1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:06,160 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Good morning, faithful listeners, Thank you for tuning 2 00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:10,319 Speaker 1: into the Bible Explain Podcasts on this wonderful Wednesday morning. Today, 3 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:12,680 Speaker 1: we're in a brand new chapter of the Bible. We're 4 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:16,000 Speaker 1: gonna be talking a whole lot about history today and 5 00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:20,040 Speaker 1: some of the archaeological discoveries that were found based upon 6 00:00:20,079 --> 00:00:22,720 Speaker 1: today's passage. So I'm looking forward to discussing all that 7 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:26,520 Speaker 1: because history is kind of my I like to nerd 8 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:29,080 Speaker 1: out over history, so there's a lot to nerd out 9 00:00:29,280 --> 00:00:31,680 Speaker 1: over today. So we're going to be in second Chronicles 10 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:40,040 Speaker 1: thirty two in just one second now. I hope you 11 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:43,040 Speaker 1: guys have been having a absolutely wonderful start to your 12 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:46,320 Speaker 1: week so far. It has been very cold. You know, 13 00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:48,440 Speaker 1: started out nice and warm at the beginning of this week, 14 00:00:48,479 --> 00:00:50,640 Speaker 1: and I was very excited. I had my windows open, 15 00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:54,080 Speaker 1: I think, on Sunday, and now the ground is fully 16 00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:58,800 Speaker 1: covered with snow and the little snowflakes are dropping. And 17 00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:01,400 Speaker 1: that's just March, you know, that's just March in my 18 00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:03,400 Speaker 1: great state of Ohio. You never quite know what you're 19 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:06,080 Speaker 1: gonna get. But the very good thing about this weather 20 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:08,319 Speaker 1: hopefully it will kill a lot of the bugs, so 21 00:01:08,360 --> 00:01:10,600 Speaker 1: I won't find too many in my house this summer. 22 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:13,360 Speaker 1: But tell me about you, guys. I love hearing from 23 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:15,639 Speaker 1: all of you. If you have a prayer request, please 24 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 1: reach out and tell me what that prayer quest is 25 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:20,080 Speaker 1: and I will write you down in my little prayer journal. 26 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:22,920 Speaker 1: So please don't hesitate to reach out to me if 27 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:25,399 Speaker 1: you have something you want me to pray for. All right, 28 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:28,280 Speaker 1: faith listeners, Before we begin today's episode, here's a quick 29 00:01:28,440 --> 00:01:34,600 Speaker 1: sponsored ad. Let's read Second Chronicles thirty two one through 30 00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:37,240 Speaker 1: eight today. This episode is going to be all about 31 00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:41,240 Speaker 1: Hezekiah and the sin he commits, but how he corrects 32 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:44,360 Speaker 1: it very quickly. So once again, this is Second Chronicles 33 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:47,119 Speaker 1: thirty two to one through eight. I'll be reading from 34 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:49,560 Speaker 1: the web, but grab whatever version of the Bible that 35 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:53,800 Speaker 1: you prefer this morning, and let's read this together. After 36 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:57,320 Speaker 1: these things and this faithfulness, Sanakarib, king of Assyria, came 37 00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:00,520 Speaker 1: entered into Judah and camped against the forti five cities 38 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:04,120 Speaker 1: and intended to win them for himself. When Hezekiah saw 39 00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:06,640 Speaker 1: that Sanagrib had come and that he was planning to 40 00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:09,520 Speaker 1: fight against Jerusalem, he took council with his princes and 41 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:11,920 Speaker 1: his mighty men to stop the waters of the springs 42 00:02:11,919 --> 00:02:14,680 Speaker 1: which were outside the city, and they helped him. Then 43 00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:17,520 Speaker 1: many people gathered together and stopped all the springs and 44 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:20,040 Speaker 1: the brook that flowed through the middle of the land, saying, 45 00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:23,160 Speaker 1: why should the kings of Assyria come and find abundant water? 46 00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:26,080 Speaker 1: He took courage, built up all the wall that was 47 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:28,600 Speaker 1: broken down and raised it up to the towers with 48 00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:32,200 Speaker 1: the other wall outside, and strengthened milo in David's city, 49 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:36,000 Speaker 1: and made weapons and shields in abundance. He set captains 50 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:38,840 Speaker 1: of war over the people, gathered them together to him 51 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:40,519 Speaker 1: in the wide place at the gate of the city, 52 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:44,639 Speaker 1: and spoke encouragingly to them, saying, be strong and courageous. 53 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:47,760 Speaker 1: Don't be afraid or dismayed because of the King of Assyria, 54 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:50,680 Speaker 1: nor for all the multitude who is with him. For 55 00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:53,359 Speaker 1: there is a greater one with us than with him. 56 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:56,240 Speaker 1: An arm of flesh is with him. But yahweh, our 57 00:02:56,240 --> 00:02:58,760 Speaker 1: God is with us to help us and to fight 58 00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:02,919 Speaker 1: our battles. The people rested themselves on the words of Hezekiah, 59 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:07,440 Speaker 1: king of Judah. At this point in time, Hezekiah has 60 00:03:07,480 --> 00:03:10,880 Speaker 1: been the king for fourteen years, and he was actually 61 00:03:10,880 --> 00:03:13,000 Speaker 1: a very successful king. It said in the previous chapter 62 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:15,120 Speaker 1: that God helped him in pretty much everything that he 63 00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:17,520 Speaker 1: did because of his faithfulness and the fact that he 64 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:21,000 Speaker 1: was trying to bring Israel and Judah back to God 65 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:24,280 Speaker 1: and back to the Old Testament laws. And God protected 66 00:03:24,320 --> 00:03:26,800 Speaker 1: him and took care of Judah and there was no problems, 67 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:30,240 Speaker 1: like no foreign nations tried to come up against Judah 68 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:33,799 Speaker 1: for fourteen years of Hezekiah's reign. And this is kind 69 00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:38,520 Speaker 1: of unusual in Judah's history, where basically all the nations 70 00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:41,920 Speaker 1: were trying to take their peace of Judah, especially in 71 00:03:41,920 --> 00:03:45,160 Speaker 1: the days of Hezekiah's dad a Has. You remember a 72 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:48,840 Speaker 1: Has was a really bad king and pretty much was 73 00:03:48,880 --> 00:03:52,680 Speaker 1: being attacked from every single side. He was being attacked 74 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:55,040 Speaker 1: from south by the Edomites, he was being attacked on 75 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:57,200 Speaker 1: the east with the Philistines, he was being attacked on 76 00:03:57,240 --> 00:04:02,400 Speaker 1: the west and the north with the Syrians and the Israelites. 77 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:05,720 Speaker 1: Even so, it has caused all sorts of problems in Judah. 78 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:10,040 Speaker 1: Many wars were happening just a few years before Hezekiah 79 00:04:10,080 --> 00:04:13,480 Speaker 1: became the king. But basically once Hezekiah became the king 80 00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:18,440 Speaker 1: and started implementing God's laws, once again, God protected Judah, 81 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:20,839 Speaker 1: and there was no wars, even though there was a 82 00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:24,640 Speaker 1: ton only a short time before this. So Hezekiah fourteen 83 00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:28,599 Speaker 1: years without any incident. But now the Assyrians come to 84 00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:31,920 Speaker 1: make trouble, it says in verse one of our passage 85 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 1: for today. After these things and this faithfulness, Sacrib King 86 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:39,840 Speaker 1: of Assyria, came entered into Judah and camped against the 87 00:04:39,839 --> 00:04:44,000 Speaker 1: fortified cities and intended to win them for himself. And 88 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:46,799 Speaker 1: we find out from different passages of scripture, specifically Second 89 00:04:46,880 --> 00:04:52,279 Speaker 1: Kings eighteen and Isaiah thirty six, that Snakrib was pretty 90 00:04:52,279 --> 00:04:56,160 Speaker 1: successful in taking these fortified cities. Let's turn to Second 91 00:04:56,240 --> 00:04:58,960 Speaker 1: Kings eighteen and reverse thirteen. It says, now in the 92 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:02,640 Speaker 1: fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Senakritav, king of Assyria, came 93 00:05:02,720 --> 00:05:06,520 Speaker 1: up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them. 94 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:09,960 Speaker 1: So yes, he was in fact successful at taking the 95 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:12,640 Speaker 1: fortified cities in Judah. And he might be like, well, Jen, 96 00:05:12,680 --> 00:05:15,440 Speaker 1: how is this possible? Because you know God said that 97 00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:18,360 Speaker 1: he would protect his people if they actually turned toward him. 98 00:05:18,880 --> 00:05:21,520 Speaker 1: So how is it that the Assyrians are coming into 99 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:26,160 Speaker 1: Judah and actually successful in taking these fortified cities. Well, 100 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:28,760 Speaker 1: you have to read the prophets in order to understand 101 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:32,240 Speaker 1: how bad the people really were. Even if they had 102 00:05:32,240 --> 00:05:35,240 Speaker 1: a good king and experienced a few years of revival, 103 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:38,400 Speaker 1: that's really all it was, was just a few years, 104 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:41,400 Speaker 1: and then people ended up turning back to their gods, 105 00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:45,200 Speaker 1: turning back to their pride, and not really worshiping Yahweh 106 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:48,160 Speaker 1: at all. So the love of Yahweh was very short lived, 107 00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:50,760 Speaker 1: and Assyria was able to come in and actually take 108 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:54,559 Speaker 1: these cities. However, God is very merciful and he uses 109 00:05:54,600 --> 00:05:57,320 Speaker 1: these things to teach his people, and as we're going 110 00:05:57,400 --> 00:06:00,960 Speaker 1: to find out, the Assyrians are not successful for very long, 111 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:06,120 Speaker 1: even though they initially had this success. But regardless, this 112 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:11,360 Speaker 1: is terrifying King Hezekiah obviously because Asyria, who had just 113 00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:15,040 Speaker 1: taken Israel only ten years prior to this, now looks 114 00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:17,359 Speaker 1: like they're going to be successful in taking all of 115 00:06:17,440 --> 00:06:20,279 Speaker 1: Judah as well. So I'm sure that Hezekiah had a 116 00:06:20,279 --> 00:06:22,680 Speaker 1: lot of thoughts going on in his head, maybe that 117 00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:27,000 Speaker 1: Judah was too far gone, maybe that God was bringing 118 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:29,640 Speaker 1: punishment on Judah for all of the sins they had 119 00:06:29,720 --> 00:06:32,719 Speaker 1: done during the days of Ahaz and the previous kings. 120 00:06:33,680 --> 00:06:37,320 Speaker 1: Hezekiah was probably having a lot of different thoughts about 121 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:40,160 Speaker 1: what was going on here. So again, in Second Kings eighteen, 122 00:06:40,279 --> 00:06:43,600 Speaker 1: starting in verse fourteen, it says Hezekiah, king of Judah, 123 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:47,000 Speaker 1: sent to the King of Assyria at Lakish, saying, I 124 00:06:47,080 --> 00:06:50,479 Speaker 1: have offended you, withdraw from me that which you put 125 00:06:50,520 --> 00:06:53,120 Speaker 1: on me, I will bear. So the King of Assyria 126 00:06:53,160 --> 00:06:56,480 Speaker 1: appointed Hezekiah, King of Judah, three hundred talents of silver 127 00:06:56,520 --> 00:07:00,200 Speaker 1: and thirty talents of gold. Hezekiah gave him all the 128 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:02,560 Speaker 1: silver that was found in Yawai's house and in the 129 00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:06,479 Speaker 1: treasuries of the king's house at that time. Hezekiah cut 130 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:08,839 Speaker 1: off the gold from the doors of Yahway's temple and 131 00:07:08,920 --> 00:07:11,560 Speaker 1: from the pillars which Hezekiah, king of Judah, had overlaid, 132 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:15,160 Speaker 1: and gave it to the King of Assyria. Now we've 133 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:18,640 Speaker 1: talked about this before about how God is never pleased 134 00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:22,160 Speaker 1: when people take things out of the temple to give 135 00:07:22,200 --> 00:07:26,640 Speaker 1: them to these evil kings. God is never happy with that, 136 00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:30,120 Speaker 1: and unfortunately Hezekiah should have learned from the previous mistakes 137 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:32,800 Speaker 1: of the kings that he should not do that. God 138 00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 1: actually said that that was stealing from him when the 139 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:39,360 Speaker 1: people went in and took the gold from the temple 140 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:42,520 Speaker 1: and the silver from the temple. For whatever reason, that 141 00:07:42,720 --> 00:07:46,040 Speaker 1: was stealing from God. Those things belonged to him and 142 00:07:46,120 --> 00:07:49,600 Speaker 1: also belonged to the priests and the levites as well, 143 00:07:49,640 --> 00:07:52,440 Speaker 1: and to the people as a whole, in order to 144 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:56,080 Speaker 1: worship God in a beautiful setting. God didn't want his 145 00:07:56,200 --> 00:08:00,480 Speaker 1: temple to be ransacked like that, and Hezekiah, unfortunate in 146 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:05,480 Speaker 1: his fear, ended up agreeing to the terms of the 147 00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:07,680 Speaker 1: King of Assyria, who said, you need to send me 148 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:10,320 Speaker 1: all this gold and silver, and then I will go away. 149 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:14,840 Speaker 1: But unfortunately we find out that the King of Assyria 150 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:18,360 Speaker 1: did not go away, even though Hezekiah did send him 151 00:08:18,400 --> 00:08:21,679 Speaker 1: all this gold and all of this silver. The prophet 152 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:25,520 Speaker 1: Isaiah wrote about this event in some detail. So let's 153 00:08:25,520 --> 00:08:28,480 Speaker 1: see what Isaiah writes about this. In Isaiah thirty six 154 00:08:28,640 --> 00:08:32,080 Speaker 1: one through nine, it says, in the fourteenth year of 155 00:08:32,160 --> 00:08:35,080 Speaker 1: King Hezekiah, Senakra of the King of Assyria attacked all 156 00:08:35,120 --> 00:08:38,160 Speaker 1: the fortified cities of Judah and captured them. The King 157 00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:41,480 Speaker 1: of Assyria sent Rabshika from Lakeish to Jerusalem to King 158 00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:44,920 Speaker 1: Hezekiah with a large army. He stood by the aqueduct 159 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:48,720 Speaker 1: from the upper pool in the Fuller's Field Highway. Then 160 00:08:48,760 --> 00:08:51,840 Speaker 1: Elia come the son of Hilkia, who was over the household, 161 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:55,000 Speaker 1: and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph 162 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:58,720 Speaker 1: the recorder, came out to him. So yes, senakre of 163 00:08:58,720 --> 00:09:01,680 Speaker 1: the king of Assyria, did not go away even after 164 00:09:01,840 --> 00:09:05,200 Speaker 1: he was paid. He probably actually saw the payment from 165 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:08,600 Speaker 1: King Hezekiah as a form of weakness and probably thought 166 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:11,360 Speaker 1: that was a good opportunity to go and actually take 167 00:09:11,480 --> 00:09:14,160 Speaker 1: Jerusalem for himself. He was probably thinking, oh, well, I 168 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:16,800 Speaker 1: took all these other fortified cities in Judah, how much 169 00:09:16,840 --> 00:09:21,559 Speaker 1: stronger could Jerusalem be. So he sends his rab Shaika, 170 00:09:21,920 --> 00:09:25,720 Speaker 1: which was a term for a general from Lakeish, which 171 00:09:25,760 --> 00:09:29,360 Speaker 1: was a city that Senakra was currently taking in Judah, 172 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:34,120 Speaker 1: over to Jerusalem to meet Hezekiah with this huge army. 173 00:09:34,920 --> 00:09:38,480 Speaker 1: And it says that the Rabshika stood by the aqueduct 174 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:42,400 Speaker 1: from the upper pool in the Fuller's Field Highway. Now 175 00:09:42,400 --> 00:09:44,560 Speaker 1: that was a sign of aggression. I mean, the whole 176 00:09:44,559 --> 00:09:47,240 Speaker 1: thing was a sign of aggression. But the fact that 177 00:09:47,280 --> 00:09:50,880 Speaker 1: the rab Shaika goes and stands in the aqueduct from 178 00:09:50,920 --> 00:09:54,760 Speaker 1: the upper pool, that was to signal to the city 179 00:09:54,960 --> 00:09:58,720 Speaker 1: that he was about to cut off their water supply, saying, 180 00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:01,480 Speaker 1: I have control of all the water in your city, 181 00:10:01,960 --> 00:10:04,640 Speaker 1: and if I cut this off, your people are not 182 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:06,840 Speaker 1: going to have any water, and we will be able 183 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:10,760 Speaker 1: to easily come in and take your city. So the 184 00:10:10,840 --> 00:10:13,280 Speaker 1: Rabshika thought he was doing something very smart right here. 185 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:15,920 Speaker 1: But it turns out that Hezekiah was prepared for this, 186 00:10:17,120 --> 00:10:19,560 Speaker 1: because if he turned to our passage for today in 187 00:10:19,640 --> 00:10:23,280 Speaker 1: Second Chronicles thirty two, it says in verse two that 188 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:27,080 Speaker 1: when Hezekiah saw that Sanagreb had come into Judah and 189 00:10:27,120 --> 00:10:29,920 Speaker 1: that he was planning to fight against Jerusalem, he took 190 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:32,440 Speaker 1: council with his princes and with his mighty men to 191 00:10:32,520 --> 00:10:35,520 Speaker 1: stop the waters of the springs which were outside of 192 00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:38,840 Speaker 1: the city, and they helped him. Then many people gathered 193 00:10:38,840 --> 00:10:41,480 Speaker 1: together and they stopped all the springs and the brook 194 00:10:41,559 --> 00:10:44,320 Speaker 1: that flowed through the middle of the land, saying why 195 00:10:44,360 --> 00:10:47,720 Speaker 1: should the kings of Assyria come and find abundant water. 196 00:10:49,280 --> 00:10:52,720 Speaker 1: Hezekiah was totally prepared for Jerusalem to have their water 197 00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:55,000 Speaker 1: supply cut off, because don't forget back. In these days, 198 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:57,120 Speaker 1: that was a death sentence. You know, people didn't have 199 00:10:57,240 --> 00:10:59,680 Speaker 1: running water. They had to physically go to a well 200 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:01,959 Speaker 1: with a bucket every single day and get their water 201 00:11:02,040 --> 00:11:05,079 Speaker 1: for the day. You know, it was very different back 202 00:11:05,200 --> 00:11:08,880 Speaker 1: in these days. So somebody standing in the water being like, 203 00:11:08,920 --> 00:11:10,800 Speaker 1: I'm going to shut off your water supply, that would 204 00:11:10,800 --> 00:11:13,440 Speaker 1: be very scary if the city was not prepared for that. 205 00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:16,679 Speaker 1: But it turned out that Hezekiah was because he saw 206 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:21,079 Speaker 1: that Sanakrib was coming against Jerusalem very soon. So even 207 00:11:21,120 --> 00:11:24,600 Speaker 1: though Hezekiah made some very serious mistakes by going into 208 00:11:24,600 --> 00:11:27,920 Speaker 1: the temple and trying to pay off Sanakrib, he was 209 00:11:27,960 --> 00:11:32,120 Speaker 1: also preparing behind the scenes in the meantime. And one 210 00:11:32,160 --> 00:11:35,160 Speaker 1: of the things he did is says that he redirected 211 00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:38,240 Speaker 1: the water from one of the water sources outside the 212 00:11:38,280 --> 00:11:42,000 Speaker 1: city so that the water would flow into Jerusalem and 213 00:11:42,120 --> 00:11:44,680 Speaker 1: all the people would have enough water. In fact, my 214 00:11:45,679 --> 00:11:49,800 Speaker 1: handy dandy Archaeological Study Bible talks about this at some 215 00:11:50,040 --> 00:11:54,679 Speaker 1: length because they actually found the tunnel that Hezekiah dug, 216 00:11:54,960 --> 00:11:57,320 Speaker 1: and there's an interesting little inscription on it, which I 217 00:11:57,320 --> 00:11:59,440 Speaker 1: will read for you in a second. So here's what 218 00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:03,240 Speaker 1: my Archaeological Study Bible says about this quote. The Gihan 219 00:12:03,360 --> 00:12:07,120 Speaker 1: spring in the Kidrin Valley was Jerusalem's crucial water resource 220 00:12:07,360 --> 00:12:11,040 Speaker 1: and a large quarter mile long conduit brought the water 221 00:12:11,160 --> 00:12:13,599 Speaker 1: from there to a reservoir at the southern end of 222 00:12:13,640 --> 00:12:16,920 Speaker 1: the city of David. Since this water supply lay outside 223 00:12:16,960 --> 00:12:19,840 Speaker 1: the city's walls and was vulnerable in a time of siege, 224 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:24,360 Speaker 1: a subsidiary tunnel leading from the Saloam conduit allowed the 225 00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:28,079 Speaker 1: residents to access the water from inside the city walls. 226 00:12:28,400 --> 00:12:32,199 Speaker 1: In preparation for the Assyrian attack, Hezekiah cut an additional 227 00:12:32,200 --> 00:12:35,280 Speaker 1: tunnel to divert the water from the Gihan Spring directly 228 00:12:35,360 --> 00:12:38,280 Speaker 1: underground to the pool of Saloam, which now lay within 229 00:12:38,320 --> 00:12:42,360 Speaker 1: the city walls, whereupon the old water system was apparently abandoned. 230 00:12:42,920 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 1: Two cruise of men worked from opposite ends, digging through 231 00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:49,040 Speaker 1: the bedrock. At the point where the two teams met, 232 00:12:49,280 --> 00:12:52,720 Speaker 1: they carved the following inscription on the tunnel wall, known 233 00:12:52,760 --> 00:12:55,960 Speaker 1: as the Saloam Inscription quote the day of the breach. 234 00:12:56,280 --> 00:12:58,400 Speaker 1: This is the record of how the tunnel was breached. 235 00:12:58,640 --> 00:13:01,720 Speaker 1: While the excavators were wheeled their pick axes, each man 236 00:13:01,760 --> 00:13:04,600 Speaker 1: toward his coworker, and while there were yet three cubits 237 00:13:04,640 --> 00:13:07,839 Speaker 1: of breach, a voice was heard, each man calling his 238 00:13:07,880 --> 00:13:10,880 Speaker 1: coworker because there was a cavity in the rock extending 239 00:13:10,880 --> 00:13:13,040 Speaker 1: from the south to the north. So on the day 240 00:13:13,080 --> 00:13:15,760 Speaker 1: of the breach, the excavator struck each man to meet 241 00:13:15,800 --> 00:13:19,520 Speaker 1: his coworker pickaxe against pick axe. Then the water flowed 242 00:13:19,520 --> 00:13:21,800 Speaker 1: from the spring to the pool a distance of one 243 00:13:21,840 --> 00:13:25,360 Speaker 1: thousand and two hundred cubits. One hundred cubits was the 244 00:13:25,400 --> 00:13:28,800 Speaker 1: height of the rock above the heads of the excavators unquote. 245 00:13:29,720 --> 00:13:31,400 Speaker 1: And then at the bottom it shows a little picture 246 00:13:31,520 --> 00:13:35,520 Speaker 1: of the inscription that was found on the Saloam tunnel. 247 00:13:35,679 --> 00:13:38,840 Speaker 1: So yeah, that's what Hezekiah did in order to prepare 248 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:42,600 Speaker 1: for the attack from the Assyrians. Was he dug another 249 00:13:42,679 --> 00:13:45,960 Speaker 1: tunnel to make sure that the water was flowing into 250 00:13:46,040 --> 00:13:48,360 Speaker 1: Jerusalem and all the people could drink. So it's really 251 00:13:48,400 --> 00:13:50,679 Speaker 1: funny that the Rabshaika thought he was being threatening by 252 00:13:50,679 --> 00:13:55,600 Speaker 1: standing in that pool, not knowing that Jerusalem had plenty 253 00:13:55,600 --> 00:14:00,400 Speaker 1: of water due to Hezekiah's foresight. And also whiz that 254 00:14:00,440 --> 00:14:02,800 Speaker 1: I'm sure God helped him with, so kind of a 255 00:14:02,840 --> 00:14:05,839 Speaker 1: cool little story. There. Now another thing that Hezekiah did 256 00:14:05,880 --> 00:14:09,040 Speaker 1: to prepare for the Assyrian attack. It says in verse 257 00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:12,600 Speaker 1: five of our passage for today, he took courage, built 258 00:14:12,679 --> 00:14:15,000 Speaker 1: up all the wall that was broken down and raised 259 00:14:15,040 --> 00:14:18,160 Speaker 1: it up to the towers with the other wall outside, 260 00:14:18,480 --> 00:14:21,920 Speaker 1: and strengthened milo in David's city and made weapons and 261 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:26,040 Speaker 1: shields in abundance. So instead of going and attacking the 262 00:14:26,080 --> 00:14:31,760 Speaker 1: Assyrians directly, Hezekiah chose defense instead of offense. He might 263 00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:34,680 Speaker 1: have already known that the other cities at this time 264 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:37,720 Speaker 1: were pretty much going to be taken and there was 265 00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:40,920 Speaker 1: nothing he could do at this point to fight against 266 00:14:40,920 --> 00:14:44,680 Speaker 1: the Assyrians or protect them. But if Jerusalem fell, that 267 00:14:44,840 --> 00:14:49,000 Speaker 1: meant that all of Judah fell, which was why Hezekiah 268 00:14:49,120 --> 00:14:52,400 Speaker 1: chose to build Jerusalem up at this point and chose 269 00:14:52,520 --> 00:14:56,240 Speaker 1: defense rather than offense. So he starts building the wall 270 00:14:56,880 --> 00:15:00,200 Speaker 1: while all of the Assyrians are focused on these small 271 00:15:00,400 --> 00:15:04,600 Speaker 1: fortified cities. Hezekiah says, built up all the wall that 272 00:15:04,640 --> 00:15:07,560 Speaker 1: was broken down around Jerusalem and raised it up to 273 00:15:07,640 --> 00:15:11,080 Speaker 1: the towers. Now, in another archaeological dig, part of this 274 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:15,040 Speaker 1: wall that Hezekiah built was found, and based upon what 275 00:15:15,080 --> 00:15:18,600 Speaker 1: people found of this wall, what Hezekiah did to build 276 00:15:18,600 --> 00:15:21,440 Speaker 1: it up was he moved people's homes that were near 277 00:15:21,640 --> 00:15:24,800 Speaker 1: or inside the wall and took those people and re 278 00:15:24,920 --> 00:15:28,760 Speaker 1: homed them further into the city and built those walls 279 00:15:28,800 --> 00:15:33,320 Speaker 1: even thicker where the homes had once been. So that 280 00:15:33,440 --> 00:15:36,200 Speaker 1: was something he did to make sure that the walls 281 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:40,400 Speaker 1: were really, really fortified, super thick walls. And he also 282 00:15:40,480 --> 00:15:44,400 Speaker 1: built up the watch towers and strengthened Milo in David's city, 283 00:15:44,560 --> 00:15:48,680 Speaker 1: which people think that Milo was like a base essentially 284 00:15:48,720 --> 00:15:51,720 Speaker 1: for the king's army. It also says that he made 285 00:15:51,880 --> 00:15:56,080 Speaker 1: weapons and shields in abundance. He set captains of war 286 00:15:56,160 --> 00:15:59,200 Speaker 1: over the people, gathered them together to him in the 287 00:15:59,240 --> 00:16:02,720 Speaker 1: wide place the gate of the city, and spoke encouragingly 288 00:16:03,120 --> 00:16:07,120 Speaker 1: to them. So he's building things protecting the people that 289 00:16:07,160 --> 00:16:10,200 Speaker 1: lived inside the walls by bringing them further into the city. 290 00:16:10,680 --> 00:16:14,240 Speaker 1: He's making more swords and shields for his people. And 291 00:16:14,400 --> 00:16:18,320 Speaker 1: he's also organizing his army even better by setting the 292 00:16:18,320 --> 00:16:21,520 Speaker 1: captains of war over the people. And then he gathers 293 00:16:21,560 --> 00:16:24,000 Speaker 1: all of the captains, all of the leaders of his army, 294 00:16:24,240 --> 00:16:26,240 Speaker 1: and gives them a pep talk. And here's what he 295 00:16:26,240 --> 00:16:30,040 Speaker 1: says in verse seven. Be strong and courageous, don't be 296 00:16:30,080 --> 00:16:33,280 Speaker 1: afraid or dismayed because of the King of Assyria, nor 297 00:16:33,360 --> 00:16:35,680 Speaker 1: for all the multitude who is with him, For there 298 00:16:35,760 --> 00:16:38,680 Speaker 1: is a greater one with us than with him, and 299 00:16:38,840 --> 00:16:41,840 Speaker 1: arm of flesh is with him. But yahweh our God 300 00:16:42,040 --> 00:16:45,200 Speaker 1: is with us to help us and to fight our battles. 301 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:48,480 Speaker 1: And the people rested themselves on the words of Hezekiah, 302 00:16:48,560 --> 00:16:51,560 Speaker 1: King of Judah. So the people in Jerusalem really trusted 303 00:16:51,760 --> 00:16:56,440 Speaker 1: Hezekiah because after this pep talk they feel relieved. He's like, 304 00:16:56,600 --> 00:16:59,640 Speaker 1: don't be afraid of the Assyrians because God is not 305 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:03,080 Speaker 1: with them. God is with us. The only thing helping 306 00:17:03,160 --> 00:17:08,240 Speaker 1: them is an arm of flesh. But God is with us. 307 00:17:08,520 --> 00:17:12,159 Speaker 1: We have an all powerful, almighty God on our side, 308 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:15,960 Speaker 1: so we will be okay even if the Assyrians try 309 00:17:16,080 --> 00:17:20,560 Speaker 1: to attack us. So Hezekiah, it looks like has finally 310 00:17:20,600 --> 00:17:23,719 Speaker 1: got his heart back in the right place. He may 311 00:17:23,760 --> 00:17:27,080 Speaker 1: have started out very fearful by taking all of the 312 00:17:27,320 --> 00:17:30,080 Speaker 1: beautiful things from God's temple and giving it to the 313 00:17:30,119 --> 00:17:33,760 Speaker 1: Assyrian king. There's also some evidence that during that time 314 00:17:34,080 --> 00:17:37,480 Speaker 1: of fear, Hezekiah also tried to make a peace treaty 315 00:17:37,560 --> 00:17:40,880 Speaker 1: with the Egyptians and have the Egyptians come and help 316 00:17:40,960 --> 00:17:43,359 Speaker 1: him as well. And the reason I say that is 317 00:17:43,359 --> 00:17:47,280 Speaker 1: because of Isaiah thirty six, where the rab Sheaika, the 318 00:17:47,320 --> 00:17:49,879 Speaker 1: guy that's standing in the aqueduct. Here's what he says. 319 00:17:49,920 --> 00:17:52,639 Speaker 1: He says, behold, you trust in the staff of this 320 00:17:52,760 --> 00:17:56,240 Speaker 1: bruised read even in Egypt, which if a man leans 321 00:17:56,280 --> 00:17:58,359 Speaker 1: on it, it will go into his hand and pierce it. 322 00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:01,040 Speaker 1: So is the Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and all who 323 00:18:01,080 --> 00:18:03,199 Speaker 1: trust in him. And then jumping down to verse nine, 324 00:18:03,280 --> 00:18:05,600 Speaker 1: he says, how then can you turn away the face 325 00:18:05,600 --> 00:18:08,000 Speaker 1: of the captain of the least of my master servants 326 00:18:08,240 --> 00:18:12,000 Speaker 1: and put your trust in Egypt for chariots and for horsemen. 327 00:18:12,320 --> 00:18:15,119 Speaker 1: So apparently word had gotten out that Hezekiah had tried 328 00:18:15,200 --> 00:18:20,440 Speaker 1: to go to Pharaoh for help against the Assyrians. Now 329 00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:22,840 Speaker 1: this was not a good thing to do either, because 330 00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:26,600 Speaker 1: God had specifically told his people not to go back 331 00:18:26,640 --> 00:18:30,720 Speaker 1: to Egypt for help, because the Egyptians had once enslaved 332 00:18:31,080 --> 00:18:33,320 Speaker 1: his people. So he did not want the people trying 333 00:18:33,359 --> 00:18:36,840 Speaker 1: to return to Egypt for any particular reason. He just 334 00:18:36,880 --> 00:18:39,520 Speaker 1: wanted the people to trust in him that he could 335 00:18:39,560 --> 00:18:42,880 Speaker 1: take care of everything that was going on in Israel 336 00:18:42,920 --> 00:18:45,720 Speaker 1: at this time. But unfortunately, the Israelites never really listened 337 00:18:45,720 --> 00:18:47,960 Speaker 1: to this, and we're always trying to return to Egypt 338 00:18:48,040 --> 00:18:52,200 Speaker 1: for whatever reason. I do not know why. But Isaiah 339 00:18:52,280 --> 00:18:56,680 Speaker 1: prophesies against the Israelites for doing this time and time again. 340 00:18:57,119 --> 00:19:01,960 Speaker 1: In Isaiah thirty Versus one and five, here's what God says, 341 00:19:02,400 --> 00:19:05,240 Speaker 1: Woe to the rebellious children. It says, Yahweh, who take 342 00:19:05,359 --> 00:19:08,960 Speaker 1: counsel not from Me, but who make an alliance not 343 00:19:09,080 --> 00:19:11,760 Speaker 1: with My spirit, that they may add sin to sin. 344 00:19:12,200 --> 00:19:14,840 Speaker 1: They set out to go down into Egypt without asking 345 00:19:14,880 --> 00:19:17,760 Speaker 1: for My advice, to strengthen themselves in the strength of 346 00:19:17,800 --> 00:19:21,720 Speaker 1: Pharaoh and to take refuge in the shadow of Egypt. Therefore, 347 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:24,199 Speaker 1: the strength of Pharaoh will be your shame, and the 348 00:19:24,280 --> 00:19:27,600 Speaker 1: refuge in the shadow of Egypt your confusion. For their 349 00:19:27,640 --> 00:19:31,000 Speaker 1: princes are a zoan, and their ambassadors have come to Haines. 350 00:19:31,400 --> 00:19:33,800 Speaker 1: They shall be ashamed because of the people that can't 351 00:19:33,840 --> 00:19:36,720 Speaker 1: profit them. They are not a help or a prophet, 352 00:19:36,960 --> 00:19:40,720 Speaker 1: but a shame and also a reproach. That's what God 353 00:19:40,760 --> 00:19:45,280 Speaker 1: says about his people constantly returning to Egypt for help, 354 00:19:45,600 --> 00:19:49,400 Speaker 1: and Scripture lightly alludes to the fact that Hezekiah had 355 00:19:49,480 --> 00:19:53,440 Speaker 1: tried in his fear to get Pharaoh to help him. 356 00:19:53,800 --> 00:19:56,720 Speaker 1: But I think the difference between Hezekiah and many of 357 00:19:56,720 --> 00:20:01,280 Speaker 1: the other kings was that Hezekiah learned learned from his mistakes, 358 00:20:01,320 --> 00:20:04,199 Speaker 1: at least usually he did. When he did something wrong, 359 00:20:04,400 --> 00:20:06,960 Speaker 1: he learned from it. And I think our passage for 360 00:20:07,040 --> 00:20:11,879 Speaker 1: today second Chronicles thirty two really proves that Hezekiah was 361 00:20:11,960 --> 00:20:16,320 Speaker 1: learning from his previous mistakes of being too fearful, and 362 00:20:16,400 --> 00:20:19,439 Speaker 1: he knows now that God is on his side, that 363 00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:23,680 Speaker 1: he doesn't have to go into God's temple and destroy 364 00:20:23,760 --> 00:20:25,880 Speaker 1: it and take all of the beautiful things out of it. 365 00:20:26,200 --> 00:20:28,160 Speaker 1: He now realizes he doesn't have to go to the 366 00:20:28,200 --> 00:20:31,080 Speaker 1: Pharaoh and ask for help because he's got the God 367 00:20:31,160 --> 00:20:34,359 Speaker 1: of the universe on his side. And that's a lesson 368 00:20:34,560 --> 00:20:36,639 Speaker 1: for you and I as well. How many times do 369 00:20:36,680 --> 00:20:38,520 Speaker 1: we try to go to people when we have a 370 00:20:38,600 --> 00:20:42,040 Speaker 1: problem or we need help in some way, instead of 371 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:45,800 Speaker 1: going to God, who created everything, who knows us inside 372 00:20:45,800 --> 00:20:49,439 Speaker 1: and out, and who actively wants to help us in 373 00:20:49,520 --> 00:20:52,359 Speaker 1: all of our problems. But the reason we don't go 374 00:20:52,400 --> 00:20:54,439 Speaker 1: to God first, I think, is because we want to 375 00:20:54,480 --> 00:20:58,879 Speaker 1: control the situation. We don't want God to take control 376 00:20:58,920 --> 00:21:00,720 Speaker 1: of it because we don't think God is going to 377 00:21:00,760 --> 00:21:03,720 Speaker 1: act fast enough. We might not like the way he works, 378 00:21:04,040 --> 00:21:06,840 Speaker 1: we might not want what God wants, but all God 379 00:21:06,920 --> 00:21:09,080 Speaker 1: is asking is for us to trust in him and 380 00:21:09,119 --> 00:21:11,720 Speaker 1: to trust in the way that he does things, even 381 00:21:11,760 --> 00:21:15,480 Speaker 1: if it's not necessarily on our terms. He knows exactly 382 00:21:15,520 --> 00:21:20,000 Speaker 1: how to work a situation out, whereas human beings, even 383 00:21:20,040 --> 00:21:22,480 Speaker 1: if they do try to help you, they certainly can't 384 00:21:22,520 --> 00:21:25,000 Speaker 1: help you to the same extent that God can help you. 385 00:21:25,480 --> 00:21:27,720 Speaker 1: Or more likely, they'll say they want to help you, 386 00:21:27,760 --> 00:21:30,560 Speaker 1: but then they'll do nothing to actually help you. But 387 00:21:30,640 --> 00:21:33,760 Speaker 1: the God of the universe, he actually wants to help you, 388 00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:36,760 Speaker 1: and he wants your trust that he is going to 389 00:21:36,800 --> 00:21:40,880 Speaker 1: work things out for your good and for his glory. 390 00:21:41,400 --> 00:21:44,840 Speaker 1: So just trust in him the way Hezekiah did. Even 391 00:21:44,840 --> 00:21:48,440 Speaker 1: though he initially sinned, he turned toward God in the end, 392 00:21:48,880 --> 00:21:51,520 Speaker 1: And we're going to find out next week how God 393 00:21:51,600 --> 00:21:55,080 Speaker 1: ends up helping his people through this when they finally 394 00:21:55,200 --> 00:21:59,760 Speaker 1: learn to trust in him. I think today's episode was 395 00:21:59,760 --> 00:22:01,640 Speaker 1: a good lesson for all of us, you know, because 396 00:22:01,680 --> 00:22:05,920 Speaker 1: I think that these Old Testament stories sometimes we don't 397 00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:09,480 Speaker 1: quite understand how they can apply to us. But all 398 00:22:09,560 --> 00:22:12,600 Speaker 1: of this is history, and history definitely applies to us 399 00:22:12,600 --> 00:22:15,680 Speaker 1: because we can learn from these things and not make 400 00:22:15,720 --> 00:22:18,320 Speaker 1: the same mistakes that other people make. And we can 401 00:22:18,320 --> 00:22:24,000 Speaker 1: also see how God works things out perfectly for both Hezekiah, 402 00:22:24,119 --> 00:22:27,160 Speaker 1: Judah and for his own glory. So all of this 403 00:22:27,240 --> 00:22:30,879 Speaker 1: is just great story, awesome history of God's love for 404 00:22:31,080 --> 00:22:34,679 Speaker 1: his people, and not to mention, the Bible is historically 405 00:22:34,720 --> 00:22:39,160 Speaker 1: accurate as well. I mentioned two things that archaeologists actually 406 00:22:39,320 --> 00:22:43,680 Speaker 1: found regarding this short little passage that we just talked about. 407 00:22:43,760 --> 00:22:48,440 Speaker 1: Two things that Hezekiah built to prepare for the Assyrian attack. 408 00:22:48,880 --> 00:22:51,280 Speaker 1: So I always love how the Bible and history and 409 00:22:51,440 --> 00:22:54,919 Speaker 1: archaeology always line up with each other, because the Bible 410 00:22:55,240 --> 00:22:57,960 Speaker 1: is the truth. But faithful listeners, before I say goodbye 411 00:22:57,960 --> 00:23:02,520 Speaker 1: to all of you, here's a quick ad break. On Monday, 412 00:23:02,560 --> 00:23:06,040 Speaker 1: we're going to talk about the speech that this awful 413 00:23:06,119 --> 00:23:09,360 Speaker 1: rab Shaika gives to the people in Jerusalem and how 414 00:23:09,400 --> 00:23:12,640 Speaker 1: blasphemous this speech actually was. We're also going to talk 415 00:23:12,640 --> 00:23:17,080 Speaker 1: about God's response to this blasphemous speech because this guy 416 00:23:17,160 --> 00:23:21,520 Speaker 1: actually says he's coming in Yahweh's name. Interestingly enough, he's like, yeah, 417 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:24,000 Speaker 1: you know, God told me to destroy this entire land, 418 00:23:24,280 --> 00:23:27,520 Speaker 1: so that's why I'm here. But thankfully, Hezekiah does not 419 00:23:27,760 --> 00:23:31,760 Speaker 1: allow this speech to terrify him, and he turns to 420 00:23:31,840 --> 00:23:35,159 Speaker 1: God instead. So We're going to talk about God's response 421 00:23:35,560 --> 00:23:39,160 Speaker 1: to all of this blasphemy against his name and also 422 00:23:39,240 --> 00:23:41,680 Speaker 1: the protection he gives his people. So I hope to 423 00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:44,760 Speaker 1: see you guys on Monday for a really great episode 424 00:23:44,960 --> 00:23:48,440 Speaker 1: from Second Chronicles thirty two. But, faithful listeners, I hope 425 00:23:48,440 --> 00:23:51,760 Speaker 1: you all have a fantastic and wonderful rest of your day. 426 00:23:51,800 --> 00:23:54,280 Speaker 1: I hope you've been enjoying the Bible Explain podcast and 427 00:23:54,359 --> 00:23:56,920 Speaker 1: if you have been shared on your social media platforms 428 00:23:57,000 --> 00:24:02,280 Speaker 1: and tell people that this podcast exists. Faithful listeners, happy listening, 429 00:24:02,680 --> 00:24:10,359 Speaker 1: and God bless. I just want to take a second 430 00:24:10,359 --> 00:24:12,560 Speaker 1: to thank the team at Life Audio for their partnership 431 00:24:12,560 --> 00:24:15,199 Speaker 1: with me on the Bible Explain podcast. In fact, if 432 00:24:15,240 --> 00:24:17,679 Speaker 1: you go to lifeaudio dot com you'll find dozens of 433 00:24:17,720 --> 00:24:20,720 Speaker 1: other faith centered podcasts in their network. They've got shows 434 00:24:20,760 --> 00:24:23,600 Speaker 1: about prayer, Bible study, parenting, and more.