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Sennacherib's Invasion Lessons from Hezekiah
He shall not
come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shields,
nor cast a bank against it. For I will defend this city to save it George Eldridge The 36th and
37th chapters of Isaiah deal with the invasion of Sennacherib, the king of
Assyria, during the reign of Hezekiah, and the miraculous deliverance by the
hand of God. Many students of the Bible agree that this deliverance in
Hezekiah’s day is a picture of the deliverance of Israel in the final conflict
of the ages. Ezekiel, in chapter 38, calls this episode the attack of Gog,
while John, in Revelation 17:14, takes the spiritual view and calls it the war
of the ten kings against the Lamb and those with him, who are the called,
chosen, and faithful. Though
Isaiah omits the events in Hezekiah’s reign leading up to this dramatic event,
2 Kings 18, 19, and 2 Chronicles 29-32 do not, and each of these passages
gives important details. Hezekiah was the son of the wicked king Ahaz who had
closed the temple, mutilated the vessels therein, and engaged in idolatrous
heathen rites (2 Chronicles 28:4). Hezekiah
shared the throne with his father for some years before he ascended to the
throne as sole monarch. The condition of the nation must have grieved his
righteous heart greatly. In the very month he became sole monarch, he
determined to turn the nation to the worship of God. The first thing he did was
open the doors of the temple to begin the cleansing work. The antitypical temple represents the church, the Body of Christ, of which he is the head
“and are built upon the foundation of the apostles, Jesus Christ being the
chief corner stone in whom all the building, fitly framed together, groweth
unto an holy temple in the Lord” (Ephesians 2:20,21). The
Political Context Hezekiah had
grown up in a period of great unrest. The surrounding nations were battling one
another for control, with Judea in the middle. Assyria wanted control of all
western Asia, and its sights were set on Judea as a trophy. It is at this time
that Hezekiah opens the doors of the temple. He ordered the priests and the
Levites to sanctify themselves and the temple. They did this by disposing of
all the unclean heathen rites and their trappings by throwing them into the
brook Kidron, the usual place for worthless trash. The
cleansing of the temple from all its uncleanness may be a picture of throwing
away and rejecting the Talmud’s ridiculous set of laws and all that connected
the Jews with their rejection of Christ. Hezekiah was
aware of the capture of the northern kingdom of Israel by Assyria not many
years before his reign began, and so we have this statement from him in 2
Chronicles 29:10: “Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the LORD God of Israel, that his fierce
wrath may turn away from us.” The people
of Judah had suffered great distress because of their disobedience and
apostasy, and Hezekiah desired to turn the nation back to God in total
commitment. The priests and Levites began to sanctify themselves on the first
day of the first month (Nisan), and on the 16th day they came to Hezekiah and
reported that not only the temple, but also the sacred vessels had been
returned and sanctified. Hezekiah
rose up early and gathered together the rulers of the city. Going to the temple
he brought seven bullocks, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats for a
sin offering for the kingdom, for the temple, and for Judah. This was not the
day of atonement ordered by the Lord to be kept on the tenth day of the seventh
month, but a very special celebration of atonement for all Israel. This
continued with the entire congregation worshiping with songs of praise. Then
Hezekiah told the people to bring their sacrifices and thank offerings into the
house of the Lord. The result was that the people brought so many animals for
burnt offerings that the priests could not handle the slaying, so the Levites
had to help. The account is in 2 Chronicles 29 and concludes with verse 36:
“Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people; for
the thing was done suddenly.” Remembering the Assyrian invasion and the miraculous deliverance by God’s hand
shortly following this “preparing of the people,” may suggest that God intends
to get his people in the right heart condition to trust him before the final
conflict of this age. Passover
Celebration Postponed 2 Chronicles
30 records Hezekiah’s declaration to keep the Passover. The correct date for
keeping it was Nisan 14, but the temple was not sanctified until Nisan 16.
Hezekiah took counsel with his princes and congregation. He declared that the
Passover would be kept on the 14th day of the second month. Numbers 9:5-11
states when to keep the Passover: the 14th day of the first month (Nisan).
However, it also tells us that certain men were defiled by contact with a dead
body and were unclean for seven days. God told Moses these unclean ones could keep it in
the second month on the 14th day. There may be
here a remarkable connection of thought. The fact that the priests and Levites
had not finished cleansing and sanctifying the temple was not a legal reason
for postponing the Passover observance. The legal reason, under the Law, was
uncleanness through contact with a dead body. So Israel in the kingdom is
“delayed” in receiving the Passover, having rejected Christ at the first
advent. But in their rejection they “killed the Prince of life” (Acts 3:15),
and thus were defiled with the death of Christ at their instigation. In Jesus’
parable about the householder who planted a vineyard and let it out to husbandmen,
servants were sent to receive the fruits. They took his servants, beat one,
killed another, and stoned another. Then he sent his son, saying “they will
reverence my son.” But they said, “This is the heir, let us kill him and seize his
inheritance.” The Pharisees knew Jesus was the son and heir, and
perceived that Jesus spoke the parable about them (Matthew 21:33-45). God may have
overruled the events back in Hezekiah’s day so that when keeping the Passover
in the second month, we might have this picture. The people of Israel will have
to admit that they came in contact with a dead body and were thereby unclean,
postponing their appreciation of the Lamb of God. 2 Chronicles
30:15 says the priests did prepare the Passover on the 14th day of the second
month, and the priests and the Levites were “ashamed.” This seems to harmonize
with Zechariah 12:10, “They shall look upon me whom they have pierced and shall
mourn for him as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for
him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.” Many of the
people at this great Passover were not sanctified, so the Levites had charge of
killing the lambs for everyone not clean. This was also a violation of the law,
but Hezekiah prayed to God to pardon every one and God hearkened to Hezekiah
and healed the people (held back the penalty). God was willing to overlook the
violations for the operation of grace and the healing of Israel. Grace is
freely offered to all who seek the Lord, no matter their former status. And the
Levites taught the good knowledge of the Lord. Perhaps this shows that Israel
will teach the nations the true meaning of the Passover as the Levites did in
Hezekiah’s day. Continuing
Reformation After the
Passover the people went into the cities and broke all the images, cut down the
groves and threw down the high places until they had destroyed them all. All
the trappings of idolatry had to go. Antitypically, all that is in opposition
to the truth with Christ as the center and hub must go! 2 Chronicles
31:2-11 describes how Hezekiah restored the temple back to its purity. The
result was that the nation prospered. This may be a picture of “a people
dwelling safely without bars or gates, in a land of unwalled villages which
have gotten cattle and goods [wealth], that dwell in the midst of the land”
(Ezekiel 38:12). In Hezekiah’s day the nations around Judah were seething with
war, but Judah and Jerusalem were prospering. This may be a picture of the
situation Israel faces just before the attack of Gog, and a reason Gog comes to
take a spoil of her wealth. Events
Following the Great Passover Sennacherib
had already captured the northern kingdom and taken the inhabitants captive.
Isaiah predicted that this would take place in the days of Ahaz, Hezekiah’s
father. Isaiah 7:17 tells us that this conquest was directed by God, using the
Assyrian as a tool. Isaiah 10:5 repeats this overruling: “O Assyrian, the rod
of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation.” The chapter
continues with the proud boasting of Sennacherib. Having taken surrounding
nations, his sights are now set on Judea. Isaiah 36 begins with Sennacherib’s
assault and capture of the fenced cities of Judah. He then sent one of his high
officials, Rabshakeh, to Jerusalem advising the Jews to surrender, repeating
his boast that none of the nations had been able to stand against the might of
Assyria. Hezekiah was
deeply troubled and sent for Isaiah, whose closeness to the king has led some
commentators to suggest he was of royal blood. Rabbinical tradition claims that
he was king Amaziah’s nephew. His presence and counsel may represent the
Ancient Worthies showing they will be on hand to guide Israel in her time of
necessity. Micah 5:5 says, “When the Assyrian shall come into our land, and
when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven
shepherds, and eight princes of men [margin].” It would seem appropriate that
at least some of the Ancient Worthies will be guiding and directing those in
power at the time. Isaiah said,
“Thus shall ye say unto your master [Hezekiah], Thus saith the LORD, Be not afraid of the words that
thou hast heard, wherewith the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed
me. Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and
return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own
land” (Isaiah 37:6,7). This is
exactly what happened. Sennacherib was warring with another city, but sent a
message to Hezekiah boasting again about all the nations already conquered by
him. This time Hezekiah took the letter and went up to the temple and spread it
out before the Lord, telling him of all the Assyrians had conquered. He pleaded
for deliverance, adding that all the nations of the world will know that “thou
art the LORD, even thou only”
(Isaiah 37:20). Isaiah then
sent word to Hezekiah that because of his prayer God would intervene.
Sennacherib would not come into the city, nor shoot an arrow into it, but would
return by the way he came. God would defend the city for his own sake and for
the sake of David his servant. Clearly in this reference David pictures Christ. A
Political League Sought In the
meantime, there was a political faction in Judea demanding a league with Egypt
(picturing western Christian nations), especially with a view of obtaining
chariots and horses (symbols of today’s armaments, see Isaiah 31:1-3). Isaiah’s
indignation at this was hot! He saw that Egypt was too weak and faithless to
help. Its faithlessness and disloyalty are shown in the words “and all the
inhabitants of Egypt
shall know that I am the LORD, because
they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel. When they leaned upon
thee, thou brakest and made their loins be at a stand.” (Ezekiel 29:6-8). Here is the
description of God’s intervention against Sennacherib: “The angel of the LORD went forth, and smote in the camp
of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand [185,000]: and
when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses”
(Isaiah 37:36). This
miraculous deliverance is shown also in Ezekiel 38 after Gog comes to take a
spoil and a prey: “It shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come
against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD,
that my fury shall come up in my face. And I will call for a sword against him
throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD:
every man’s sword shall be against his brother. Thus will I magnify myself; and I will be
known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD” (verses 18, 21, 23). Thus the historical interlude of Isaiah chapters 36 and 37 represents the deliverance of Israel by God from an impending crisis, when God responds to their humble cry of faith, directs them through the Ancient Worthies, and intervenes to vanquish the aggressor. Then “the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the LORD” (Micah 5:7) in the morning of the new age—chastened, repentant, delivered, and ready to spread the blessings of the kingdom to a weary world. |