In one of the most ancient parts of Jerusalem you can explore Hezekiah’s Tunnel. This underground water system dates back to the eighth century BC and is referenced in the books of 2 Chronicles and 2 Kings. The site represents a remarkable feat of underground engineering in which the Gihon Spring was re-routed to connect with the Pool of Siloam and secure a vital water source for the city in a time of crisis.
So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of King Sennacherib of Assyria. 2 Chronicles 32.20
Over two and half millennia before the arrival of high-tech engineering, people in ancient Jerusalem began to dig a subterranean waterway. It was a race against time. Sennacherib, ruler of the Assyrian military superpower to the east, was moving his troops toward the City of David.
In order to secure the water supply during the impending Assyrian siege and make it unavailable to the enemy, King Hezekiah had Jerusalem’s water source, the Gihon spring, rerouted into the Pool of Siloam at the south-western edge of the city. Starting at both ends – the spring and the pool – labourers cut the underground tunnel into solid rock and, amazingly, ended up meeting midway. Between them they had covered the length of five football pitches.
Modern-day historians commonly date the tunnel back to Hezekiah’s era, thereby confirming what the Bible says: ‘King Hezekiah ... dug a tunnel to bring water into the city’ (2 Kings 20.20).
The loss of a job or even a loved one, stress, or anxiety can cause us to feel ‘surrounded’. When he was surrounded, quite literally, Hezekiah experienced God ‘surrounding’ him. How? Through prayer and practical action.
At a practical level, Hezekiah consulted others, cut off the enemy’s water supply, repaired the walls, strengthened the city’s fortresses and dug a tunnel to their water source. What practical steps can you take today as you feel ‘surrounded’? Can you turn to a friend for wisdom? Might it be time to change your diet, start exercising or consider therapy sessions? Sometimes small changes can make a big difference.
Hezekiah didn’t just do things; he prayed. And not alone either. Together with the prophet Isaiah, he cried out to heaven. Prayer is less about having everything together and far more a cry of help. When we’re in the pit, when we feel surrounded, we may try and get out on our own. But in God we have a source of unlimited power and wisdom, and he wants to help us. Why not send a cry to heaven right now and ask that God would surround you and fight the battle for you?
Read on, to find out more about King Hezekiah
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