The same account preserved in two places for us to read twice – we know that that wasn’t God’s oversight, but rather His way of reinforcing to us this important lesson of history. What could that lesson be? I haven’t identified anything particularly profound; what do you think?
God’s people of today experience the same situation as these Old Testament people suffered, situations in which man’s wisdom says that we would be stupid to believe in God, situations from which worldy wisdom says that we cannot possibly emerge unscathed. If we did somehow escape unscathed, by that miracle all watchers would know that God exists and is the “Big G God” He claims to be. Why don’t we see those kinds of miracles today? God is still able to do great works for the sake of His honor and glory, and He still wants all people to know that He is God. How often do we seek for Him to do miracles for His honor and glory, so that onlookers will know that He is God? Do we even believe ourselves that He is the “Big G God” He says He is, or are we too overwhelmed by the situation and the claims of the world to ask Him to do the miraculous, and to take a stand on His behalf? Perhaps if we, like Hezekiah, laid out the situation before God, instead of telling Him what we want Him to do, we would see miracles done.
It is important for us to realize that God is bigger than any situation we face. Praise gives us proper perspective to believe that is so. Psalm 46 voices the stand the psalmist takes in placing his trust in God, and Psalm 135 reviews some history; both offer effective ways to lift our eyes to view our situation in its proper perspective as much smaller than God.
God said He knew where Sennacherib King of Assyria stayed, and when he came and went. Think about what that means: God knew him in his most vulnerable, most secret times and places. He knows every world leader in the same way today. He can influence their thoughts. Doesn’t that remind you how much sense it makes to pray to God about world events, lay them out before Him and ask Him to do miracles?