Have you not heard?This rhetorical question implies that the message being delivered is something that should already be known. It suggests that the audience, likely the Assyrian king Sennacherib, is being reminded of God's sovereignty and past actions. This phrase emphasizes the importance of listening to God's word and recognizing His authority, as seen throughout the Old Testament.
Long ago I ordained it;
This phrase highlights God's eternal plan and foreknowledge. It reflects the biblical theme that God is in control of history and events, as seen inIsaiah 46:10, where God declares the end from the beginning. The use of "ordained" suggests a divine decree, indicating that what is happening is part of God's predetermined plan.
in days of old I planned it.
This reinforces the idea of God's timeless sovereignty. The reference to "days of old" connects to the ancient promises and covenants God made with Israel, such as those with Abraham, Moses, and David. It underscores the continuity of God's plan throughout history, as seen in passages likePsalm 33:11.
Now I have brought it to pass,
This indicates the fulfillment of God's plan in the present moment. It shows that God's purposes are not just theoretical but are actively being realized in history. This aligns with the biblical narrative of God intervening in human affairs, as seen in the Exodus and the conquest of Canaan.
that you should crush fortified cities into piles of rubble.
This phrase describes the specific action God has allowed the Assyrians to undertake as part of His judgment. The imagery of crushing fortified cities reflects the historical reality of Assyrian military campaigns, known for their brutality and effectiveness. It also serves as a reminder of God's power to use even pagan nations to accomplish His purposes, as seen inHabakkuk 1:6-11. This can be seen as a type of Christ in that, just as God used Assyria to fulfill His purposes, He later uses Christ to bring about redemption and the ultimate fulfillment of His plan.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
HezekiahThe King of Judah during the time of the Assyrian threat. He is known for his faithfulness to God and his efforts to reform the religious practices of Judah.
2.
SennacheribThe King of Assyria who invaded Judah and laid siege to Jerusalem. He is a central figure in this account as the antagonist who challenges the power of God.
3.
IsaiahThe prophet who delivers God's message to Hezekiah, providing assurance of divine intervention against the Assyrian threat.
4.
JerusalemThe capital city of Judah, which is under threat from the Assyrian army. It represents the spiritual and political heart of the Jewish people.
5.
Assyrian InvasionThe historical event where the Assyrian army, led by Sennacherib, invades Judah, threatening its cities and people.
Teaching Points
God's SovereigntyRecognize that God is in control of history and events. He ordains and plans long before they come to pass.
Divine PurposeUnderstand that God has a purpose for everything, even the actions of those who oppose Him. Trust in His ultimate plan.
Faith in AdversityLike Hezekiah, we should turn to God in times of trouble, trusting in His power to deliver and protect.
Prophetic AssuranceValue the role of God's word through prophets and scripture as a source of comfort and guidance in challenging times.
Historical FulfillmentReflect on how God's plans have been fulfilled throughout history, strengthening our faith in His promises for the future.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of 2 Kings 19:25?
2.How does 2 Kings 19:25 demonstrate God's sovereignty over historical events and nations?
3.What does God's foreknowledge in 2 Kings 19:25 teach about His divine plan?
4.How can we trust God's control over current world events, as in 2 Kings 19:25?
5.How does 2 Kings 19:25 connect with God's promises in Isaiah 46:10?
6.How should believers respond to God's sovereignty as shown in 2 Kings 19:25?
7.How does 2 Kings 19:25 demonstrate God's sovereignty over historical events and nations?
8.What archaeological evidence supports the events described in 2 Kings 19:25?
9.How does 2 Kings 19:25 relate to God's foreknowledge and predestination?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from 2 Kings 19?
11.What are ministering spirits?
12.What does the Bible say about colonizing Mars?
13.How do we reconcile the psalm's praise of God's dwelling place (Psalm 84:1, 4) with later events that saw the Temple destroyed?
14.In Micah 3:12, the destruction of Jerusalem is foretold--how do skeptics explain discrepancies with other accounts or timelines of Jerusalem's fall?What Does 2 Kings 19:25 Mean
Have you not heard?“Have you not heard?” (2 Kings 19:25)
• God speaks to Sennacherib, king of Assyria, through Isaiah, challenging his arrogance.
• The question reminds him— and us— that divine truth has been declared before; ignorance is no excuse.
• Cross references:Psalm 75:4–5, “Do not lift up your horn on high; do not speak with stiff neck.”Isaiah 40:21, “Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been declared to you from the beginning?”Romans 1:20, where God’s invisible qualities are “clearly seen.”
• The lesson: human power is never autonomous; every ruler must reckon with what God has already said.
Long ago I ordained it;“Long ago I ordained it” (2 Kings 19:25 b)
• God’s sovereign decree predates Assyria’s rise.
• What looks like recent military success was foreknown and authorized by the Lord.
• Cross references:Isaiah 46:10, “Declaring the end from the beginning…”;Acts 2:23, where Christ was delivered up “by God’s set plan and foreknowledge.”
• Takeaway: history unfolds along lines God has already drawn.
In days of old I planned it.“In days of old I planned it” (2 Kings 19:25 c)
• The repetition deepens the point: not only ordained, but intricately planned.
• Assyria was an instrument, not an independent force.
• Cross references:Proverbs 16:4, “The LORD has made everything for its purpose…”;Ephesians 1:11, He “works out everything according to the counsel of His will.”
• Comfort for believers: God’s plans encompass even hostile empires.
Now I have brought it to pass, that you should crush fortified cities into piles of rubble.“Now I have brought it to pass, that you should crush fortified cities into piles of rubble” (2 Kings 19:25 d)
• The present success of Assyria is God’s doing, fulfilling long-standing judgment on rebellious nations, including Judah’s wayward neighbors.
• Yet this same verse sets up Assyria’s downfall in the next section of the narrative (2 Kings 19:32-37).
• Cross references:Isaiah 10:5-12, where Assyria is God’s “rod” yet later punished for pride;Habakkuk 1:5-11, Babylon likewise raised up for judgment.
• Application: God may use even ungodly powers to achieve His righteous purposes, while still holding them accountable.
summary2 Kings 19:25 reveals the Lord’s timeless sovereignty. What Assyria boasts of achieving was ordained, planned, and executed by God Himself. Every triumph and every ruin fits within His purposeful design. Human pride fades when we grasp that history is His story, decreed long ago and brought to pass in the present for His glory and our ultimate good.
(25)
Hast thou not heard. . .?--
Hast thou not heard? In the far past it I made; in the days of yore did I fashion it; now have I brought it to pass. The "it"--the thing long since foreordained by Jehovah--is defined by the words: "that thou shouldest be to lay waste," &c. (Comp.
Isaiah 22:11;
Isaiah 46:10-11;
Isaiah 10:5-15.)
Verse 25. -
Hast thou not heard long ago how I have done it? The strain suddenly changes - the person of the speaker is altered. It is no longer Sennacherib who reveals the thoughts of his own heart, but Jehovah who addresses the proud monarch. "Hast thou not heard, how from long ago I have acted thus? Hast thou never been taught that revolutions, conquests, the rise and fall of nations, are God's doing, decreed by him long, long age - ay, from the creation of the world? Art thou not aware that this is so, either from tradition, or by listening to the voice of reason within thine own heart?" It is implied that such knowledge ought to he in the possession of every man.
And of ancient times that I have formed it? A rhetorical repetition of the previous question, needful for the balance of clauses, in which Hebrew poetry delights, but adding nothing to the sense.
Now have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest be to lay waste fenced cities into ruinous heaps. The idea was very familiar to Isaiah and his contemporaries. Years before, when Assyria first became threatening, Isaiah, speaking in the person of Jehovah, had exclaimed, "O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets" (
Isaiah 10:5, 6). But the heathen kings whom God made his instruments to chasten sinful nations imagined that they conquered and destroyed and laid waste by their own strength (see
Isaiah 10:7-14).
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
Have you notהֲלֹֽא־(hă·lō-)Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808:Not, noheard?שָׁמַ֤עְתָּ(šā·ma‘·tā)Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 8085:To hear intelligentlyLong agoלְמֵֽרָחוֹק֙(lə·mê·rā·ḥō·wq)Preposition-l, Preposition-m | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7350:Remote, of place, time, preciousI ordainedעָשִׂ֔יתִי(‘ā·śî·ṯî)Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 6213:To do, makeit;אֹתָ֣הּ(’ō·ṯāh)Direct object marker | third person feminine singular
Strong's 853:Untranslatable mark of the accusative casein daysלְמִ֥ימֵי(lə·mî·mê)Preposition-l, Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 3117:A dayof oldקֶ֖דֶם(qe·ḏem)Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6924:The front, of place, timeI planned it.וִֽיצַרְתִּ֑יהָ(wî·ṣar·tî·hā)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 3335:To mould into a, form, as a, potter, to determineNow I haveעַתָּ֣ה(‘at·tāh)Adverb
Strong's 6258:At this timebrought it to pass,הֲבֵיאתִ֗יהָ(hă·ḇê·ṯî·hā)Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 935:To come in, come, go in, gothat you should crushוּתְהִ֗י(ū·ṯə·hî)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - second person masculine singular
Strong's 1961:To fall out, come to pass, become, befortifiedבְּצֻרֽוֹת׃(bə·ṣu·rō·wṯ)Adjective - feminine plural
Strong's 1219:To cut off, make inaccessible, enclosecitiesעָרִ֥ים(‘ā·rîm)Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 5892:Excitementinto pilesגַּלִּ֥ים(gal·lîm)Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1530:Something rolled, a heap of stone, dung, a spring of waterof rubble.נִצִּ֖ים(niṣ·ṣîm)Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 5327:To go forth, to be expelled, desolate, to lay waste, to quarrel
Links
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OT History: 2 Kings 19:25 Haven't you heard how I have done (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg) 
