II Kings Chapter 18
Please read: II Kings 18 –
The fall of the northern kingdom into the hands of the Assyrians would have been well known throughout the southern kingdom. The people must have been very afraid knowing that they could be next. Even the king allowed fear to overtake his thoughts. The king’s name was Hezekiah, the son of one of Judah’s most wicked kings, Ahaz. Hezekiah, the Bible says, “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. 2 Kings 18:5-6 But when the Assyrians began to take control of cities of Judah, Hezekiah’s fear caused him to turn to the Egyptians for help. The prophet Isaiah tried to council Hezekiah not to turn to the Egyptians. But we know that Hezekiah did not heed this instruction because even the Assyrians knew that he had tried to form an alliance with Egypt.
During this time the Assyrians were a powerful force. They captured cities and surrounded them, not allowing the citizens to go in or go out. They stayed in place until such time many the captives died of starvation and the survivors were taken captive and moved to a distant land. Or they simply attacked and took all the city’s citizens captive and removed them to a distant land.
Let's Reflect
1. It is surprising to read that Hezekiah was such a man who followed after God considering that his father was Ahaz. According to verses 3 and 4 what reform did Hezekiah bring to Judah?
2. How long had Hezekiah been king of Judah when Assyria began their hostile take-over of the northern kingdom?
3. How many years did the take-over last before all of Israel was in the control of Assyria?
4. As we learned in the previous chapter, it is repeated in this chapter that God allowed the Assyrians to take the people of the northern kingdom captive. Why? See verse 12.
5. Approximately 8 years after Israel was carried away, the Assyrians now set their sights on taken the land of Judah. The attacks began. How did Hezekiah attempt to resolve and appease the Assyrian siege attacks?
6. The king of Syria did not give in, but instead showed force by sending some of his best commanders to go and stand next to a very vulnerable spot for Jerusalem, their water source. These men called for the king to come out and talk to them, but Hezekiah sent out 3 of his men. The Rabshakeh (a title for the commander of the Assyrian army) began to be-little the king of Judah. Who did the Rabshakeh chide Hezekiah for putting his trust in to help defend the country? See verse 21.
7. Even worse this man made fun of the saying that “they put their trust in God.” In his eyes, what had Hezekiah done in the country that seemed ridiculous to this commander if they were going to be a people who trusted in their God?
8. Then this Rabshakeh spoke as if possessed by the devil and said that he had come to siege Jerusalem because God had sent him. God never spoke to this man commanding him to do anything, He only allowed the Assyrians to act out what was in their evil hearts. What did this man say that God had told him?
9. The 3 representatives of King Hezekiah were concerned about the people of Judah hearing what this man was saying. They knew they would become afraid and panic. So they asked him to speak in Aramaic. Instead of doing that, what did the Rabshakeh do?
10. This man doled out his threats and even said that no gods had ever been able to save the people from their attacks, so trusting God was not going to save them. The people did not respond to the harsh words of this man, just as they had been ordered. What happened when King Hezekiah was told all that had happened?
