavens” (Hebrews 8:1) and “the Majestic Glory” (2 Peter 1:17). Certainly, this Majestic One would never allow the boastful revilings of the Rabshakeh go unreprimanded.
Fourth, Hezekiah admiringly spoke of God as One who is in a distinguished class all by Himself. With confidence and conviction of heart, the King of Judah acknowledged an important truth about God. “You are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth.” As far as Hezekiah was concerned, God, the LORD, and the God of Israel, is indeed the God of all the kingdoms of the earth. There is no other besides Him. Sennacherib wrongly thought of Yahweh as a mere local god, ruling and reigning over Judah, and defending and delivering it. But Hezekiah affirmed that Yahweh is the God of all the earth and of all its kingdoms, including his own. Moreover Yahweh alone is the God of the nations. The so-called gods of the nations have no existence. They are mere breath and nothingness.
Bible Commentator David Guzik shares this brief and brilliant insight on “You are the God, You alone.” “God is a simple title for our Master, but perhaps the most powerful. If He is God, then what can He not do? If He is God, then what is beyond His control? Hezekiah realized the most fundamental fact of all theology: God is God, and we are not! God is God, and the Rabshakeh or the Assyrians were not!”
Now the question is: Why did Hezekiah take the time to reverently adore the person of Yahweh before making any request of Him? Please take careful note of this! The more we focus on the Person of Yahweh in our prayers in times of difficulty and distress, the less significant the problems we face become. You see, by focusing on the Person of Yahweh, our problems become smaller in the light of who our God is! He is God. And yes, He is greater than our problems. Not only that, He alone can successfully handle our problems and provide perfect solutions for them.
You see, where you turn for help in your time of crisis is revealing. Some turn to booze or to the bottle. Others to pills and partying! Many reach out to friends, who often can only give sympathy and share in our despairs. That’s it! That’s all the best they can do for us. They cannot make our crises or problems go away. When your focus and trust are not in God, you will turn to booze, pills, and friends for help. Hezekiah knew better. His focus and trust were in the Lord. So he turned to Him – reverently adoring Him. Perhaps, as Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, he remembered the words of David in Psalm 108:12-13. “Oh grant us help against the foe, for vain is the salvation of man! With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes” (Psalm 108:12-13; ESV). Knowing that his help comes from the LORD, and not from man, Hezekiah turned to the Lord and took time to reverently adore Him in his crisis – leaving us an example for to follow.
Transition: Having expanded on Hezekiah’s reverent adoration of the person of Yahweh, we now expound on Hezekiah’s:
IV. RECOGNITION OF THE POWER OF YAHWEH (v. 15c).
Having reverently adored the person of Yahweh in glowing and glorious terms, the Holy Spirit led King Hezekiah to focus on the power of Yahweh. In other words, Hezekiah realized that it is not enough to focus on the person of Yahweh in prayer; one must also recognize that He is the God of sovereign and supreme power. In his recognition of the power of Yahweh, Hezekiah speaks of God as the Maker of heaven and earth. You see, long before God would ever create man to live on earth, He demonstrated His supreme and supernatural power in creating the heavens and the earth by the word of God (see Genesis 1). In other words, the heavens and the earth depict the power of Almighty God. Yes, the heavens declare the glory of God (see Psalm 19:1), but they also display the power of God to mankind.
“You have made heaven and earth” (2 Kings 19:15c; ESV). You can almost sense Hezekiah’s faith in the Lord his God rising to new heights as he prayed these words. You see, in recognizing Yahweh as the Creator of the universe, Hezekiah became deeply convinced in his heart of hearts that He had all power and all authority over every created being.
The prophet Jeremiah vividly captures the truth that the creation of heaven and earth displays the power of God. In his magnificent and marvelous prayer to the Lord his God at a crucial juncture in the history of the nation of Judah, Jeremiah affirmed this truth. In the tenth year of King Zedekiah of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, the dreaded Babylonian army laid siege to Jerusalem (see Jeremiah 32:1-2). Soon, they would destroy and burn down the first Jerusalem temple. The future looked very bleak for the people of Judah. But it was during this time, that God directed Jeremiah by the word of the Lord to buy the field of his uncle’s son, Hanamel. God revealed His purpose for His instruction to Jeremiah. Houses and fields and vineyards would again be bought in the land of Judah. You see, even though the Babylonians would be permitted to destroy Jerusalem and the other cities of Judah, yet according to God’s greater plan and purpose for His people, Judah would be restored and rebuilt after His discipline of them (see Jeremiah 32:6-14).
With this divine purpose in mind, the prophet Jeremiah turned to the Lord his God in prayer. He began his prayer by focusing on the great power of God displayed in His creation of the heavens and earth. Full of faith and fervent in spirit, Jeremiah prayed: “Ah Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You” (Jeremiah 32:17). Jeremiah personally witnessed the power the Babylonians displayed in destroying Jerusalem. Such power made the return and restoration of Judah seemed impossible. But, empowered by the Holy Spirit, Jeremiah turned his focus to the greater and the glorious power of God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth. It is as if Jeremiah was saying: “If the Lord of hosts displayed such incredible power in creating the heavens and the earth, could anything be too difficult for Him? Would restoring Judah and Jerusalem be difficult for Him after demonstrating His great power in creation? The resounding answer for Jeremiah was “Nothing is too difficult for You.”
Earlier in his prophetic ministry, while prophesying of the coming judgment of Yahweh on the false and futile gods who did not make the heavens and the earth (see Jeremiah 10:11); Jeremiah confidently speaks of the power Yahweh displayed in creating the earth: “It is He who made the earth by His power, who established the world by His wisdom; and by His understanding He has stretched out the heavens” (Jeremiah 10:12; see also Jeremiah 51:15). As if that was not enough to establish the truth of the demonstration of God’s power in creation, God would Himself later affirmed to Jeremiah that His work of making the earth and everything on it was indeed a work in which His great power was put on display. Speaking with divine and great authority unmatched by any, God affirms: “I have made the earth, the men and the beasts which are on the face of the earth by My great power and by My outstretched arm” (Jeremiah 27:5a). You see, Jeremiah’s focus in this difficult time was on the person and power of Yahweh. Like Jeremiah, King Hezekiah would also focus on the person and power of Yahweh in the difficult and distressing time in his life.
By focusing on the person and the power of Yahweh, Hezekiah’s faith was being renewed and strengthened in the Lord his God. Yes, his situation was dire and desperate. But the Lord his God is more than able to give him victory and deliverance. The Bible is teaching us here that Yahweh’s supreme and supernatural power can handle, not only the problems Hezekiah is facing, but also all the problems of the whole world. Why? His power is inexhaustible. His power is incredible. His power is indescribable. His power is insurmountable. Such was the confidence generated in Hezekiah’s heart as he resolutely focused on the person and power of the Lord his God in the crisis of his life. Not only that, but also, by focusing on the person and power of Yahweh, Hezekiah was enabled to see his problem in the right perspective.
Similarly, as we, through the help of the Holy Spirit focus on the person and power of God in our crises, we will gain unshakable confidence in God’s ability not only to handle them but also to help us overcome them. The Spirit will also enable us to see our problem in right perspective. As such, we must take diligent care in directing our focus on God’s ability, not our on our abilities to fix the problems we face in life.
Transition: Having expounded on Hezekiah’s recognition of the power of Yahweh, we now explore Hezekiah’s:
V. REQUEST FOR YAHWEH’S ATTENTION (v. 16).
Though Hezekiah was under great pressure, he took his time to reverently adore the person of Yahweh and recognized that He is the God of supreme, sovereign and supernatural power. Armed with this faith-building knowledge, Hezekiah pressed Yahweh for His personal attention. “Incline your ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see; and hear the words Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God” (2 Kings 19:16; ESV).
Certainly, Hezekiah knew very well that Yahweh, the living God, heard and saw all the revilings of the Rabshakeh, the commander and the chief spokesman of the Assyrian king. So why did Hezekiah pray to the Lord to incline or bow down His ear to hear and open His eyes to see? The expression, “incline your ear,” translated also as “bow down your ear,” is a Hebrew idiom for “give ear,” “attend.” You see, the use of this Hebrew idiom is based upon the fact that, when we want to hear exactly what another person is saying to us, we bend towards him, and bring one ear as close to him as we can. With childlike sincerity and simplicity, Hezekiah wants his holy and heavenly Father to bend towards him and bring one ear as near to him as He can to catch all the words spoken by Sennacherib.
In other words, Hezekiah is only speaking in figures which people would use to one another. He is simply applying human attributes to Yahweh. In other words, this is a poetic way of urgently and earnestly requesting Yahweh’s attention. For sure, nothing the Rabshakeh did escaped the notice of Yahweh. But Hezekiah, full of faith, asked God to pay special attention to all the blasphemies of Sennacherib. It was his words of mockery that the Rabshakeh spoke. Hezekiah Yahweh to take full
Actually, King Hezekiah was following in the footsteps of King David (see Psalm 17:6; 31:2; 86:1; 102:2) and King Solomon (see 2 chronicles 6:40) in requesting Yahweh’s attention. Also, the prophet Daniel, urgently requested Yahweh’s attention in his prayer on behalf of the nation of Judah (see Daniel 9:17-19a). You see, when we are facing crises, we must fervently request Yahweh’s attention to be directed to them. Not as if He were unaware of them, but as the Spirit’s way of assuring our hearts that our God is keenly attentive and aware of our problems and will indeed act decisively on our behalf.
Now please notice that in requesting Yahweh’s attention, Hezekiah spoke of Him as “the living God” (2 Kings 19:16c). The God, who was mocked and reviled, was none other than Yahweh, the God of Israel, who is indeed “the living God.” In contrast the false and futile, lifeless and lying gods of the nations (see Psalm 115:4-7), Yahweh, the faithful and the fear of Isaac, the loving and living God of Israel, heard and saw all the words Sennacherib sent to blaspheme His holy name. Sennacherib would pay dearly for dishonoring the living God (see
Transition: Having explored Hezekiah’s request for Yahweh’s attention, we now elaborate on Hezekiah’s:
VI. REASONING IN THE PRESENCE OF YAHWEH (vv.17-18).
While in prayer, Hezekiah’s spiritual eyes saw things clearly from God’s perspective. As a result, he could reason with Yahweh, the God of Israel, with clarity of mind and conviction of heart. Hezekiah’s reasoning with the living God is vividly recorded in these words: “Truly, O LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands and have cast their gods into the fire, for they were not gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone. Therefore they were destroyed” (2 Kings 19:17-18).
Please notice in reasoning with Yahweh at this juncture in his prayer, Hezekiah began with words of humble affirmation. He declared, “Truly, O LORD.” These are words humble of affirmation. Hezekiah is affirming what is true before God and man. Hezekiah knew that God is the God of truth. In fact, He is the embodiment of truth. His words are truth. His ways are ways of truth. His works are done in truth. In short, Yahweh is all about truth. He deals only in truth.
Next, in reasoning with Yahweh, Hezekiah made an honest acknowledgement before Him. He candidly acknowledged the many triumphs of the Assyrian kings over the nations and the lands of their time. His honest acknowledgement was: “the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands and their lands and have cast their gods into the fire.” Hezekiah told Yahweh like it is. Nation after nation was conquered by the Assyrian war machine. No nation or land could stand them let alone stop them in their forward march to conquer and possess. The gods of the conquered nations were utterly powerless to defend, let alone deliver them their people from the ruthless Assyrian war machine.
Finally, in his reasoning with Yahweh, Hezekiah made a hopeful admission before the Lord. He admitted that the gods of the nations were different from the God of Israel. He declares: “for they were not gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone. Therefore they were destroyed.” In other words, he distinguishes the pagan gods from the true and living God of Israel. The gods of the nations were unable to help either themselves or their faithful worshipers who looked up to them for help and protection. Therefore it is no wonder that the Assyrian kings devastated them. What the nations were fervently and faithfully worshiping were no gods at all.
As such, destruction, not deliverance, was to be their lot. But what the Assyrian kings didn’t know was that they really executed the justice and jealousy of the God of Israel against these pagan nations. Yahweh had determined to decimate all the gods of the pagan nations. But the Assyrian kings, now represented by Sennacherib, were totally deceived into thinking that they could not be defeated by any other god. Not even the God of Israel could defeat them, they boastfully thought. They did not know that God of Israel was far from being one of the gods whom men’s hands had made. They didn’t know that they were fighting a totally different God, who Himself made all things.
Yes, it is true that Sennacherib, and his predecessors – the long line of kings who have ruled over the Assyrian kingdom for many ages – have laid waste nations and their lands. In other words, Hezekiah fully agrees with the boast of the Assyrian monarch, that he and his predecessors have had a successful military campaign. But he refuses to view this past success as guaranteeing success in the future. Their current campaign is against the living God, not the lifeless gods of the nations.
Like Hezekiah, we can also reason with God in our prayers. He welcomes reasoning with Him in our prayers. When we reason with God, we must humbly affirm the truth. The only language God understands is the language of truth. As long as we approach Him armed with truth, our prayers will not be in vain. Second, we must also honestly acknowledge the reality on the ground. In other words, we must tell God like it is. If we are fearful, despairing of life, feeling hopeless in facing the challenges and crises that come our way, we must tell it to God like it is. Hezekiah did that in his reasoning with the God of Israel. Also, we must hopefully admit that our God is altogether different from all others. Not only is He able to defend us, but also deliver us out of all our troubles. He is altogether in a distinguished class all by Himself.
Transition: Having elaborated on Hezekiah’s reasoning before Yahweh, we now emphasize Hezekiah’s earnest:
VII. REQUEST FOR YAHWEH’S ACTION) (v. 19).
Having been renewed in his faith in the Lord his God, Hezekiah now urgently presses Him for action. He earnestly requests Yahweh to take divine and decisive action. Earlier, he requested Yahweh’s attention. Having been assured in prayer that Yahweh’s attention had been fully directed to the problem at hand, Hezekiah demanded, divine and decisive action from Yahweh. This is how the Bible records his earnest request for action. “So now, O LORD our God, save us, please, from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, O LORD, are God alone” (2 Kings 19:19; ESV).
Full of confidence in the Lord his God, Hezekiah, politely and painstakingly presses Yahweh, the God of Israel, the living God, to do that which the boastful and blaspheming King of Assyria thinks He cannot do. Hezekiah earnestly pleas with Yahweh to show the blasphemer that He, Yahweh, are far mightier and superior than he thinks. Hezekiah believes that Yahweh is in a distinguished class all by Himself. He is wholly unlike the “no-gods” over whom the Assyrian kings have triumphed. He, Yahweh, is “a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1) and powerful to save.
You see, King Hezekiah believes that Yahweh is alive. He believes that Yahweh is attentive to the prayers of His believing people. But that’s not all. Hezekiah also believes that Yahweh is active in the lives of His believing people and the pressing problems they face in their sojourn on earth. The prophet Daniel would later follow in the footsteps of King Hezekiah in his great prayer for the nation of Israel as he earnestly implored Yahweh to take action. After earnestly requesting God’s attention in prayer on behalf of desolated Jerusalem, Daniel expectantly pressed the Lord his God for action. He passionately prayed: “O Lord, listen and take action! For Your own sake, O my God, do not delay, because Your city and Your people are called by Your name” (Daniel 9:19b).
As far as King Hezekiah and the prophet Daniel are concerned, God is not passive. Rather, He is personally active. He delights in taking divine and decisive action on behalf of His own. He takes pleasure in acting for His name’s sake on behalf of His believing people.
You see, Hezekiah believes that God is a God of action, yes divine action. He is a God of supernatural action that makes a major difference in the lives of His redeemed children. As such, full of confidence and conviction of heart, Hezekiah presses God for action. Hezekiah says, “Lord, I know that You are a God of divine, definitive, and decisive action. Graciously acting on behalf of Your people in need is what You do. In the entire universe, whenever divine and decisive action needs to be taken, You stand above all. You are in a distinguished class all by Yourself. Lord, please take action, yes, divine and decisive action in my pressing and present predicament. Lord, I trust You to act in response to my prayer for the praise of Your glory! Lord, my highest motivation in earnestly requesting Your divine action for Judah and Jerusalem, is that the entire world may know that You alone are the true God.”
Similarly, the believer today must approach God, full of confidence and conviction of heart, to press Him to take action in response to his prayer. He must not only press God for His attention, but also for His divine action on his behalf. He must have the glory of God as the highest motivation of all in pressing God for action. No matter how impossible the circumstances the believer encounters, he must believe that the true God is more than able to handle them and honor him for trusting in Him.
The Pulpit Commentary shares this excellent insight on 2 Kings 19:19. “The glory of God is the end of creation; and God’s true saints always bear the fact in mind, and desire nothing so much as that his glory should be shown forth everywhere and always. Moses, in his prayers for rebellious Israel in the wilderness, constantly urges upon God that it will not be for his glory to destroy or desert them (Exodus 32:12; Numbers 14:13-16; Deuteronomy 9:26-29). David, in his great strait, asks the destruction of his enemies, “that men may know that thou, whose name alone is Jehovah, art Most High over all the earth” (Psalm 83:18); and again (Psalm 59:13), “Consume them in wrath, consume them, that they may not be; and let them know that God ruleth in Jacob unto the ends of the earth.” Hezekiah prays for a signal vengeance on Sennacherib, not for his own sake, not even for his people’s sake, so much as for the vindication of God’s honor among the nations of the earth – that it may be known far and wide that Jehovah is a God who can help, the real Ruler of the world, against whom earthly kings and earthly might avail nothing. Even thou only. It would not satisfy Hezekiah that Jehovah should be acknowledged as a mighty god, one of many. He asks for such a demonstration as shall convince men that he is unique, that he stands alone, that he is the only mighty God in all the earth” ~Bibleapps.com/commentary.
In brief, the believer must display the highest motivation of all in requesting for Yahweh’s action – that is, the glory of God! Whatever the believer does, he must “do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).
Conclusion:
As believers in Jesus Christ, our lives will not be free of trials and troubles. In fact, they will be filled stress and pressures situations. These situations will be more than we can handle. As such, we must reach out beyond ourselves. Such was the case in King Hezekiah’s life. Sennacherib the King of Assyria, having conquered the northern kingdom of Israel and carried them away into other lands, intended to do the same with Judah, the southern kingdom of Israel. The pressure on Hezekiah was unbearable.
Hezekiah chose to turn to the Lord his God and plead for His supernatural intervention. A letter from the Assyrian King was delivered to King Hezekiah. The latter monarch received the letter and read it. By doing so, Hezekiah was able to see his situation accurately and respond appropriately. Similarly, when we are facing challenges and difficulties, we must endeavor see them accurately and respond to them appropriately. When we fail to see them clearly, we respond to them poorly. This results in defeat and disappointment.
Hezekiah’s response after receiving and reading the letter is instructive and inspiring. He took the letter to the house of God, not in the holy place reserved for the priests, but to the outer courts of the temple. There he spread it before the Lord and poured out his heart to the Lord. As a little child brings his broken toy to his father for repair, so Hezekiah brought his distressing challenges to the Lord for His intervention. Whatever the challenges we face in our lives, we are to approach God’s throne and cast our cares before Him in prayer. For, He indeed cares for us.
Although under great pressure, Hezekiah did not rush to bring a list of requests to God to resolve for him. Rather, Hezekiah took the time to reverently adore the Lord His God. He adored Him as the LORD – that is, Yahweh, the self-existing, self-sufficient, sustainer, sovereign and supreme deity of the universe. He also adored Him as the God of Israel – who had entered into a covenant with Israel. Hezekiah also acknowledged an important truth about God in his reverent adoration of Him. That is, Yahweh, the God of Israel, alone is God. Yes, God of all the kingdoms of the earth. Similarly, no matter how pressed we are by our challenging circumstances, we must not forget to express reverent adoration of our God. Doing so, will enable us to see that He is far above our difficult challenges. And that He is more than to handle them for us.
After reverently adoring the Lord his God in prayer, Hezekiah showed that he indeed recognized the power of God. He spoke of the Lord as the One who made heaven and earth. Whenever the Bible speaks of God as the Maker of heaven and earth, it is to point to us that He is the God of supreme and surpassing power. As such nothing is too difficult for Him. Similarly, when we are facing challenges today, we must not look at our abilities. But we must recognize afresh that our God is a God of great and glorious power! And that He is more than able to handle our challenges.
After these things, Hezekiah proceeded to request for God’s attention for the problem at hand. With childlike sincerity and simplicity, Hezekiah wanted his heavenly Father to bend down towards him and bring one ear as near to him as He can to catch all the words of Sennacherib. Today, believers must also demonstrate such childlike sincerity and simplicity in requesting God to be attentive to them.
Hezekiah also reasoned with God. In doing so, he humbly affirmed the truth before the God of truth. He honestly acknowledged before God what the Assyrians kings had done to other nations and lands. They defeated the gods of the nations and destroyed their people. The expectation was that the Assyrians would do the same to the nation of Judah. Hezekiah agreed that the gods the Assyrian kings had defeated were, after all, no gods. Knowing the Lord his God is the living God, Hezekiah hopefully admitted that He is altogether in a distinguished class all by Himself. Not at all, to be compared to other gods. Like Hezekiah, born again believers can also reason with God, humbly affirming the truth before God. We must also honestly acknowledge the reality of our circumstances. More importantly, we must also hopefully admit that our God is altogether different and is more able to handle the challenging circumstances we encounter in life.
Finally, like Hezekiah, the believer today must approach God, full of confidence and conviction of heart, to press Him to take action in response to his prayer. He must not only press God for His attention, but also for His divine and decisive action on his behalf. More importantly, the believer must have the glory of God as the highest motivation of all in pressing God for action. No matter how impossible the circumstances the believer encounters, he must believe that the true God is more than able to handle them and honor him for trusting in Him.
“Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen” (Hebrews 13:20-21; ESV).