THE KING’S BUSINESS
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sometimes is very swift with His kind answers to prayer and His stern judgments on sin. In this case there was no delay. How empty Sennacherib’s boasts were and how potent Hezekiah’s prayers were, soon appeared. Noiselessly, all unseen, waken ing no one from his slumbers, the Angel of Jehovah moved throughout the Assyrian camp “that night” and when the survivors awoke in the morning they found them selves surrounded by a hundred and eighty-five thousand corpses. Jehovah had kept His word and manifested His power. We do well to stand and gaze upon_ this awful scene of desolation and death and realize what a dangerous thing it is to trifle with God (Ps. 75:5-7, 10). But this is but a faint foreshadowing of the judg ment soon to come upon those who defy God today. There is a sort of grim irony in the ending of Sennacherib’s career. He who has so defiantly asked, “Who are they among all the gods of the country, that have delivered their country out of mine hand that the LORD should deliver Jeru salem out of mine hand,” goes into the house of his own god, whom he imagines to be so potent, to worship, and in the very presence of his god he is slain by the hand of his own sons. Thus the curtain falls upon another who presumed to defy the God of the Bible. done to Pharoah? Ex; 15th ch. Had he heard of Jericho? Joshua 6 th ch, Was it his false gods, or Jehovah Him self by whom his boasted victories had been won? Jer. 10:5, 10-15. What was Sennacherib in Jehovah’s sight? Isa. 40:22. How does Jehovah feel at such puny defiance ? Psa. 2 :4. Where was Sennacherib at this time? 2 Chron. 32:8. How did he defy Jehovah before Jeru salem? 2 Chron. 32:14-16, 17.
11; Ezek. 36:22, 24). For exactly the same reason today He bestows the infinite treas ures of His grace upon us (Eph. 1 :4-6, 13, 14). God’s own glory is involved in our complete salvation and we are dear to His heart (John 17:23). So there is no ques tion about our security and complete sal-, vation. (2) “For my servant David’s sake.” God loved David and therefore defended his city’ for David’s sake (cf. 1 Kings 11:11-13; 15:4). But there is a greater David dearer far to the heart of God, our David (Isa. 9:6, 7; Jer. 23,;5, 6 ). Of our David the Old Testament David is but the type and prophecy and God defends us and hears our prayers for our David’s sake. vs. 35-37. “And it came to pass that night, that the Angel of the LORD went out (forth,), and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred four score and five thousand; and when they (men) rose early, in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses. So Sennacherib King of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh, and it came to pass as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons (omit his sons) smote him with the sword: and they escaped into the land of Armenia (Ararat). And Esar- haddon his son reigned in his stead.” God (1 ) Sennacherib’s Defiance. How did Sennacherib speak and write against Jehovah? 32-16-18. What name is here given to Jehovah? v. 22 . What happened to Sennacherib’s ances tors the first time they met Jehovah’s ser vants? Gen. 14:13-16. What was Sennacherib’s capital city ? v. 36. What did Sennacherib’s ancestors do at the preaching of one of Jehovah’s prophets? Jonah 3 :5-10. Had Sennacherib heard, what God had
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