Theme: THE POWER OF PRAYER
Text: “Incline thine ear, O Lord, and hear; open thine eyes, O Lord, and see: and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent to reproach the living God…” “Now therefore, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, that all the Kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD, even thou only.” – Isaiah 37:17,20.
Comment: The text for today was part of the prayer said by King Hezekiah when the cities of Judah were invaded by Assyria – a very hostile enemy to the Jews. The King of Assyria, Sennacherib, boasted of his might and blasphemed the God of Israel. He issued threats and warned Hezekiah and his people not to put their trust in the Lord their God. On receipt of a letter which the Syrian war commander sent, Hezekiah went into the house of God and prayed as expressed in today’s text. In answer to the prayer of Hezekiah, God defended Jerusalem, and His angel went out and killed 185,000 men in the Assyrian camp. Thus the king of Assyria, despite his boasts, threats and blasphemies, found his army woefully defeated and was compelled by divine force to retreat to Nineveh where he lived. There, again, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch, his god, his own sons fell upon him and killed him with their swords. That was the ignominious end of that godless man. – Isaiah 37:14-38.
Indeed, Jehovah, the Almighty God does wonderful acts for His people at all times, in answer to their prayers. David the king and prophet, who also derived great benefits from prayers, exclaimed in his song: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will we not fear…The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.”- Psalm 46:1-5,11.