II Kings Chapter 19
Please read: II Kings 19 –
The king of Judah was given the message of all the condescending words of the commander of the Assyrian army. King Hezekiah tore his clothes as he heard those awful words. Hezekiah being a man who followed after God, did the right thing, he sought the godly wisdom of the prophet of God, the prophet Isaiah. The answer came back from God that despite the Rabshakeh’s harsh threats, God would not permit him to live. He would die by falling on his own sword.
The death of the Rabshakeh of Assyria did not come immediately. In fact, he came back once more to taunt the king of Judah and its people. In his cleverly delivered message to the king, he spoke of all the other victories of the Assyrians and how they had not been saved by God. He named off a list of kings of other cities that had been captured by the Assyrians making it seem as if they could not be defeated, period. But this loudmouth did not know the power of the one true God. Hezekiah was scared and rightfully so when he received yet another threatening message from this man, but Hezekiah knew exactly who he needed to turn to for help. Hezekiah prayed.
Let's Reflect
1. What thought ran through your mind as you read the words of the messengers sent to Isaiah in verse 4?
2. According to verse 6 what did God’s message through the prophet Isaiah say regarding the words that the Rabshakeh had spoken?
3. When the Rabshakeh returned a second time to taunt the king of Judah, he mentioned again that the God of Judah would not save them from the hand of the king of Assyria. What tactic did this man use in his words to scare the king of Judah?
4. The message that this Rabshakeh spoke was recorded and given to King Hezekiah. According to verse 14 what did Hezekiah do with the written message?
5. How did Hezekiah’s prayer show that he understood the power and authority that the God he prayed to, is the one and only supreme God?
6. Hezekiah pleaded with the Lord in his prayer to hear what the Assyrians had done to others and how they had all been captured. What else did he pray?
7. Hezekiah got an answer to his prayer by way of a message sent to him by whom?
8. The answer to Hezekiah’s prayer made it very clear that yes, God had seen and heard every horrendous thing that the Assyrians had done to His people. What are some of the things that God told Hezekiah that He had seen?
9. God assured King Hezekiah that He would take care of the king of Syria. That answer came in verse 28. What would God do to the king of Syria, Sennacherib?
10. God even gave them a sign to look for. The sign was that when they planted new plants and that they would grow and flourish. God said that He would defend the city of Jerusalem. What happened to the Assyrians and to their king?
