WHEN GOD DELIVERED HIS PEOPLE

WAYNE JACKSON

One of the better rulers of the kingdom of Judah in the Old Testament was Hezekiah. He destroyed the false idol-gods that his people had worshipped earlier. The Bible says of him that "he did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord (I Kings 18:3).

During his reign, an evil king from Assyria (a country east of Palestine) brought his armies to Jerusalem where Hezekiah lived. The wicked king's name was Sennacherib. He demanded that Hezekiah surrender Jerusalem, or he would destroy the city. The cruel ruler boasted that no one could save Judah from his army. The Jewish king prayed to God for deliverance, and the Lord promised that Sennacherib would not be able to conquer the city.

Did you know there is actually evidence from history that supports the truth of this Bible story? Sennacherib's records have been discovered and they tell us that even though he shut up Hezekiah "like a bird in a cage," he did not take the city.

The Bible tells us why he was unable to conquer Jerusalem. God sent a heavenly messenger and 185,000 Assyrian soldiers, camped around the city, died in one night! Dead soldiers don't fight very well! Read the story in II Kings 19:35-37. God will help His people in times of trouble.

April 1992
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