Psalm 150 (continued, part 11)
when there is true peace in Jerusalem, there will be peace in the whole world (Isa. 52:7; 66:12); so we had better take the psalmist's words to heart.
Chapters 28—31 record a series of five "woes" (28:1; 29:1, 15: 30:1; 31:1) that focus primarily on Jerusalem. A sixth "woe" is found in 33:1, and interspersed with these "woes" of judgment are promises of restoration and glory. Isaiah is attempting to get the rulers of Judah to stop trusting "power politics" and international treaties and start trusting the Lord.
Perhaps the people of Judah rejoiced to hear Isaiah announce the fall of their rival kingdom, but their celebration was short-lived; for the prophet announced that Judah was guilty of the same sins as Samaria and therefore was in danger of judgment (28:5–8). The priests and the prophets, who should have been examples to the people, were staggering drunk around the city and carousing at tables covered with vomit. Their counsel to the people did not come from the Spirit of God but from their own drunken delusions (see Eph. 5:18). They not only swallowed wine, but were "swallowed up on wine" (Isa. 28:7). This reminds us of the Japanese proverb: "First the man takes a drink, then the drink takes a drink, and then the drink takes the man."
The Lord Warns Jerusalem (28:1–29) Like all devout Jews, Isaiah loved Jerusalem, the Holy City, the City of David, the place of God's dwelling (Ps. 122; 137). But Isaiah saw storm clouds gathering over the city and announced that trouble was coming. It was time for the nation to turn to God in repentance.
He began his message by announcing God's judgment on Ephraim (Isa. 28:1–6). Surely their neighbor's fall would serve as a warning to the people of Judah and Jerusalem! If Assyria conquered Samaria, then Judah was next on the list. The northern kingdom was proud of its capital city, Samaria, that sat like a beautiful crown (or wreath) at the head of a fruitful valley. But their arrogance was detestable to God, for they thought their fortress city was impregnable. Samaria reigned in luxury and pleasure and had no fear of her enemies.
But pride and drunkenness were not Judah's only sins; they also mocked God's prophet and rejected God's Word (vv. 9–13). Verses 9–10 are the words of the drunken prophets and priests as they ridiculed Isaiah. "He talks to us as though we were little children," they said. "He keeps saying the same things over and over again and uses the vocabulary of a child. There is certainly no need to take anything he says seriously!"
The Lord was also appalled by their drunkenness. To the Jews, wine was a gift from God and a source of joy (Judg. 9:13; Ps. 104:15). The law did not demand total abstinence, but it did warn against drunkenness (Deut. 21:18–21; Prov. 20:1; 23:20–21, 29–35). The prophet Amos denounced the luxurious indulgences of the people in both Judah and Samaria (Amos 6:1–7), and Isaiah also thundered against such godless living (Isa. 5:11–12, 22).
Society today often takes a similar attitude toward God's servants and God's Word. People are so intoxicated by intellectual pride that they laugh at the simple message of the gospel presented by humble witnesses (1 Cor. 1:18–31). The prophet Amos was ejected from the king's chapel because he was a simple farmer and not a member of the religious elite (Amos 7:10–17). Evangelist D. L. Moody was often laughed at because his speech was not polished, but God used him to bring many thousands to the Savior.
A government official in Washington, D.C., once quipped, "We have three parties in this city: the Democratic Party, the Republican Party, and the cocktail party." Indeed, Washington, D.C., ranks high on the list of cities noted for alcohol consumption. Many people don't realize that alcohol and nicotine, America's favorite legal narcotics, do far more damage than all the illegal drugs combined. According to Dr. Arnold Washton, alcohol and nicotine kill 450,000 people annually, while illegal drugs kill about 6,000 (Willpower's Not Enough, Harper & Row, 1989; 13). This does not make illegal drugs acceptable, but it does help us put things in perspective. What hope is there for our affluent, pleasure-loving society that gives lip service to religion and ignores the tragic consequences of sin and the judgment that is sure to come?
What was Isaiah's answer to this supercritical crowd of religious drunks? "If you will not listen to my simple speech in your own language, God will speak to you with a language you do not understand. He will send the army of Assyria, whose language is foreign to you." This happened to both Ephraim and Judah. The Assyrians completely destroyed the southern kingdom in 722 BC; and in 701 BC, after devastating the land of Judah, they came to the very gates of Jerusalem.
This leads to Isaiah's third announcement: God offers His people rest (Isa. 7:4; 8:6–8), but they will not obey (hear) His Word (28:12–20). The prophet had given them a plain message that everybody could understand, but they rejected it. Their faith was in their political alliances and not in God (vv. 15, 18). In the days of King Ahaz, they made a secret treaty with Assyria, and in the days of King Hezekiah, they turned to Egypt for help (30:1–5; 31:1). But these "covenants with death and the grave" were destined to fail because
Samaria was proud of her beauty, but that beauty was fading like a cut flower (28:1, 4) that could never stand before the coming tempest. God was sending a storm across the land, and their proud city would be destroyed by wind, rain, hail, and flood—the Assyrian
Isaiah 28—29
but after the death of Hezekiah, they returned to their sins. So in 586 BC God sent the Babylonians, who conquered Jerusalem and destroyed it, taking thousands of Jews into captivity. God did His "strange work" and permitted His own people to be slain by the enemy. The city indeed was like an altar hearth, and thousands were sacrificed to the wrath of the enemy.
God was not in them. The enemy would come like a flood, a storm, a whip (scourge), and there would be no escape. Ephraim would be destroyed, and Judah would be saved by the skin of her teeth. The bed they had made (their alliances) could not give them rest (see 28:12), and the covering they made (their treaties) would not cover them (see 31:1).
But Isaiah looked far down the highway of history to the end times when Jerusalem would be attacked by the armies of the world (vv. 7–8; Zech. 14:1–3). This is what prophetic students call "the battle of Armageddon," though that title is not used in Scripture (Rev. 14:14–20; 16:13–21). When it looks as though the city is about to fall, and the enemy armies are sure of victory, Jesus Christ will return and deliver His people (19:11–21). The enemy victory will vanish.
Their only hope was in the tried and true foundation stone (28:16), the "Rock of ages" (26:4; 8:14; 17:10). This is definitely a reference to the Messiah and is so interpreted in the New Testament (1 Peter 2:4–7; Rom. 9:33; Mark 12:10; see Ps. 118:22). If they had faith in Jehovah, they would not be rushing here and there, trying to forge alliances, a practice that only leads to shame and failure (Rom. 10:11). A solid rock is better protection than a flimsy covering of lies!
Why were the people of Jerusalem so ignorant of what was going on? Their hearts were far from God (Isa. 29:13). They went through the outward forms of worship and faithfully kept the annual feasts (v. 1; 1:10ff.), but it was not a true worship of God (Matt. 15:1–9). Going to the temple was the popular thing to do, but most of the people did not take their worship seriously. Therefore, God sent a "spiritual blindness" and stupor on His people so that they could not understand their own law. Such blindness persists today (Rom. 11:8; 2 Cor. 3:13–18). If people will not accept the truth, then they must become more and more blind and accept lies. (See John 9:39–41; 2 Thess. 2:1–12.)
Isaiah's final announcement was that their confidence that God would not judge them was a delusion (Isa. 28:21–29). "But God defended His people in the past!" they argued. "What about David's victory over the Philistines at Mount Perazim [2 Sam. 5:17–21], or Joshua's victory over the Amorites at Gibeon [John. 10]?" But Joshua and David were godly leaders who trusted Jehovah and obeyed His Word. What Isaiah's scoffing opponents did not realize was that God would do a "strange work": He would use the enemy to fight against His own people! Just as a farmer has different tasks to perform and must adapt himself to each task, whether plowing or threshing, so God must do the work that is necessary to bring about His eternal purposes. He knows just what tool to use and when to use it.
The Lord Appeals to Jerusalem (29:15–24) This "woe" exposed the devious political tactics of the rulers of Judah, who thought that God would not hold them accountable for what they were doing. They were trying to turn things upside down, the clay telling the potter what to do. (See 45:9; 64:8; Jer. 18; Rom 9:20.) If only people would seek the counsel of the Lord instead of depending on their own wisdom and the fragile promises of men!
Jerusalem watched the northern kingdom fall to the Assyrians, but this judgment did not bring them to repentance. When we start saying to ourselves, "It can never happen to me!"—it is sure to happen!
The Lord Humbles Jerusalem (29:1–14) "Ariel" is a code name for Jerusalem and means "lion of God." The lion was a symbol of Assyria, so the prophet may have been saying, "Assyria is now God's lion, and Jerusalem is God's lion in name only." But the Hebrew word also means "an altar hearth," where the burnt offerings were sacrificed (Ezek. 43:13–18). "It [Jerusalem] shall be unto me as Ariel [an altar hearth]" (Isa. 29:2). In other words, it would become a place of slaughter.
In Isaiah 29:17–24, Isaiah asked the people to look ahead and consider what God had planned for them. In their political strategy, they had turned things upside down, but God would one day turn everything around by establishing His glorious kingdom on earth. The devastated land would become a paradise, the disabled would be healed, and the outcasts would be enriched and rejoice in the Lord. There would be no more scoffers or ruthless people practicing injustice in the courts. The founders of the nation, Abraham and Jacob, would see their many descendants all glorifying the Lord.
God was going to humble the proud city. Instead of roaring and frightening the enemy, the lion would only whisper from the dust (v. 4). Instead of their sacrifices being accepted by God (v.1), the entire city would become an altar, and God would make His people a sacrifice.
In light of this glorious future, why should Judah turn to feeble nations like Egypt for help? God is on their side, and they can trust Him! Abraham went to Egypt for help and got into trouble (Gen. 12:10–20), and Isaac started for Egypt but was stopped by God (26:1–6). God cared for Jacob during all of his years of trial, and surely He could care for Jacob's children. It is
When did these things happen? God began to "turn up the heat" in 701 BC when Assyria marched triumphantly through Judah and almost took Jerusalem. God defeated Assyria in an instant (37:36), "suddenly" (29:5), like blowing away dust or chaff (v. 6). This discipline should have brought Judah back to the Lord,
Isaiah 29—31
because of His covenant with David (37:35–36). During Assyria's invasion of Judah, the Jews were not able to flee on their horses imported from Egypt (30:16–17; Deut. 17:16), and one enemy soldier was able to frighten off a thousand Jews! What humiliation! (See Deut. 32:30.)
tragic when a nation forgets its great spiritual heritage and turns from trusting the Lord to trusting the plans and promises of men.
At the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787, Benjamin Franklin said, "I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth—that God governs in the affairs of men. I therefore beg leave to move that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of heaven and its blessings on our deliberations be held in this Assembly every morning.…"
Their only hope was to repent, return to the Lord, and by faith rest only in Him (Isa. 30:15; 8:6–7; 26:3; 28:12), but they would not listen and obey. The prophet then turned from the subject of rebellion to the subject of restoration (30:18–26). "Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you," he told the people; "he rises to show you compassion" (v. 18 niv). God's grace is His favor toward those who do not deserve it, and it is only because of His grace that we have any blessings at all. Isaiah described that future day when Israel would be restored to her land to enjoy the blessings of the kingdom. They would be like liberated prisoners of war (v. 19). Instead of scoffing, they would listen to God's Word and put away their foolish idols. The land would be restored and become prosperous again, and God would bind up the bruises and heal the wounds of His people (v. 26; see 1:5–6). The "great slaughter" of verse 25 is the battle of Armageddon, which will occur just before the return of the Lord to deliver His people and establish His kingdom (Rev. 19:11–21).
Isaiah sought that attitude in Jerusalem; but instead he found only scoffing and unbelief.
The Lord Rebukes Jerusalem (30:1–33) This fourth "woe" begins with God's rebuke of the nation's rebellion (vv. 1–17). Isaiah opened his prophecy with this accusation (1:2, 20, 23), and he ended it on that same note (63:10; 65:2). After all that God had done for His people, they turned away from Him and sought the help of feeble Egypt. Unlike the leaders of old—Moses (Num. 27:21), Joshua (Josh. 9:14), David (1 Sam. 30:7–8), and Jehoshaphat (1 Kings 22:7ff.)—the rulers of Jerusalem did not seek the will of God. Egypt was but a shadow, and what could a shadow do against the great Assyrian army?
Isaiah then uttered an oracle (burden) concerning the caravan that was then traveling from Jerusalem to Egypt with treasures to buy protection against Assyria (Isa. 30:6–7). He saw the burdened animals making their way through the difficult and dangerous terrain of the Negev (the south), and he cried, "It is all to no profit! It is useless! The Egyptians will help in vain!" In verse 7, which should be read in a recent translation, Isaiah gives a nickname to Egypt: "Rahab-hem-shebeth," which means "Rahab the do-nothing." (Rahab is one of the names for Egypt in the Old Testament.)
His final theme in this "woe" is retribution (Isa. 30:27–33), the announcement that God will defeat the Assyrians. God used Assyria to discipline Judah, but He would not permit the Assyrians to take the city of David. Isaiah used several images to describe God's judgment of Assyria: a storm of fire and hail, a flood, the sifting of grain (see Amos 9:9), and the harnessing of a horse so that the enemy is led off like a farm animal.
Just as sheol was prepared for the king of Babylon (Isa. 14:9ff.), so Topheth was prepared for the king of Assyria. Topheth was a site outside Jerusalem where the worshippers of Molech sacrificed their children (2 Kings 16:3; 21:6; Jer. 7:31–32; 19:6, 11–14). It was defiled by Josiah (2 Kings 23:10), turned into a garbage dump, and named "Gehenna," which comes from ge-ben-hinnom, meaning "valley of the son of Himmon." That was the location of Topheth. "Gehenna" is the New Testament word for "hell." The funeral pyre for the great king of Assyria would be a garbage dump! How humiliating!
It was bad enough that Judah rebelled against God by trusting Egypt instead of trusting Jehovah, and depending on money instead of on God's power, but they even went so far as to completely reject the Word of God (vv. 8–11). God told Isaiah to make a placard that said, "This is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord" (v. 9). He carried this sign as he walked around Jerusalem, and no doubt most of the people laughed at him. The leaders did not want to hear God's truth; they wanted "pleasant words" from the false prophets, sermons that would not disturb their comfortable way of life. Is this situation much different today? (See Jer. 6:14; 8:11; 1 Kings 22:1–28.)
The Jews would rejoice greatly at the defeat of Assyria, not unlike their rejoicing at Passover to commemorate the defeat of Egypt. When the Jews celebrate Passover, they still have "a song in the night" (Matt. 26:30), and the "timbrels and harps" (Isa. 30:32) remind us of the songs of Miriam and the Jewish women at the Red Sea (Ex. 15:20–21).
Decisions have consequences, and Isaiah told the people what would happen to Judah and Jerusalem because they were trusting their lies: Their wall of protection would suddenly collapse, shattered to pieces like a clay vessel (Isa. 30:12–14). When Assyria invaded the land, Egypt lived up to her nickname and did nothing. It was not till the last minute that God stepped in and rescued His people, and He did it only
The Lord Defends Jerusalem (31:1–9) This fifth "woe" is a brief summary of what Isaiah had already told the people. Indeed, he was teaching them
Isaiah 31—32
A King Will Reign (32:1–20) At the beginning of its history, the nation of Israel was a theocracy, with God as King; it was not a monarchy led by human rulers. In the days of Samuel, the people asked for a king, and God gave them Saul (1 Sam. 8; see Deut. 17:14–20). God did not establish a dynasty through Saul because Saul did not come from the tribe of Judah (Gen. 49:10). It was David who established both the dynasty for Israel's throne and the ancestry for Israel's Messiah (2 Sam. 7). Every devout Jew knew that the future Messiah-King would be the Son of David (Matt. 22:41–46).
"line upon line, here a little, and there a little" (28:10), and yet they were not getting the message.
Their faith was in men, not in God. They trusted in the legs of horses and the wheels of chariots, not in the hand of the Lord. God warned the Jewish kings not to go to Egypt for horses and chariots (Deut. 17:14–16), but Solomon ignored this warning (1 Kings 10:28–29). Going to Egypt for help had always been a temptation to the Jews (Ex. 13:17; 14:11–12; Num. 11:5, 18; 14:3ff.). Why should the Lord fear the Assyrians? Does a lion fear a flock of sheep and their shepherds? Do the eagles fear as they hover over their young in the nest? God will pounce on Assyria like a lion and swoop down like an eagle, and that will be the end! In one night, the Assyrian army was wiped out (Isa. 37:36).
In Isaiah 32:1, Isaiah wrote about "a king," but in 33:17, he called him "the king." By the time you get to verse 22, He is "our king." It is not enough to say that Jesus Christ is "a King" or even "the King." We must confess our faith in Him and say with assurance that He is "our King." Like Nathanael, we must say, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" (John 1:49 nkjv)
Think of the money Judah would have saved and the distress they would have avoided had they only rested in the Lord their God and obeyed His will. All their political negotiations were futile and their treaties worthless. They trusted the words of the Egyptians but not the Word of God!
In contrast to the evil rulers of Isaiah's day (Isa. 1:21–23), Messiah will reign in righteousness and justice (32:1, 16; 33:5; see 9:7; 11:1–5). In addition, the King will be like a rock of refuge for the people (8:14; 17:10; 26:4; 28:16) and like a refreshing river in the desert (8:5–8; 33:21; 41:18; 48:18; 66:12). "He who rules over men must be just," said David, "ruling in the fear of God" (2 Sam. 23:3–4 nkjv).
As God's church today faces enemies and challenges, it is always a temptation to turn to the world or the flesh for help. But our first response must be to examine our hearts to see if there is something we need to confess and make right. Then we just turn to the Lord in faith and obedience and surrender to His will alone. We must trust Him to protect us and fight for us.
Isaiah 32:3–4 describes the wonderful transformations that will occur because of Messiah's reign. Isaiah ministered to spiritually blind, deaf, and ignorant people (6:9–10; 29:10–12), but in the kingdom, all will see and hear God's truth as well as understand and obey it. (See 29:18; 42:7.) This will happen because the nation will have a new heart and enter into a new covenant with the Lord (Jer. 31:31–34).
A friend of mine kept a card in his office desk that read, "Faith Is Living Without Scheming." In one statement, that is what Isaiah was saying to Judah and Jerusalem, and that is what he is saying to us today.
CHAPTER SEVEN Isaiah 32—35 FUTURE SHOCK AND FUTURE GLORY I
The "churl" (Isa. 32:5–8 kjv) is the knave or scoundrel who uses his or her position for personal profit and not for the good of the people. In Isaiah's day, as in our own day, the common people admired "the rich and famous," even though the character and conduct of these "celebrities" deserved no respect. They had money, fame, and influence; and in the eyes of the populace, that made them important. But in the kingdom, there will be no such deception. "Wealthy cheaters will not be spoken of as generous, outstanding men! Everyone will recognize an evil man when he sees him, and hypocrites will fool no one at all" (vv. 5–6 TLB).
n 1919, American writer Lincoln Steffens visited the Soviet Union to see what the Communist Revolution was accomplishing. In a letter to a friend, he wrote, "I have seen the future, and it works." If he were alive today, he would probably be less optimistic, but in those days, "the Russian experiment" seemed to be dramatically successful.
A university professor posted a sign on his study wall that read, "The future is not what it used to be." Since the advent of atomic energy, many people wonder if there is any future at all. Albert Einstein said that he never thought about the future because it came soon enough!
Not only will their character and motives be exposed and judged, but so will their ungodly methods (v. 7). No longer will the poor and helpless be cheated by these liars! Instead of knaves, the leaders who rule with Messiah will be noble people who plan noble things.
In the four chapters that conclude the first section of his prophecy, Isaiah invites us to look at four future events to see what God has planned for His people and His world. These chapters are not human speculation; they are divinely inspired revelation, and they can be trusted.
Behind the selfish rulers of Judah, and influencing them for evil, were the "aristocratic women" of Jerusalem, who were complacent and self-confident in a time of grave national crisis (vv. 9–14; see 3:16–26;
Isaiah 32—33
The Lord was exalted in the defeat of Assyria (33:5), for no human wisdom or power could have done what He did. We must remember that nations and individuals can have stability in uncertain times only when they trust God and seek His wisdom and glory. King Hezekiah did a foolish thing when he took the temple treasures and tried to bribe Sennacherib (2 Kings 18:13–16), but God forgave him and reminded him that "the fear of the Lord is [your] treasure" (Isa. 33:6). Unbelief looks to human resources for help, but faith looks to God.
Amos 4:1–3; 6:1–6). Isaiah warned them that "in little more than a year [NIV]," the land and the cities would be desolate. This took place in 701 BC when Sennacherib's Assyrian army invaded Judah and devastated the land. The Jews confined in Jerusalem were greatly concerned about future harvests, and Isaiah had a word for them (Isa. 37:30–31). But before the siege ended and God delivered Jerusalem, these worldly women in Jerusalem had to sacrifice not only their luxuries, but also their necessities.
In 32:15–20, the prophet returned to his description of the messianic kingdom and emphasized the restoration of peace and prosperity. None of these changes took place after the deliverance of Jerusalem in 701 BC or when the remnant returned to Jerusalem from Babylon, so we must assign these prophecies to the future kingdom. Because of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, there will be peace and plenty because there will be righteousness in the land (Joel 2:28–32; Zech. 12:10; Ezek. 36:26–27). The land will be so productive that the desert will be like a fruitful field and the fruitful field like a forest. The people will fear no enemies, and their work will be rewarded.
During the time of the Assyrian invasion, the situation in Judah was grim (vv. 7–9). Judah's bravest soldiers wept when they saw one city after another fall to the enemy. The official Jewish envoys wept because their negotiations accomplished nothing. The roads were dangerous, the fields and orchards were ruined, and there was no way of escape.
Except for—God! "'Now will I rise,' saith the Lord, 'now will I be exalted, now will I lift up myself'" (v. 10). In verses 11–12, Isaiah used several images to describe God's judgment on the Assyrians. The Assyrians were "pregnant" with all sorts of plans to conquer Jerusalem, but they would give birth to chaff and straw, and their plans would amount to nothing. Their army was panting to attack, but their hot breath would only become a fire that would destroy them like dead bones or cut bushes. God is longsuffering with His enemies, but when He decides to judge, He does a thorough job.
Judah could have enjoyed safety, quietness, and assurance had they trusted wholly in the Lord and not turned to Egypt for help (Isa. 30:15–18; 32:17–18). Righteousness is the key word in verse 17, for there can be no true peace without a right relationship with God (Rom. 5:1; James 3:13–17). When sinners trust Christ and receive the gift of righteousness, then they can have peace in their hearts and peace with one another.
The account of the amazing deliverance of Jerusalem was told far and wide, and the Gentile nations had to acknowledge the greatness of Jehovah, the God of the Jews. Some scholars believe that Psalm 126 grew out of this experience and may have been written by Hezekiah. "Then they said among the nations, 'The Lord hath done great things for them'" (v. 2). We witness to a lost world when we trust Him and let Him have His way.
Jerusalem Will Be delivered (33:1–24) This is the sixth and final "woe" in this section (28:1; 29:1, 15; 30:1; 31:1), and it is directed against Sennacherib because of his treachery against Judah. In unbelief, King Hezekiah had tried to "buy off" the Assyrians (2 Kings 18:13–15), but Sennacherib had broken the agreement and invaded Judah anyway. He was a thief, a traitor, and a tyrant; and God promised to judge him. He had destroyed others, so he would be destroyed. He had dealt treacherously with nations, so they would deal treacherously with him. God is not mocked; sinners reap what they have sown (Gal. 6:7).
The miracle deliverance of Jerusalem not only brought glory to God among the Gentiles, but it also brought fear and conviction to the Jews (Isa. 33:14–16). God does not deliver us so that we are free to return to our sins. "But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared" (Ps. 130:4)! When Jews in Jerusalem saw 185,000 Assyrian soldiers slain by God in one night, they realized anew that the God of Israel was "a consuming fire" (Isa. 10:17; Heb. 12:29). Were they even safe in Jerusalem? Isaiah 33:15 describes the kind of person God will accept and bless. (See also Ps. 15; 24.) By ourselves, we cannot achieve these qualities of character; they come only as we trust Jesus Christ and grow in grace. Many religious people in Jerusalem had hearts far from God because their religion was only a matter of external ceremonies (Isa. 29:13). Isaiah hoped that the miracle deliverance of the city would bring these people to a place of true devotion to the Lord. It is only as we walk with the Lord that we have real security and satisfaction.
Isaiah 33:2 is the prayer of the godly remnant when Jerusalem was surrounded by the Assyrian army. Isaiah had promised that God would be gracious to them if they would only trust Him (30:18–19), so a few devout people turned His promise into prayer. God spared Jerusalem for David's sake (37:35) and because a believing remnant trusted God and prayed. Never underestimate the power of a praying minority.
Assyria was proud of her power and the spoils she had gathered in battle. The Assyrian army swept through the land like devouring locusts, but that would change. The day would come when Judah would strip the dead Assyrian army and Sennacherib would be assassinated in the temple of the god he claimed was stronger than Jehovah (vv. 36–38).
Isaiah 33—35
The hosts of heaven will also be affected by vast cosmic disturbances (Isa. 34:4; see Matt. 24:29; Joel 2:10, 30–31; 3:15; Rev. 6:13–14). What a day that will be! In Isaiah 34:5–8, the prophet moved from the battlefield to the temple and saw the worldwide judgment as a great sacrifice that God offers. (See Jer. 46:10; 50:27; Ezek. 39:17–19.) The practice was for the people to kill the sacrifices and offer them to God, but now it is God who offers the wicked as sacrifices. Bozrah was an important city in Edom; the name means "grapegathering" (see Isa. 63:1–8). God sees His enemies as animals: rams, goats, lambs, oxen, and bulls to be sacrificed, along with the fat (Lev. 3:9–11). These nations sacrificed the Jews, so God used them for sacrifices.
In 33:17–24, the prophet lifts his vision to the end times and saw Jerusalem ruled by King Messiah. God's victory over Assyria was but a "dress rehearsal" for His victory over the whole Gentile world system that will one day assemble to destroy the Holy City (Zech. 14:1–9). When our Lord was ministering on earth, the unbelieving Jews said, "There is no beauty that we should desire him" (Isa. 53:2). But when they see Him and believe, then they will perceive His great beauty (Zech. 12:3–13:1; Ps. 45).
In contrast to the ordeal of the Assyrian siege, the Jews in the messianic kingdom will experience no terror, see no arrogant military officers, and hear no foreign speech (Isa. 33:18–19). Jerusalem will be like a tent that will not be moved (see 54:1–3), pitched by a broad river that will never carry the vessels of invading armies. Jerusalem is one of the few great cities of antiquity that was not built near a river, but that will change during the millennial kingdom (Ezek. 47). Of course, the river symbolizes the peace that the Lord gives to His people (Isa. 48:18; 66:12; Ps. 46:4).
The picture changes again, and Isaiah compared the day of the Lord to the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah (Isa. 34:9–10; Gen. 18—19). This is a significant comparison because, just before the coming of the Lord, society will be "as it was in the days of Lot" (Luke 17:28). Tar running like streams and sulfur like dust will keep the fires of judgment burning (Gen. 14:10; 19:24). The description in Isaiah 34:10 reminds us of the fall of Babylon (Rev. 14:8–11; 19:3). We should also remember that the fires of eternal hell, the lake of fire, will never be quenched (Mark 9:43–48).
Jerusalem was a ship that almost sank (Isa. 33:23), but the Lord brought it through the storm (Ps. 107:23–32), and the weakest of the Jews was able to take spoils from the dead army. "All the functions of government—judicial, legislative, and executive—will be centered in the Messianic King," says the note on Isaiah 33:22 in The New Scofield Reference Bible. No wonder His people can say, "He will save us!"
While Isaiah focused especially on Edom (Isa. 34:5–6), he was using that proud nation as an example of what God would do to all the Gentile nations during the day of the Lord. When God finishes His work, the land will be a wilderness, occupied by brambles and thorns, wild beasts, and singular birds (vv. 11–17). God will see to it that each bird will have a mate to reproduce, and no humans will be around to drive them from their nests.
Both sickness and sin will be absent from the city. Messiah will be their Redeemer and Savior, and the nation "shall be forgiven their iniquity" (v. 24). In Isaiah's day, the Jews were a "sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity" (1:4), just as lost sinners are today, but when they see Him and trust Him, their sins will be washed away. If you have never heeded the gracious invitation of Isaiah 1:18, do so today!
"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night" (2 Peter 3:10). Why is God waiting? Because God "is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (v. 9 nkjv). How much longer God will wait, nobody knows; so it behooves lost sinners to repent today and trust the Savior.
The Sinful World Will Be Judged (34:1–17) Israel's ancient enemy Edom is singled out in verses 5–6, but this divine judgment will come upon the whole world. Edom is only one example of God's judgment on the Gentile nations because of what they have done to His people Israel. "For the Lord has a day of vengeance, a year of retribution, to uphold Zion's cause" (v. 8 niv). In the day of the Lord, the Gentiles will be repaid for the way they have treated the Jews and exploited their land (Joel 3:1–17). "Zion's cause" may not get much support among the nations today, but God will come to their defense and make their cause succeed.
The Glorious Kingdom Will Be Established (35:1–10) But the wilderness will not remain a wilderness, for the Lord will transform the earth into a Garden of Eden. All of nature eagerly looks for the coming of the Lord (55:12–13; Rom. 8:19; Ps. 96:11–13; 98:7–9), for nature knows that it will be set free from the curse of sin (Gen. 3:17–19) and share the glory of the kingdom. Lebanon, Carmel, and Sharon were three of the most fruitful and beautiful places in the land, and yet the desert would become more fruitful and beautiful than the three places put together! There will be no more "parched ground" (Isa. 35:7), because the land will become a garden of glory.
Isaiah began this section with a military picture of the armies on earth (Isa. 34:2–3) and in heaven (v. 4). The enemy armies on earth will be slaughtered, the land will be drenched with blood, and the bodies of the slain will be left unburied to rot and to smell. This is a vivid description of the battle of Armageddon (Rev. 19:11–21), the humiliating defeat and destruction of the armies of the world that dare to attack the Son of God.
Isaiah used the promise of the coming kingdom to strengthen those in his day who were weak and afraid (vv. 3–4). In the kingdom, there will be no more blind
Isaiah 35—36
After the fall of the northern kingdom in 722 BC, Judah had constant problems with Assyria. Hezekiah finally rebelled against Assyria (2 Kings 18:7), and when Sennacherib threatened to attack, Hezekiah tried to bribe him with tribute (vv. 13–16). It was a lapse of faith on Hezekiah's part that God could not bless. Sennacherib accepted the treasures but broke the treaty (Isa. 33:1) and invaded Judah in 701 BC. The account of God's miraculous deliverance of His people is given in Isaiah 36—37.
or deaf, lame or dumb; for all will be made whole to enjoy a glorious new world. (In 32:3–4, the prophet wrote about spiritual deficiencies, but here he is describing physical handicaps.) Our Lord referred to these verses when He sent a word of encouragement to John the Baptist (Luke 7:18–23). The King was on earth and sharing with needy people the blessings of the coming kingdom.
Isaiah 35:8 expresses one of Isaiah's favorite themes: the highway (11:16; 19:23; 40:3; 62:10). During the Assyrian invasion, the highways were not safe (33:8), but during the kingdom age it will be safe to travel. There will be one special highway: "The Way of Holiness." In ancient cities, there were often special roads that only kings and priests could use, but when Messiah reigns, all of His people will be invited to use this highway. Isaiah pictures God's redeemed, ransomed, and rejoicing Jewish families going up to the yearly feasts in Jerusalem, to praise their Lord.
Bible students generally agree that Hezekiah's sickness (Isa. 38) and foolish reception of the envoys (Isa. 39) took place before the Assyrian invasion, possibly between the time Hezekiah sent the tribute and Sennacherib broke the treaty. Then why are these chapters not arranged chronologically?
The prophet arranged the account as a "bridge" between the two parts of his book. Chapters 36 and 37 end the first part of the book with its emphasis on Assyria, and chapters 38 and 39 introduce the second part of the book, with its emphasis on Babylon. Isaiah mentioned Babylon earlier in his book (13:1ff.; 31:1ff.), but this is the first time he clearly predicts Judah's captivity in Babylon.
When Isaiah spoke and wrote these words, it is likely that the Assyrians had ravaged the land, destroyed the crops, and made the highways unsafe for travel. The people were cooped up in Jerusalem, wondering what would happen next. The members of the faithful remnant were trusting God's promises and praying for God's help, and God answered their prayers. If God kept His promises to His people centuries ago and delivered them, will He not keep His promises in the future and establish His glorious kingdom for His chosen people? Of course He will!
Chapters 36—39 teach us some valuable lessons about faith, prayer, and the dangers of pride. Though the setting today may be different, the problems and temptations are still the same; for Hezekiah's history is our history, and Hezekiah's God is our God.
The future is your friend when Jesus Christ is your Savior and Lord.
CHAPTER EIGHT Isaiah 36—39 GOD SAVE THE KING! F
INTERLUDE Isaiah 36—39 KING HEZEKIAH E
ormer U.S. Secretary of State Dr. Henry Kissinger once told the New York Times, "There cannot be a crisis next week. My schedule is already full." Crises come, whether schedules permit them or not, and sometimes crises seem to pile up. How do we handle them? What life does to us depends on what life finds in us. A crisis does not make a person; it shows what a person is made of.
E. Historical Interlude—36—39 1. Hezekiah delivered from Assyria— 36—37
xcept for David and Solomon, no king of Judah is given more attention or commendation in Scripture than Hezekiah. Eleven chapters are devoted to him in 2 Kings 18—20; 2 Chronicles 29— 32; and Isaiah 36—39. "He trusted in the Lord God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him" (2 Kings 18:5).
Hezekiah faced three crises in a short time: an international crisis (the invasion of the Assyrian army), a personal crisis (sickness and near death), and a national crisis (the visit of the Babylonian envoys). He came through the first two victoriously, but the third one tripped him up. Hezekiah was a great and godly man, but he was still a man, and that meant he had all the frailties of human flesh. However, before we find fault with him, we had better examine our own lives to see how successfully we have handled our own tests.
He began his reign about 715 BC, though he may have been coregent with his father as early as 729 BC. He restored the temple facilities and services of worship, destroyed the idols and the high places (hill shrines where the people falsely worshipped Jehovah), and sought to bring the people back to vital faith in the Lord. He led the people in a nationwide two-week celebration of Passover and invited Jews from the northern kingdom to participate. "And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to see his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered" (2 Chron. 31:21).
The Invasion Crisis (36:1—37:38; 2 Kings 18—19; 2 Chron. 32) Crises often come when circumstances seem to be at their best. Hezekiah had led the nation in a great
Isaiah 36—37
(Egypt) or in heaven (the Lord). They were already defeated!
reformation, and the people were reunited in the fear of the Lord. They had put away their idols, restored the temple services, and sought the blessing of their God. But instead of receiving blessing, they found themselves facing battles! "After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah" (2 Chron. 32:1 niv).
What about their military resources? Hezekiah had fortified Jerusalem (2 Chron. 32:2–8), but the field commander laughed at Judah's military might. Judah had neither the men, the horses, nor the chariots to attack the Assyrians. Even if Assyria provided the equipment, the Jewish soldiers were too weak to defeat the least of the enemy's officers. All the chariots and horsemen of Egypt could never defeat Sennacherib's great army. (Isaiah would agree with him again; see Isa. 30:15–17.) The field commander's coup de grace was that everything Assyria had done was according to the will of the Lord (36:10). How could Judah fight against its own God? In one sense, this statement was true; for God is in charge of the nations of the world (10:5–6; Dan. 4:17, 25, 32; 5:21). But no nation can do what it pleases and use God for the excuse, as Sennacherib and his army would soon find out.
Had God turned a blind eye and a deaf ear to all that Hezekiah and his people had done? Of course not! The Assyrian invasion was a part of God's discipline to teach His people to trust Him alone. Even Hezekiah had at first put his trust in treaties and treasures (2 Kings 18:13–16), only to learn that the enemy will keep the wealth but not keep his word. Judah had negotiated to get help from Egypt, an act of unbelief that Isaiah severely rebuked (Isa. 30:1–7; 31:1–3). God's great purpose in the life of faith is to build godly character. Hezekiah and his people needed to learn that faith is living without scheming.
The Assyrians had ravaged Judah and were now at Lachish, about thirty miles southwest of Jerusalem. According to 2 Kings 18:17, Sennacherib sent three of his most important officers to arrange for Hezekiah's surrender of the city: Tartan ("Supreme Commander"), Rabsaris ("Chief Officer"), and Rabshakeh ("Field Commander"). These are military titles, not personal names. The three men were met by three of Judah's leading officials: Eliakim, Shebna (see Isa. 22:15–25), and Joah (36:3).
According to the field commander, Judah could not trust in its strategy, its military resources, or in its God. Nor could its people trust in their king (Isa. 36:13–20). The king of Assyria was a "great king," but Hezekiah was a nobody who was deceiving the people. Instead of trusting Hezekiah's promise of help from the Lord, the people should trust Sennacherib's promise of a comfortable home in Assyria. The people knew that their farms, orchards, and vineyards had been ruined by the Assyrian army, and that Judah was facing a bleak future. If they stayed in Jerusalem, they might starve to death. Perhaps they should surrender and keep themselves and their families alive.
The place of their meeting is significant, for it is the very place where Isaiah confronted Ahaz, Hezekiah's father, some thirty years before (7:3). Ahaz had refused to trust the Lord but had instead made a treaty with Assyria (2 Kings 16:5–9), and now the Assyrians were ready to take Jerusalem! Isaiah had warned Ahaz what Assyria would do (Isa. 7:17–25), and his words were now fulfilled.
Hezekiah and Isaiah had told the people to trust the Lord, but the field commander reminded the people that the gods of the other nations had not succeeded in protecting or delivering them. (Hezekiah knew why; see 37:18–19.) Even Samaria was defeated, and they worshipped the same God as Judah. To the field commander, Jehovah was just another god, and Sennacherib did not need to worry about Him.
Reproach (Isa. 36:4–21). The field commander's speech is one of the most insolent and blasphemous found anywhere in Scripture, for he reproached the God of Israel (37:4, 17, 23–24). He emphasized the "greatness" of the king of Assyria (36:4, 13) because he knew the common people were listening and he wanted to frighten them (vv. 11–12). His speech is a masterful piece of psychological warfare in which he discredits everything that the Jews held dear. The key word is trust, used seven times (vv. 4–7, 9, 15). "In what is your confidence?" asked the field commander. "You can have no confidence, for everything you trust in has failed!"
God summons us to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7). To those Jews in Jerusalem who were living in unbelief, the field commander's arguments must have seemed reasonable, and his evidence compelling. But God had promised to deliver His people from the Assyrian army, and His word would stand.
Repentance (Isa. 36:22—37:20). By the king's orders, nobody replied to the field commander's speech. Insolence is best answered with silence. Jerusalem's deliverance did not depend on negotiating with the enemy but on trusting the Lord.
2. Hezekiah deceived by Babylon—37—38
He began with their strategy. They had turned to Egypt for help, but Egypt was only a broken reed. (Isaiah had said the same thing! See 30:1–7; 31:1–3.) As for trusting the Lord, that was sure to fail. Hezekiah had incurred the Lord's displeasure by removing the high places and altars and requiring everybody to worship at Jerusalem. (What did a heathen soldier know about the worship of the true God?) So, according to the field commander, Judah had no help on earth
Hezekiah and his officers humbled themselves before the Lord and sought His face. As the king went into the temple, perhaps he recalled the promise God had given to Solomon after he had dedicated the temple: "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from
Isaiah 37
descendants would reign on the throne forever. This was fulfilled ultimately in Jesus Christ (Luke 1:32–33), but God did keep David's lamp burning in Jerusalem as long as He could (1 Kings 11:13, 36).
heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land" (2 Chron. 7:14).
Even though the Lord had brought Assyria to chasten Judah (Isa. 7:17–25), He had determined that Jerusalem would not be taken by the enemy (10:5–34). Previous to the invasion, when Hezekiah had been deathly ill, Isaiah had assured him of deliverance (38:4–6). God's promises are sure, but God's people must claim them by faith before God can work. So the king sent word to Isaiah, asking him to pray, and the king himself called out to the Lord for help.
The Jewish nation had an important mission to fulfill in bringing the Savior into the world, and no human army could thwart the purposes of Almighty God. Even though only a remnant of Jews might remain, God would use His people to accomplish His divine purposes and fulfill His promise to Abraham that all the world would be blessed through him (Gen. 12:1–3). (2) The Assyrians would depart (vv. 23–29). God addressed the proud Assyrian king and reminded him of all the boastful words he and his servants had spoken. "I" and "my" occur seven times in this passage. It reminds us of Lucifer's words in 14:12–17 and our Lord's parable in Luke 12:13–21. "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Prov. 16:18 nkjv). Sennacherib boasted of his military might and his great conquests, for no obstacle stood in his way. If he so desired, like a god, he could even dry up the rivers! But the king of Assyria forgot that he was only God's tool for accomplishing His purposes on the earth, and the tool must not boast against the Maker (Isa. 10:5–19). God would humble Sennacherib and his army by treating them like cattle and leading them away from Jerusalem (37:7, 29).
In the building up of our faith, the Word of God and prayer go together (Rom. 10:17). That is why Isaiah sent the king a message from the Lord. His word of encouragement had three points: (1) do not be afraid, (2) the Assyrians will depart, and (3) the "great king" will die in Assyria.
When the three Assyrian officers returned to headquarters, they learned that an Egyptian army was on its way to help defend Hezekiah. Sennacherib did not want to fight a war on two fronts, so he started to put more pressure on Jerusalem to surrender immediately. This threatening message came to Hezekiah in the form of a letter, and he took it to the temple and "spread it before the Lord."
Hezekiah's prayer (Isa. 37:15–20) is saturated with biblical theology and is not unlike the prayer of the church in Acts 4:24–31. He affirmed his faith in the one true and living God, and he worshipped Him. Jehovah is "Lord of Hosts," that is, "Lord of the armies" (Ps. 46:7, 11). He is the Creator of all things (96:5) and knows what is going on in His creation. His eyes can see our plight, and His ears can hear our plea (see Ps. 115). King Hezekiah did not want deliverance merely for his people's sake, but that God alone might be glorified (Isa. 37:20; Ps. 46:10).
(3) The people would not starve (v. 30). We do not know the month in which these events occurred, but it may have been past the time for sowing a new crop. Before the people could get the land back to its normal productivity, they would have to eat what grew of itself from previous crops, and that would take faith. They would also need to renovate their farms after all the damage the Assyrians had done. But the same God who delivered them would provide for them. It would be like the years before and after the Year of Jubilee (Lev. 25:1–24).
Reply (Isa. 37:21–35). God's response to this prayer was to send King Hezekiah another threefold message of assurance: Jerusalem would not be taken (vv. 22, 31–35); the Assyrians would depart (vv. 23–29); and the Jews would not starve (v. 30). (1) Jerusalem would be delivered (vv. 22, 31–35). The "daughter of Zion" was still a virgin; she had not been ravaged by the enemy. She could look at the Assyrians and shake her head in scorn, for they could not touch her. God would spare His remnant and plant them once more in the land.
Some Bible scholars believe that Psalm 126 was written to commemorate Jerusalem's deliverance from the Assyrian army. The psalm surely is not referring to the Jews' deliverance from the Babylonian captivity, because that was not a sudden event that surprised both Jews and Gentiles, nor did the Gentiles praise Jehovah for delivering Israel from Babylon. Psalm 126 fits best with the events described in Isaiah 36 and 37.
Why did God deliver His people, when so many of them were not faithful to Him? First, to glorify His own name (vv. 23, 35), the very thing about which Hezekiah had prayed (v. 20). God defended Jerusalem for His name's sake, because Sennacherib had reproached the Holy One of Israel. The Assyrians had exalted themselves above men and gods, but they could not exalt themselves above Jehovah God, the Holy One of Israel!
The harvest promise in verse 30 parallels Psalm 126:5–6. The seed would certainly be precious in those days! That grain could be used for making bread for the family, but the father must use it for seed; so it is no wonder he weeps. Yet God promised a harvest, and He kept His promise. The people did not starve.
Retaliation (Isa. 37:36–38). The field commander had joked that one Assyrian junior officer was stronger than 2,000 Jewish charioteers (36:8–9), but it took only one of God's angels to destroy 185,000 Assyrian soldiers! (See Ex. 12:12; 2 Sam. 24:15–17.) Isaiah had
God also saved Jerusalem because of His covenant with David (v. 35; 2 Sam. 7). Jerusalem was the City of David, and God had promised that one of David's
Isaiah 37—39
Isaiah assured the king that the Assyrians would not capture Jerusalem.
prophesied the destruction of the Assyrian army. God would mow them down like a forest (Isa. 10:33–34), devastate them with a storm (30:27–30), and throw them into the fire like garbage on the city dump (vv. 31–33). But that was not all. After Sennacherib left Judah a defeated man, he returned to his capital city of Nineveh. Twenty years later, as a result of a power struggle among his sons, Sennacherib was assassinated by two of his sons in fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy (37:7), and it happened in the temple of his god! The field commander had ridiculed the gods of the nations, but Sennacherib's own god could not protect him.
Pondering (Isa. 38:9–20). Hezekiah was an author of psalms (v. 20) and supervised a group of scholars who copied the Old Testament Scriptures (Prov. 25:1). In this beautiful meditation, the king tells us how he felt during his experience of illness and recovery. He had some new experiences that transformed him.
For one thing, God gave him a new appreciation of life (Isa. 38:9–12). We take life for granted till it is about to be taken from us, and then we cling to it as long as we can. Hezekiah pictured death as the end of the journey (vv. 11–12), a tent taken down (v. 12a; and see 2 Cor. 5:1–8), and a weaving cut from the loom (Isa. 38:12b). Life was hanging by a thread!
The Illness Crisis (38:1–22; 2 Kings 20:1–11) Peril (Isa. 38:1). As mentioned before, this event took place before the Assyrian invasion, though the invasion was impending (see v. 6). When the president or prime minister of a country is sick or injured, it affects everything from the stock market to the news coverage. Imagine how the people of Judah reacted when they heard that the king was going to die—and Assyria was on the march! If their godly leader died, who would govern them?
He also had a new appreciation of prayer (vv. 13–14). Were it not for prayer, Hezekiah could not have made it. At night the king felt like a frail animal being attacked by a fierce lion, and in the daytime he felt like a helpless bird. During this time of suffering, Hezekiah examined his own heart and confessed his sins, and God forgave him (v. 17). "Undertake for me" means "Be my surety. Stand with me!"
The king ended with a new appreciation of opportunities for service (vv. 15–20). There was a new humility in his walk, a deeper love for the Lord in his heart, and a new song of praise on his lips. He had a new determination to praise God all the days of his life, for now those days were very important to him. "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom" (Ps. 90:12).
But there was even more involved. Apparently, Hezekiah did not have a son and therefore would have to appoint a near relative to take the throne of David. Would God's promise to David fail (2 Sam. 7:16)? And why would it fail at a time of national calamity?
Prayer (Isa. 38:2–3). The king did not turn to the wall in a sulking manner, like Ahab (1 Kings 21:4), but in order to have privacy for his praying. It may be too that he was turning his face toward the temple (8:28–30). Some have criticized Hezekiah for weeping and praying, saying that his prayer was selfish, but most of us would have prayed the same way. It is a natural thing for us to want to live and continue serving God. Furthermore, Hezekiah was burdened for the future of the throne and the nation.
There are some students who feel that Hezekiah was wrong in asking God to spare his life. Three years later, his son Manasseh was born (2 Kings 21:1), and he reigned for fifty-five years, the most wicked king in the entire dynasty! Had Hezekiah died without an heir, this would not have happened. But we have no guarantee that any other successor would have been any better, and Manasseh's grandson was godly King Josiah, who did much to bring the nation back to the Lord. Manasseh did repent after God chastened him, and he ended his years serving the Lord (2 Chron. 33:11–20). It is unwise for us to second-guess God or history.
Hezekiah did not ask God to spare him because he had been such a faithful servant (Isa. 38:3). That would be a subtle form of bribery. Rather, he asked God to spare him so he could continue to serve and complete the spiritual restoration of the nation. Certainly he was concerned about his own life, as any of us would be, but he also had a burden for his people.
The Investigation Crisis (39:1–8) The news about Hezekiah's sickness and recovery had spread widely so that even people in Babylon knew about it (2 Chron. 32:23). Hezekiah was a famous man, and other nations would be concerned about him and want to court his favor. The stability of Judah was important to the balance of power in that day. At this time, Babylon was not a great world power, and few people would have thought that Assyria would one day collapse and be replaced by Babylon. Of course, God knew, but Hezekiah did not seek His guidance.
Promise (Isa. 38:4–8). The request was granted quickly, for Isaiah had not gone very far from the sick room when the Lord gave him the answer (2 Kings 20:4). The prophet became the king's physician and told the attendants what medicine to apply (Isa. 38:21). God can heal by using any means He desires. Isaiah also told the king that his life would be prolonged for fifteen years. The king asked confirmation of the promise (v. 22), and God gave him a sign. The sundial was probably a pillar whose shadow marked the hours on a double set of stairs. In another promise,
The stated reason for the diplomatic mission was to
Isaiah 39—40
honor Hezekiah and officially rejoice at his recovery. But the real reason was to obtain information about the financial resources of the nation of Judah. After all, Babylon might need some of that wealth in their future negotiations or battles. It is also likely that Hezekiah was seeking Babylon's assistance against Assyria.
INTERLUDE Isaiah 40—66 "THE BOOK OF CONSOLATION" T
he book of Isaiah can be called "a Bible in miniature." There are sixty-six chapters in Isaiah and sixty-six books in the Bible. The thirty-nine chapters of the first part of Isaiah may be compared to the Old Testament with its thirty-nine books, and both focus primarily on God's judgment of sin. The twentyseven chapters of the second part may be seen to parallel the twenty-seven books of the New Testament, and both emphasize the grace of God.
When Satan cannot defeat us as the "roaring lion" (1 Peter 5:8–9), he comes as the deceiving serpent (2 Cor. 11:3). What Assyria could not do with weapons, Babylon did with gifts. God permitted the enemy to test Hezekiah so that the proud king might learn what was really in his heart (2 Chron. 32:31).
It was certainly a mistake for Hezekiah to show his visitors all his wealth, but pride made him do it. After a time of severe suffering, sometimes it feels so good just to feel good that we get off guard and fail to watch and pray. The king was basking in fame and wealth and apparently neglecting his spiritual life. Hezekiah was safer as a sick man in bed than as a healthy man on the throne. Had he consulted first with Isaiah, the king would have avoided blundering as he did.
The "New Testament" section of Isaiah opens with the ministry of John the Baptist (40:3–5; Mark 1:1–4) and closes with the new heavens and the new earth (Isa. 65:17; 66:22), and in between there are many references to the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and King. Of course, the chapter divisions in Isaiah are not a part of the original inspired text, but the comparison is still interesting.
The prophet reminded Hezekiah that, as king, he was only the steward of Judah's wealth and not the owner (Isa. 39:6). Some of that wealth had come from previous kings, and Hezekiah could claim no credit for it. All of us are mere stewards of what God has given to us, and we have no right to boast about anything. "For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you glory as if you had not received it?" (1 Cor. 4:7 nkjv). "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven" (John 3:27 nkjv). Isaiah 39:7 is Isaiah's first explicit announcement of the future Babylonian captivity of Judah. In spite of Hezekiah's reforms, the nation decayed spiritually during the next century, and in 586 BC Babylon destroyed Jerusalem and took the people captive. Hezekiah's sin was not the cause of this judgment, for the sins of rulers, priests, and false prophets mounted up from year to year till God could take it no longer (2 Chron. 36:13–16). Is Hezekiah's response in Isaiah 39:8 an expression of relief that he escaped trouble? If so, it would certainly be heartless on his part to rejoice that future generations would suffer what he should have suffered! His statement is more likely an expression of his humble acceptance of God's will, and 2 Chronicles 32:26 bears this out. The king did humble himself before God, and God forgave him.
In the "New Testament" section of Isaiah, the prophet is particularly addressing a future generation of Jews. In chapters 1—39 his audience was his own generation, and his primary message was that God would defend Jerusalem and defeat the Assyrian invaders. But in chapters 40—66 the prophet looks far ahead and sees Babylon destroying Jerusalem and the Jews going into captivity. (This happened in 586 BC) But he also saw God forgiving His people, delivering them from captivity, and taking them back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple and restore the nation.
The primary world figure in Isaiah 1—39 is Sennacherib, king of Assyria; but in chapters 40—66 the world leader is Cyrus, king of Persia. It was Cyrus who defeated the Babylonians, and in 541 BC issued the decree that permitted the Jews to return to their land to rebuild the city and the temple (Ezra. 1:1–4). When Isaiah wrote these messages, Babylon was not yet a great world power, but the prophet was inspired by God to see the course the international scene would take.
II. CONSOLATION (40—66) A.God's greatness—40—48 (the Father vs. idols)
Chapters 40—66 may be divided into three parts (40—48; 49—57; and 58—66), with the same statement separating the first two sections: "There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked" (48:22; 57:21). Chapters 40—48 emphasize the greatness of God the Father in contrast to the vanity of the heathen idols. Chapters 49—57 extol the graciousness of God the Son, the Suffering Servant; and chapters 58—66 describe the glory of God in the future kingdom, and the emphasis is on the work of the Holy Spirit (59:19, 21; 61:1ff.; 63:10–11, 14). Thus, there seems to be a trinitarian structure to these chapters.
Even the greatest and most godly of the Lord's servants can become proud and disobey God, so we must pray for Christian leaders that they will stay humble before their Master. But if any of His servants do sin, the Lord is willing to forgive when they sincerely repent and confess to Him (1 John 1:9). "A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise" (Ps. 51:17).
The heart of Isaiah 40—66 is chapters 49—57, in which Isaiah exalts the Messiah, God's Suffering Servant. And the heart of chapters 49—57 is 52:13—
Isaiah 40
Years ago, one of my radio listeners sent me a motto that has often encouraged me: "Look at others, and be distressed. Look at yourself, and be depressed. Look to God, and you'll be blessed!" This may not be a piece of literature, but it certainly contains great practical theology. When the outlook is bleak, we need the uplook. "Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things … for he is strong in power" (v. 26).
53:12, the description of the Savior's substitutionary death for the sins of the world. This is the fourth of the "Servant Songs" in Isaiah; the others are 42:1–7; 49:1–6; and 50:1–11. So at the heart of the "New Testament" section of Isaiah's book is our Lord Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the cross for our sins. No wonder Isaiah has been called "the evangelical prophet."
When, like Israel of old, you face a difficult task and an impossible tomorrow, do what they did and remind yourself of the greatness of God. In these nine chapters, the prophet described the greatness of God in three different areas of life.
The Jewish rabbis have called Isaiah 40—66 "The Book of Consolation," and they are right. Isaiah sought to comfort the Jewish remnant in Babylon, after their difficult years of captivity, and to assure them that God was with them and would take them safely home. Along with words of consolation, the prophet also revealed the Messiah, God's Suffering Servant, and described the future regathering of Israel and the promised kingdom. Isaiah saw in Israel's restoration from Babylon a preview of what God would do for them at the end of the age, after the "day of the Lord" and the destruction of the world's last "Babylon" (Rev. 17—19).
God Is Greater than Our Circumstances (40:1–31) The circumstances behind us (vv. 1–11). As the remnant in Babylon looked back, they saw failure and sin, and they needed encouragement. Four voices are heard, each with a special message for these needy people.
(1) The voice of pardon (vv. 1–2). The nation had sinned greatly against the Lord, with their idolatry, injustice, immorality, and insensitivity to His messengers (Jer. 7). But they were still His people, and He loved them. Though He would chasten them, He would not forsake them. "Speak tenderly" means "speak to the heart," and "warfare" means "severe trials." "Double" does not suggest that God's chastenings are unfair, for He is merciful even in His punishments (Ezra 9:13). God chastened them in an equivalent measure to what they had done (Jer. 16:18). We should not sin, but if we do, God is waiting to pardon (1 John 1:5—2:2). (2) The voice of providence (vv. 3–5). The Jews had a rough road ahead of them as they returned to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple, but the Lord would go before them to open the way. The picture here is of an ambassador repairing the roads and removing obstacles, preparing the way for the coming of a king. The image of the highway is frequent in Isaiah's prophecy (see 11:16). Of course, the ultimate fulfillment here is in the ministry of John the Baptist as he prepared the way for the ministry of Jesus (Matt. 3:1–6). Spiritually speaking, Israel was in the wilderness when Jesus came, but when He came, God's glory came (John 1:14). The way back may not be easy, but if we are trusting God, it will be easier.
So as you study Isaiah 40—66, keep in mind that it was originally addressed to a group of discouraged Jewish refugees who faced a long journey home and a difficult task when they got there. Note how often God says to them, "Fear not!" and how frequently He assures them of His pardon and His presence. It is no surprise that God's people for centuries have turned to these chapters to find assurance and encouragement in the difficult days of life; for in these messages, God says to all of His people, "Be comforted!"
CHAPTER NINE Isaiah 40—48 HOW GREAT THOU ART! I
n your time we have the opportunity to move not only toward the rich society and the powerful society but upward to the Great Society." President Lyndon B. Johnson spoke those words at the University of Michigan on May 22, 1964. Reading them over three decades later, I ask myself, "I wonder how the Jewish captives in Babylon would have responded to what the president said?"
A rich society? They were refugees whose land and Holy City were in ruins.
(3) The voice of promise (vv. 6–8). "All flesh is grass!" Assyria was gone, and now Babylon was gone. Like the grass, nations and their leaders fulfill their purposes and then fade away, but the Word of God abides forever (Ps. 37:1–2; 90:1–6; 103:15–18; 1 Peter 1:24–25). As they began their long journey home, Israel could depend on God's promises. Perhaps they were especially claiming 2 Chronicles 6:36–39.
A powerful society? Without king or army, they were weak and helpless before the nations around them.
A great society? They had been guilty of great rebellion against God and had suffered great humiliation and chastening. They faced a great challenge but lacked great human resources.
(4) The voice of peace (vv. 9–11). Now the nation itself comes out of the valley and climbs the mountaintop to declare God's victory over the enemy. To "bring good tidings" means "to preach the good news." The good news in that day was the defeat of