It is a fact that we face multiple challenges in life, and as long as we are alive, we cannot live without challenges. It can come from family, friends or even personal issues arising from physical, psychological and mental health problems. Sometimes, the challenges put us into crisis, making us anxious, agitated or frightened of what might happen next. In such situations, how do we react or deal with such challenges as they arise?
Biblically, Hezekiah has often been presented in such emergencies of crisis. His health challenge before now was a huge moment of crisis for him. He survived it only by God’s intervention. And in the first reading of today, he faces another challenge of dominance and extermination of his kingdom by his enemy, which calls for reflection in this writing as we examine Hezekiah’s crisis management and coping mechanism in dealing with his challenges.
SENNACHERIB’S THREATENING LETTER AND ARROGANCE
One thing God detests is pride and arrogance. We all detest it too, let alone God himself. Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, falls short of this in the first reading today. He had used his war machines successfully in conquering cities of the Northern kingdom. He continued to advance to the southern kingdom against Judah and Jerusalem. And as the cities were falling, he became arrogant and refused any form of negotiation with Hezekiah, the king who reigned over Jerusalem.
Sennacherib, instead of negotiating for a peaceful settlement, wrote a threatening letter to Hezekiah warning him not to trust in his God because he would not save him as he had destroyed nations that had trusted in their own gods. He equated the God of Israel, the living God with other gods. The letter was blasphemous and sacrilegious. It was humiliating to Hezekiah and his kingdom who trusted in the Lord. Sennacherib prided himself above the living God with his army, and this is truly what God detests, as it is against the first commandment: “You shall have no other God besides me”.
HEZEKIAH’S REACTION AND HUMBLE PRAYER
The letter was so terrifying that Hezekiah had no option but to take it to God himself. He must have remembered how God intervened at the time of his sickness and saved him. He took the letter to the temple and spread it before the Lord and prayed over it, acknowledging him as the only God, the creator of heaven and earth and asked him to see the words of Sennacherib which he had sent to mock the living God. Finally, he pleaded with God to save Jerusalem from the Assyrian army and Sennacherib.
THE DIVINE INTERVENTION OF THE PROPHET
As Hezekiah prayed with faith to God, he was not let down. The Lord intervened through his prophet Isaiah, who consoled him with the words of the Lord. He assured him that God had promised to defend Jerusalem for the sake of his name and the prophecy was fulfilled. The angel of the Lord struck down one hundred and eight five thousand Assyrian soldiers in one night, which was shocking to Sennacherib. They received a terrible plague that consumed them in one night. God simply made a name for himself defending Jerusalem as he had promised. Eventually, Sennacherib who had boasted, ran for his life. He withdrew from the war and fled to Nineveh, where he was murdered by his two sons. Jerusalem was saved by divine intervention through the prayer of Hezekiah.
GOD’S POWER OVER ALL
When God says yes, nobody can say no. When God is with you, no one can be against you (cf. Rom 8:31) and succeed. Hezekiah ran to God in crisis to save his kingdom, and God did not let him down. He intervened and saved him.
God purposely dealt with Sennacherib because of his arrogance and pride. He prided himself above God and trusted in his war machinery. But at the end, he learnt his lesson.
We must be careful not to allow wealth and power to take over the place of God in our lives. Again, we must not forget to always go to God, especially in times of challenges and hardship. He has the key to sorting out the problems. The same everlasting Father who answered Hezekiah has not changed and will answer us when, like Hezekiah, we put our trust and faith in him.
Peace be with you.
