Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-07-20


the need of prayer, the need Of life
of faith in God, the care of heavenly
father, deliverance and victory. 1t is
a great thing for any nation or any
individual to have such a marvellous
experience of Gods salvation. 1t oc-
Cured probably B. G. 701, the latter
part of Hezekiah's reign. Assyria on
the north was enlarging its borders
and seeking to overcome Judea. Read
parallel accounts in II Kings 1S; II
Chron. 80 and lisa. 36 81. We have on
the Taylor cylinder an account by Sem
nacherib of the victory over Hezekiah,
found in Nineveh in 1880 and now in
the British museum.
l. The Situation. When the great
Sargon died at Nineveh, the Syrian
governments sought to assert their in
dependence. It was a good time for
Hezekiah also to assert his independ-
ence. Accordingly they refused to pay
the customary tribute to Assyria. For
time Sennacherib was too busy at
tending to other portions of the en-
pire to pay much attention to the city
of Jerusalem. Later, however, he SUBJ
dued the cities on the coast and threat
ened Egypt itself. While besieging
Lakish he sent large body Of troops
to conquer Judea and take the city of
Jerusalem for it was not safe to leave
such a large fortress behind him on
his march into Egypt.
II. The supplication (vv. 20-22).
God does things because we pray.
There was more power in Hezekiah's
prayer than there was in his army.
Through his prayers he laid $4,000
of his enemies in the grave. Hezekiah's
God saved his people out of the hand
of Sennacherib ". 19), God did it. One
great reason why he heard Hezekiah's
prayer was because it was for Gods
own glory that Hezekiah asked ". 19) {.
One great reason why so many Of our
prayers are not answered is because
they are selfish-seeking our own
qualification and not Gods honor
(James 4:3 r. W. Rending his
clothes and putting on sackcloth, He
zekiah went to the house of God while
his messengers sought out the prophet
Isaiah. From II Chron. 80 20 we find
that Isaiah joined with Hezekiah in
his earnest prayer (Matt. 1919, 20),
thus the king and prophet worked as
well as prayed. They showed their
faith by their work (James 2:17, 1S).
At the same time they waited upon
God for an answer, not because God
was unwilling to bestow good things
or must be importuned, but that his
gifts may bring the greater benefit.
He sometimes delays his answer,
thereby fitting US to receive them be.
cause of the intensity of our desire
and to appreciate the things he has
to bestow. God is as ready to say tC
US as to Hezekiah, ''Thy prayer is
heard" if we will not meet the condi
tions of prevailing prayer Il Johr
3:22; John 5:14; Rom. s S:26.2D.
hi. Gods Glorious DeliVerance (vv
23-37). God permitted the Assyrians
to attack and they thus imagined they
were having their own will and coulG
do as they pleased, but when his rod
had done it's work, they found the diff
ference. The God against whom the!
raved guided them as with "brfdle'
and turned them back to Assyria. Sen
nacherib considered himself more thai
a match for God (Ch. 8:23-25) bu
had to return like conquered beas
of burden with Gods 'hook" in hi
nose and bride on his lips. God al
lows the enemies Of his people to go
certain length in order that his peopl
may be humbled and seek him. The
he puts forth his hand and says, "Thi
far and no further" Jehovah gives u
the same promise he gave Hezekial
81 will defend this city" Is not tn
city of Jerusalem that God defend
more safe than a city defended by a
army? (Psa. 1876, 6; 27:D. God ha
promised David that his kingdo1
should not perish, for in it lay tn
hope of the world and his plans fo
the redemption of mankind. Not b,
cause of the people did God defend tn
city, but because of his oath. This
a most dramatic picture, the my
terious destruction of the Assyria
army (vv. 35, 36). The Lord sent hi
angel, literally his messenger" VIII
applied his own plan for the accon
plishment of his purpose. In Ps
104: a the winds" are said to be God
messengers and in II Sam. "a :16, ''tf
, plague" Whatever the means of d
struction, it was of God, and when
smote the camp of the Assyrians ''b
hold the devastation, behold they we
, all dead corpses." How empty was Sc
, nacherib's boast and how potent we
Hezekiahs prayers. Noiselessly, q
unseen, the angel of Jehovah move
, through that Assyrian camp 9Th
night and when the survivors aWol
in the morning, behold the devast
ton" Jehovah had kept his wol
and manifested his power. 1t is da
gerous thing for men to trif1e wi
= God (Psa. 76 so. This is but fai
} foreshadowing of the judgment whiC
must soon come upon all who de
God.
, cylinder to which reference has be,
made Why? Because it was a gre
> crisis in Israel's history like the exod1
and the return from captivity. 1t is
great thing for any nation or any inc
: vidual to have such a marvellous exp
! rience Of Gods salvation (see Ps
46).
There is a sort of grim irony
the ending of Sennacherib's career. T
who had so defiantly asked, "Who a
they among all the gods of the count
that have delivered their country o.
= of mine hand" is led back to the hou
of his own god whom he imagines
be so potent to worship and in tn
very presence is slain by the hands
one of his own sons. The importan
of this event is shown by the fact tn
. it is referred to in three books of t
Bible and probably referred to anot
, er, occupying seven or eight chapter
besides being recorded on the gre
, cylinder to which reference is made.