by Candace Simar

simar@tds.net

"This is what the great king, the king of Assyria says, on what are you basing this confidence of yours?" 2 Kings 18:19b NIV

The pattern and intent of the enemy is to destroy God’s people. This has occurred from Old Testament times and continuing to the present. See in this passage King Sennacherib’s attempt to undermine and conquer Hezekiah. First the enemy challenged the foundation of Hezekiah’s confidence.

"And if you say to me, we are depending on the Lord our God—isn’t he the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah removed, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, you must worship before this altar in Jerusalem?" 2 Kings 18:22

"Furthermore, have I come to attack and destroy this place without word from the Lord? The Lord himself told me to march against this country and destroy it." 2 Kings 18:25 NIV

The enemy brought up old victories but twisted them to look like defeats. He dredged up old failures and claimed that he was acting on God’s behalf. He implied that Hezekiah would never win, was a failure, and God had deserted him.

This is what the king says; "Do not let Hezekiah deceive you. He cannot deliver you from my hand. Do not let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in the Lord when he says, the Lord will surely deliver us; this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria. Do not listen to Hezekiah." 2 Kings 18:29-30

The lying king tried to turn public opinion against him and undermine his abilities. He hoped to make the people disbelieve the words of Almighty God.

This is what the king of Assyria says. "Make peace with me and come out to me. Then every one of you will eat from his own vine and fig tree and drink water from his own cistern until I come and take you to a land like your own, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees and honey. Choose life and not death!" 2 Kings 18:29-32a NIV

The enemy mocked his ministry, his position in God. He lied and did everything in his power to convince others not to believe or follow Hezekiah. Then the double whammy: if they’d follow the enemy, they would be given everything. He caps it off with his motto: choose life and not death!

But the people remained silent and said nothing in reply, because the king had commanded, do not answer him. 2 Kings 18:36 NIV

This is God’s answer for the taunts of the enemy. Say nothing. If you indulge in debate with the devil you will not win. Remember Eve fell into sin after debating the devil about whether or not God had really said what he had about the fruit of the tree in the garden. Debate does not work.

When King Hezekiah heard this, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and went into the temple of the Lord. He sent Eliakim the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary and the leading priests, all wearing sackcloth to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz. They told him, this is what Hezekiah says. "This day is a day of distress and rebuke and disgrace, as when children come to the point of birth and there is no strength to deliver them. It may be that the Lord your God will hear all the words of the field commander, whom his master, the king of Assyria, has sent to ridicule the living God, and that he will rebuke him for the words the Lord your God has heard. Therefore pray for the remnant that still survives." 2 Kings 19:1-4 NIV

Rather than debate the enemy, pray instead. Write it down and spread it in prayer before God. Let Him fight the battle.

Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed to the Lord; "O Lord, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth." 2 Kings 19:14-15 NIV

Isaiah sent prophetic encouragement to King Hezekiah and prophesied that there would be no battle. Actually, there was a battle—but fought only by the Lord God and His heavenly host. The angel put to death a hundred and eight-five thousand Assyrians. God had had enough of the blasphemous taunts of Sennacherib.

Next time you face the heat of attack, remember the lessons of Hezekiah.

Copyright Candace Simar