In a recap of the narrative that played out in chapter 36, it is important to point out the scary place that Jerusalem finds itself. Outside their walls are the biggest and baddest kingdom of the time and they are taunting them in their own language! They speak that they have the power to save or destroy and that the Israelites ought not listen to Hezekiah or any other leader in Jerusalem. The Assyrians promise protection and blessing, something that from their current perspective likely seems more plausible than if they trusted Hezekiah. If they do not ask for peace, the Assyrians will starve the people out, not allowing food or drink to enter the city. How fearful must the people be! The story now turns to see the response of Hezekiah in chapter 37.

• Vv. 1-4 Hezekiah shows his distress by tearing his clothes and wearing sackcloth. This is a traditional act that often showed the individuals desire to throw off the confidence in their own self and instead desiring God to deliver them. Assyria came to mock God and the people of God, giving Hezekiah hope that God will stand against these blasphemers and instead stand for the remnant who are weak. Hezekiah shows humility and repentance to the Lord, knowing that Judah itself is incapable of saving itself. 

• Vv. 5-12 God declares, through Isaiah, that he has been angered by the Assyrians and will cause them to be destroyed in their own land. God orchestrates the army outside Jerusalem to go home because the mainland of Assyria was under attack. The king was drawing his armies home but made sure to send word to Judah to not feel confident, rather use this time to consider making peace with Assyria. If not, Assyria will destroy Israel just as they had every other nation. 

• Vv. 14-20 Hezekiah comes with a perspective that many of us do not have today. He does not come to the Lord asking for deliverance on account of him not having enough time with his grandkids or hasn’t been able to accomplish all he’d like to. Rather, salvation is from the Lord for the Lord, that he may be glorified by the salvation of this small nation that is Israel. 

• Vv. 21-35 God is working on the behalf of Israel in part because Hezekiah did not respond with his own sort of attack or build up defenses for the Assyrians. Rather, Hezekiah turned and prayed to the Lord. The Assyrians also aided Israel in a sense by blaspheming God. The treated God not as the unique and all-powerful God but rather as another god to be burned. This is not acceptable for the author of the universe. This protection of Israel was planned long ago by the Lord and is a fulfillment of his purposes. The sign God will give the people, that this was his hand and not happenstance, is that the land of Judah will be blessed and bear good fruit. God finishes by showing the depth of his power, controlling even every arrow of the Assyrians. The Lord will defend his people for his glory. 

• Vv. 36-38 God sends an angel who kills 185,000 soldiers in the night. Their threat to Jerusalem was finished. Sennacherib, king of Assyria, was killed by his own sons, his own blood. The power of God. 

Here are some concluding thoughts:

Response of Hezekiah: When I feel like I or someone I love is threatened, it is very difficult to keep my response measured. Hezekiah provides for us a model response to when the world threatens us of the things that we hold dear. Instead of having a quick and fiery response to the armies of Assyria, Hezekiah turned to the Lord so that the Lord may have a chance to respond. He could have responded by sending out troops of his own, by sending an angry message through a messenger. Think about it: they threatened his people, his life, the longevity of the kingdom he was to be looking over, and even blasphemed his God. This certainly calls for a response. But the response was not for him to give. God is more than able to care for himself and his name. Our response should be directed in humility to him, allowing God to answer and bring wrath on the sins of the world. We ought to be praying repentance and be willing to be his servant vessel. 

Prayer: This chapter concludes with three verses which speak of the mass destruction God pours out on the Assyrians, costing the lives of 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. This epic moment is given little screen time, so where does most of the action take place? Prayer, of course. How often as believers do we fall into the trap of feeling as though we have to be constantly active to be doing the will of God? Hezekiah proves that the activity which brings about the most movement in our world is not human grit and determination but rather a submission to God in prayer. This is so contrary to the feel of the modern church. Doing things is only beneficial when covered in prayer. And notice, most of the conversation between God and man comes from God, spoken through Isaiah. This needs to be reflected in our own journeys and our own battles. Instead of focusing on the battle, let us turn to the Lord and cast our eyes onto him. And when we are in that place of communing with God, let us take more time to listen than to speak.