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2 Kings Chapter 19 (ESV)
1 As soon as King Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth and went into the house of the Lord….
14 Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord and spread it before the Lord. 15 And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord and said: “O Lord, the God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth. 16 Incline your ear, O Lord, and hear; open your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God. 17 Truly, O Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands 18 and have cast their gods into the fire, for they were not gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone. Therefore they were destroyed. 19 So now, O Lord our God, save us, please, from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, O Lord, are God alone.”
20 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Your prayer to me about Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard.
REFLECTION:
- Read through the chapter and count the number of times “listen” and “heard” were used.
- Hezekiah heard Sennacherib’s argument that no gods of any other nations rescued their people from the Assyrian army.
- Hezekiah did not respond. Rather he let the Lord listen to the blasphemy words and his prayer. He asked God to act for His name’s sake.
- Finally through Isaiah, the Lord acknowledged that He heard both the blasphemy words by Sennacherib and Hezekiah’s prayer.
PRAYER:
Everyday I listen to people around us, my colleagues, my friends, and the media. Sometimes I heard things from them that I do not like or agree with. What is my usual response? Bring any of those instances in front of our God, ask God listen to them.
Then wait and listen to what God is speaking to me about these things. Do I hear what God hear? Do I see what God see?
