Jerusalem Delivered

Assyrian kings gave credit to their gods for victory on the battlefield.  The book Ancient Near Eastern Texts contains writings of Ashurbanipal, an Assyrian monarch who claimed that he was guided "by Ashur, Bel, Nebo, the great gods, [his] lords, who (always) march at [his] side, [when he] defeated the battle (-experienced ) soldiers . . .in a great open battle."  In Isaiah's day, Rabshakeh, who represents King Sennacherib of Assyria, shows a similar belief in the involvement of gods in human warfare when he addresses King Hezekiah.  He warns the Jewish king against relying on Jehovah for salvation and points out that the gods of other nations have been ineffective in protecting their people against the mighty Assyrian war machine. -2 Kings 18:33-35.

How does King Hezekiah react?  The Bible account says:  "As soon as King Hezekiah heard, he immediately ripped his garments apart and covered himself with sackcloth and came into the house of Jehovah."  (2 Kings 19:1)  Hezekiah recognizes that there is only One who can help him in this frightening situation.  He humbles himself and looks to Jehovah for direction.

Jehovah gives the sought for direction.  Through the prophet Isaiah, he says:  "In that day they will reject each one his worthless gods of silver and his valueless gods of gold, that your hands have made for yourselves as a sin." (Isaiah 31:7) When Jehovah fights for his people, Sennacherib's gods will be exposed for what they are-worthless. This is a lesson that the inhabitants of Judah should take to heart.  Despite the faithfulness of King Hezekiah, the land of Judah, like Israel, has been filled with idols. (Isaiah 2:5-8)  For the inhabitants of Judah, rebuilding their relationship[p with Jehovah will require repenting of their sins and rejecting "each one his worthless gods." -See Exodus 34:14.

Isaiah now prophetically describes Jehovah's executional acts against Judah's fearsome enemy:  "The Assyrian must fall by the sword, not that of a man;  and a sword, not that of earthling man, will devour him.  And he must flee because of  the sword, and his own young men will come to be for forced labor itself." (Isaiah 31:8) When the showdown comes, Jerusalem's inhabitants do not even have to draw their swords from their sheaths.  The cream of Assyria's troops  are devoured, not by the swords of men, but by the sword of Jehovah.   As for Assyrian King Sennacherib, "he must flee because of the sword."  After the death of 185,000 of his warriors at the hand of Jehovah's angel, he returns home.  Later, while bowing to his god Nisroch, he is assassinated by his own sons. -2 Kings 19:35-37.

Next time: Conclusion of Jerusalem Delivered

From the Book Isaiah's Prophecy Light for all Mankind, 2000