Jerusalem’s Deliverance Foretold

19:1 When King Hezekiah heard this, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and went into the temple of the Lord.

19장 이전의 내용은 이렇습니다. 앗시리아의 산헤립왕이 유다를 침략하여 요새화된 성들을 점령하자, 히스기야왕은 앗시리아 왕에게 조공을 바치겠다고 제안하며 군대를 철수해달라고 요청했습니다. 그러나 앗시리아 왕은 이를 거절하고, 예루살렘을 공격하도록 명령하면서 히스기야와 백성들에게 항복을 권유했습니다. 히스기야왕의 신하들이 앗시리아 지휘관의 요구를 듣고 왕에게 보고하였으나, 백성들은 히스기야의 지시에 따라 침묵을 지켰습니다. 이때 히스기야는 그들의 말을 듣고 자기 옷을 찢으며 삼베 옷을 입고 기도 하려고 여호와의 성전으로 들어간 것입니다. (옷을 찢고 삼베 옷을 입는 행위는 고대 근동 문화에서 깊은 슬픔, 애도, 회개, 그리고 겸손을 나타내는 상징적인 행동입니다.)

The events leading up to chapter 19 are as follows: When Assyria's King Sennacherib invaded Judah and captured its fortified cities, King Hezekiah proposed to pay tribute to the Assyrian king in exchange for withdrawing his army. However, the Assyrian king refused and ordered an attack on Jerusalem, urging Hezekiah and the people to surrender. Hezekiah's officials heard the Assyrian commander's demands and reported them to the king, while the people remained silent as Hezekiah had instructed. At this point, Hezekiah tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and went into the temple of the Lord to pray. (Tearing one's clothes and wearing sackcloth are symbolic actions in ancient Near Eastern culture that signify deep sorrow, mourning, repentance, and humility.

2 He sent Eliakim the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary and the leading priests, all wearing sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz.

3 They told him, “This is what Hezekiah says: This day is a day of distress and rebuke and disgrace, as when children come to the moment of birth and there is no strength to deliver them.

4 It may be that the Lord your God will hear all the words of the field commander, whom his master, the king of Assyria, has sent to ridicule the living God, and that he will rebuke him for the words the Lord your God has heard. Therefore pray for the remnant that still survives.”

5 When King Hezekiah’s officials came to Isaiah,

6 Isaiah said to them, “Tell your master, ‘This is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid of what you have heard—those words with which the underlings of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.

7 Listen! When he hears a certain report, I will make him want to return to his own country, and there I will have him cut down with the sword.’”

이때 히스기야 왕은 엘리야김과 셉나와 제사장들에게 삼베 옷을 입게 하고 그들을 이사야에게 보냈습니다. 지금 은혜의 시대에는 예수그리스도 이름으로 하나님께 직접 기도하지만, 그 당시에는 모든 예배는 선지자를 통해서 했고, 정확한 메시지를 받기 위해서도 선지자의 도움을 받았기 때문입니다. 무조건 도와달라고만 하는 것이 아니라 현재의 상황을 있는 그대로 이사야에게 알립니다. 자신이 어떤 상황에 처해 있는지, 그리고 그들이 살아계신 하나님을 모욕했음을 알립니다. 여기서 우리는 기도하는 방법을 배울 수 있습니다. 우리가 처한 상황, 우리가 얼마나 낙심해 있는지를 하나님께 아뢰면 그때부터는 하나님이 일하심을 기다릴 수 있는 자세를 가질 수 있을 것입니다. 근심 걱정만 하고 있으면 내 문제지만, 아버지 되시는 하나님께 아뢰면 하나님의 문제가 될 것이니까요. 이사야를 통한 하나님의 해결책도 나옵니다. 앗시리아 왕이 본국으로부터 좋지 못한 소문을 듣고 돌아가 거기서 살해당하게 할 것이라니, 히스기야가 걱정하지 않아도 하나님은 하나님의 계획대로 히스기야를 보호해 주신 것입니다.

At this time, King Hezekiah had Eliakim, Shebna, and the priests wear sackcloth and sent them to Isaiah. In the current age of grace, we pray directly to God in the name of Jesus Christ, but at that time, all worship was conducted through prophets, and people sought the prophets' help to receive accurate messages from God. Instead of just asking for help, Hezekiah informed Isaiah of the situation exactly as it was. He explained the circumstances they were facing and how they had been blasphemed by those who insulted the living God. Here, we can learn how to pray. By telling God about our situation and how discouraged we are, we can then wait for God to work. If we only worry and are anxious, the problem remains ours, but if we bring it to our Father God, it becomes His problem. God's solution through Isaiah was also revealed: the King of Assyria would hear a bad report from his homeland, return, and be killed there. Thus, Hezekiah didn't need to worry because God would protect him according to His plan.

8 When the field commander heard that the king of Assyria had left Lachish, he withdrew and found the king fighting against Libnah.

9 Now Sennacherib received a report that Tirhakah, the king of Cush,[a] was marching out to fight against him. So he again sent messengers to Hezekiah with this word:

10 “Say to Hezekiah king of Judah: Do not let the god you depend on deceive you when he says, ‘Jerusalem will not be given into the hands of the king of Assyria.’

11 Surely you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the countries, destroying them completely. And will you be delivered?

12 Did the gods of the nations that were destroyed by my predecessors deliver them—the gods of Gozan, Harran, Rezeph and the people of Eden who were in Tel Assar?

13 Where is the king of Hamath or the king of Arpad? Where are the kings of Lair, Sepharvaim, Hena and Ivvah?”

우리는 히스기야 왕의 시대처럼 하나님과의 소통이 어려운 시대에 살고 있지 않습니다. 나의 죄를 위해 돌아가신 예수그리스도의 이름으로 하나님께 직접 기도할 수 있습니다. 나의 상황이 어떤지 나의 마음이 어떤지 하나님께 아룁시다. 나의 문제에서 벗어나 하나님의 계획 하에 이 상황이 어떻게 해결될 수 있을지를 하나님께 여쭤봅시다. 내가 생각하지도 못한 방법으로 하나님은 일하십니다.

We do not live in a time like that of King Hezekiah, where communication with God was difficult. We can pray directly to God in the name of Jesus Christ, who died for our sins. Let us tell God about our situation and our hearts. Let us ask God how the situation can be resolved under His plan, and remember that God works in ways we may not even imagine.