11 Mar 2009

2 Kings 18-19
Chapter 18 Summary:
Hezekiah begins to reign; he removes the high places, breaks to pieces the brazen serpent, and walks uprightly before God, 1-6. He endeavours to shake off the Assyrian yoke, and defeats the Philistines, 7, 8. Shalmaneser comes up against Samaria, takes it, and carries the people away into captivity, 9-12. And then comes against Judah, and takes all the fenced cities, 13. Hezekiah sends a message to him at Lachish to desist, with the promise that he will pay him any tribute he chooses to impose; in consequence of which Shalmaneser exacts three hundred talents of silver, and thirty talents of gold; to pay which Hezekiah is obliged to take all his own treasures, and those belonging to the temple, 14-16. The king of Assyria sends, notwithstanding, a great host against Jerusalem; and his general, Rab-shakeh, delivers an insulting and blasphemous message to Hezekiah, 17-35. Hezekiah and his people are greatly afflicted at the words of Rab-shakeh, 36, 37.

Chapter 19 Summary:
Hezekiah as greatly distressed, and sends to Isaiah to pray for him, 1-4. Isaiah returns a comfortable answer, and predicts the destruction of the king of Assyria and his army, 5-8. Sennacherib, hearing that his kingdom was invaded by the Ethiopians, sends a terrible letter to Hezekiah, to induce him to surrender, 9-13. Hezekiah goes to the temple, spreads the letter before the Lord, and makes a most affecting prayer, 14-19. Isa. is sent to him to assure him that his prayer is heard; that Jerusalem shall be delivered; and that the Assyrians shall be destroyed, 20-34. That very night a messenger of God slays one hundred and eighty-five thousand Assyrians, 35. Sennacherib returns to Nineveh, and is slain by his own sons, 36, 37.

History and Story Background:
After the death of Solomon, the ten northern tribes revolted and established the kingdom of Israel in the north. The remaining tribes remained loyal to the son of Solomon and formed the Kingdom of Judah in the south.

Hezekiah what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done.
There were 12 kings before him, but they all did evil in the eyes of the Lord. This link showed the kings of Israel and Judah. All the kings in Israel did wrong in the eyes of the Lord.

According to the book of Isaiah, God raise up Assyrians and destroyed the kingdom of Israel in the north and now they were marching towards Jerusalem. By then much of the fortified cities of Judah has been captured.

Who is the Master of My Life:
Hezekiah
2 Kings 18 started off with the mentioned of Hezekiah, the only king after Solomon that did right in the eyes of the Lord. v5 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. Special mentioned was credited to his mother, which unlike other introduction of the kings of Judah, no mentioned about their mother. As such, the role of parenting greatly influence the child in his knowledge of knowing who God is and doing what is right and knowing who his master is.

Hezekiah knew what was right, but that was not credited to him as righteous. It was his actions that credited him doing the right things. He knew, he trusted God and he did the right things. Hezekiah there knew who his Lord, his God was. Though he was the king and after so many generations of who care about God, Hezekiah knew who was above him. He knew his master and therefore choose not to do evil things as if he is the Lord and king and there was no one above him.

Hezekiah was not perfect. He trusted the Lord, but in the midst of the Assyrians, he gave in. He saw much the Assyrians had destroyed Israel, a nation of ten tribes, ten times bigger than his. He saw how the Assyrians came and captured a number of Judah fortified cities (v13). He thought that by making peace with them by giving them gold, least he could preserve Judah. But after receiving the gold, there was no peace. The great army of Assyrians was knocking at Jerusalem. The army was at least 100 times bigger than Hezekiah (compare 18:23 and 19:35). Having God as your master, does not meant that everything will be well. What do we do when in the midst of everyday trials both big and small? The solutions we have in gold (or based on our own resources) can turned out fine, but may not be. In Hezekiah case, the Assyrians continued their attack despite the gold given.

19:1 was the turning point. Hezekiah did the right thing. He sent a letter to Isaiah (the prophet of God at that time) and seek priestly council.

Sennacherib
He was the commander of the great Assyrians army. This army was raised by God to destroy the gods of the land (18:25 Moreover, is it without the Lord that I have come up against this place to destroy it? The Lord said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.)

But he forgot who was his master. Is not God who raised him up. Sennacherib said it himself and he knew that it was God who has help him accomplish all that he had conqurered. Overwhelmed by power and achievement, he came to Jerusalem and defiled God, 18:35 Who among all the gods of the lands have delivered their lands out of my hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?

He forgotten that God was no believer of the power of man. He raised Assyrians up and so even if you are lofty and high, He will pulled you down and level down everything.

Indeed, even against all odds, the Judah army did not waste an arrow nor was able to do any much, that withing 1 night the Assyrians army was wiped out. Sennacherib himself died - not in battle and not by hands of his enemies, but at home by his own sons.

Ending Notes:
Make God your Master
Learn to trust Him in everything and in every circumstances.