2 Kings 19

Hezekiah was a good king over Judah, but he faced a devastating assault from the mighty ruler of the Assyrian Empire. The ambassador from the Assyrian king not only showed great disrespect to Hezekiah's representatives, he even mocked the Lord.

Hezekiah sent representatives to Isaiah the prophet, and received immediate encouragement. The word from the Lord called the king to turn away from fear. The Assyrian foe would hear a rumor, return to his own land, and die by the sword.

Nonetheless, the battle was not over. Although the word from God was already being fulfilled, the Assyrian king again sent messengers to Hezekiah to renew their blasphemous threats. These messengers did not reveal the fact that the king of Assyria was already withdrawing from Judah based on a report that he had heard. Even though the immediate danger was over, Hezekiah did not know it. The battle within his own soul between fear and faith was still raging.

Hezekiah took the letter that he received and laid it out before the Lord in sincere prayer. He called upon the Lord to defend the divine Name before the nations of the world. He asked God to save His people from the hands of the Assyrians.

The Lord spoke through Isaiah a second time. God had heard the prayer of Hezekiah. The Lord addressed the arrogant king of Assyria. The young women of Jerusalem would laugh at the mighty king of Assyria. Why? Because the king of Assyria had dared to exalt himself against the Lord.

What Assyria had been able to accomplish in its time and place had come to pass by the decree of Almighty God. The Lord had determined it long ago, and He had brought it all to pass. The Lord had appointed limits to the power of destruction that the Assyrians would exercise against their neighbors. At just the right moment they would go back the way they came.

Jerusalem would have some more years of freedom. The people of the Lord would be able to sow their seed and harvest their crops. They would be “a band of survivors.” The Lord would accomplish this.

The Assyrians, despite all their proud boasts, would not be able to enter the city of Jerusalem. The Lord would protect His people for the sake of His own Name and “for the sake of my servant David.”

That night thousands of Assyrian soldiers died and the king of Assyria returned to his capital city of Nineveh. There he met his own horrible end. God ruled in favor of “David.”

Why would the Lord speak of David when David had been in the grave for centuries? The Lord had a plan. He would vindicate His own Name through a promised “David” to come. Unlike the first David, the Son of Jesse, the new David would have no sin. He would have the complete approval of His heavenly Father and would share the blessings of that full approval with all who would call upon His Name in faith.

Even down to the present moment we are told to turn away from fear and to believe in the Word of the Lord. The message of the everlasting Son of God comes to us in every situation that we may face, however hopeless our chances may appear to be. Above all “chance” of success or failure, the Lord reigns. He will bring victory to His people for the sake of His own Name and for the sake of David His servant.