Hezekiah – Part 9
Prayer Changes Things
2 Chronicles 32
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians 6:12)
It may be the LORD thy God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God; and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left. (2 Kings 19:4)
This verse in 2nd Kings seems to be in between a statement by the king and his continual prayer for deliverance, and to those who were there it was a prayer for the remnant that were left. We also have Hezekiah’s prayer recorded in Isaiah.
And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up unto the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD. (Isaiah 37:14)
And Hezekiah prayed unto the LORD, saying, (Isaiah 37:15)
O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth. (Isaiah 37:16)
Incline thine ear, O LORD, and hear; open thine eyes, O LORD, and see: and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent to reproach the living God. (Isaiah 37:17)
Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations, and their countries, (Isaiah 37:18)
And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them. (Isaiah 37:19)
Now therefore, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD, even thou only. (Isaiah 37:20)
Let’s consider the reality of Hezekiah’s situation. He had no great army, the economy of Jerusalem was a suppressed economy, he had tried to bribe Sennacherib with the gold and silver from the house of God, and from his treasuries. Of all Israel there was only a small remnant left, now they were surrounded in Jerusalem by Sennacherib. Sennacherib had come against the fenced cities of Judah, and taken them. The inhabitants of those cities were either laid waste, or in captivity. This was the last stand for the nation of Israel, and they had no strength against their enemy. I will remind you that Hezekiah realized his position for he had stated that the children had come to the birth, and there is no strength to be delivered. At this point there was nothing humanly possible to give birth, or to deliver his people from Sennacherib. Sennacherib knew he faced a weakened nation that could not even set 2,000 riders on horseback. Now therefore, I pray thee, give pledges to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.(2 Kings 18:23) Sennacherib had a vast army, they had conquered all the nations around them, and they were riding an emotional high from their victories. They had confidence in themselves, and this was probably one of the weakest foes that they had ever faced. All that they had to do is to dot the i, and they would be home safe. They had no reality of a true God, of a God of creation, or one of Omnipotence; and although their army was a mighty host, it could fall as the Ethiopians fell in the days of Asa.
Asa (the 3rd monarch after Israel became a divided nation, and grandson of Rehoboam) was also a godly king, And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came unto Mareshah. (2 Kings 14:9) In Asa’s day, the king of Ethiopia came out against him, even though Asa had a large army the Ethiopians out numbered them 2 to 1. The Ethiopians had an army of a thousand thousand, (1,000,000) and three hundred (300) chariots. Imagine looking at this huge host, it must had appeared as a vast ocean with it’s boisterous waves. As far as the eye could see, spear, and buckler, and shield gleaming in the sun. Asa’s army had approximately 500,000 men. Asa might have imagined his vast army laying still on the cold morn in their own blood, but Asa prayed to the Lord, and went out against the Ethiopians, as he cried out to the Lord, he said, And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee. (2 Chronicles 14:11) The Lord heard Asa that day and gave him a great victory over the Ethiopians. We read of this victory in the next verse. So the LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled. (2 Ch 14:12) The Lord smote the Ethiopians and they fled, and Asa pursued them until they were spoiled, for they were destroyed before the Lord. The prayer of Asa as well as the prayer of Hezekiah gives us a formula on approaching God in prayer. It might seem in this day of spiritual ruin that we, as the children of God, have no power, but in this situation God loves to work; for it is not by might, nor by power saith the Lord of hosts, it is by my Spirit.
So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord? (Zechariah 4:4)
Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. (Zechariah 4:5)
Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. (Zechariah 4:6)
Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it. (Zechariah 4:7)
It was through prayer that Asa received a mighty victory. We might not have power on this earth, but we have all the power of heaven on our side if we do what is right in the eyes of the Lord as Asa had done .And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God:. (2 Chronicles 14:2) God will reveal His power and His truth, and that power and truth will be known to the nations of this world. The prophecy of Zechariah gives us another great lesson of God’s power, for in the days of Zerubbabel, Israel had no power. Israel was no longer a nation, and the people were in tribute to the foreign nations around them; yet, the Word of the Lord spoke of a great stone mountain coming out of Zerubbabel. This was a prophecy of the one who would come, the Lord of glory, even Jesus Christ. He would be the head of the corner, the stone cut out without hands, a mighty head stone that would cry in the streets of Jerusalem, ‘grace, grace.’ Although the Lord Jesus was rejected in His first advent, He will come again to reign in righteousness over the streets of Jerusalem, and over the nations of the world. Israel will behold her King as Lord of lords, and King of kings. Let’s return back to Hezekiah . . . .
He received the final letter from Sennacherib and took it into the house of the Lord, and spread it out before the Lord. And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up unto the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD. (Isaiah 37:14) If we would pay attention to the humble prayer of Hezekiah, we would learn much to add to our prayer before an Almighty God. Hezekiah began his prayer with the majesty of God, it is God who dwells between the cherubims, all mercy comes from God’s mercy-seat, and Jesus Christ is the true ark and the true mercy-seat of God.
But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; (Hebrews 9:11)
Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. (Hebrews 9:12)
For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: (Hebrews 9:13)
How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:14)
And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. (Hebrews 9:15)
For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: (Hebrews 9:24)
So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. (Hebrews 9:28)
After we acknowledge God’s majesty, we must look at ourselves and seek the place of mercy. Hezekiah exalts the God of heaven, and then cried out for deliverance. He declared, ‘for thou art God alone, there is no other God, and God has His hand over all the nations of the earth.’ Then Hezekiah ascends in his spirit into the presence of God. His heart is bursting, he is overwhelmed by the Creator of all things. He, in humility, is addressing the God of creation, the God who made heaven and earth, This is the proper place of God in our hearts, as we approach Him in prayer He must be a God of Majesty. If you will read Hebrews Chapter 1 you will see the Majesty revealed in God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. You may also consider our study in Hebrews. Hezekiah now reveals his heart to Jehovah. He cries, ‘incline thine ear’ for God is not deaf that He cannot hear, nor blind that He cannot see. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. (Hebrews 14:13) All things are open before the eyes of God, even the heart of a king. Now in prayer, Hezekiah brings the matter of his heart to the Lord. It is the matter of Sennecharib and his huge hosts, but that’s not all, this Sennacherib had reproached the living God. He had spewed out his lies as venom against the people, the princes, the king; but last of all, and that which is unpardonable, Sennacherib has blasphemed the God of heaven and of earth.
Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. (Psalm 2:10)
Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. (Psalm 2:11)
Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. (Psalm 2:12)
No king, or monarch, or dignitary is above the God of heaven. Sennacherib had defeated all the nations around him, and he had cast down and burnt with fire all their false gods. These were the gods of men, made of stone, wood, and stubble. Sennacherib did not serve the God of heaven, but his own deity, and by the way, in the days of Sennacherib, he was considered to be deity to the Assyrian people. There is only one God who hears the cries of the righteous. Hezekiah knew God, and cried out from his heart, ‘save us from the hand of Sennacherib, so that all the kingdoms of the earth will know that there is only one God, and only one Creator of all things, even thou only.’ When Hezekiah had finished his prayer, God was already moving; He sent confirmation to Isaiah, the son of Amos. It was the answer to Hezekiah’s prayer, His prophet, and the princes, and the Levites, and the priests had also been praying; and I am sure that the people who had heard Rabshakeh’s speech were also praying. Remember back in 2 Chronicles, Chapter 30, verse 27 that their prayer came up to His holy dwelling place, even unto heaven. Now Hezekiah’s prayer had also come up to heaven, and God sent an answer to him through Isaiah the prophet. This is that Isaiah who years before in the reign of Uzziah had seen the glory of the Lord, and the Lord sitting upon His throne, high and lifted up. Isaiah was a worthy messenger, one to be trusted for there were many false prophets in those days, as it is now; but God knows those He can trust, whether a herdsman of Tekoa, or a shepherd king, or a Tishbite from Gilead, God knows who are His people, and is ready to defend them and honor them, ‘consider my servant Job.’ What was true in Job’s day is still true today. I know that my redeemer liveth, and I know that I will behold Him in the latter day.
The answer to Hezekiah’s prayer was longer than his prayer. The God of heaven wanted to show His power to His king, and give all the details before it happens. This would be a mark against the world, they would not be able to deny that it was the hand of God that had destroyed the army of Sennacherib. The Lord Jesus speaking to the Jews declared, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. He was speaking of His resurrection, and the temple was His body.
And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. (Matthew 26:61)
Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. (John 2:19)
Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? (John 2:20)
But he spake of the temple of his body (John 2:21)
When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said. (John 2:22)
Although there are many infallible proofs of His resurrection, the world still denies that we have a man in heaven, the man Jesus Christ, the Son of God sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. God sent His prophets, they have stoned some, beat some, and killed some; but in the end of the age, He sent His Son, His own Son to be the Savior of the world; but they rejected Him, and crucified Him. God the Father sent an answer to the world, He is not here, He is risen. In the days of Hezekiah the God of heaven performed a miracle for His servant Hezekiah. In Hezekiah’s plight with the people God raised them from potential destruction by the hand of Sennacherib, God gave them life from above. As we read the Scriptures, we should realize that God has a specific formula for delivering the written truth unto man.
1. The message must come through holy men.
2. They must be of a contrite heart and a humble spirit.
3. They must be in obedience to the God of heaven.
4. All things must be penned and edited by the Holy Spirit of God.
Hezekiah received his answer from the God of heaven, what wonderful faith, now we see his faith in action. This was the Hezekiah of old, he had rekindled the flame of God in his heart; and like Abraham, he believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Hezekiah’s own words must have come into his heart.
Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him: (2 Chronicles 32:7)
With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. (2 Chronicles 32:8)
Although he had spoken these words earlier to the people, they were words of truth. God had opened his heart so that the eyes of his heart could see the wonderful deliverance that God was about to accomplish for Israel. We could compare it to the days of Elisha when he was surrounded by a mighty host; yet, God’s servant was not troubled. Elisha’s servant, however, was troubled at the sight of this great host. Elisha prayed that the eyes of his servant would be opened, and God opened them, and the servant saw the flaming chariots of God surrounding the hills and the enemy before them.
And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. (2 Kings 6:16)
And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. (2 Kings 6:17)
And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. (2 Kings 6:18)
And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria.(2 Kings 6:19)
And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And the LORD opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria. (2 Kings 6:20)
The statement of Elisha in verse 16 can be compared to the statement of Hezekiah, ‘they that would be with us are more than they that be with them.’ Is this not true in our age? We have the Holy Spirit of God, and we have the hosts of God’s angels. The angels are ministering spirits sent forth to minister to them who shall be heirs of salvation. As we, the redeemed, look to our Redeemer, do we not see a mighty host to watch over us, and protect us, and instruct us? The tiny seed of a mustard tree is the smallest seed in the kingdoms of men; yet, if we have faith as that tiny mustard seed, God will send His Word for the deliverance of precious souls throughout the whole world. These are the mighty mountains that must be tumbled into the sea, for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against the spirit of wickedness throughout the whole world. We can cast the spirit of unbelief into the sea of grace and truth in Jesus Christ. Hezekiah had prayed, and Isaiah through the Holy Spirit of God had sent the answer to him, now Hezekiah will rest till tomorrow, he will wait to see the deliverance of Israel. Rest this night, our king . . . . . and so will we, as the darkness spreads over the land. The God of heaven is preparing His angel — what a wonder we will see — till then — we will rest our eyes and our pen with a prayer that God will do a mighty work in our hearts and in the hearts of men. Amen.
© Copyright 2015, Michael Haigh
Article may be used, but not for gain. Freely ye have received, freely give.
All Scripture references are from the Authorized King James Bible. (KJV)