Journey Through Isaiah: 37:14-20
Isaiah 37:14-20
New King James Version
14 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. 15 Then Hezekiah prayed to the Lord, saying: 16 “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. 17 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. 18 Truly, Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations and their lands, 19 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. 20 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.”
Hezekiah takes the letter that has been received and spreads it before the Lord. It isn’t that God doesn’t know what the letter says, for God is all knowing. But it is a demonstration on behalf of Hezekiah to show that his trust is in the Lord alone. The odds against Israel are overwhelming and seem impossible. But with God nothing is impossible. Nothing is impossible to him who believes. This action by Hezekiah simply shows that he truly believes.
Hezekiah turns to the Lord in prayer. When we bring anything before the Lord in prayer we take the battle out of our hands and we put the battle in the hands of the Lord. Hezekiah gives great praise and honor to Almighty God. He says The Lord of Hosts which means that God is captain and leader of the angelic armies. The God of Israel points to Israel’s special covenant relationship with the Living God. The one who dwells between the Cherubim speaks of God as the All powerful one. Cherubim were mighty angels, but none is greater than Almighty God. He holds all the kingdoms of the world in His hands and He has created all things. When we have a relationship with the Living God, He fights for us. He is on our side. He goes before us in battle and He brings forth the victory.
Isaiah calls upon the Lord to see, look, and hear the proud and boastful words of the King of Assyria. It is the King of Assyria who has mocked the Living God. He will bring the judgement of God upon himself.
Hezekiah says that the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations of the earth. They have cast their gods into the fire. But Hezekiah points out they were not gods at all. They were simply man made idols. The God of Israel is different, for He is Almighty God. Through this prayer Hezekiah is demonstrating his faith and trust in the Living God. This is where the power of God is poured out when we respond in faith.
Hezekiah calls upon the name of the Lord to save him. It is for the purpose to bring glory and honor to the Lord Almighty. Again these are impossible odds that Hezekiah and Israel faces. They are surrounded by the armies of Assyria. But what Israel has is a special covenant relationship with the Living God. The Lord has said that if His people who are called by His name will humble themselves and pray, turn from their wicked ways, confess their sins, and cry out to the Lord, He will hear from Heaven and He will heal their land. What is on the line here is the honor of the name of the Lord. The King of Assyria has blasphemed the Lord and compared Him to all the other false gods of the nations. But very soon he shall find out that God is God alone. There is no one else like him.