2Ki 19:26 | KingComments | STEP | Hezekiah himself prayed directly to God, but the answer came via Isaiah ( ). It was an exhaustive answer from the LORD. This answer applies to the end time. The LORD began by mocking the power of the king of Assyria ( ). With God’s word of mockery about the enemies, the people were united. They were also the words of the people, presented here as “the virgin daughter of Zion” and “the daughter of Jerusalem”. These mocking words were put into the mouth of the remnant by the LORD. Only when the people really have the character of virgin and daughter they will be able to speak these words. Here is a holy, a Divine mocking (cf. ). That’s how we should learn to mock. Mocking is often an expression of the flesh or an expression of feelings of revenge. Feelings of gloating are also often present when we mock. None of this is present in the mockery of God and in divine mockery by His people. The LORD took the insults of the king of Assyria very seriously ( ). How audacious it was to speak in this way to the Holy One of Israel! The LORD could only bring His wrath upon him. The LORD knew exactly what the proud king had said and what he boasted ( ). Through Isaiah, He revealed the condition of the enemy’s heart. It was pride that dictated his actions. He believed he could overcome the greatest powers of the world. He had indeed conquered a great deal, but in his pride he believed that he could also conquer God. The king of Assyria spoke as if he were God. Then the LORD spoke to the conscience of the enemy ( ). Had it never occurred to him that he was only an instrument of God, and that he was only to carry out His will? The enemy was not able to do anything but what God intended long ago. God governs history, not the mighty men of the world. If those in power realized this, they would come to conversion and perform their duties in fear of God and for the good of their subjects. Therefore we are exhorted to pray for all who are in authority ( ). God let the king of Assyria know that he could only overcome nations, because God had put them in his power ( ). In himself, he was like one of the peoples conquered by him. For him, the conquered peoples had become like grass, but he himself was no different from the same grass. “All who hate Zion” will “be put to shame and turned backward”. They will “be like grass upon the housetops, which withers before it grows up” ( ). This judgment also included the arrogant king of Assyria. God knows the enemy through and through. For the believer, this awareness is an encouragement, and at the same time he has the desire to be known through and through himself, so that he may be totally to God’s glory ( ). For the unbeliever, that thought is intolerable. The LORD will deal with the enemy without being able to resist ( ). The enemy will be removed by Him as an unwilling animal with means which He will use for this purpose and which are in accordance with his pride. In Isaiah suddenly turned to Hezekiah. The sign Hezekiah received was a sign that God would not leave His people. The LORD would bless the fruit of the land again. There had been no opportunity to sow, but they would be able to eat what grew naturally. God would ensure that the people had enough to eat. In the third year they would have to start sowing again and be able to reap and eat the fruit of their land. We can also apply this spiritually. Someone who has just been delivered from the power of sin, who has just been converted, does not know much yet, but the Lord will bless him richly. He gets all these blessings thrown into his lap, as it were, and is allowed to eat what is given to him in this way. But he must also read and study himself, he must sow himself and will also be allowed to reap. He goes looking for food himself. Ruth is an example of this ( ). The beautiful are about the remnant. These verses correspond to what Isaiah said earlier: “Now in that day the remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped, will never again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel. A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God” ( ). The mighty God is the Messiah ( ). Here we see the connection between the events here and the future. We must have this remnant character. Mighty enemies threaten us, but we are dependent on the Lord. We look forward to the coming of the Lord Jesus. For us, He does not intervene by judging our enemies, but by taking us up from between our enemies to Himself. The LORD concluded His answer to Hezekiah with the promise that the enemy would not enter the city. This promise was made repeatedly and in different ways in . The LORD did everything to convince Hezekiah of the certainty of deliverance. The main reason that the enemy would not get possession of God’s city is that the LORD protected the city for His own sake and for His servant David’s sake. The LORD had chosen this city, it is His city to which His name is connected forever. The LORD also has chosen David his servant to be His king. For the sake of the true David, the Man according to His heart, the Lord Jesus, God will in the future “defend this city to save it”. That salvation is given a pre-fulfilment in the following verses.

‏ 2 Kings 19:26

Prophecy of Isaiah

Hezekiah himself prayed directly to God, but the answer came via Isaiah (2Kgs 19:20). It was an exhaustive answer from the LORD. This answer applies to the end time.

The LORD began by mocking the power of the king of Assyria (2Kgs 19:21). With God’s word of mockery about the enemies, the people were united. They were also the words of the people, presented here as “the virgin daughter of Zion” and “the daughter of Jerusalem”. These mocking words were put into the mouth of the remnant by the LORD. Only when the people really have the character of virgin and daughter they will be able to speak these words.

Here is a holy, a Divine mocking (cf. Psa 2:4). That’s how we should learn to mock. Mocking is often an expression of the flesh or an expression of feelings of revenge. Feelings of gloating are also often present when we mock. None of this is present in the mockery of God and in divine mockery by His people.

The LORD took the insults of the king of Assyria very seriously (2Kgs 19:22). How audacious it was to speak in this way to the Holy One of Israel! The LORD could only bring His wrath upon him.

The LORD knew exactly what the proud king had said and what he boasted (2Kgs 19:23-24). Through Isaiah, He revealed the condition of the enemy’s heart. It was pride that dictated his actions. He believed he could overcome the greatest powers of the world. He had indeed conquered a great deal, but in his pride he believed that he could also conquer God. The king of Assyria spoke as if he were God.

Then the LORD spoke to the conscience of the enemy (2Kgs 19:25). Had it never occurred to him that he was only an instrument of God, and that he was only to carry out His will? The enemy was not able to do anything but what God intended long ago. God governs history, not the mighty men of the world. If those in power realized this, they would come to conversion and perform their duties in fear of God and for the good of their subjects. Therefore we are exhorted to pray for all who are in authority (1Tim 2:1-4).

God let the king of Assyria know that he could only overcome nations, because God had put them in his power (2Kgs 19:26). In himself, he was like one of the peoples conquered by him. For him, the conquered peoples had become like grass, but he himself was no different from the same grass. “All who hate Zion” will “be put to shame and turned backward”. They will “be like grass upon the housetops, which withers before it grows up” (Psa 129:5-6). This judgment also included the arrogant king of Assyria.

God knows the enemy through and through. For the believer, this awareness is an encouragement, and at the same time he has the desire to be known through and through himself, so that he may be totally to God’s glory (Psa 139:1-3 ; 23-24). For the unbeliever, that thought is intolerable.

The LORD will deal with the enemy without being able to resist (2Kgs 19:28). The enemy will be removed by Him as an unwilling animal with means which He will use for this purpose and which are in accordance with his pride.

In 2Kgs 19:29 Isaiah suddenly turned to Hezekiah. The sign Hezekiah received was a sign that God would not leave His people. The LORD would bless the fruit of the land again. There had been no opportunity to sow, but they would be able to eat what grew naturally. God would ensure that the people had enough to eat. In the third year they would have to start sowing again and be able to reap and eat the fruit of their land.

We can also apply this spiritually. Someone who has just been delivered from the power of sin, who has just been converted, does not know much yet, but the Lord will bless him richly. He gets all these blessings thrown into his lap, as it were, and is allowed to eat what is given to him in this way. But he must also read and study himself, he must sow himself and will also be allowed to reap. He goes looking for food himself. Ruth is an example of this (Rth 2:1-23).

The beautiful 2Kgs 19:30-31 are about the remnant. These verses correspond to what Isaiah said earlier: “Now in that day the remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped, will never again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel. A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God” (Isa 10:20-21). The mighty God is the Messiah (Isa 9:6). Here we see the connection between the events here and the future.

We must have this remnant character. Mighty enemies threaten us, but we are dependent on the Lord. We look forward to the coming of the Lord Jesus. For us, He does not intervene by judging our enemies, but by taking us up from between our enemies to Himself.

The LORD concluded His answer to Hezekiah with the promise that the enemy would not enter the city. This promise was made repeatedly and in different ways in 2Kgs 19:32-34. The LORD did everything to convince Hezekiah of the certainty of deliverance. The main reason that the enemy would not get possession of God’s city is that the LORD protected the city for His own sake and for His servant David’s sake.

The LORD had chosen this city, it is His city to which His name is connected forever. The LORD also has chosen David his servant to be His king. For the sake of the true David, the Man according to His heart, the Lord Jesus, God will in the future “defend this city to save it”. That salvation is given a pre-fulfilment in the following verses.