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Hezekiah (the 13th king of Judah) had just begun to rule. He was a good king and restored true worship among his people. The Assyrian king, Sennacherib, attacked Judah. He mocked God and King Hezekiah. Hezekiah prayed for God’s protection. Isaiah, the prophet, told Hezekiah that the Lord had heard his prayer. Just as Isaiah prophesied, Sennacherib was defeated. The angel of death wiped out his army, and he ended up being murdered by his own sons.

Bible verses used in this episode:

2 Kings 18-19

Outline:

1. The kingdom of Israel falls, and good King Hezekiah rules Judah. (2 Kings 18:1-12)
2. The Empire of Assyria besieges Judah’s capital, Jerusalem, and pressures the people to accept its rule. (2 Kings 18:13-37)
3. Isaiah prophesies Assyria’s defeat. (2 Kings 19:1-7)
4. Assyria increases the pressure, and King Hezekiah prays. (2 Kings 19:8-19) 
5. Isaiah prophesies, and then God causes the army to retreat. (2 Kings 19:20-37)

Tips for teaching children:

• Younger children can make a crown and talk about the good King Hezekiah.
• Talk about praying when we are afraid. Experiment with a new kind of prayer method. Click here for Prayer Methods.
• For older children: Draw a vertical line down the centre of a whiteboard or piece of paper to form two columns. In the left column, list the ways the Assyrians made fun of God and his followers in 2 Kings 18:19-25; 28-33. Then, ask the children to list ways that people today might make fun of God and his followers. Allow the children to express their reactions to these and suggest possible coping strategies if appropriate. Complete this activity with a prayer to God to ask for his help.

Tips for teaching adults:

• Summarise these two chapters (2 Kings 18-19) in the classroom time.  Before the class, read the chapters two or three times to get familiar with how the story develops. Using the outline in the show notes, add sub-points to help you retell the story.  You could choose important verses to read as you summarise the story.  Take about 15 minutes to summarise.
•  Here is a link to an article that will give some context for the story we read in the Bible.
• Using Hezekiah’s prayer as a model, rewrite this prayer in your context (as a class or as individuals – whichever you choose).  Have someone volunteer to pray their prayer on behalf of the class members.
•  Ask the class members to name several things that people in our culture put their trust in to save them (i.e. money, jobs, pleasure, etc.).  Lead the class in prayer and renounce these false gods and reaffirm your trust in the true and living God and promise to follow him.

Full teaching instructions free from Mission Bible Class:

Bible Lesson:  God Protects King

Scriptures quoted from The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.

Excerpts from Mission Bible Class used by permission.

Music: Upbeat Positive Culture (Acoustic Corporate Travel Promo Christian Rock), Individual License, Stock Media provided by HumansWin, pond5.com

For questions or comments email: mary@missionbibleclass.org