Bible Talks

2 Chronicles 31:2-32:212And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the priests and the Levites after their courses, every man according to his service, the priests and Levites for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister, and to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the tents of the Lord. 3He appointed also the king's portion of his substance for the burnt offerings, to wit, for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the sabbaths, and for the new moons, and for the set feasts, as it is written in the law of the Lord. 4Moreover he commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might be encouraged in the law of the Lord. 5And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel brought in abundance the firstfruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly. 6And concerning the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of holy things which were consecrated unto the Lord their God, and laid them by heaps. 7In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month. 8And when Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord, and his people Israel. 9Then Hezekiah questioned with the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. 10And Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok answered him, and said, Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the Lord, we have had enough to eat, and have left plenty: for the Lord hath blessed his people; and that which is left is this great store. 11Then Hezekiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of the Lord; and they prepared them, 12And brought in the offerings and the tithes and the dedicated things faithfully: over which Cononiah the Levite was ruler, and Shimei his brother was the next. 13And Jehiel, and Azaziah, and Nahath, and Asahel, and Jerimoth, and Jozabad, and Eliel, and Ismachiah, and Mahath, and Benaiah, were overseers under the hand of Cononiah and Shimei his brother, at the commandment of Hezekiah the king, and Azariah the ruler of the house of God. 14And Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the porter toward the east, was over the freewill offerings of God, to distribute the oblations of the Lord, and the most holy things. 15And next him were Eden, and Miniamin, and Jeshua, and Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah, in the cities of the priests, in their set office, to give to their brethren by courses, as well to the great as to the small: 16Beside their genealogy of males, from three years old and upward, even unto every one that entereth into the house of the Lord, his daily portion for their service in their charges according to their courses; 17Both to the genealogy of the priests by the house of their fathers, and the Levites from twenty years old and upward, in their charges by their courses; 18And to the genealogy of all their little ones, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, through all the congregation: for in their set office they sanctified themselves in holiness: 19Also of the sons of Aaron the priests, which were in the fields of the suburbs of their cities, in every several city, the men that were expressed by name, to give portions to all the males among the priests, and to all that were reckoned by genealogies among the Levites. 20And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the Lord his God. 21And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered. 1After these things, and the establishment thereof, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fenced cities, and thought to win them for himself. 2And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he was purposed to fight against Jerusalem, 3He took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the fountains which were without the city: and they did help him. 4So there was gathered much people together, who stopped all the fountains, and the brook that ran through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water? 5Also he strengthened himself, and built up all the wall that was broken, and raised it up to the towers, and another wall without, and repaired Millo in the city of David, and made darts and shields in abundance. 6And he set captains of war over the people, and gathered them together to him in the street of the gate of the city, and spake comfortably to them, saying, 7Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him: 8With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. 9After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send his servants to Jerusalem, (but he himself laid siege against Lachish, and all his power with him,) unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying, 10Thus saith Sennacherib king of Assyria, Whereon do ye trust, that ye abide in the siege in Jerusalem? 11Doth not Hezekiah persuade you to give over yourselves to die by famine and by thirst, saying, The Lord our God shall deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria? 12Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall worship before one altar, and burn incense upon it? 13Know ye not what I and my fathers have done unto all the people of other lands? were the gods of the nations of those lands any ways able to deliver their lands out of mine hand? 14Who was there among all the gods of those nations that my fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out of mine hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of mine hand? 15Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you on this manner, neither yet believe him: for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of mine hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of mine hand? 16And his servants spake yet more against the Lord God, and against his servant Hezekiah. 17He wrote also letters to rail on the Lord God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people out of mine hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of mine hand. 18Then they cried with a loud voice in the Jews' speech unto the people of Jerusalem that were on the wall, to affright them, and to trouble them; that they might take the city. 19And they spake against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth, which were the work of the hands of man. 20And for this cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven. 21And the Lord sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valor, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword. (2 Chronicles 31:2‑32:21).
AFTER THIS Hezekiah ordered the courses of the priests and Levites according to the law of the Lord. The whole series of feasts during the entire year had so completely been set aside that it was necessary to with that all was done in accordance with the word of the Lord. They had neglected all through the former years of their departure to give tithes to the Lord, and Hezekiah had to bring these things before the people so the priests and the Levites might be encouraged in the law of the Lord. The Lord was with Hezekiah and he prospered.
But Satan is ever ready to stand up against the Lord's people and to drive or lead them from their true place before Him. So the next thing we hear of is that Sennacherib, the mighty king of Assyria, came up against Judah and Jerusalem. He had conquered Israel in Samaria and had taken them away out of their land, and he thought he could easily overcome Hezekiah as he had the king of Israel. But Hezekiah was different from most kings and captains; he had found out a strength which was quite unknown to Sennacherib. God was his refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble (Psalm 46), and "if God be for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:3131What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31).
Hezekiah and his princes and mighty men took certain precautions; he built up the wall of Jerusalem where it had been broken down, and built another wall; also he made weapons and shields in abundance. Then he gathered the people together in the street and spoke consolingly to them, telling them that the Lord was with them. He told them that there was more with them than all the multitude of the king of Assyria, for he said, "With us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles." We are told that the people depended upon the words of Hezekiah, king of Judah.
The king of Assyria went first to Lachish which was west of Jerusalem near the sea coast, and laid seige to it. But in the meantime he sent messengers to Hezekiah and Judah advising them to submit to him. He said not to let Hezekiah persuade them that the Lord their God would deliver them from the king of Assyria, for the gods of other nations had not been able to deliver them. Then the messenger wrote a letter railing on the Lord God of Israel. His blasphemy so shocked king Hezekiah that he put on sackcloth and together with Isaiah the prophet he went into the temple and spread the letter out before the Lord. They both cried to the Lord for deliverance and He answered in a most remarkable way.
At night while the Assyrian army slept in their tents the angel of the Lord slew one hundred and eighty-five thousand of their mighty men. Sennacherib, thoroughly defeated, returned to his own land with shame of face, and was later slain by his own sons. What folly to think that he could defy the Lord God of Israel! And yet there are people like that today.
Hezekiah is a type of the Lord Jesus who shall come back to be the strength and defense of the remnant of His people, when the Assyrian shall again invade the land of Israel in the last days. "And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land." Micah 5:55And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men. (Micah 5:5). This will be the final overthrow of Israel's great enemy.
Messages of the Love of God 12/7/1958