The war against Assyria continues on from Isaiah 36 with no battle so far.

1. Reassurance from Isaiah (vs. 1-7)

The three men relayed the message of Rabshakeh to Hezekiah.

The king was distressed and went into the temple to pray, while he sent men to give Isaiah a report on what had happened. Isaiah’s response was encouraging. “Tell Hezekiah that God said He heard the blasphemy of Rabshakeh and that Sennacherib, the king of Assyria will soon be leaving, and will die back in Assyria.

2. Sennacherib’s message (vs. 8-13)

Sennacherib then heard that the King of Cush was bringing his army up to fight against the Assyrians, and moved offensively to meet them. In the meantime, Sennacherib had a letter delivered to Hezekiah in Jerusalem. In it, he said largely the same thing his commander had said: “The gods of other nations haven’t been able to stand before me, so don’t think that your God will either.”

3. Spreading out the letter (vs. 14-20)

What do you do with letters of accusation or threats? Hezekiah’s example is the best one to follow: get before the presence of God and spread it out before Him. This was a situation over which Hezekiah had no control. His only choices were to pray or panic. He chose to pray, and we should learn the lesson from him. Are you dealing with threats? Spread them out before the Lord and pray. Are you facing difficulties? Lay them before the Lord and pray. Are you encountering opposition? Put it before the Lord and pray. Why do we choose to suffer through the sleepless nights, upset stomachs, and high blood pressure, when we should just be spreading the situation out before the Lord and praying?

4. God’s answer (vs. 21-35)

God had heard Hezekiah’s prayer. And He promised deliverance, not because of Hezekiah’s flawless righteousness, but to defend His own Name. When people attack God’s children, He takes it personally. We are His adopted sons and daughters. He loves us and has vowed to protect us, to never leave nor forsake us. God’s promise to Hezekiah was that not an arrow would be shot, and the enemy would be leaving. God Himself was going to defend Jerusalem.

5. An angel against the Assyrian army (vs. 36)

God sends an angel on a surprise night attack! During the night, while the Assyrians were sleeping, the Lord sent an angel to kill many of them. It was only one angel that is mentioned! The enlisted guys didn’t wake up until the next morning, and what they found must have terrified them: almost two hundred thousand men in their midsts were dead! They weren’t going to wait for a second night attack!

6. Sennacherib’s death (vs. 37-38)

Just as Isaiah had said, not an arrow was shot into the city, and not a siege ramp was built against it. Sennacherib left and returned home to Nineveh. And also in fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophecy, while Sennacherib was worshipping in the temple of the false god Nis-ROKE, two of his sons killed him and another became king of Assyria!

Categories: Isaiah