Today’s Scripture Reading (August 13, 2019): Psalm 63
Hezekiah
stood on the walls of the city. Everything had come to a standstill. The enemy
could not get into the city and, because Hezekiah had ordered all of the wells
in the area blocked before the siege began, there was no local water for them.
But they could bring the needed water in for the troops. Another work project,
a tunnel over a half kilometer in length extending from the city to the Spring
of Gihon, also ensured that Jerusalem would have all of the water it needed.
Hezekiah was safe, at least for the moment, but he was in prison. His life
would likely end if he tried to leave the city.
Outside the
city, Sennacherib had gathered his army, somewhere around 200,000 soldiers
waited on Hezekiah’s next move. The new Assyrian king was already bragging that
he had Hezekiah trapped like a caged bird. It was only a matter of time before
Jerusalem would fall. The rest of the Judean cities had already been taken,
and, soon, the jewel would also fall into the hands of the Assyrian ruler.
Back inside
the city, there were discussions taking place about what should happen next.
Jerusalem could not fight Sennacherib; all they could do was decide to live out
one more day in their prison. But as long as the Assyrian army waited outside
the city gates, there was an expiry date on the city. They had all the water
they needed to survive, but eventually, the food supply would run out. Only
Isaiah seemed to be preaching a message of patience. He was sure that God would
come through. God would move in a way that would save the city from the
clutches of the Assyrians. If only they would wait. Hezekiah took his cousin’s
advice. He waited. And the city prayed that something would happen.
It happened
one night. Israel went to bed as prisoners in their caged city. But when they
awoke, there was no movement outside of the city walls. All of the tents and
weapons still stared back up at them, but nothing was moving. Could this be
some elaborate trick to get Hezekiah to open the gates of the city? Eventually,
Hezekiah did open the gates. He sent messengers out to inspect what had
happened to the Assyrians. What they found were 185,000 dead soldiers. No one
is sure what happened, but it seems likely that the waste from the army had
attracted the mice and rats in the area with all of their diseases. Hezekiah
won the war, without a shot being fired.
David wrote
this Psalm, but I can almost hear Isaiah quoting the last verse, standing on
the walls of the city with King Hezekiah. It is written in the future. The King
will rejoice in all that God has done. I know that you do not feel the desire
to celebrate now, but the day is coming when the power of God will be revealed.
All who depend on God will rejoice, while the mouths of those who oppose him
will be silenced.
They are
words that we should remember. God is on the move. You may not feel it now, but
you will rejoice. All who depend on God will find their fulfillment in him. And
those who don’t may speak their denials in the present, but in the future, they
will have nothing to say.
Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 17
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