Sickness of Hezekiah2 K 20:1-11; 2 Chr 32:24; Isa 38:1-22Lesson 14

Judah is now alone Israel has fallen into captivityThe cities of Israel have been burned and the people carried into captivity.Only the very poor remainForeigners have been brought into the land of Israel and intermarried with those left behind this was the beginning of the Samaritan people.Neighboring territories have been conquered by Assyria

Judah is now alone - Israel has fallen into captivityAll of them are paying enormous tributeJudah was feeling the pressure of AssyriaJudah can be thankful that Ahaz has died and Hezekiah is now on the throneHe led Judah with extensive reformationHe destroyed idols in the landHe had cleansed the temple and restarted regular worship at the temple.He proclaimed Passover & invited allCovenant was renewed with Jehovah

HezekiahThe fall of Samaria was in the 6th year of Hezekiah 721 B.C. 2 K 18:10Hezekiah ruled for 23 years after the fall of SamariaHis reign began about 727The latter years of his reign he dealt with the threat by Assyria

HezekiahAfter Samaria falls, the Assyrians were the threat most on the mind of HezekiahHezekiah thought Egypt would be a great help if neededEgypt encouraged Judah to rebel against Assyria thus giving a buffer zone for EgyptIsaiah led a group that argued Judah should rely on Jehovah rather than Egypt because Egypt could not be depended upon

HezekiahJehovah warned about depending on Egypt Isa 18:1-7; 19:1-15; 30:1-14Jehovah wanted His people to rely on HimIf they would be righteous and serve Him, they would not have to worry because He would deliver them from their enemiesHezekiah and Judah refused to take heed Assyria would come and put down the rebellion by Judah

Preparation for Assyrian Invasion 2Kings 20:20; 2 Chr 32:1-8; Isa 22:11Careful preparation to protect the land of Judah from the Assyrians was madeOne thing done was to dig an extensive tunnel called the Siloam TunnelA spring called Gihon flowed out of a cave just outside of the city wall of Jerusalem down to the Kidron Valley

The Invasion of Sennacherib2 Kings 18-19; 2 Chr 32:1-22; Isa 36-37Sennacherib sends servants to Jerusalem with this messageWhat are you depending upon?Where is your military strength you speak about?Do you think you can depend on Egypt?If you are depending on your god, remember that Hezekiah removed all the high places and alters

HezekiahHezekiahs sickness possibly happen during the invasion of SennacheribHis sickness stemmed from a boil 2K 20:7Jehovah sent Isaiah to tell Hezekiah, Set your house in order; for you will die, and not live. 2 K 20:1Hearing this Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to God v2

HezekiahRemember, O Lord, how I walked before you faithfully, and with wholehearted devotion, and have done what is good in your eyes. v3Hezekiah then wept bitterly v3Before Isaiah left the middle court, God spoke to him. v4Go back and tell Hezekiah I have heard his prayer. I will heal you. v5

HezekiahOn the third day from now, you will go up to the temple of the Lord. v5I will add fifteen years to your life.v6I will deliver you and this city from the king of Assyria v6Hezekiah wanted a sign to show him God was really going to heal him.v8The question from Isaiah was, Shall the shadow go forward 10 or backward?

HezekiahHezekiah said, It is a little thing for the shadow to go forward 10, so have it go backward 10 After Isaiah prayed to God, He moved the shadow back 10 Hezekiah was very greatfulHe wrote a song which tells of his suffering and his despair. Isa 38:9-22He praised God for delivering him from death

HezekiahIsa 38: 18For the grave cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. 19The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as Ido this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth. 20The LORDwas 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.Hezekiah was told to put a lump of figs on the boil and he would recover

Messengers from Babylon2K 20:12-19; 2 Chr 32:25-31; Isa 39:1-8Isa 39:1At that time Merodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah: for he had heard that he had been sick, and was recovered. Isa 39:1Hezekiah was glad they came v2He showed them throughout the city all the precious things like silver and gold Isa 39:2

Messengers from Babylon2K 20:12-19; 2 Chr 32:25-31; Isa 39:1-83Then 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. 4Then said he, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All thatis in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not showed them.

Messengers from Babylon2K 20:12-19; 2 Chr 32:25-31; Isa 39:1-8Isa 39:5Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD of hosts: 6Behold, the days come, that all thatis in thine house, andthat which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD. 7And 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. 8Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, Goodis the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. He said moreover, For there shall be peace and truth in my days.

Interesting ProphesyIsaiah was the greatest of the Messianic prophetsThere are more prophecies about Christ in Isaiah than in any other book.Christ is presented as the ideal servant of Jehovah who would come and fulfill all of Gods purposes.Nothing would stop God from accomplishing His purpose or those of His ideal servant, the Christ

Interesting ProphesyIsaiah predicted others who would assist in the plan of GodAssyria was one which served as a tool of God by punishing wicked Israel.Babylon will serve as a tool to punish Judah for her wickednessGod had intended that Israel be His tool for good in the world to keep the knowledge of Jehovah alive, but Israel did not cooperate

Interesting ProphesyIsrael and Judah had to be punished for their wickedness before JehovahGods purpose for His people was not completeHe promised to restore Judah after the chastisement-not because of their righteousness, but because of His mercy

Interesting ProphesyWe know that when Isaiah was doing his work in Jerusalem, the city was still standingForces had not even been able to besiege the city or enter the cityIsaiah predicts that God would give the decree that the city be rebuiltHe even names the one to do so-CyrusThis prophesy was made 200 years before it came to pass.

Interesting ProphesyIsa 44:26That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof: 27That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers: 28That saith of Cyrus,He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.

Death of Hezekiah2 K 20:20-21; 2 Chr 32:32-332 Chr 32: 32Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his goodness, behold, theyare written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz,and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 33And 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.

Historical note from AssyrianSargon II took Israel captive in 721He came back to put down a rebellion led by the king of HamathThose involved in the revolt were Damascus, Samaria, Gaza, and EgyptAfter a few years Ashdod and Egypt tried another revolt Judah, Edom and Moab supported it a little but soon backed out

Historical note from AssyrianHezekiah seems to have wisely given heed to the prophet Isaiah and others who warned not to join the rebellionThere is some question about the date of the invasion of Sennacherib among scholars, therefore we will use the Bible account.

Historical note from AssyrianThe death of Sargon was a signal for widespread rebellion among the countries under Assyrias rule. 2 K 18:7Upon entering the area of Palestine Assyria destroyed Tyre, Joppa along the coast.They met and defeated an Egyptian army that tried to stop them

Historical note from AssyrianThey took a total of 46 cities Some think there were two invasions by SennacheribThe first time was when Hezekiah payed tribute 2 K 18:13-16; 2 Chr 32:1-8It was 15 years later that he came and suffered the crushing defeat before the death of Sennacherib

Historical note from AssyrianThis could have happened all at the same time we are just not sure.Sennacherib could have thought he had things under control receiving tribute from Hezekiah and thought he would just take Jerusalem while in the area.If this happened in 701B.C. then it was 20 years later that Sennacherib died, as described in 2 K 19:37; Isa 37-38

Historical note from AssyrianRecords show Sennacherib died in 681 BCIt would indicate that Sennacheribs defeat occurred about 686 B.C. only 5 years before his death