Isaiah 37: Hezekiah's Prayer

Today, we skip multiple chapters in Isaiah, and we go directly to the story of Hezekiah and the invasion by Sennacherib. Of note, this is one of the most important stories in the OT. In fact, it is the ONLY story repeated three times in the OT. It is found in our lesson today (Isaiah), and also in II Kings and II Chronicles. Today’s lesson focuses on Hezekiah’s prayer, but to understand it, we really need to know the historical context of the prayer.

As our lesson book correctly points out, chapter 36 is so connected to chapter 37 that they must be studied together. So, with this in mind, let’s try to piece together what was happening historically that led to the prayer.

Before we start, however, let us make a quick statement about Hezekiah’s character. I add this, because some of the commentators insinuate that Hezekiah had walked in his own way, and was not doing altogether what was right, and that is why he was being punished. It is unquestionable that he made mistakes, but the scripture holds him up as one of the most righteous men in the Bible.

2 Kings 18:3–6 NKJV

And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father David had done. He removed the high places and broke the sacred pillars, cut down the wooden image and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made; for until those days the children of Israel burned incense to it, and called it Nehushtan. He trusted in the Lord God of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor who were before him. For he held fast to the Lord; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the Lord had commanded Moses.

Based on this, I don’t think we can really question whether or not Hezekiah’s heart was right. He became king of Judah approximately 715 BC.

Prior to this, in about 722 BC, the Norther Kingdom of Israel had fallen to Shalmaneser of Assyria. Afterward, there is Sargon, King of Assyria. He is killed in one of his many military exploits, and then Sennacherib becomes King of Assyria in approximately 705 BC. There is an initial rebellion against him. Somewhere around 704-703, we have Judah rebelling in the West, and Babylon rebelling in the east. At that time, Babylon is led by Berodach-baladan.

Chapters 38 and 39 in Isaiah tell of Hezekiah’s illness, and of the Babylonian emissaries to Hezekiah. It seems that Babylon was trying to build an alliance to resist Assyria. Note also that Egypt was in rebellion as well.

Although these stories come after chapter 36 -37, the events actually occurred before chapters 36 and 37. They are not in chronological order, they are added as a post script, explaining more of Hezekiah’s life. (I won’t go into detail on this, we are all familiar with Hezekiah’s story). The point is, different powers were trying to form alliances against Assyria, just prior to the events discussed in today’s lesson.

Sennacherib’s response is drastic. In 701, he sends out a military expedition to crush the rebellion. Tyre is destroyed along with multiple other city-states. Therefore, in 701 BC, Hezekiah has his first major trial with Assyria. let us note the difference in Isaiah’s recording and the writings in II Kings.

Isaiah 36:1–2 NKJV

Now it came to pass in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah that Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them. Then the king of Assyria sent the Rabshakeh with a great army from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. And he stood by the aqueduct from the upper pool, on the highway to the Fuller’s Field.

2 Kings 18:13–17 NKJV

And in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them. Then Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria at Lachish, saying, “I have done wrong; turn away from me; whatever you impose on me I will pay.” And the king of Assyria assessed Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. So Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the Lord and in the treasuries of the king’s house. At that time Hezekiah stripped 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. Then the king of Assyria sent the Tartan, the Rabsaris, and the Rabshakeh from Lachish, with a great army against Jerusalem, to King Hezekiah. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. When they had come up, they went and stood by the aqueduct from the upper pool, which was on the highway to the Fuller’s Field.

Isaiah leaves out the entire story of Hezekiah’s humiliation here, it apparently was not important to the ultimate story of God’s deliverance of Judah through Hezekiah. However, this has led to much scholarly debate; was there one invasion or two? You will find learned men on both sides of this argument.

First, some feel that there was only one invasion. In this view, Hezekiah tried to buy Sennacherib off with all of his treasures, but was rejected. He took the gold/silver, but immediately sent back the Rabshakeh, while Sennacherib himself was at Lachish during the seige.

However, many Biblical scholars feel that there there is a gap of about 12 years here. In this view, Sennacherib accepts the bribe and leaves for a time. There is very good reason to believe this second view.

2 Kings 19:9–10 NKJV

And the king heard concerning Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, “Look, he has come out to make war with you.” So he again sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying, “Thus you shall speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying: ‘Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you, saying, “Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.”

History tells us that Tirhakah did not come to power until about 690-689 BC, therefore, this is approximately 12 years later from the 701 BC invasion.

Another reason is the very different Hezekiah we see. Initially, he submits, and tries to bribe Sennacherib (remember, though his heart was right, he was not a perfect individual). In this second invasion, Hezekiah ultimately relies on God, and not his own strength.

Whether one or two invasions, our lesson really starts with a crisis moment in the life of Hezekiah, and even for Judah itself.

Putting the pieces together, it seems that Sennacherib is at Lachish, besieging the city. He sends Rabshakeh as a spokesman demanding the surrender of Jerusalem. Note, here, Rabshakeh is not a personal name. It is a title for a high officer of state, similar to a field commander. He is clearly speaking for Sennacherib.

We must ask, how real is this threat? To destroy Jerusalem, an army had to go through Lachish first. Because of the topography of the land, there is no real way to bring an army there unless Lachish is destroyed first. History tells us Lachish did fall. In fact, there has been found a mass grave, where victims from this event were buried. There are at least 1500 human remains here at the site. The remains of Nineveh have been excavated, and reliefs have been found on the wall. It is like watching / viewing history in pictures. The engravings show Sennacherib’s army, and the seige. The pictures progress to showing the eventual victory over Lachish. In fact, in the final picture, Sennacherib himself is pictured seated on a throne, looking at what he has conquered. The engraving reads

“Sennacherib, king of the world, king of Assyria, set up a throne and the booty of Lachish passed before him”. Note, there are other engravings where he brags about destroying 46 other cities of Judah, and countless villages. It is estimated that in Lachish itself, there were as many as 40-50,000 casualties. The reliefs at Nineveh depict a horrifying cruelty. This includes dismembered bodies, people being impaled, and captives being led away with pierced lips, both to humiliate them and to control them. Lachish is only 30 miles southwest of Jerusalem, and when if fell, there was nothing between it and Jerusalem! The threat was real!

The Bible also records the taunting speeches that Rabshakeh gives as a spokesman for Sennacherib. It is interesting to note that the Rabshakeh gave his first taunting speech at “the aqueduct from the upper pool”, which we have read. Interestingly, it was in this very spot that Ahaz refused to believe.

Isaiah 7:3 NKJV

Then the Lord said to Isaiah, “Go out now to meet Ahaz, you and Shear-Jashub your son, at the end of the aqueduct from the upper pool, on the highway to the Fuller’s Field,

It was in this very spot that Ahaz refused to believe. He was commanded to ask for a sign, but refused. The forces of evil came back to the same spot, and it will now be up to Hezekiah if he believes or not.

Rabshakeh gives his first taunt in vs 4-10.

Isaiah 36:4–10 NKJV

Then the Rabshakeh said to them, “Say now to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: “What confidence is this in which you trust? I say you speak of having plans and power for war; but they are mere words. Now in whom do you trust, that you rebel against me? Look! You are trusting in the staff of this broken reed, Egypt, on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him. “But if you say to me, ‘We trust in the Lord our God,’ is it not He whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away, and said to Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You shall worship before this altar’?” ’ Now therefore, I urge you, give a pledge to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses—if you are able on your part to put riders on them! How then will you repel one captain of the least of my master’s servants, and put your trust in Egypt for chariots and horsemen? Have I now come up without the Lord against this land to destroy it? The Lord said to me, ‘Go up against this land, and destroy it.’ ”

We do not have time to thoroughly dissect this speech, but there are some very interesting points here. We have to admit, it is a convincing speech. Webb points out:

The Message of Isaiah: On Eagles’ Wings The Enemy at the Gates (36:1–22)

This speech is a classic study in the Satanic art of sowing doubt and unbelief through subtly twisting the truth.

If we examine the speech, it points out some truth. For example, Judah was in somewhat of an alliance with Egypt. In truth, this was not wise! Isaiah 30:3

Isaiah 30:3 NKJV

Therefore the strength of Pharaoh Shall be your shame, And trust in the shadow of Egypt Shall be your humiliation.

They HAD been warned against this. As the speech points out, Hezekiah is weak from a military standpoint as well. Rabshakeh basically points out that it is humanly impossible for Hezekiah to win. Humanly speaking, he is correct. Webb has great insight on this.

The Message of Isaiah: On Eagles’ Wings The Enemy at the Gates (36:1–22)

The speech is so persuasive precisely because it contains so much that it is true. But its basic premise is false: namely, that the LORD has forsaken Judah, and therefore that trust in him is futile. It is always Satan’s way to make us think that God has abandoned us, and to use logic woven from half-truths to convince us of it. This speech is so subtly devilish in character that it might have been written by Satan himself. The truth is that the LORD had brought Judah to the end of her own resources so that she might learn again what it meant to trust him utterly. But he had not abandoned and would not abandon her.

We don’t have time to go into this in detail, but I find it interesting that Satan’s tactics do not change. He reminds Hezekiah of his failures, and he belittles him (note, the Rabshekah never addresses him as “King Hezekiah”). He puts an element of truth in his words, and then offers a compromise. He even claims that “God is on Sennacherib’s side. He offers the men of Judah peace, etc, if they will only NOT trust in their God. Although the circumstances are different, Satan today puts an element of truth in his words, and offers anything we want, as long as we do not place our trust in God.

As we read through, the Jewish leaders take the words to King Hezekiah.

The first response of Hezekiah was to take the treasures of the temple, even “stripping the gold from the doors”, and tried to buy peace. Now, he is turning back to the temple, but with the correct purpose in mind. Hezekiah had learned from his previous mistakes.

Isaiah 37:1 NKJV

And so it was, when King Hezekiah heard it, that he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the Lord.

He goes in an attitude of humility. This is the temple that Solomon built, and God will hear the plea of his true servants here.

1 Kings 8:29 NKJV

that Your eyes may be open toward this temple night and day, toward the place of which You said, ‘My name shall be there,’ that You may hear the prayer which Your servant makes toward this place.

We are not told here that Hezekiah prayed (although I think likely he did), but he turns to Isaiah for help. He knew Isaiah was God’s prophet, and Hezekiah turns to the right place for help, with the attitude of humility.

Isaiah 37:4 NKJV

It may be that the Lord your God will hear the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to reproach the living God, and will rebuke the words which the Lord your God has heard. Therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left.’ ”

There are two point of interest here. First, Hezekiah appeals to the honor of God. This is not an uncommon theme in the Bible. For example, Moses intercession for the people, when he prayed “lest the heathen say, their God could not save them” (paraphrasing). Second, there is no mention here that Hezekiah is concerned for himself. I’m sure he had some concern for his own safety, but he asks Isaiah to pray “for the remnant that is left”. Hezekiah seems to have grown tremendously since the days when his prayer was for himself, and when he would buckle under pressure.

Isaiah gives an initial answer.

Isaiah 37:6–7 NKJV

And Isaiah said to them, “Thus you shall say to your master, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Do not be afraid of the words which you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me. Surely I will send a spirit upon him, and he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.” ’ ”

Some commentators point out that there is no record that Isaiah prayed before answering. (He may have). But, Isaiah, in previous chapters had already pronounced judgement on Assyria, and in Isaiah’s mind, Sennacherib’s defeat was a foregone conclusion.

In the meantime, Rabshekah had returned to Lachish. He found that Sennacherib HAD indeed heard a rumor, and was leaving Lachish. He obviously thought it would be temporary.

Isaiah 37:8–10 NKJV

Then the Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah, for he heard that he had departed from Lachish. And the king heard concerning Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, “He has come out to make war with you.” So when he heard it, he sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying, “Thus you shall speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying: ‘Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you, saying, “Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.”

For the sake of time, I will skip the next few verses. But, Sennacherib clearly blasphemes the God of Israel. In the taunts, Sennacherib keeps describing himself as the “great king”, and he point out the the gods of the nations have NOT been able to protect others from Assyrian dominance. Again, he shows the ultimate pride, saying he is greater than the gods, and in the case of Judah, God Himself! This blasphemy was his fatal mistake.

...And that brings us to today’s actual lesson!....

Isaiah 37:14–15 NKJV

And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord. Then Hezekiah prayed to the Lord, saying:

Isaiah has given Hezekiah assurance, and in the face of this, the Assyrians taunt. When we look at Hezekiah’s actions, we can almost feel his desperation. The first time, he tears his clothes, puts on sackcloth, and asks Isaiah to pray. This time, he takes the matter directly to the Lord, and spreads the problem before him.

This is a beautiful prayer! As one commentator noted, it begins and ends with God.

Isaiah 37:16 NKJV

“O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, the One who dwells between the cherubim, You are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth.

He starts by acknowledging God’s greatness, and His omnipotence. He is Almighty God. Not just one of the many gods of the nations, but the God of Israel, and the creator of all the earth. The “One who dwells between the cherubim” hearkens back to the Ark of the Covenant. This is where God’s presence dwelt. A place so holy, no one could enter except the high priest, and that only once a year.

Psalm 99:1–2 NKJV

The Lord reigns; Let the peoples tremble! He dwells between the cherubim; Let the earth be moved! The Lord is great in Zion, And He is high above all the peoples.

Webb puts it this way:

The Message of Isaiah: On Eagles’ Wings Hezekiah Looks up (37:14–20)

Hezekiah’s prayer is so magnificent because it arises from a deep and true understanding of who God is, and is fundamentally an act of worship. Such praying lifts people out of themselves and into the presence of God. And in that context, present problems are not lost sight of; they are just seen from a new perspective, and the cry for deliverance becomes a cry that God’s kingdom may come and his will be done (20). The context of worship purges the cry of all pathetic self-interest and binds together the one who cries and the one who hears in a common desire and a common purpose. If only we could learn to pray like this, what times we would have on our knees, and what a difference we would see in the progress of the gospel in the world!

Commentators have called these first few verses an act of worship. Hezekiah honors God, then places his petition.

Isaiah 37:17–20 NKJV

Incline Your ear, O Lord, and hear; open Your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God. Truly, Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations and their lands, and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were not gods, but the work of men’s hands—wood and stone. Therefore they destroyed them. Now therefore, O Lord our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the Lord, You alone.”

He reminds God that the Assyrians have blasphemed Almighty God. He then contrasts the “gods” of the nations with the One True God. He then pleads for deliverance from the problem (the Assyrians), and closes with another appeal to God’s honor. Israel’s God, Creator of the Universe, is God alone. There are no other Gods

It is interesting that there is not a record that Hezekiah sent again to Isaiah, but Isaiah gets a message from God, and Hezekiah’s prayer is answered.

Isaiah 37:21 NKJV

Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘Because you have prayed to Me against Sennacherib king of Assyria,

vs 22 starts out: “this is the word which the Lord has spoken concerning him...”

Sometimes it is easy to doubt the power of prayer. God has already determined history, so what difference does my prayer make. I want to read a quote from Webb’s commentary (The message of Isaiah: on Eagles Wings) that really stood out to me that explains this.

The Message of Isaiah: On Eagles’ Wings Sennacherib’s Fall (37:21–38)

Such prayers do not go unheeded. Even as Hezekiah has been praying, God has been revealing his word to Isaiah, so that Hezekiah scarcely has time to rise from his knees before he receives an answer (21). Because you have prayed, God says, this is the word the LORD has spoken … (21–22). We must not miss this, because it is part of the Bible’s strong teaching about prayer. Because someone has prayed, God steps in and changes the course of history. It is a breathtaking truth, and at first sight a worrying one, because it appears to put humans rather than God in control. But this is an illusion. There is no conflict between God’s absolute sovereignty and the power of prayer, because, quite simply, this is the way God has chosen to work. Through prayer he draws us up into his purposes and involves us in what he is doing. What a privilege! Even the desire to pray is his gift.

What a thought! Almighty God Himself wants to involve you and me, through our prayers, in what He is doing!

We close with the last few verses from today’s lesson:

Isaiah 37:33–36 NKJV

“Therefore thus says 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 build a siege mound against it. By the way that he came, By the same shall he return; And he shall not come into this city,’ Says the Lord. ‘For I will defend this city, to save it For My own sake and for My servant David’s sake.’ ” Then the angel of the Lord went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses—all dead.

Everything that was predicted against Sennacherib came to pass. Note that God does this for His own sake, but also “for His servant David’s sake”. God is concerned for His honor, but also for his servants. As we appeal to God to save His honor, he also saves the honor of His servants.

Scholars debate what killed the army. Some think the plague, etc. It really doesn’t matter. It was an easy thing for God to destroy 185,000 of His enemies overnight!

If you read to the end of the chapter, it tells of how Sennacherib is finally murdered by his own sons! The once proud king, who called himself the “great king”, found he was no match for God Almighty.

What can God do in your life and in mine, when we develop our lives of prayer? It is so easy to focus on just our problems. However, if we are to pray as Hezekiah did (as in other model prayers in the Bible), we must remember that true worship remember who God is. Our prayer life takes on a whole new meaning when we learn to focus on our God, instead of just our problems. We also learn, like Hezekiah, to focus NOT just on our own problems, but the problems of our brothers and sisters in Christ as well (the remnant). May God help all of us to learn to develop our prayer life in this way!