Reference

2 Chronicles 32:21

Annihilation / Destruction Destruction / Perishing Language Created Messenger Pre-Incarnate Christ (Christophany)

“And the Lord sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword.”

And they spake against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth, which were the work of the hands of man.

And for this cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven.

And the Lord sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword.

Thus the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all other, and guided them on every side.

And many brought gifts unto the Lord to Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah: so that he was magnified in the sight of all nations from thenceforth.

Why This Verse Was Tagged

Annihilation / Destruction

Keyword Match

100% relevance

This verse contains specific terms directly associated with this theme.

Destruction / Perishing Language

Keyword Match

100% relevance

This verse contains specific terms directly associated with this theme.

Created Messenger

Keyword Match

80% relevance

This verse contains specific terms directly associated with this theme.

Counter-Arguments

The strongest case that this verse does not belong in this theme.

Annihilation / Destruction

There is no argument that this verse does not support the theme of "Annihilation / Destruction," as it explicitly describes the cutting off and slaying of individuals as a result of divine judgment.

Destruction / Perishing Language

This verse directly states that an angel "cut off" the mighty men, leaders, and captains, which is a clear instance of "cut off" language used in the context of the fate of the wicked (the Assyrian army).

Created Messenger

The text does not explicitly state that the angel is a "created being." While the term "angel" generally implies a created being in biblical theology, the verse itself focuses on the angel's action as an agent of God, not on its ontological status. Some theological interpretations might argue that the "Angel of the Lord" in certain contexts is a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ (a Christophany), which would mean it is not a created being. However, in this specific verse, the angel is clearly p

Pre-Incarnate Christ (Christophany)

The verse explicitly states "the Lord sent an angel," which, at face value, refers to a created angelic being acting on God's behalf, not necessarily the pre-incarnate Son of God. There is no linguistic or contextual indicator within this verse to suggest this specific angel is divine or distinct from other angels.

Annihilation / Destruction

Related Verses

2 Kings 19:7

“Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and shall return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.”

2 Kings 19:35

“And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.”

Isaiah 37:36

“Then the angel of the Lord went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.”

2 Chronicles 21:18

“And after all this the Lord smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease.”

2 Kings 19:36

“So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.”

Thematic Connections

Annihilation / Destruction Destruction / Perishing Language Created Messenger Pre-Incarnate Christ (Christophany)

Private Study Note

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