Page 19 - Advanced Bible Geography ebook
P. 19

astrology. The Kassites called Babylon by the name Karanduniash. Kassite control of the city lasted 435
               years, with periodic episodes of Assyrian or Elamite conquests.

               Assyrians controlled Babylon from 911 to 608 B.C. Under the Assyrian king, Sennacherib, Babylon
               rebelled. Sennacherib destroyed the city, razing its walls, temples and palaces to the ground.   He then
               proceeded to invade the land of Israel.  After taking control of Lachish (south of Jerusalem), He
               threatened to destroy Jerusalem.  He sent the following letter to Hezekiah, king of Judah:





                                 The Babylonian Empire

                                 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJZtfUKNK7w




               2 Chronicles 32: 13-14
               13  “Do you not know what I and my predecessors have done to all the peoples of the other lands? Were
                                                                               14
               the gods of those nations ever able to deliver their land from my hand?  Who of all the gods of these
               nations that my predecessors destroyed has been able to save his people from me? How then can your
                                                            god deliver you from my hand?


                                                            Sennacherib continued to taunt Judah in verses 16-19:



                                                            16  Sennacherib’s officers spoke further against
                                                                                                       17
                                                            the LORD God and against his servant Hezekiah.  The
                                                            king also wrote letters ridiculing the LORD, the God of
                                                            Israel, and saying this against him: “Just as the gods of
                                                            the peoples of the other lands did not rescue their
                                                            people from my hand, so the god of Hezekiah will not
                                                                                          18
                                                            rescue his people from my hand.”  Then they called
                                                            out in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were on
                                                            the wall, to terrify them and make them afraid in
                                                            order to capture the city. They spoke about the God
                                                                                  19
                                                            of Jerusalem as they did about the gods of the other
                                                            peoples of the world—the work of human hands.


                                                            In response to Sennacherib’s rebellious response, the
                                                            Lord sent an angel who annihilated all the fighting
                                                            men and commanders and officers in the Assyrian
                                                            camp. (2 Chronicles 32:21) According to the Bible’s
                                                            record, Sennacherib withdrew to his own land in
                                                            disgrace. Back at home, he went into the temple of his
                                                            god and some of his sons, “his own flesh and blood,”
                                                            cut him down with the sword. His sons then
                                                            proceeded to rebuild Babylon. Babylonian and



                                                             17
   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24