In the midst of the siege of Jerusalem the Assyrians were providentially distracted by the approach of the Egyptian army (Tirhakah of Cush), thus giving Hezekiah some breathing space. But Sennacherib left a large army to maintain the siege promising to break into the city when he returned. He wrote to Hezekiah a letter that ridiculed his faith in God and proudly asserted his power even over God. As soon as Hezekiah read this he went, letter in hand, up to the temple and laid it out ‘before the Lord’. Sennacherib’s words had provoked Hezekiah to faith. There was nothing else for it now than for God to turn up and do something. God’s response to Hezekiah is spectacular. Isaiah announced that God was about to act, and act God did. That very night the whole Assyrian army was destroyed in an event that became so well known it was soon being told in Egypt where the Greek historian Herodotus heard about it and added it to his histories (albeit in a slightly confused form). There is also an anomaly in the Assyrian records, which can be seen today in the British Museum. These records celebrate the destruction of Lachish in Judah as though it was the target of this campaign, when in fact Lachish was only a fort city protecting Jerusalem. The Assyrians were not going to report a failure, hence they focused on the only success they had in Judah. God acted for Hezekiah. This is not a myth, it is the real history of the actual work of a real God. And the same God is with you.
Reflect on God’s presence with you.
Read 2 Kings 19:9-37
