They said the Titanic so well-built that “God Himself couldn’t sink this ship.” But on its maiden voyage (April 14, 1912), the ship sank and 1,500 people lost their lives. In 2 Kings 19, the proud king of Assyria makes a similar claim. Sennacherib sees himself as an unstoppable force: nothing has been or will be able to stand in his way—including the Holy One of Israel (v 22-24). But by the end of the chapter, the Assyrian army is struck down by an angel of the LORD, and Sennacherib is back home where he is killed by his own sons (v 35-37). Distress and anguish mark the beginning of the chapter, as King Hezekiah sends a desperate message to Isaiah the prophet. The people of Judah have no strength or resources to face this current crisis, but he hopes that God will rise up to defend His own honor. Isaiah assures him that God will do just that. But Sennacherib continues his psychological warfare, reminding Hezekiah of the other kings who have fallen before him, despite their deities (v 1-13). In the midst of the storm, Hezekiah drops his anchor in prayer. He goes to God’s house, lays out his concerns, and pleads for the LORD to take action. He opens his prayer by acknowledging God’s accessibility, sovereignty, and power. Then he confesses two truths: first, Assyria has wasted other nations and their gods. Second, those other gods were not real. So the second truth makes the first truth irrelevant! If the LORD should deliver Jerusalem, His reputation will be magnified throughout the world. Though weighed down by intense troubles, Hezekiah’s greatest concern is for the glory of God (v 14-19). Isaiah informs Hezekiah that God has heard his prayer. Then he delivers the prophetic word. Yes, the arrogance of Assyria’s king has been noted (v 20-24), but the fact is, no matter how much he brags, Sennacherib is only carrying out what the LORD had long ago determined that he should do! (v 25-26). “In short, a little predestination cuts arrogance down to size. Predestination, of course, makes some Christians nervous; they shudder at the mention of the ‘P-word.’ All I can say is: If you don’t want predestination, well then, go ahead and live a comfortless life, bite your nails and swallow your tranquilizers and eat your guts out as you watch the evening news. Some of us, however, prefer the pillow of predestination, that is, of having a God big enough that He is never surprised by the Sennacheribs of this age” (Dale R. Davis). Through Isaiah, God announces that He will protect His people, turning the Assyrians back home. And that night, the prophet’s word is fulfilled (v 27-37). For further meditation: