Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

The Lord told them to listen and to listen well. The world could not stand up to God and what He was sending. Sin required judgment and all the nations of the world that would not renounce sin by repenting and turning to Him were going to be judged. It was loosed. It was coming. It didn’t matter HOW it looked right now, He had already utterly destroyed them. It was coming on the whole world. This is speaking of the final of all judgments. It was future prophecy then and remains so now, but the Lord was speaking of it as already done. He describes things here that He repeats in Revelation (6:13-14; 14:20). One man of God wonders if 2 Peter 3:10-12 is speaking of this section as well. It is the future turning over of everything humanity thinks they have going on, and the judgment on all who refuse to trust in Jesus (the Holy One of Israel). But those who choose to trust in Him? To repent and rely on Him? They would be saved.

The Lord promised that the day would come when the earth would see His glory (Jesus). Jesus would strengthen weak hands and make firm feeble knees. He would make the blind see (which Jesus did and had never been done before Jesus did it). He would heal the deaf. He would make the lame walk. This was all looking toward the earthly ministry of Jesus and was fulfilled by Jesus completely. Those that believed in Him would have benefits and blessings, which all those in His New Covenant can enjoy (Ephesians 1:3). This was the hope that everyone should be looking to. It was a firm promise. And remains one today.

“And this happened: In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria went up against all the fortified cities of Judah, and he captured them.” (Isaiah 36:1)

Against the backdrop of these promises, we come up against real world events (instead of still to come events). This is also explored in 2 Kings 18:13-19:37 and 2 Chronicles 32:1-23. Sennacherib came and conquered much of the land. And was threatening to come take Jerusalem. He sent his man Rabshakeh to threaten them. He did. He called to the residents and spoke of the wonderful places they would be taken to. He talked of the futility of staying with a weak king with weak forces.

Now, between the start of the attack against the nation in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah and this announcement at the gates of Jerusalem time passed. The bible is not always chronological. Hezekiah’s sickness probably took place during this year-long assault against the cities of the nation. Hezekiah got sick, got humble before the Lord, and received a promise of total deliverance. He had a word from God that Assyria would not win. This word is what gave him the strength to stand against these assaults, regardless of how things looked at the time. He had the word of God.

Rabshakeh mocked the nation. Mocked Egypt, who he assumed they would call on for help. And he even mocked God. He said that he wasn’t with God, but he was stronger than anyone who had Him. He looked at God like just another idol. He even mocked their revival where the high places had been removed, seeing it as a weakening of their God. He spoke in a language all the people could understand and told them not to rely on their king. That Hezekiah couldn’t save them and their God couldn’t save them. But the people didn’t respond, because Hezekiah had told them not to. They just waited.

King Hezekiah was told of everything Rabshakeh had said. He covered himself with sackcloth and went to the Temple. He also sent messengers to Isaiah. He had had a word from God and was staying in front of God. He sent to find out if the word was firm, or if there was a change in what God was going to say. He sought confirmation even as he stayed humble before the Lord, holding to what he had been told. He knew they had no strength to defeat the Assyrians. This was totally up to God and he was acknowledging it.

The Lord’s response through Isaiah was not to fear. Not to fear the words of the Assyrians. The Lord would deal with them. He would send them news that would have them running home. Once they were home, the Lord would cause his downfall. He would die on the sword in his own land. This was a bold word considering how things looked, but it was the confirmation to Hezekiah that the Lord’s promise was going to hold. They WOULD be delivered.

When Rabshakeh got back to the Assyrian camp, he found the king of Assyria had left the camp and was warring with Libnah. Rabshakeh also heard the king of Ethiopia was coming out to fight against Assyria. He sent a message back to Jerusalem full of bluster and bravado and threats. He told them not to count on this to have saved them. Not to chalk it down to divine intervention. They would be back and they would take everything. The idols of other conquered nations had not saved them, so God would not save Jerusalem either.

Hezekiah received the letter and immediately walked up to the Temple with it. He spread it out before the Lord and declared that he had a word from God that the Assyrians would be defeated. He had a letter from the Assyrians saying the opposite. Hezekiah put the letter before the Lord and said, it’s up to you to deal with it. Only you can bring your word to pass. We’re going to trust in you. This is your mail. Hezekiah thanked the Lord, praised Him for the glory of God that would be revealed to all in the victory, and the Holy One of Israel (Jesus) would take the field. He did not shrink back from what God told him. He didn’t even tell Isaiah about the letter. He simply brought it before the Lord and left it in the power of the only one who could do something about it.

Then Isaiah showed up and prophesied to Hezekiah the total victory of the Lord. That before three years had passed the nation would again be eating of the bounty of the land. There wouldn’t even be evidence that Assyria had ever attacked them. The Holy One of Israel (Jesus) would rise up and give victory. He would strike down the arrogant and the mockers. He would show them which God was real. The siege of Jerusalem wouldn’t happen. The land would be restored and the nation would grow. The Assyrian king would go back the way he came. God would defend Jerusalem for David’s sake. Everyone would know it was the Lord who did it.

Sometime later, one hundred and eighty-five thousand Assyrians were killed by an angel in a single night. The camp went to bed like normal, but when they woke they were surrounded by the dead. They immediately packed up and went home. When the Sennacherib, king of Assyria, got home, he stayed there at Nineveh. One day when he was worshipping his idol, two of his sons came and killed him there with a sword.

Jerusalem was not besieged and destroyed. Assyria was defeated. And God did it all. Exactly as He had said. The promises of God NEVER fail.

Summary

Key Players: God, Jesus, Isaiah

Key Verse(s): Isaiah 34:8-15; 35:1-7; 36:4-10; 37:5-7, 33-38