When Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers, he read it. Then he went up to the Lord’s temple. There he spread the letter out in front of the Lord. Hezekiah prayed to the Lord. He said, “Lord who rules over all, you are the God of Israel. You sit on your throne between the cherubim. You alone are God over all of the kingdoms on earth. You have made heaven and earth. Listen, Lord. Hear us. Open your eyes, Lord. Look at the trouble we’re in. Listen to what Sennacherib is saying. You are the living God. And he dares to make fun of you! “Lord, it’s true that the kings of Assyria have completely destroyed many nations and their lands. They have thrown the statues of the gods of those nations into the fire. And they have destroyed them. That’s because they weren’t really gods at all. They were nothing but statues that were made out of wood and stone. They were made by human hands. “Lord our God, save us from the powerful hand of Sennacherib. Then all of the kingdoms on earth will know that you alone are God.” I sent a message to Hezekiah. I said, “The Lord is the God of Israel. He says, ‘You have prayed to me about Sennacherib, the king of Assyria. So here is the message I have spoken against him. I am telling him, “‘“You will not win the battle over Zion. Its people hate you and make fun of you. The people of Jerusalem lift up their heads proudly as you run away. Who have you laughed at? Who have you spoken evil things against? Who have you raised your voice against? Who have you looked at so proudly? You have done it against me. I am the Holy One of Israel! Through your messengers you have laughed at me again and again. And you have said, ‘I have many chariots. With them I have climbed to the tops of the mountains. I’ve climbed the highest mountains in Lebanon. I’ve cut down its tallest cedar trees. I’ve cut down the best of its pine trees. I’ve reached its farthest mountains. I’ve reached its finest forests. I’ve dug wells in strange lands. I’ve drunk the water from them. I’ve walked through all of Egypt’s streams. I’ve dried up every one of them.’ “‘“But I, the Lord, say, ‘Haven’t you heard what I have done? Long ago I arranged for you to do all of that. In days of old I planned it. Now I have made it happen. You have turned cities with high walls into piles of stone. Their people do not have any power left. They are troubled and put to shame. They are like plants in the field. They are like new green plants. They are like grass that grows on a roof. It dries up before it is completely grown. “‘“‘But I know where you live. I know when you come and go. I know how very angry you are with me. You roar against me and brag. And I have heard your bragging. So I will put my hook in your nose. I will put my bit in your mouth. And I will make you go home by the same way you came.’”’” The Lord said, “Hezekiah, here is a miraculous sign for you. “This year you will eat what grows by itself. Next year you will eat what grows from that. But in the third year you will plant your crops and gather them in. You will plant your grapevines and eat their fruit. The people of Judah who are still alive will be like plants. Once more they will put down roots and produce fruit. Out of Jerusalem will come those who remain. Out of Mount Zion will come those who are still left alive. My great love will make sure that happens. I rule over all. “Here is a message from me about the king of Assyria. It says, “‘He will not enter this city. He will not even shoot an arrow at it. He will not come near it with a shield. He will not build a ramp in order to climb over its walls. By the way that he came he will go home. He will not enter this city,’ announces the Lord. “I will guard this city and save it. I will do it for myself. And I will do it for my servant David.” Then the angel of the Lord went into the camp of the Assyrians. He put to death 185,000 soldiers there. The people of Jerusalem got up the next morning. They looked out and saw all of the dead bodies. So Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, took the army tents down. Then he left. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there.
Posted on: Wed, 11 Sep 2013 13:05:45 +0000
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