The most powerful army outside Jerusalem was poised to attack, and its commander had just stood in front of the city in open defiance, not only against its king, but against God himself. No gods of other nations had ever kept an Assyrian army from destroying the lands they invaded, and God would not be any different. The Jews on the city walls were terrified — they knew their chances of survival were very low.
But those standing inside the city told a different story. A pious king prayed to God about the insults of the Assyrian commander and the threat of his army, and that same night, with no effort from the Jews at all, their enemies had been cut down — an amazing victory recorded in Scripture.
A Faithful King Faces a Powerful Army
King Hezekiah was one of the most godly kings of Judah, and he had begun to lead his country away from the idolatry that had plagued the nation since its founding. He did not hesitate to oppose the worship of false gods and to tear down their places of idolatry. Scripture speaks well of him, saying that there was none like him among the kings of Judah, and that he had great faith in the Lord. But now, his faith was going to be tested like never before.
The Assyrians were the strongest military power of their time, and their army had conquered nation after nation, taking their citizens into captivity. The Assyrians had already conquered the northern kingdom of Israel and carried many of their citizens away into captivity. They now marched towards Jerusalem, and the smaller nation of Judah could not put up much of a fight. It seemed that Judah's fate was sealed, and that the great power of Assyria would end their brief existence as an independent nation.
The Commander's Shameful Message
The Assyrians sent a skilled commander with a large force to Jerusalem to urge its citizens to open the gates and allow the Assyrian army to enter the city. He did not come to the city to fight the Jews, but to insult them and shake their faith in their God. This man stood before the city and began his message, hoping it would drive fear into the hearts of all who heard it. He spoke against King Hezekiah and told the Jews that they must not be so deceived by him. He then delivered a blasphemy, claiming that the Gods of the nations Assyria had conquered had been powerless against the Assyrians, and that their God was no different. He urged them to give up their foolish belief in their God and to surrender their city to the righteous king of Assyria, who had conquered every nation he had fought.
This commander spoke not only against Hezekiah, but against the living God. He treated the Lord as he did the powerless idols of the nations Assyria had conquered, claiming that they were all the same. The Jews said nothing in reply to his message, and the commander and his men left the city. But the words he had spoken had done their work — he and his men had shaken the faith of the Jews and filled them with doubt. The powerful Assyrian army was waiting outside the gates of Jerusalem and had made it clear that their God was no match for them.
The Assyrian commander stood within earshot of the people on Jerusalem's walls and delivered his speech: no god had ever stopped Assyria, and Israel's God was no different. The people said nothing and told the king.
A King Who Took It to God
When Hezekiah heard the humiliating message the Assyrian commander had delivered to the Jews, he was grieved and humiliated. He tore his clothing, put on rough clothing, and went to the temple of the Lord in deep mourning. Hezekiah also sent messengers to the great prophet Isaiah to pray for the Jews and to deliver them from their enemies. Isaiah told the king not to fear the words of the Assyrian commander, for they had no power over the Jews. When the Assyrian king sent another threatening letter, Hezekiah took it to the temple of God and laid it out before Him — the king brought the threat to God and asked Him to rescue Jerusalem and deliver it from the hands of its enemies. The king prayed to God, saying that the Assyrians had conquered many nations whose gods were idols of wood and stone, but that they had failed against the living God of Israel, Lord of hosts. Hezekiah asked God to deliver Jerusalem so that the power of the Lord might be known among the nations of the earth, that all might know that He was God.
Hezekiah took the Sennacherib's threatening letter into the Temple, spread it out before the altar, and prayed. He did not boast or threaten — he simply laid his fear before God and asked for rescue.
The Night the Enemies' Army Was Destroyed
God answered the prayer of Hezekiah. Through the prophet Isaiah, He told the Jews that He had heard their king's prayer and that He would take care of the Assyrians and deliver Jerusalem in due time. God told Isaiah to tell King Hezekiah that the arrogant Assyrians would not even shoot one arrow at Jerusalem or build siege works to surround the city. Instead, they would return to their own land, and Sennacherib, their king, would return to his homeland, dying because of the arrogance displayed towards the Lord. Just as God promised, that very night, the Angel of the Lord went to the Assyrian army and destroyed them. When morning came, the Jews looked out beyond the walls of their city and saw the sight that had shocked them all — the entire Assyrian army was gone, and the ground was covered with the dead from their enemies' camp.
The proud Assyrian king and his army had been defeated in the night, with no effort from the Jews, and left Judah for their homeland, their lives hanging over their heads. Soon after, the great Assyrian king met his just reward for his arrogance and blasphemy against God, being slain by his own sons for mocking the Lord. The Jews, whose enemies had threatened to destroy their nation, stood safely within their city, saved by the power of the Lord. He had answered the prayers of a godly king and kept His covenant with Israel, saving Jerusalem as He had promised.
When dawn broke, the Jews looked beyond the walls and found the Assyrian camp silent. The army that had mocked God and besieged the city was gone — destroyed in the night without a single Jewish soldier lifting a sword.
A Godly King Prepared, and a Record Was Made
Although Hezekiah had great faith in the Lord, he did not leave the defense of Jerusalem to God alone. This pious king prepared his city well for the siege, and the Lord blessed his efforts. Knowing that the Assyrians would try to cut off the city's water supply, he ordered men to dig a long tunnel to bring water from a spring to a place within the city walls where a pool had been dug to store it. This tunnel, which can still be walked through, and the inscription inside, is an impressive sign of the workmanship of men who had faith in God.
This great victory of the Lord over the Assyrians also has evidence in writing, outside of Scripture. The proud Assyrians were boastful of their victories and kept written records of the same. Assyrian inscriptions from the reign of Sennacherib, the same king who threatened to destroy Jerusalem, speak of the siege of the city and how Sennacherib had enclosed Hezekiah in it "as a bird in a cage." But these records do not say that the Assyrians had taken possession of the city — strange, since Assyrian kings boasted freely about every city they took. This connects the account to the Bible, suggesting that the Assyrians were not able to take Jerusalem.
Why Jerusalem Was Delivered
Many Bible verses relate to the story of Jerusalem's deliverance from the Assyrians, and it is one of the most exciting accounts of the Lord delivering His people. The Jews faced the most powerful nation on earth, an army that had not known defeat, and a commander who openly blasphemed the Lord. God delivered Jerusalem not by might or numbers, but alone in response to the prayer of a godly king. It is an amazing testimony to the power of God alone and the faithfulness of those who place their trust in Him.
The difference between Sennacherib and Hezekiah can be seen in contrast to one another throughout the account. While the Assyrian king spoke of his own glory and power, claiming that no God had kept the nations he had conquered from destruction, Hezekiah responded to the threat in a completely different way. He did not boast when he brought his enemies' threats to God — he stood in deep humility before the Lord. The Assyrians were boastful of their victories, and in the end it cost them their lives. In contrast to them, Hezekiah showed true faith in God by bringing his enemies to God and asking for his help. It was this humble but powerful faith that led to the salvation of Jerusalem and many lives being spared.
