Because you prayed...
Because you prayed about King Sennacherib of Assyria, the Lord has spoken this word against him: “The virgin daughter of Zion despises you and laughs at you. The daughter of Jerusalem shakes her head in derision as you flee. Whom have you been defying and ridiculing? Against whom did you raise your voice? At whom did you look with such haughty eyes? It was the Holy One of Israel!...With the sole of my foot, I stopped up all the rivers of Egypt!’ “But have you not heard? I decided this long ago. Long ago I planned it, and now I am making it happen.” Isaiah 37:21b-26 NLT
From the text, God through Isaiah provided an answer to the prayer of Hezekiah. In response to the prayer of the king, the Lord spoke a word of encouragement. Hezekiah’s prayer revealed a greater commitment to God. He realized that the battle he is facing is not about achieving victory for Israel but to manifest the glory of God. God’s response is to humble Sennacherib, the leader of the Assyrians, and his servants because they had criticized the Holy One of Israel. God was aware of how the Assyrians had boasted of their exploits against the nations of the world. Then Isaiah had shocking news for Sennacherib. The very God he had charged with powerlessness was the one who was still in control even the actions and operations of the entire Assyrian. God’s divine plan was to help people realize that when they choose the power of man over the power of God, this will bring cities to ruins, will render peoples as helpless to resist the enemy, and reliance on one’s own ability to provide harvest will be powerless before the unrelenting rays of the sun. Pride is what offends God. Sennacherib tells himself, “Nothing can stop me!” He saw himself doing whatever he wants, whenever, and wherever. Pride is an offense to God for it is irreverence and denies the Sovereign God. God assured Hezekiah that He was aware of what the enemy was doing and He will fulfill His purpose. “But have you not heard? I decided this long ago. Long ago I planned it, and now I am making it happen” (Isaiah 31:26). Nothing can stop the working of God’s will. “The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world” (John 1:9).
Blessings,
