2 Chronicles 32:20-23--The LORD Delivers Jerusalem

2 Chronicles 32:20-23
English Standard Version
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The LORD Delivers Jerusalem
20 Then Hezekiah the king and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, prayed because of this and cried to heaven. 21 And the LORD sent an angel, who cut off all the mighty warriors and commanders and officers in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he came into the house of his god, some of his own sons struck him down there with the sword. 22 So the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria and from the hand of all his enemies, and he provided for them on every side. 23 And many brought gifts to the LORD to Jerusalem and precious things to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was exalted in the sight of all nations from that time onward.

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Last time we saw the king of Assyria taunt the people and blaspheme the LORD saying that not even the LORD could save the people of Judah from the army of the Assyrians.  Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah prayed because of this, and the LORD heard their prayers and sent an angel (a single angel) to cut off all the mighty warriors of Assyria and all their commanders and officers that were in the camp.  The king of Assyria led the remaining men of his camp back to Assyria in shame and defeat.

When the king got home, he went to the temple of his gods, probably to inquire about why they did not save him--because they could not--but in that place that we often call a "sanctuary" is where some of his own sons assassinated him.  In this way, the LORD saved Hezekiah and Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib, king of Assyria as well as from the hand of all the other enemies that surrounded them on every side.

When the other nations saw what happened to Assyria, they chose submission and peace instead of war.  They brought gifts to the LORD so that they would not become like Sennacherib and the commanders of the Assyrian army.   They also brought precious things to Hezekiah as tribute to honor him so that he was exalted in the eyes of all the nations (much like how many nations brought tribute to David and Solomon).  However, this is going to lead to one dark spot on Hezekiah's record that we'll look at next time.  What happens to rich men?  They often put their trust in their wealth instead of in the LORD.  They believe they have the best that money can buy--but money can't buy everything.  Better is the poor man who has the LORD than the rich man who does not.