Manasseh Destroys Hezekiah’s Legacy

Hezekiah had set out to serve the Lord in the first year of his reign, and had faithfully continued for twenty nine years.  After God caused the death of a so many of the Assyrian army half way through his reign, there had been no major challenges.  His son Manasseh was born after this, and had never experienced a time when God wasn’t blessing Judah.  As a result, like many who,ve grown up in he had no idea how blessed he was, and saw no reason for serving God, as II Chronicles 33:1-5describes.  “Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem: But did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.

For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.  Also he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever.  And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.  And he built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD said, In Jerusalem will I put my name.  And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.”

One of the first things Hezekiah had done was to reopen the Temple, and clean out all the altars and high places and the idols, including the ones that had been built in the temple grounds.  Manasseh undid everything his father had done, rebuilding the altars and high places, and encouraging the worship of false gods, even encouraging worship of other gods in the Temple itself. 

Manasseh went even further into sin, sacrificing his own children to Molech and getting involved with witchcraft,  astrology and the horoscope, and with psychics, as II Chronicles 33:6 tells us.  “And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.”  In all these things, he was in direct violation of God’s command, in Deuteronomy 18:9-12.  “When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.  There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.  For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.”

While Ahaz had closed up the Temple so they couldn’t use it, Manasseh placed an idol inside it and began using it to practice other religions, in direct defiance of God’s commands, as we see in II Chronicles 33:7-9.  “And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever: Neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from out of the land which I have appointed for your fathers; so that they will take heed to do all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses.  So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel.

God sent various prophets to warn them of the Judgement that would result, in II Kings 21:10-15.  “And the LORD spake by his servants the prophets, saying, Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols: Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle.  And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down.  And I will forsake the remnant of mine inheritance, and deliver them into the hand of their enemies; and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies; Because they have done that which was evil in my sight, and have provoked me to anger, since the day their fathers came forth out of Egypt, even unto this day.”

All of these things were a direct result of what Manasseh had done and encouraged the people to do.  As II Chronicles 33:10 tells us, “…the LORD spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken.”  Rather than listening to God, Manasseh had thousands who opposed him killed as II Kings 21:16 tells us.  “Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; beside his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.”

Like Manasseh, many times those who have grown up in the best homes are the ones who most resent their parents and the society around them.  It is crucial they learn to appreciate how blessed they are.  When they accept those blessings as normal, they begin to resent the very principles that caused the blessings.    

Godly Men Still Make Mistakes

Although he was one of Judah’s greatest kings, and dedicated to following the Lord, Hezekiah was still a human being, and messed up, as II Chronicles 32:25-26 tells us.  “But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.  Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah.”

God had blessed Hezekiah in many different ways, and as so often happens, Hezekiah became proud of the way God blessed him.   II Chronicles 32:27-30 describes his blessings.  “And Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honour: and he made himself treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious stones, and for spices, and for shields, and for all manner of pleasant jewels; Storehouses also for the increase of corn, and wine, and oil; and stalls for all manner of beasts, and cotes for flocks.  Moreover he provided him cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance: for God had given him substance very much.  This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper watercourse of Gihon, and brought it straight down to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works.”

As so often happens, Hezekiah’s pride in how he had been blessed became a problem, as II Chronicles 32:31 tells us.  “Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart.” At the time, Babylon was a minor part of the Assyrian Empire, and Hezekiah was flattered when they sent ambassadors enquiring about his health.  II Kings 20:12-13 tells what happened.  “At that time Berodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah: for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.  And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and showed them all the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah showed them not.” 

God sent Isaiah to warn Hezekiah that flaunting his wealth would lead to the Babylonians invading Judah when they became strong enough, in Isaiah 39:3-8.  “Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee?

And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country unto me, even from Babylon.

Then said he, What have they seen in thine house?

And Hezekiah answered, All that is in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not showed them.

Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD of hosts: Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD.  And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.

Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. He said moreover, For there shall be peace and truth in my days.”

While God expects us to enjoy the things he blesses us with, we need to be careful not to flaunt then or make other people feel that God doesn’t love them as much because he hasn’t blessed them in the same way even though they have done the same things.  Sometimes we discourage other Christians by bragging about how much we are blessed, and other times we tempt ungodly people by flaunting what we have.   Nobody is perfect, and even the most Godly men can mess up. 

Hezekiah was very highly respected by his people, as was demonstrated when he died, in II Chronicles 32:33.  “And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the chiefest of the sepulchres of the sons of David: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honour at his death. And Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.”

The people refused to allow some of the kings to even be buried in the same cemetary as David. But Hezekiah was buried in an area reserved for their greatest leaders. 

God Answers Hezekiah’s Prayer

Hezekiah had served the Lord wholeheartedly, for many years, and seen God’s power repeatedly.  After God defeated the Assyrians, Hezekiah got sick and Isaiah warned him he was going to die.  Hezekiah prayed asking God to spare his life, in II Kings 20:1-4.  “In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.  Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, saying, I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.”

God responded to Hezekiah’s prayer immediately, as II Kings 20:4-7 tells us.  “And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying, Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD.  And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.  And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.”

God had said in Deuteronomy 18:22 that they would know a prophecy was true if the prophet gave them somme immediate sign and it happened.  While Hezekiah felt better immediately, he wanted assurance he would really be healed and wasn’t just experiencing a temporary remission.  As a sign God gave him a choice of having the sundial jump ahead forty minutes or go backward forty minutes, in II Kings 20:8-9.  “And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What shall be the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up into the house of the LORD the third day?

And Isaiah said, This sign shalt thou have of the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees?”

Since the sun always moves forward, Hezekiah thought it would not have much effect for the shadow to move forward forty minutes on the sundial, but to move backward forty minutes would be a significant sign.  God gave the sign, as II Kings 20:10-11 tells us.  “And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees.  And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the LORD: and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz.”

In Isaiah 38:9-20, Hezekiah describes how blessed and thankful he was for God’s having saved his life.  “The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness: I said in the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave: I am deprived of the residue of my years.  I said, I shall not see the LORD, even the LORD, in the land of the living: I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world.  Mine age is departed, and is removed from me as a shepherd's tent: I have cut off like a weaver my life: he will cut me off with pining sickness: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me.  I reckoned till morning, that, as a lion, so will he break all my bones: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me.  Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail with looking upward: O LORD, I am oppressed; undertake for me.  What shall I say? he hath both spoken unto me, and himself hath done it: I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul.

O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit: so wilt thou recover me, and make me to live.  Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.  For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.  The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth.  The LORD was ready to save me: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the LORD.”

God Destroys The Assyrian Threat

Hezekiah was praying, not only that God would deliver Judah from the Assyrians, but also that they might recognize God as the only real God.  God responded by sending Isaiah to assure him that he had heard his prayer, and that he was offended by the Assyrian’s casual assumption that he would be powerless to stop them, in II Kings 19:20-24.  “Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, That which thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard.  This is the word that the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin the daughter of Zion hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.  Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel.  By thy messengers thou hast reproached the Lord, and hast said, With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon, and will cut down the tall cedar trees thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the lodgings of his borders, and into the forest of his Carmel.  I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of besieged places.”

They had ignored the historical records, and failed to understand God is the creator of the world.   Their victories had been against people who had turned against God, and they had won because he gave them victory, not because of their great power, as he explains in II Kings 19:25-26.  “Hast thou not heard long ago how I have done it, and of ancient times that I have formed it? now have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest be to lay waste fenced cities into ruinous heaps.  Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded; they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb, as the grass on the house tops, and as corn blasted before it be grown up.”

God knew exactly where they lived and what their attitudes were.  He would use their pride ad hatred for him against them. as we see in II Kings 19:27-28.  “But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me.  Because thy rage against me and thy tumult is come up into mine ears, therefore I will put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.” 

As proof of his intention to save Judah, despite their in ability to plant due to the threats of war, they would be able to live on the things that grew voluntarily for the remainder of that year, and the next, and then things would get back to normal, with Judah again growing in strength.  The Assyrians would never set foot in Jerusalem, according to II Kings 19:29-34.  “And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such things as grow of themselves, and in the second year that which springeth of the same; and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruits thereof.  And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall yet again take root downward, and bear fruit upward.  For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.

 Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor cast a bank against it.  By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the LORD.  For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.”

God had chosen Jerusalem to be his holy city, and for the sake of his own reputation, as well as his promises to David, he would defend the city.  The people would not even have to fight to protect it.  II Kings 19:35-37 describes what happened.  “And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.  So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.  And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword: and they escaped into the land of Armenia. And Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.”

A hundred eighty five thousand Assyrian soldiers died that night.  Shocked by such a loss, Sennacherib withdrew, returning to Nineveh, the capital to regroup.  Two of his sons murdered him while he was worshipping his gods, escaping into Armenia, and another of his sons seized the throne.  Sennacherib’s death precipitated a gradual decline of the Assyrian Empire which continued about a hundred years, until they were defeated by the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar.  They never again threatened Judah. 

The Assyrians Are Forced To Withdraw Temporarily

After hearing Rabshakeh out and observing his efforts to demoralize the Jews, Hezekiah’s representatives were really worried that people might turn away, when they reported to the king.  Hezekiah sought the Lord’s guidance in dealing with the threats, in II Kings 18:37-19:4.  “Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.  And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD.  And he sent Eliakim, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz.

And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.  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.”

Isaiah told them that they didn’t need to worry, That God would take care of the Assyrian threat because of their blasphemy against him, in II Kings 19:5-7.  “So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah.  And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say to your master, Thus saith the LORD, Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard, with which 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 shall return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.”

Learning that Sennacherib had taken Lachish and was besieging Libnah, Tabshakeh reported back to him.  Learning that the Ethiopians , who had control of Northern Africa were threatening to invade Assyria, Sennacherib sent messages to Hezekiah warning he would be back and defeat them as soon as the Ethiopian threat was resolved, in II Kings 19:8-14.  “So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah: for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish.  And when he heard say of Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, Behold, he is come out to fight against thee: he sent messengers again unto Hezekiah, saying, Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, Let not thy God in whom thou trustest deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.  Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, by destroying them utterly: and shalt thou be delivered?  Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed; as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were in Thelasar?  Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arpad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivah?”

When Hezekiah got the message, he took it to the temple and spread it before God, asking that he would save Judah from the Assyrians. In II Kings 19:14-19.  “And Hezekiah received the letter of the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up into the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD.  And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said, O LORD God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth.  LORD, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, LORD, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God.  Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands, 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.  Now therefore, O LORD our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD God, even thou only.”

The Assyrians had conquered every group they invaded, despite the people’s prayers to their gods.  Hezekiah prayed that God would defeat them, showing he was the only true God.   God had already promised that Sennacherib would be forced to return home.where he would be killed, but this letter stille troubled Hezekiah, and he sought reassurance of God’s power.  Even when we believe God’s promises, sometimes our faith is tested by the thing we see around us. 

The Assyrians Attempt To Demoralise The Jews

Hezekiah had tried to negotiate a treaty with the Assyrians, but they refused to negotiate.  Realizing they intended to attack, he prepared to defend Jerusalem and Judah.  At the time, the Assyrian army engaged in a siege against Lachish, but the Assyrian king sent representatives to Jerusalem in an effort to destroy Judah’s morale as II kings 18:17-25 describes.  “And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rabshakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great host against Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they were come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of the fuller's field.

And when they had called to the king, there came out to them Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder.  And Rabshakeh said unto them, Speak ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?  Thou sayest, (but they are but vain words), I have counsel and strength for the war. Now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me? Now, behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt, on which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him.  But if ye say unto me, We trust in the LORD our God: is not that he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and hath said to Judah and Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem?

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.  How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master's servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?  Am I now come up without the LORD against this place to destroy it? The LORD said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.”

The Assyrian delegation reminded the leader that Judah was pretty small compare to the Assyrian Empire, which had taken Israel several years before, as well as Syria.   If they were counting on Egypt to come to their rescue they better think again because the Egyptians would see it as an opportunity to take Judah for themselves, and if they thought God would come to their rescue, they needed to realize Hezekiah had destroyed all the high places and altars.   Like many people today, Rabshakeh had no understanding of the difference between being religious and obeying God.   They think all the various religions should get together because after all, they are all trying to accomplish the same thing.  They don’t understand that many of those religious behaviors are in fact opposed to what God wants. 

To further demoralize them, he offered to provide a thousand war horses if they could find enough qualified riders to use them, pointing out that if he could spare that many, they had no hope of defeating him.  Finally, he claimed that God had sent the Assyrians to destroy Judah and rezsistance would be going against God. 

Rabshakeh had deliberately spoken in Hebrew to demoralize the people, as is apparent from his response when the jewish leaders asked him to speak in the Syrian language.  He was hoping to convince the people to turn against Hezekiah, as II Kings 18:26-35 describes.  “Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna, and Joah, unto Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray thee, to thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and talk not with us in the Jews' language in the ears of the people that are on the wall.

But Rabshakeh said unto them, Hath my master sent me to thy master, and to thee, to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men which sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?  Then Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and spake, saying, Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria: Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand: Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.  

Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me, and then eat ye every man of his own vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his cistern: Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of oil olive and of honey, that ye may live, and not die: and hearken not unto Hezekiah, when he persuadeth you, saying, The LORD will deliver us.  Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?  Where are the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah? have they delivered Samaria out of mine hand?  Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of mine hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand?

II Chronicles 32:11-19 goes into detail about the attacks on Hezekiah and the mockery of God.  “ Doth not Hezekiah persuade you to give over yourselves to die by famine and by thirst, saying, The LORD our God shall deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria?  Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall worship before one altar, and burn incense upon it?  Know ye not what I and my fathers have done unto all the people of other lands? were the gods of the nations of those lands any ways able to deliver their lands out of mine hand?  Who was there among all the gods of those nations that my fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out of mine hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of mine hand?  Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you on this manner, neither yet believe him: for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of mine hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of mine hand?

And his servants spake yet more against the LORD God, and against his servant Hezekiah.  He wrote also letters to rail on the LORD God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people out of mine hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of mine hand.  Then they cried with a loud voice in the Jews' speech unto the people of Jerusalem that were on the wall, to affright them, and to trouble them; that they might take the city.  And they spake against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth, which were the work of the hands of man.”

Ungodly people do not see any difference betweem God and the deities of other religions, and as a result they assume all religions are pretty much the same other than some outward trappings.  They think it ridiculous that people would think what God said really matters, or that he has any power to stop them from getting their way.  They try to discourage your trusting him, even making fun of your beliefs and insisting you change.    

Dealing With A Threat

Under Ahaz, there had been continual war with the Philistines, with Israel and with Syria. When Hezekiah turned the people back to God, God blessed, giving Hesekiah victory over them,  About the same time, the Assyrians conquered Israel and Syria, eliminating those threats, as II Kings 18:8-12 describes.  “He smote the Philistines, even unto Gaza, and the borders thereof, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.  And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it.  And at the end of three years they took it: even in the sixth year of Hezekiah, that is the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken.  And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria, and put them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes: Because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD their God, but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them.”

Ten years after they first invaded Israel, the Assyrians invaded Judah, attacking and capturing several cities alo0ng the border.  In an effort to avoid war with such a powerful opponent, Hezekiah apologized and offered great financial rewards, as II Kings 18:13-16 describes.  “Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the fenced cities of Judah, and took them.  And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, I have offended; return from me: that which thou puttest on me will I bear. And the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.  And Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house.  At that time did Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of the LORD, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.” 

Though the Assyrians agreed on a set amount that Hezekiah agreed to pay, they had no intention of settling for the money, wanting to control the entire area.  Efforts to appease agressors seldom work, and realizing his efforts had failed, Hezekiah prepared for war, in II Chronicles 32:2-8.  “And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he was purposed to fight against Jerusalem, He took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the fountains which were without the city: and they did help him. So there was gathered much people together, who stopped all the fountains, and the brook that ran through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water?  Also he strengthened himself, and built up all the wall that was broken, and raised it up to the towers, and another wall without, and repaired Millo in the city of David, and made darts and shields in abundance.

And he set captains of war over the people, and gathered them together to him in the street of the gate of the city, and spake comfortably to them, saying, 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: 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.”

In an effort to hinder the Assyrian attack, Hezekiah and the people blocked the water sources around the city, while excavating a tunnel or conduit to bring water into the city so that they would have an adequate supply, feeding it into the upper pool.  He spent considerable effort repairing and strengthening their fortifications and building additional weapons, and spent some time training and organizing the army for a prolonged battle.  He reminded the people that as powerful as the Assyrian army might be, God was still greater.  By this time, Hezekiah had so earned their trust that the people believed him.