5 When the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah, 6 Isaiah said to them, “Say to your master, ‘Thus says the Lord: Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard, with which the young men of the king of Assyria have reviled me. 7 Behold, I will put a spirit in him, so that he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land, and I will make him fall by the sword in his own land.’” 8 The Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria fighting against Libnah, for he had heard that the king had left Lachish. 9 Now the king heard concerning Tirhakah king of Cush, “He has set out to fight against you.” And when he heard it, he sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying, 10 “Thus shall you speak to Hezekiah king of Judah: ‘Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you by promising that Jerusalem will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria. 11 Behold, you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, devoting them to destruction. And shall you be delivered? 12 Have the gods of the nations delivered them, the nations that my fathers destroyed, Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Telassar? 13 Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of the city of Sepharvaim, the king of Hena, or the king of Ivvah?’” ~ Isaiah 37:5-13
Sennacherib, king of Assyria, was a warlord like no other. Each nation he set out to destroy, he destroyed. War was his game, and he was undefeated. In fact, he was so confident in himself that he mocked the gods of any nation that the people of that nation put their trust in, for what god could save them from his hand? So, when he came against Israel and threatened them and mocked their God, they trembled in fear, but Isaiah came forward with a word from God.
Sennacherib never set foot in the land of Israel. In fact, the Angel of the LORD, who had led them into the promised land so many years ago, came to their rescue once more and slaughtered 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in their own camp. Hezekiah, King of Judah, though frightened and afraid, saved his people from destruction, for he took it to the LORD in prayer. He didn’t wallow in his fear; no, he overcame through believing the word spoken by Isaiah and through praying on his knees for the LORD’s divine intervention. This is what saved the people of Judah. This is what caused the Angel of the LORD to come to their rescue.
It wasn’t the word that came from God but the reaction to that word. See, if Hezekiah hadn’t prayed, Judah would’ve been slaughtered. Judah would’ve been another victim of the Assyrian army. But because Hezekiah trusted in the word from God enough to pray about the deliverance of Judah, God’s word was able to come to pass.
See, each one of us has been given a word from the LORD. How we react to this word will determine whether the word is fulfilled or not. God doesn’t force His promises upon us; we have to claim them for ourselves. If God says I will do this if you do this, and we don’t do it, then the word will not come to pass. It’s easy to be afraid and terrified when facing a great warlord like Sennacherib, who mocks you and the LORD. Who tries to cause doubt by bringing up all who have failed before you, but you have to remember that these words, just like the words God has spoken, cannot come to pass unless you let them. The LORD has great plans for your life. Don’t allow Sennacherib to take them from you. Claim them, hold to them, put your trust in God, and pray for His word to come to pass. And just as the Angel of the LORD came to the rescue of Judah, so will He come to your rescue as well.
Peace. Love. Go Forth and Choose Which Word Wisely.
Similar Content
