2Ch 32:12 | KingComments | STEP | Hezekiah has just finished his preparations and the servants from Sennacherib come to Jerusalem ( ). They speak the words of Sennacherib ( ). These are very different words from the ones Hezekiah has spoken. Hezekiah supported the people of God with his words ( ), but Sennacherib wants to undermine and take away the trust of the people in Hezekiah and the LORD by his words ( ). If he can erode their confidence, they will lose courage and become an easy prey for him. Sennacherib reminds the people through his servants, that Hezekiah surrenders them by his policy, to die by hunger and by thirst ( ). Hezekiah deceives them by making them believe that the LORD their God will deliver them from his hand. What a folly of Hezekiah! They see with their own eyes what Hezekiah did with “His high places and His altars” ( ), don’t they? Hezekiah has taken them all away and the LORD has not put a stop to it. Then it must be clear to them what a worthless God that is, Who cannot even stand up for Himself. Here we see that to the foolish unbelief of Sennacherib the LORD is no more than one of the many idols that the people have served. Sennacherib wants to incite the people by pointing out to them what Hezekiah has taken from them and that he has limited their religion to one altar. But Sennacherib knows nothing of the hidden sources that the faith knows. Even today, people of the world and even in professing Christianity will say that it makes no sense being faithful to God and His Word. According to Sennacherib, serving the one God is meaningless. By the way, to him God is nothing more than an idol, from whom his altars have been taken away. But even though God’s power is not openly present at this time, Judah must know from his own history how God has always stood up for His people against powerful enemies. In prideful, haughty language Sennacherib asks if they don’t know what he and his fathers have done with other peoples ( ). With his big mouth, he asks the next question and that is whether the gods of those peoples were able to prevent him from conquering those lands. In his third question, he argues that none of the gods of the lands that his fathers banned managed to deliver his people from his hand. Therefore, as he brags, their God will not succeed in delivering His people from his hand ( ). Here Sennacherib not only reduces God to an idol, but he speaks in contempt of Him as one of the slightest idols. After this list of facts, the conclusion may be clear ( ). The people should not be deceived by Hezekiah and not be inspired by what he says. Hezekiah is a liar. They should not believe him. The facts are clear, aren’t they? He points out once again – he doesn’t get tired of repeating it – that no one god has managed to protect his people and kingdom against the attacks of the Assyrians. All these peoples have been conquered by them. If those gods did not succeed, then certainly not their God. The chronicler leaves it at this as far as the words that Sennacherib addressed to the people are concerned. His servants have spoken still other words “against the LORD God and against His servant Hezekiah” ( ; ). Again and again Sennacherib in his arrogance slanders the God of heaven and earth by comparing Him to his handmade gods of wood and stone. He also slanders His servant. He calls Hezekiah a deceiver. This is also said of the Lord Jesus ( ; ). It is an honor for Hezekiah to share as a companion of God in the reproach that the enemy inflicts upon Him (cf. ; ). If the desired effect of his words is not achieved, Sennacherib tries to get the people down by means of letters ( ). These letters contain the same story. He repeats it again and again. Always saying the same thing does well in politics. The people will be brainwashed by it and will finally accept the lie as truth. Sennacherib insults “the LORD God of Israel” by continuing to repeat that “the God of Hezekiah” will not be able to deliver them from his hand, any more than the gods of other nations have been able to do so. His servants support the message of the letter by loudly calling out their threats to the people of Judah ( ). They want to break the resistance of the people through intimidation and then take the city. summarizes how Sennacherib spoke about God. His conception of God will be fatal to him. The effect is the opposite of the goal Sennacherib has with his mocking language. The insult of the opponents makes God turn against these enemies, just as the prayer of His people makes Him work for His people.

‏ 2 Chronicles 32:12

Sennacherib Insults the LORD

Hezekiah has just finished his preparations and the servants from Sennacherib come to Jerusalem (2Chr 32:9). They speak the words of Sennacherib (2Chr 32:10a). These are very different words from the ones Hezekiah has spoken. Hezekiah supported the people of God with his words (2Chr 32:8), but Sennacherib wants to undermine and take away the trust of the people in Hezekiah and the LORD by his words (2Chr 32:10b). If he can erode their confidence, they will lose courage and become an easy prey for him.

Sennacherib reminds the people through his servants, that Hezekiah surrenders them by his policy, to die by hunger and by thirst (2Chr 32:11). Hezekiah deceives them by making them believe that the LORD their God will deliver them from his hand. What a folly of Hezekiah! They see with their own eyes what Hezekiah did with “His high places and His altars” (2Chr 32:12), don’t they? Hezekiah has taken them all away and the LORD has not put a stop to it. Then it must be clear to them what a worthless God that is, Who cannot even stand up for Himself. Here we see that to the foolish unbelief of Sennacherib the LORD is no more than one of the many idols that the people have served.

Sennacherib wants to incite the people by pointing out to them what Hezekiah has taken from them and that he has limited their religion to one altar. But Sennacherib knows nothing of the hidden sources that the faith knows. Even today, people of the world and even in professing Christianity will say that it makes no sense being faithful to God and His Word. According to Sennacherib, serving the one God is meaningless. By the way, to him God is nothing more than an idol, from whom his altars have been taken away. But even though God’s power is not openly present at this time, Judah must know from his own history how God has always stood up for His people against powerful enemies.

In prideful, haughty language Sennacherib asks if they don’t know what he and his fathers have done with other peoples (2Chr 32:13). With his big mouth, he asks the next question and that is whether the gods of those peoples were able to prevent him from conquering those lands. In his third question, he argues that none of the gods of the lands that his fathers banned managed to deliver his people from his hand. Therefore, as he brags, their God will not succeed in delivering His people from his hand (2Chr 32:14). Here Sennacherib not only reduces God to an idol, but he speaks in contempt of Him as one of the slightest idols.

After this list of facts, the conclusion may be clear (2Chr 32:15). The people should not be deceived by Hezekiah and not be inspired by what he says. Hezekiah is a liar. They should not believe him. The facts are clear, aren’t they? He points out once again – he doesn’t get tired of repeating it – that no one god has managed to protect his people and kingdom against the attacks of the Assyrians. All these peoples have been conquered by them. If those gods did not succeed, then certainly not their God.

The chronicler leaves it at this as far as the words that Sennacherib addressed to the people are concerned. His servants have spoken still other words “against the LORD God and against His servant Hezekiah” (2Chr 32:16; 2Kgs 18:19-35). Again and again Sennacherib in his arrogance slanders the God of heaven and earth by comparing Him to his handmade gods of wood and stone. He also slanders His servant. He calls Hezekiah a deceiver. This is also said of the Lord Jesus (Jn 7:12; Mt 27:63). It is an honor for Hezekiah to share as a companion of God in the reproach that the enemy inflicts upon Him (cf. Psa 69:9; Lk 10:16).

If the desired effect of his words is not achieved, Sennacherib tries to get the people down by means of letters (2Chr 32:17). These letters contain the same story. He repeats it again and again. Always saying the same thing does well in politics. The people will be brainwashed by it and will finally accept the lie as truth.

Sennacherib insults “the LORD God of Israel” by continuing to repeat that “the God of Hezekiah” will not be able to deliver them from his hand, any more than the gods of other nations have been able to do so. His servants support the message of the letter by loudly calling out their threats to the people of Judah (2Chr 32:18). They want to break the resistance of the people through intimidation and then take the city.

2Chr 32:19 summarizes how Sennacherib spoke about God. His conception of God will be fatal to him. The effect is the opposite of the goal Sennacherib has with his mocking language. The insult of the opponents makes God turn against these enemies, just as the prayer of His people makes Him work for His people.