Useful Bible Studies > 2 Kings Commentary > chapter 18
About 20 years earlier, God sent Isaiah to a particular place near to Jerusalem’s city wall (Isaiah 7:3). There, Isaiah declared God’s message to King Ahaz, the father of Hezekiah. Ahaz was worried because of an attack by the armies of Aram and of northern and central Israel.
God’s message to Ahaz was that he must trust God. The two armies that opposed him, would soon suffer defeat. A much more dangerous enemy was approaching. That enemy was the king of Assyria (Isaiah chapter 7).
However, Ahaz would not trust God. Instead, Ahaz tried to pay the king of Assyria for his support (16:7-9).
Now, 20 years later, Hezekiah’s three most important officials went to the same place where Isaiah met Ahaz. They went there, not to hear a message from God, but to hear a message from the powerful king of Assyria. Assyria’s king had sent his three chief army commanders to declare his demands in a message to King Hezekiah.
They came with a large army. The king of Assyria himself did not come. He was leading the rest of his men in a battle for the control of Lachish, a city on Judah’s border with Philistia.
When the king of Assyria had defeated Lachish, he intended next to attack Jerusalem. That was the reason why he sent these army commanders. He was giving Hezekiah’s government a final opportunity to avoid a terrible battle for Jerusalem. If Hezekiah and his government officials simply accepted the king of Assyria’s rule over them, no battle would be necessary.
Next part: Assyria's commander tries to convince Judah's officials not to support Hezekiah (2 Kings 18:19-21)
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