Isaiah 36-37

Introduction

Well, yeah, that you say one thing, but more than that, what was the historical general in general? I think it’s primarily simply because they were not. They were trusting in everything other than the Lord. Right. And did they have any uh any test of their faith? What was the historical background? What was happening as a world power? The Assyrians were king. The Assyrians. Well, even before that, back in chapter 7, when Ahaz was king, it of course Assyria was sort of in the background even then, but the more prominent and imminent one was Syria and Ephraim. And they came down, and of course Ahaz did not trust in the Lord. But then now when Hezekiah becomes king, even more so is you might say, this test of their faith.

In our lesson uh the last uh last uh Sunday and really a week ago, in this series uh from about chapter 29 through this 39 really is a series of woes that God or God through Isaiah is is putting upon those who would turn to others. What other nation were they tempted to turn to to protect them against Assyria? Egypt. And what did God say to them through Isaiah about Egypt? What kind of a what kind of support are they gonna get from Egypt? Not at all. In fact, uh who made Egypt? You know, who gave Egypt the power that it had? God. God did. And he said, uh why would you trust in the horses or the chariots of Egypt? They are but flesh, they are not spirit.

Trusting in the Lord says we trust in things maybe the eye does not see, and we cannot count like men count numbers. And sometimes we think, oh, there’s plenty of uh strength for us if we have the numbers. No doubt that was, you know, maybe they aren’t that much different from what they were in Isaiah’s day. And therefore, even then was that test over and over. In fact, uh, in uh our first chapter that we studied on on Sunday in chapter 33, he starts off by saying, Woe to you who plunder, though you have not been plundered. Who was he talking about? Who was it? That prophecy was against whom? Who is it that was plundering the nations then? Assyria. And so in chapter 33, particularly, he just reinforces the fact that God’s word is going to be against this people who plunder.

In fact, where was it in Isaiah? And I hope this is one you will kind of stick in your brain somewhere, that it was said how he explained Assyria’s power, that God was using Assyria. Assyria was the rod of his anger, is the very word of Syria. Good. Isaiah chapter 10. Remember that one. Because in the argument of Isaiah chapter 10, God allowed Assyria to have the kind of power. And it was a cruel enemy of the nations at that time. But why would God allow Assyria even to have the power it had? If God’s in control, why does he allow such wicked people sometimes to have any uh control at all? Why didn’t he just abolish all the wicked and make everything righteous? Used it to.

He didn’t, though. Why didn’t he? To punish other people to punish other people. To believe that did God ever allow uh people? Oh let’s see, let me put this way was God always just in his judgment against other nations. He gives them time, he gives them time to repent. That’s right. He gave them time to repent. But God used them as the rod of his anger. Why was he ever angry? Because of their rebellion against God. But when we go back to it and read the uh think about 40 years of wandering, God promised that he would do this if they didn’t, if they weren’t obedient. He promised us that. That’s right. That’s right. And on the other hand, he would bless them if they would be obedient.

That was his promises. And even the other nations, is God only the God of Israel? What do we learn through Isaiah? He’s really the God, the sovereign God of the Europe of the world, right? And so we have sections where he talked about other nations surrounding and around Israel. So God still used Assyria. But back in Isaiah chapter 10, what did he say about Assyria? Um of its power, that is uh it thought its power was of its doing. And then he used a kind of a reasoning to say you couldn’t do this any more than some kind of object.

I didn’t know how to ask my question. Can an axe be effective without someone picking it up and using it? God really was using Assyria. So even Isaiah, while he explains that about Assyria, in chapter 33, he says, Woe to you who plunder. You’re going to be brought down. And even so God had foretold it in Isaiah chapter 10 as well. But now we’re coming to that point in time. But also in our lesson, he also looked to the other nations in chapter 34 and 35. Other nations, one what one nation kind of stood as the uh object or object lesson for all the rest. You said it. Edom. Why was Edom marked out as being the one that God would bring down? What’s what’s the history behind Edom?

And God’s anger against Edom. Alright, to begin with Esau, who was the brother of Jacob, and therefore the descendants of Esau became the Edomites. I had the Edomites treated Israel through those years. They constantly cause conflict. Constantly. And so God would bring Edom down. And he did so. In fact, how thorough. What would Edom be like through the generations and even this day? Just vultures and animals. Right. Really, no men’s land. If you turn to page 30, you know, page 8. Let’s kind of quickly look at the questions. We ran out of time. I don’t know if we’ll have time to start with it tonight. On page 80, question number one. And I like different ones to answer the questions. If you’ve answered one time, then let somebody else answer from thereafter.

So whoever would like to start, number one, who is exalted and where does he dwell? Who’s exalted? The Lord. Alright, Liz, the Lord, where does he dwell? Well, we don’t know exactly. Well, the scripture says on high. So we’ll leave it like that. With what has he filled Zion? Judgment and what you said. Alright, chapter 33 and verse 5 with justice and righteousness. Who did Isaiah answer would dwell with the devouring fire? Who would dwell with the devouring fire? He that walketh righteousness properly. Alright. Now that’s said in a context where God is talking about how He’s going, what he’s going to bring against the hypocrites. So even in Zion and Jerusalem, there were those who were trusting in other nations, perhaps even Egypt at this point in time.

And God is saying, look, there’s going to be a judgment, and it’ll be brought down. And therefore the hypocrites in a fear, you know, if if if people uh who finally uh uh who may be uh as Isaiah earlier said of them, they thought they had a covenant with death that they’re gonna be secured no matter what happened, you know, they’re gonna be all right. But when they really realize it is not all right with them, then they’re gonna fear. And at that point in time the question is raised, well, who then can dwell if God comes with devouring fire? Who can? And his answer is, well, the righteous, those who who work righteously, who walk righteously and speak up rightly. Number three, what will Jerusalem be as to the righteous?

What will it be like? Anybody have that had an answer? A quiet home, tabernacle, not taken down, broad rivers. Right. Place of security, right? Chapter 33 and verse 20. Number four, to what is the glorious Lord? And if you didn’t have a King James Virgin, you might have wondered, well, what’s he talking about? It’s the majestic Lord of the new King James. To what is the majestic Lord or glorious Lord compared? From chapter 33? So a wide river on which uh no vessel of war could take. Yes. Just as some of the ancient cities would have the moat around them as sort of a protection. You had to cross over that if you’re gonna get into the city and defeat it. But but uh the Zion is gonna be such a place of security and safety.

There will not be. It’d be like a uh a broad river and streams which no enemy ship shall pass. Number five, what three things is the Lord to those he saves?

All right, all right, go ahead. Well says law giver and king. Lawgiver and king, and one more. Judge. So, like even like our three branches of our government, there he is as the executive, judicial, and legislative. God is in charge of it. Number six, upon whom is the indignation of the Lord pronounced? Ed, you have that one? I forget down Edom, verses 34 and 5. All right, which represents probably more than that. Verse uh two, I put against all nations. Edom stood sort of significant as the one specified. But like all nations, God’s indignation is against. Number seven, how can one be certain that nothing will fail out of the book of the Lord? His promises is failed. Not one of his promises is failed. Chapter 34 and verse 16.

He has commanded it. Chapter 44, 16, let’s look at it. I won’t just read it because it’s so important. Search for the book of the Lord and read, not one of these shall fall or fail. Not one shall lack their mate. For my mouth has commanded it, and his spirit has gathered it. What God has spoken will come past. Number eight, what should be said to the fearful heart? He’s strong to your nose. Good. Behold your God will come with vengeance. With good. Chapter 35 and verse 4. Now, what four miracles are foretold? And are really quoted by Jesus and fulfilled the course in the Messianic period. What is it? The eyes of the blind will be opened. Ears of the deaf, unstopped, the lame shall walk leap like a deer, and the tongue was seen.

Alright, who would walk in the highway called the way of holiness? Redeemed. The redeemed word. Number thought question what do you think the highway is? Chapter 35 and 8. What is this prophecy fulfilled? All right, Penny. The gospel. All right. The way that the gospel sort of portrays to us. Jesus said, I am the way, and we learn through the gospel. I have the way that leads to God through Jesus, John 14 says, and fulfilled at Pentecost when the gospel was preached in 15 years. That’s exactly specifically, I think, correct. Very good. So it is a highway. And he doesn’t say, well, it’s so difficult to find. We probably cannot understand the Bible alike. That’s not what he says, is it? Even in prophecy. It would be a way that one could find and know God’s will.

1. The Background: Assyria the Great Power

The background, therefore, of this period of time, certainly, is a is a time, as we said, where there’s trust in the Lord. In fact, what what uh we seemingly has led up to this point in time in these chapters that we were just sort of reviewing a little bit. Uh the Assyria was a power, the great power, all nations really at that point in time had to fear because they had overrun many, and very cruel, wicked kind of an empire. And it seems that uh Shamanesar, uh an Assyrian uh king, first entered Samaria, besieged it, but actually died before it was over with, and Sargon is the one who was given the credit as having conquered Samaria. We usually date the fall of the northern ten tribes, Samaria being the capital as 722 BC.

And then uh Sargon, of course, having been given the credit, but and you can see there’s the power. Well, you know, peace crushed Samaria, and he’s crossed other nations around. There’s certain fears. About 705, it is said, that date is the time when Sargon died. And there at that point in history, it seemed that maybe there was that feeling that, well, we, you know, maybe we don’t have to fear Assyria quite as much as we did. We’ve got a new king. And uh Sennacherib was the name. And maybe there was sort of like uh a little peace that’s going to be. And maybe a withdrawal of the support of uh the Assyrians. But that didn’t work. Sargon began evidently to invade Judah, began to conquer. In fact, uh he conquered the the number even in his own historic historical records was 46 cities of Judah.

And then he comes down against Jerusalem itself. And the major thrust of our lesson in chapters 36 and 7 are really as he encamps against Jerusalem itself. But get in mind what he’s already done. In fact, as he’s come against now, we’ve already talked about one of the things they thought they would do is turn to Egypt for our strength and power. Well, that didn’t work. And then in fact, uh in 2 Kings 18, uh, the scripture in verses 13 through 16 says that Hezekiah even does try to make a covenant with Assyria before it’s too late. And he pays uh tribute of 300 talents of silver and 30 talents of gold, and he he takes the gold off of the doors at the temple, and and then he’s trying to buy peace from Assyria.

And Assyria sort of makes a covenant, evidently like a hypocrite. You know, he takes the gold and the silver, then keeps coming on down. And so it’s a it’s a terrible time for God’s people. It looks like, you know, what’s the hope that we have? I tell you, there’s a real test. Can you really trust in the Lord now? Are you really going to turn to the Lord now? I mean, if you won’t count victories, this powerful nation has had victories every place it’s turned. Every city it’s tried to overtake. It’s been successful. Who is Jerusalem to stand against this kind of power? And you think, if you can walk in the shoes of Hezekiah and the servant of the Lord at that point in time.

2. What Confidence Is This in Which You Trust?

Now, Hezekiah, if you read 2 Chronicles 32, certainly did tell the people to be strong and to trust in the Lord, and they were encouraged by that. But are those words really? Does Hezekiah know what he’s talking about? So if you turn with me in chapter 36, verses 1 through 3, we’ll start with, it came to pass in the 14th year of King Hezekiah. That Senacarim, king of Assyria, came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them. Took them. Then the king of Assyria sent the Rabshekah with a great army from Lakish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. And he stood by the Aquedog, Aqueduct from the upper pool, the highway to the Fuller’s field. And Eliakim, the son of Heckiah, who was over the household, Shepherd and the scribe, and Joab the son of Asa, the recorder came out to him.

Kind of a significant point that in verse 2 that he stood by the Achadoc from the upper pool on the highway of the Fuller’s field. Back in chapter 7, that happened to be the same place where Isaiah met with Ahaz, trying to encourage Ahaz to trust in the Lord and not to turn uh to Assyria at that time in his effort to um uh withstand the the Syria and Ephraim against it. Same place, you might say, where this test is going on. Uh at that point of time, Ahaz did not trust in the Lord, turned against the Lord. But now these three Hebrews come out, these three servants, Eliakum and Shebna and Joah. In verses four uh through ten, the scripture says, and now let me ask first of all, who’s the Rabshekah?

Who is that? Is that his name? That’s a title. That’s right. He’s the commander of the army, so to speak. Back at Lakish isnacher, and they were the major part of the army, but they sent down this commander. So in verse 4, then the Rashekah said to them, say now to Hezekiah, thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, what confidence is this in which you trust? I say, you speak of having plans and power for war, but they are mere words. Then whom do you trust that you rebel against me? Look, you’re trusting in the staff of this broken reed, Egypt, on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him.

But if you say to me, We trust in the Lord our God, is it not he whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away and said to Judah in Jerusalem, You shall worship before this altar? Now therefore I urge you, give a pledge to my master, the king of Assyria, and I’ll give you two thousand horses if you’re able on your part to put riders on them. How then will you repel one captain of the least of my master’s servants and put your trust in Egypt for chariots and horsemen? Have I not come up without the Lord against this land to destroy it? The Lord said to me, Go up against this land and destroy it. Now, I want you to analyze for a moment.

What are the logical arguments that Arabshekha has put before these men to turn to tell the others? If you’re standing there listening, how would you list? What’s his argument? Could you list them one, two, three? Some of the things he did. We’ve whipped everyone. All right. And uh you have you have no strength against us. Your Lord, your Lord is on our side, and so are all the other gods. All right. We’ve got to summarize some of those there, but that’s that’s right. In fact, had the Lord, did he say the Lord had even told them? I think first then’s kind of outstanding. Even the Lord told me to come. Why you’ve torn down the Lord’s idols. Had Hezekiah torn down the idols in high places?

Yeah. Yeah. Did the Rabshekha think they were the Lord’s, but they really weren’t? See the Rabshekha’s wrong in that one. But it’s as though you’ve insulted the your God because you torn out on his idols, but what makes you think he’s going to hear you? Why the words are mere words that he’s said. In fact, if you trust in Egypt, what you’re gonna find with Egypt?

They can’t say if you lean on that, it’ll pierce your hand. You know, it it it there is no strength there. In fact, uh, I tell you what, if you come to us, I give you a pledge. Pledge the king of Assyria that uh we’ll give you two thousand horses. And then there’s an insult. What’s the insult? We don’t have enough. Yeah, if you have enough who he ride 2,000, you probably don’t have that many. You know, those are pretty good arguments, right? You’re standing there and you’re thinking, here we are in this city, and we don’t even begin to have the numbers that a Syria has. And Assyria has, you know, a lot of what he said is true. They have infinitely more soldiers than we have.

3. Speaking to the People on the Wall

And we know Jehovah didn’t tell him to come now alive. But uh indeed they have defeated all these other cities. So who are we to stand there at this point in history? I’ll tell you that’s a pretty good argument. And you know, it’s easy for you and me to read because we know the end of the story. But what if you don’t know the end of the story? And you have to just trust that Isaiah that uh has Hezekiah has been assured of victory if he will trust in the Lord. In fact yeah. Well, let’s go to the next point. What what do these men ask of Rabshekha? Don’t speak in Hebrew. Yeah. What language was were the Jews used to hear him? Hebrew. And so the Rabshekah is speaking in Hebrew, and they’re in effect saying, Look, speak in what language?

Aramaic language. Aramaic language. We we’ll know that. Why? Why are they asking that of the Rabshekah?

Yeah, the common people. We don’t want them to be alarmed and don’t upset them, uh Dave. I think he did it uh just the opposite reason. I think he did it to inspire him to speak loudly so that the people of the wall could hear. Because they’d already been instructed to be quiet. I think he wanted everyone to know exactly what was going to happen. In other words, speak in the Aramaic language, everybody. I think Eliakim wanted the Rhabshaka to speak in the hearing of all the people. In Aramaic. He wanted the people to hear it. Hebrew. In other words, you tell the Rabshaka, don’t do something, what’s he gonna do? No idea. I say your words. Well, in verse 11, he says, speak, please speak to your servants in Aramaic.

For we understand it. Do not speak to us in Hebrew in the hearing of the people who are on the wall. So you’re saying he’s telling Rabshekah to speak in Aramaic, so he won’t do that. No, so he so he’ll speak in the hearing of the people. But so he won’t speak in Aramaic. Because that’s what he’s asking. So that in turn he’ll do just the opposite of what they’re asking him. Exactly. I think it’s a psychological very clever psychological point. You know, the thing is, if if the ambassador goes out and speaks, and nobody knows what he says, the people are going to grumble. But the people are rallied. And they’re on the wall, they’re quiet, they’re listening, they’re going to hear everything. So they know that this what he’s saying is against God.

They can see that because of what he said. So actually, these three men were just chatting the Rabshekah. Go ahead and speak in a way that they’ll all hear you and know what you’re trying to say. I think they were leaving me, yeah. Possible. That’s a point I hadn’t really considered. Maybe you’re right. Let’s read from verses 12 through 20. The Rabshekah said, Has my master sent me to your master and to you to speak these words and not to the men who sit on the wall, who would eat and drink their own ways with you. Then the Rabshaka stood and called out with a loud voice in Hebrew and said, Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria. Thus says the king, do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you.

Nor let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, saying, The Lord will surely deliver us. This city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria. Do not listen to Hezekiah, for thus says the king of Assyria, make peace with me by a present and come out to me, and every one of you eat from his own vine, and everyone from his own fig tree, and every one of you drink the waters of his own cistern until I come and take you away to a land like your own land. A land of grain, a new wine, a land of bread and vineyards. What’s that say? Well, it’s gonna still be good for you. You know, if you give over to us, we’re not gonna treat you like slaves.

We’re gonna we’re gonna give you everything you have here, and maybe even more. Besides, verse 18, beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, The Lord will deliver us. Has anyone of the gods of the nations delivered its land from the hand of the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Haman and our fan? Where are the gods of Sephiroth? Indeed, have they delivered Samaria from my hand? Who among all the gods of these lands have delivered their countries from my hand that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem from my hand? But verse 21, they held their peace. Answered him not a word, for the king’s commandment was do not answer him. Then Elicham, the son of Gekaiah who was over the household Shebana’s scribe and Joe the son of Asa the reporter came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn and told in the words of the Shepherdshead.

Now, how do you think the Rabshekah would have reacted when they didn’t answer a thing? You think that may have surprised him a bit? I think he was shocked. I kind of think he would have been too. David, do you agree with that? I think uh most people had probably taken so their lives. Yeah, that’s probably what he expected you expected, and then they’re quiet. You know, the thing was that as you know from the history in 2 Kings 18, at this point, where the army comes from Lakish, Hezekiah sent to Lakish with his tribute of gold and said, Please don’t come against me because I’ve been wrong and I’m paying you off. And then is when he came with the army. So when Rapsheck Everything that he had tried has failed, so he’s a mercy now.

4. Hezekiah Goes to the House of the Lord

So far. In verse, in chapter 37, so it was when King Hezekiah heard him. He tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the Lord. If Hezekiah is so certain that there’s going to be victory, why would he do that? It’s a time of grief. It’s a time of, you know, it’s not like, oh, we just know it’s all going to be all right. There’s a trust in the Lord that’s really, he’s tested. And while we know the outcome that he indeed does turn to the Lord with a significant prayer. Yet the fact is that it’s a time to go to the Lord with mourning, with sorrow, with heaviness of heart, and to pour out your heart. And no doubt, he covers himself with sacklock, which is an act of mourning.

He sent Eliakim, who was over the household, Shebna the scribe, the other of the priest, covered with sack off to Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amos. They said to him, Thus says Hezekiah, this day is a day of trouble and rebuke and blasphemy. For the children have come to birth, but there’s no strength to bring them forth. It’s like a woman with child. But we we are so terrible, maybe fear and and uh strength uh has gone in such a way that uh uh we’re not even able to defend ourselves without the Lord’s help. In verse 4, it may be that the Lord your God will hear the word for the Rapsheek, whom his master, the king of Assyria, sent to reproach the living God, and will rebuke the words which the Lord your God has heard.

Therefore, lift up your prayer for the remnant that’s left. So the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah, and Isaiah said to them, Thus you shall say to your master, thus says the Lord, do not be afraid of the words which you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me. You see, they’ve blasphemed Hezekiah and the words of Hezekiah, but to do that really was blasphemy against the Lord, wasn’t it? So in verse 6, verse 7, surely I will send a spirit upon him, and he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land. And I will cause him to fall with a sword in his own land.

The king heard concerning Jehaka, the king of Ethiopia. He has come out to make war with you. So when he heard it, he sent messengers to Hezekiah, say. Now what’s happened? Assyria has Sennachar kind of turned for the moment against uh Egypt. That’s Terhacka the king of Egypt, really, it says of Ethiopia. It’s coming up. So he turns to answer that challenge. But he sends again the message to Hezekiah in verse 10, you shall speak to Hezekiah, king of Judah, saying, Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you. Saying, Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria. Look, you’ve heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands by utterly destroying them, and shall you be delivered?

Have the gods of the nations delivered those whom my fathers have destroyed, Gozon, Arab, Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Telasar. Where is the king of Haman? The king of Arpath, the king of the city of Sephiroth, Hina. What’s the answer to that? They’ve been all defeated, hadn’t he? So, you know, now here goes the logical reasoning and so forth. Verse 14 through 20, I think are powerful passages. I marked them read in my Bible. Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it. Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord and spread it before the Lord. Then Hezekiah prayed to the Lord, saying, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, the one who dwells between the cherubim.

You are God, you alone. Of all the kingdoms of the earth, you have made heaven and earth. Incline your ear, O Lord, and hear. Open your eyes, O Lord, and see. Hear all the words of Sennachar, which he has sent to reproach the living God. Truly, Lord, the kings of Assyria have made waste all the nations and their lands, have cast their gods into the fire. For they were not gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone. Therefore they destroyed them. And now therefore, O Lord our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you are the Lord. You alone. I love that prayer. It’s a powerful prayer, isn’t it? Back where he says in verse 16, who dwells between the cherubim.

5. The Lord’s Answer: I Will Defend This City

What’s that a reference to? Ark of the covenant. Alright. The mercy seat is the cherubim on the top of the Ark of the Covenant, the cherubim on either end. And so the Lord dwells there. And that is at least in Exod 25 would be the place wherein the high priest would come once a year to offer sacrifice for the sins of the people. And the Lord said, I’ll meet you there. So that’s the meaning of that phrase. And then look down and is it verse 17, where he says, Incline your ear. Hear. Open your eyes. See. And then hear all the words of sacrifice. That’s kind of way, Lord. Please listen. Please, Lord. You are the only true God. You alone. So the Lord’s answer. Verse 21, Isaiah the son of Amos sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus says the Lord God of Israel, because you have prayed to me against Senacrah, king of Assyria.

This is the word which the Lord has spoken concerning him. So the next few verses.

The daughter of Jerusalem has shaken her head behind your back. Whom have you reproached and blaspheme? Against whom have you raised your voice and lifted up your eyes on high? The answer. Against the Holy One of Israel. By your servants you’ve reproached the Lord and said, by the multitude of my chariots I’ve come up to the height of the mountains, the limits of Lebanon. I will cut down its tall cedars and its choice cypress trees. I will enter its furnace height to its fruitful forest. I have dug and drunk water, and with the soles of my feet I have dried up all the brooks of defense. That’s kind of sound like back in Isaiah 10. Assyria didn’t give God the credit. It was a serious strength and might, she thought, that she had done all these things.

Did you not hear long ago how I made it? Here’s God speaking, right? From ancient times that I formed it. And I have brought it to pass that you should be for crushing fortified cities into heaps of ruins. Therefore their inhabitants had little power. They were dismayed and confounded. They were of the grass of the field, and the green herb as the grass on the housetops, and the grain blighted before it is grown. But I know your dwelling place. You’re going out and you’re coming in. And your rage against me. Because your rage against me and your tumult have come up to my ears. Therefore I will put my hook in your nose and my bridle in your lips, and I will turn you back by the way which you think.

Has not God in a sense said to Assyria that, as in verse 27 particularly, the only reason you had victory? Because God gave it to you. It was like we talked about earlier with Isaiah 10. God is now just saying in a direct way to Assyria, hey, the only reason you had power, I was using you, and therefore that’s why you victory. In verse 30, the message seems to turn to Hezekiah. And he then says, This shall be assigned to you. You shall eat this year, such as grows of itself, and the second year which springs from the same. Also in the third year, sow and reap, plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. Then there was a time is coming, certainly by the third year, that there would be prosperity in the land that all will be.

In other words, you’re going to have victory over Assyria, and there will be therefore peace once again. In fact, in verse 31, the remnant who have escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward and bear fruit upward. For out of Jerusalem shall go a remnant, and those who escape from Mount Zion. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. Therefore, thus says the Lord concerning King of Assyria, he shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor build a siege mound against it. By the way that he came, by the same shall he return. And he shall not come into this city, says the Lord. For I will defend this city to save it for my own sake and for my servant David’s sake.

6. The Angel of the Lord Killed 185,000

Why would God defend it? Because he’s Lord, number one, for my own sake. And why for David’s sake? Because God had promised that of the lineage of David the Messiah would come, number one, and through him the Messiah that would bless all families of the earth. So, for God’s sake and for David’s sake. Verse 36 through 38, quite a summary. The angel of the Lord went out, killed in the camp of the Assyrians 185,000. When people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses all dead. So Sennacher, king of Assyria, departed, went away, returned home, remained at Nineveh. Now it came to pass as he was worshipping in the house of Nisalrach his God that his sons, Adramelech and the Sharezah, struck him down with the sword, and they escaped from the hand into the land of Ararat.

Then there hadn’t his son reigned in his place. Now think 185,000.

Someone wrote the Vietnam War or 55,000. Afghanistan is over 12 years, and I looked up today, the total to this point as of today is 3,270 have been killed. If it wasn’t that 185,000 of your soldiers die, can you imagine the effect? And he turned and went home. We don’t know exactly what happened, how the angel killed him. Some would say, well, there could be some kind of a fever or disease that you know spread rapidly, whatever. But it’s through the Lord’s will that they die. And then for him to go back and then even kill, assassinated by his own sons. Sennacher’s prison that is in the British Museum in London and a replica is in the Oriental Museum in Chicago, inscribes what Sennacherib’s official records said after he listed the 46 city, fortified cities of Judah that he had taken.

He said of Hezekiah, quote, himself I made a prisoner in Jerusalem, his royal residence like a bird in a cage.

But you go on with the fact is that he didn’t say that he took Jerusalem because he didn’t.

Of course, we know what happened. His humiliating defeat of 185,000 soldiers is why he had that undignified retreat and escape back to uh Nineveh. But the fact is that his silence bears testimony to the truth of what the Bible says. For had he taken Jerusalem, can you imagine that he would have omitted that? The very silence uh argues that the Bible record is true. Or certainly he would have listed it. It was the capital city of Jesus. He certainly would have listed it had he taken. Indeed, what a parable passage, I think. This whole text is, I think, one of the clearly ones in Isaiah. Because indeed, where the theme is trust in the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, here’s an example of overwhelming odds that yet the Lord’s people want.

Conclusion

I made some applications, a couple of applications I made of this particular chapter. One was that uh one with the Lord is a majority. We don’t often count it that way. Whether directly by supernatural intervention or indirectly through providence, God will deliver his people and he will use them in the purposes which glorify his name. I believe that’s true even to this day. The other application I made was that prayer should not be all petition, but should be based on reverent praise and adoration of him in whom we trust. When you pray the Lord, how much time do you give to thanking him and praising him for who he is, rather than saying, Lord, I need this, Lord please give me that, but rather praise and glory.

So I think those are both important applications to be made in this lesson. Well, okay. Hope you don’t ask questions. We’ll start maybe Sunday with the questions, and we’ll do that. They’re just kind of as reviews for Sunday morning.