Isaiah 40:1

Isaiah 40:1 says, Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.  The rest of the book of Isaiah is different than the first thirty-nine chapters.  One way is that Isaiah is not named once in these chapters, but I will refer to him.  Also, the focus moves from many woes to many blessings for the people of Israel.  Though this message was to Israel at that time, it also is the message of the coming of Jesus Christ that will end with His return after He died for the sins of mankind on the cross. When we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, we should then live celebrating the many blessings that God has given us and let go of the woes of the past.  Isaiah said God called on His people to comfort others who were His people and in need.  This is still our calling today as Christians.

Verse two adds, Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins.  The people were told to speak well of Jerusalem, because her warfare was accomplished and she had received double punishment from God for all her sins.  Just as the people of God in that day were called on to comfort others of His people, we as Christians need to comfort other Christians who may be suffering today.  We can do this because Jesus Christ paid for the price all our sins.

Verse three continues, The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.  As stated earlier, this verse may refer to people in that day, but it also is a reference to John the Baptist when He made this call to the people in Jesus’s day.  We are to still proclaim this same message today as we witness for Jesus Christ. 

Verse four states, Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:  This will happen forever when Jesus Christ returns in victory.  Even if the people of Israel did this for a time, then we know that it didn’t last and never will until Jesus Christ returns in victory. 

Verse five adds, And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.  Though the people of Israel may have been restored for a time with all obstacles removed from their serving God, once more, this will happen for the final time when Jesus Christ returns.  We simply need to live by faith in Him until He returns. 

Isaiah 39:1

Isaiah 39:1 says, At that time Merodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah: for he had heard that he had been sick, and was recovered.  Matthew Henry points out that this event is also told about in 2 Kings 20, starting with verse 12.  The son of Baladan the king of Babylon sent Hezekiah a gift because he heard he had been sick.  Merodachbaladan, the name of the king of Babylon’s son, was doing something nice, but sometimes even things done for nice reasons can turn out wrong in the end. 

Verse two adds, And Hezekiah was glad of them, and shewed them the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not.  Hezekiah gave in to pride and showed the emissaries from Bablon all his treasure.  He didn’t leave anything out.  God had just restored Hezekiah’s health, but he seemed more proud of talking about his possessions than of talking about the miracle that God had performed in his life.  We should never let pride in our possessions become more important than our relationship with God is, but we too often talk more about our possessions than we do about our God Who has given them to us.  We can get caught up in pride just as Hezekiah did.

Verse three continues, Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country unto me, even from Babylon.  Isaiah came to Hezekiah and asked who these men were and where they came from, and Hezekiah said they had come from a far country, Babylon, to see him.  I believe that Hezekiah was full of pride than men would come from so far to see him and he didn’t think any more about what they might decide to do later when they saw all his treasures.  I don’t believe there is ever a good reason to show off or brag about our riches.  As Christians, we need to understand that everything we have is a blessing from God and should be used for His honor and glory and not our own. 

Verse four concludes, Then said he, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All that is in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them.  Isaiah asked Hezekiah what he had shown these men from Babylon, and he said everything.  Once more, I believe that his pride clouded his judgment just as it can do ours today.  Anytime we allow pride in what we possess to become more important than following the will of God, we allow sin to slip back into our life and set ourselves up for a fall.  It would have been so much better if Hezekiah had prayed about what he should do when these men from Babylon came bringing him a gift than to just become full of pride in his position and start showing off His possessions instead of giving God praise for what He had without bragging.  Self-pride will always get us in trouble when we start thinking that what we have is more important than God or even a sign that He approves of all that we are doing.

Verse five states, Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, Hear the word of the Lord of hosts:  After telling Isaiah everything that he had shown to the Babylonians, Isaiah had a message from God for Hezekiah. It is always better if we hear God’s message for us before we do anything than it is to hear it after we have done something that we shouldn’t do.   

Verse six adds, Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the Lord.  The message wasn’t a good one, and sometimes God’s message to us may not be something good if we have been acting outside of His will.  Isaiah said that one day the Babylonians were going to carry away all the treasures of the people of Israel.  One day, all the treasures that we have laid up here on the earth will be done away with, so there really is no reason to flaunt them in self-pride. 

Verse seven continues, And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.  Isaiah said not only would all the treasures of Israel be taken away, but Hezekiah’s sons, instead of being rulers, would be taken away to serve as eunuchs in the place of the king of Babylon.  They would be left completely powerless.  When we allow anything to come between God and us, we become spiritually powerless and may find ourselves enslaved to sin once again, even though we have everlasting forgiveness as Christians.  Just because we are forgiven doesn’t mean we can become full of self-pride and do whatever we want to do without there being a price to be paid.

Verse eight concludes, Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken. He said moreover, For there shall be peace and truth in my days.  Hezekiah said what Isaiah had spoken was good, because there would be peace in his days.  Hezekiah was basically saying that God was acting justly with him and the people of Israel, so he could live at peace with that.  We have to acknowledge that if God has to chastise us as followers of Christ that He will always be acting justly, and we should be at peace in our soul if this happens.  When we as Christians sin once more, then God is going to hold us accountable.

Isaiah 38:15

Isaiah 38:15 says, What shall I say? he hath both spoken unto me, and himself hath done it: I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul.  Hezekiah starts by asking what could he say about God’s mercy.  He said God had spoken, so he would go softly for the rest of his years, but then he added in the bitterness of his soul.  This could seem to be saying that he was going to be bitter about what had happened to him before, but Matthew Henry says it refers to bitterness for having questioned God.  Whichever way it is interpreted, I don’t believe we should have bitterness in our soul as Christians, either about things that have happened in the past or about how we may have reacted to them in times of destress.  We should just put our faith in God and always come to Him in obedience and ask for forgiveness when we fail to, and then it shouldn’t cloud our relationship with Him or other Christians. 

Verse sixteen adds, O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit: so wilt thou recover me, and make me to live.  Hezekiah said he, and by extension the kingdom, would live by the understanding that God was the One Who had given him these extra years.  We need to make sure that we always give God the credit for the good things that happen in life, as individuals and as a nation. 

Verse seventeen continues, Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.  Hezekiah said before God restored him to health that he had bitterness in his soul.  Too often, we as Christians allow what is going on in the world or in our life to determine how we feel about our relationship with God.  If everything is not as we want it to, or if we are somehow suffering because of our relationship with God, we can become bitter toward God, but this should never happen.  We already have everlasting life with God as followers of Christ, so nothing that happens in this lifetime should make us bitter toward Him. 

Verse eighteen states, For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.  Hezekiah said those that died could not praise God, but I would have to add in this lifetime.  When Jesus Christ returns to claim His people, the church, we will praise God forever.  I believe that those who are saved and die before then will already be praising Him.  It is the lost people who will never be able to stand in God’s kingdom and praise Him. 

Verse nineteen adds, The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth.  Hezekiah said that the living would praise God and make His truths known to their children as he was doing that day.  I would once again say that I believe that this refers to those who are spiritually alive by faith in God doing this, and not that all people who are alive will.  We can only give God praise if we have become a part of His people by putting our faith in Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord. 

Verse twenty continues, The Lord was ready to save me: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the Lord.  Hezekiah said since God was ready to save him that he would sing songs of praise accompanied by stringed instruments.  This was a physical healing that Hezekiah was singing praises about, but as Christians, we should always sing praises ti God for our salvation no matter what is happening in our life today.   

Verse twenty-one says, For Isaiah had said, Let them take a lump of figs, and lay it for a plaister upon the boil, and he shall recover. Hezekiah said that Isaiah had told him how to recover from his illness and that it was God’s word that he spoke.  God could have cured Hezekiah with just a word, but his making and applying the plaster showed Hezekiah's willingness to obey, just as we must obey God's word in order to be healed spiritually today.  No matter who reaches out to us with the gospel when we are lost and spiritually sick, it is God’s word that they share, and the glory should go to Him alone. 

Verse twenty-two adds, Hezekiah also had said, What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the Lord?  Hezekiah then asked for a sign to tell him that it was time to go to the house of the Lord.  He had been considered spiritually unclean evidently and now he wanted a sign to show that he no longer was.  The only sign we will ever have that we are spiritually clean is the sign of the cross and the empty tomb.  It is the only sign we should ever need.  We must trust God at all times without the need for physical signs.

Isaiah 38:9

Isaiah 38:9 says, The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness:  Hezekiah wrote an account of what had happened to him and of God’s mercy on him.  Our witness to the world today should not be of what we have done for God, but it should be of what He has done for us.  This should start with the fact that we were condemned to everlasting punishment but that He delivered us to everlasting victory if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. 

Verse ten adds, I said in the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave: I am deprived of the residue of my years. Hezekiah said he asked if he was going to the grave and have the rest of his years that a person would normally live cut off.  He wasn’t saying he was due these years according to Matthew Henry.  We may believe that someone has died too soon, but if they are a Christian, they are just beginning to experience the real joy of their salvation.

Verse eleven continues, I said, I shall not see the Lord, even the Lord, in the land of the living: I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world.   Hezekiah said that he would no longer see the Lord in the land of the living or see the people there.  Of course, as long as we are in the land of the living, we are never going to see God clearly. 

Verse twelve states, Mine age is departed, and is removed from me as a shepherd's tent: I have cut off like a weaver my life: he will cut me off with pining sickness: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me.  Hezekiah said he was going to be cut off, or die, from a sickness that lasted all day long.  He compared this to a shepherd moving his tent or to a weaver stopping weaving because the garment being made was complete, I believe would be the analogy.  If we are in continual pain, we may think that God has forgotten us, and if we are still young, that our life is going to end too soon.  We just need to remember that if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord that if we die, we are just moving on to our heavenly home.  

Verse thirteen adds, I reckoned till morning, that, as a lion, so will he break all my bones: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me.  Hezekiah then compared his condition to being killed by a lion.  He was powerless to stop his physical death, and so are we, but he was not powerless to live forever with God if he just remained faithful to Him, even as he was dying.  We may be unable to stop our physical death, but if we have put our faith in Jesus Christ, we will live with Him forever in the world to come, and this is all that is important. 

Verse fourteen continues, Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail with looking upward: O Lord, I am oppressed; undertake for me.  Hezekiah said he didn’t stop appealing to God, which he compared to the chatter of a crane or swallow.  We can only ask God to heal us if we are suffering from some illness that is going to kill us, but we must accept the fact that He may not heal us, but as Christians, that is okay. 

Isaiah 38:1

Isaiah 38:1 says, In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live.  When Hezekiah was sick, Isaiah came to him with a message from God.  He didn’t bring him good news but told him to set his house in order because he was going to die.  All we can ever do is share the truth of God with people, even if it hurts.  Everyone needs to set their house in order spiritually, because they are going to die one day if Jesus Christ doesn.t return first.  Even if someone is physically sick, we cannot promise that they are going to get well, even if we want them to.  We just have to pray that they are spiritually secure with God no matter what happens. 

Verse two adds, Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the Lord,  When Hezekiah heard the news, he simply turned his face toward the wall and prayed to God.   As Christians, the most important thing we can ever do is pray, no matter what the situation is. 

Verse three continues, And said, Remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.  Hezekiah didn’t make demands on God, but he asked that God remember how he had walked before Him in truth and with a perfect heart.  This didn’t mean that Hezekiah was perfect, but that he had tried to live in perfect faith.  We can never stand before God as perfect people, and we will not be saved by what we have done, but by our perfect faith in Jesus Christ. 

Verse four states, Then came the word of the Lord to Isaiah, saying,  The word of God then came to Isaiah to go back to Hezekiah with another message.  I don’t believe that this means that Isaiah was wrong the first time, but that God does have the ability to change what He has intended to do. 

Verse five adds, Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years.  God heard the prayer of Hezekiah, who hadn’t actually asked for an increased lifetime but only that God remember his faithfulness.  God told Isaiah to go to Hezekiah and tell him that He had heard his prayer, and he was going to be restored to health and live another fifteen years.  We may not have our prayers answered and live longer here on the earth if we are deathly ill, but our prayer should always be that God remember our faithfulness to Him as followers of Christ, no matter what the outcome of our illness may be.  Our everlasting destination is already determined and Christians, and that is what matters.  

Verse six continues, And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city.  Isaiah had more good news for Hezekiah.  God said He would deliver Hezekiah and the city of Jerusalem out of the hand of the Assyrians and that He would defend the city.  As followers of Christ, God has already delivered us from the power of sin and death, and He is the One Who will protect us.  All we need to do is to remain faithful to Him.  What happens in this lifetime if we are Christians is not what is important.  The fact that we have everlasting life with God is all that is important. 

Verse seven says, And this shall be a sign unto thee from the Lord, that the Lord will do this thing that he hath spoken;  Though Hezekiah had not asked for a sign that God’s word was going to come to pass, Isaiah said God was going to give him one.   We don’t need to ask God to give us signs that He is going to do what He says, but it is possible He might at times give us one, as individuals or as a nation. 

Verse eight adds, Behold, I will bring again the shadow of the degrees, which is gone down in the sun dial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward. So the sun returned ten degrees, by which degrees it was gone down.  Isaiah said God was going to cause the sun to back up ten degrees on the sun dial.  This was an impressive sign, and you would think that more people than just Hezekiah would be aware of this.  Can you imagine being Sennacherib and denouncing the power of God and then see Him show His control over the sun.  I believe I would have been reevaluating my position, but God does miraculous things today and many people still deny that He exists or is in control of His universe. 

Isaiah 37:33

Isaiah 37:33 says, Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shields, nor cast a bank against it.  Isaiah then gave the people God’s promise about Assyria.  The Assyrian army was not going to come into Jerusalem or even fire arrows into the city.  We may have times when the enemies of God do come in battle against His people, but they will never fire an arrow or any other weapon against the true Jerusalem, God’s Holy City.   

Verse thirty-four adds, By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the Lord.  Isaiah said that Sennacherib would go back the way he came without ever entering Jerusalem in spite of his boasts.  No matter how much people of the world may boast about their military might today, if they are fighting against God, they will never stand a chance of defeating Him.  Even if they win a temporary victory, He will one day send them away to everlasting punishment. 

Verse thirty-five continues, For I will defend this city to save it for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.  Isaiah said God was going to defend Jerusalem for His sake and the sake of David.  Sennacherib had declared God to be unable to defend Jerusalem, and God was going to show him that he was wrong so that people would know that He is the all-powerful God.  He was also going to do this because of His promise to David.  For us as followers of Jesus Christ, God has delivered us to everlasting victory for His glory and because the promise made to David was fulfilled when Jesus Christ came to die for the sins of all people.  We just have to accept His gift of salvation. 

Verse thirty-six says, Then the angel of the Lord went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.  The people of Judah and Jerusalem didn’t have to do anything but continue to believe in God in order to be saved from the Assyrian army.  We are told that the angel of the Lord went into the camp of the Assyrians and killed one-hundred and eighty-five thousand of them, and those that did survive awoke the next morning to a camp full of dead men.  I believe that a few were spared so they could be witnesses to what had happened, and that was that the people of Judah had not done this.  God will always bring victory to those who are truly His people.  It also says that God sent His angel and not a bunch of angels to do this.  I think we often try to limit the power of an angel carrying out an assignment from God. 

Verse thirty-seven adds, So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.  In spite of his boasting, Sennacherib went away defeated.  Those who boast about their power and claim God cannot defeat them will one day be sent away to everlasting punishment just as Sennacherib was sent away that day. 

Verse thirty-eight continues, And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Armenia: and Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead. While Sennacherib was worshipping in the house of his god, two of his own sons killed him.  Not only was his god not powerful enough to defeat God and His people, his god couldn’t even keep him safe while he was worshipping him.  No false god can ever keep anyone safe.  The two sons who killed Sennacherib fled to Armenia, but a third son assumed his throne.  As followers of Jesus Christ, we need to understand that He alone is on the throne, and no one can ever take His position away from Him.

Isaiah 37:21

 Isaiah 37:21 says, Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent unto Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Whereas thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria:  Hezekiah had prayed to God in faith even though everything looked terrible around him.  When things look the worst in our lives, we still need to pray to God in faith, and He will answer us in grace, as Matthew Henry points out.   I don’t believe that this means that everything will always immediately get better now, but by God’s grace we are already assured of the everlasting victory.  We just need to patiently remain faithful to God. 

Verse twenty-two adds, This is the word which the Lord hath spoken concerning him; The virgin, the daughter of Zion, hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.  God had a message for Sennacherib, and that was that he was not as powerful as he thought.  God didn’t say that He had a great army that was going to defeat Sennacherib, but that the virgin, the daughter of Zion, was going to do so.  I believe this was a reference to the coming birth of Jesus, Who is the One Who defeats all evil, but it wasn’t the virgin Mary herself who would do this, but her son Jesus Christ Who would.  Of course, this didn’t happen in the time of Sennacherib, but I do believe it was a reference to the coming of Jesus Christ. 

Verse twenty-three continues, Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel.  Isaiah said that God was going to defeat Sennacherib because he had exalted himself and lifted up his eyes in pride as he defied God and His people.  Those who lift themselves up today as being more powerful than God and defy His people and Him will one day realize how wrong they were to believe that they were more powerful than God. 

Verse twenty-four states, By thy servants hast thou reproached the Lord, and hast said, By the multitude of my chariots am I come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon; and I will cut down the tall cedars thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the height of his border, and the forest of his Carmel.  Isaiah said God was aware of the bragging of Sennacherib when he said by his great number of chariots that he was going to defeat anyone who stood against him, including God Himself.  There are still nations today who believe that their military strength makes them unbeatable, and some even deny the existence of God, much less His power.  Just as Sennacherib was wrong, so will all who stand against God be proven to be. 

Verse twenty-five adds, I have digged, and drunk water; and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of the besieged places.  Isaiah said that God reminded Sennacherib that He could even control the supply of water.  We need to acknowledge that God simply by His word is more powerful than any person or nation will ever be.  Sennacherib was bragging about his powerful army, but God said He controlled even the water that Sennacherib’s army would need to survive.  No matter how powerful a person or nation may believe themselves to be today, God is still the One with all the real power. 

Verse twenty-six continues, Hast thou not heard long ago, how I have done it; and of ancient times, that I have formed it? now have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest be to lay waste defenced cities into ruinous heaps.  God asked Sennacherib if he had not heard that God had long ago worked mighty works, including the forming of the universe.  If that were the case, then why did Sennacherib now think he could be victorious against the walled cities of God.  God said that for Sennacherib to think that he was able to do anything by his power being greater than God’s power was pure arrogance.  If we as Christians begin to believe that we are more powerful than anyone else because of our power and not by the power of God, then we are setting ourselves up for a fall. 

Verse twenty-seven says, Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded: they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb, as the grass on the housetops, and as corn blasted before it be grown up.  Isaiah said that God had found those who opposed Him in the past to be of small power and that they ended up confounded and dismayed.  We can look to God’s victories over other nations in the past to give us hope, but the main victory that we need to look to is the victory of Jesus Christ when He lived, died, and wad resurrected to defeat all of God’s enemies forever. 

Verse twenty-eight adds, But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me. Isaiah said God stated the He knew of all the actions of those who defied and raged against Him.  Just because people deny God and look to defeat those who serve Him doesn’t mean that God isn’t aware of their actions, even if He doesn’t immediately take action against them.  No person or nation who works to destroy God and His people will ever stand when God’s judgment comes, no matter how powerful they may see themselves as being today. 

Verse twenty-nine continues, Because thy rage against me, and thy tumult, is come up into mine ears, therefore will I put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.  God said that even though Sennacherib thought he could come in and defeat God’s people that He was going to put a hook in Sennacherib’s nose and a bridle in his lips and turn him back the way he had come.  Those who defy God and refuse to accept His gift of salvation will one day be turned away from heaven and sent to everlasting punishment. 

Verse thirty states, And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such as groweth of itself; and the second year that which springeth of the same: and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruit thereof.  This sign was to the people of Judah and Jerusalem.  That year, they were to eat the crops that had come up on their own, and the same would be true the next year, but the third year they were to sow and plant vineyards and reap the fruit of them.  God didn’t say that their enemies would immediately be done away with, but they just had to continue to live faithfully to Him.  Our enemies will not always be done away with immediately, but as Christians, we simply need to continue to rely on God to meet our spiritual needs. 

Verse thirty-one adds, And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward:  Isaiah said that God had made a promise that the remnant of the house of Judah, those who had remained faithful to Him, would take root downward and bear fruit upward.  As followers of Christ, we are already rooted in an everlasting relationship with God which He has sealed us to, but it is up to us then how much fruit we may bear. 

Verse thirty-two continues, For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the Lord of hosts shall do this.  Isaiah said that a remnant would go out of Jerusalem as well as those that had escaped out of mount Zion, because God’s zeal for them had assured this would happen.  We as Christians have this same assurance today.  God has already secured the everlasting victory over sin and death, and we just need to live in the knowledge that we are forever saved by His power if we have put our faith in Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord. 

Isaiah 37:14

Isaiah 37:14 says, And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up unto the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord.  After Hezekiah received this letter from Rabshakeh, he read it and then went to the house of the Lord and spread it before Him.  If we have doubts and concerns today, we should first identify what the concern or threat is and then we need to lay it before the Lord.  We should never decide to just handle it by our own strength and wisdom. 

Verse fifteen adds, And Hezekiah prayed unto the Lord, saying, After laying the letter before the Lord, Hezekiah then prayed to Him.  God was not physically present then, but He was no less there.  When we have trouble in life today, especially if we feel threatened because of our belief in God, we need to bring all our concerns to Him in prayer.  He will always be there to listen. 

Verse sixteen continues, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth.  Hezekiah began nis prayer by acknowledging Who God is.  He said that God alone was God.  It didn’t matter how many false gods the Assyrians had defeated, because Hezekiah served the only God that exists. Other gods will never be able to save anyone in this lifetime or the one to come, but as followers of Christ, our God has already won the everlasting victory. 

Verse seventeen states, Incline thine ear, O Lord, and hear; open thine eyes, O Lord, and see: and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent to reproach the living God.  Isaiah didn’t make demands on God but simply asked Him to hear and see what Sennacherib had said which was a reproach to God.  Although God already knew this, it was a sign of obedience to God’s will that Hezekiah came Him for guidance.  There is nothing going on in our lives that God doesn’t know about, but as Christians we still need to bring all our cares and concerns to Him in prayer, not making demands about how He should answer, but just leaving it all in His hands. 

Verse eighteen adds, Of a truth, Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations, and their countries,  Hezekiah then acknowledged that the Assyrians had defeated many nations already.  I believe that we as Christians need to acknowledge that there are real threats in the world today, but instead of being afraid and giving up on living by God’s commandments that we just need to continue to pray to Him for strength and guidance. 

Verse nineteen continues, And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them.  Hezekiah then stated that the gods that the Assyrians had destroyed were not gods but just idols made from men’s hands.  No matter how many false gods may fail to save people from danger in the world, we don’t serve one of them as Christians. 

Verse twenty concludes, Now therefore, O Lord our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the Lord, even thou only.  Hezekiah then asked that God, the only One Who was holy, to save the people of Judah from Sennacherib.  As followers of Christ, God has already saved us spiritually from all our enemies, and this is what really matters.

Isaiah 37:8

Isaiah 37:8 says, So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah: for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish.  When Rabshakeh returned to Sennacherib, he was at war with Libnah.  There is no evidence that Hezekiah gave Rabshakeh any answer.  We may not always have to give an answer to the threats of the world, because God may often eliminate them before we are even aware of them.  What we need to do is always put our faith in God and pray for His guidance.

Verse nine adds, And he heard say concerning Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, He is come forth to make war with thee. And when he heard it, he sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying,  Even though Sennacherib heard that Ethiopia was going to make war against him, he was still unconcerned and had a message that he wanted Rabshakeh to take to Hezekiah. 

Verse ten continues, Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, Let not thy God, in whom thou trustest, deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.  Sennacherib again told Hezekiah that his God could not deliver him.  So far, the god or gods of any other nation had not been able to stop Sennacherib, so he thought that the God of Hezekiah would be just as powerless.  There are countries today that are powerful and have no fear of God, but that does not mean that we are to live in fear of them.  As followers of Christ, our God has already brought about the everlasting victory over everything, even sin and death. 

Verse eleven states, Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands by destroying them utterly; and shalt thou be delivered?  Rabshakeh was still bragging on the power of Assyria stating that no nation had been able to win in a war with them.  He was still trying to dishearten the people of Judah.  People of the world still let material power and wealth lead them to believe that no one can stand against their power, and sometimes they especially feel this way about Christians.  As followers of Christ, we can never let this discourage us. 

Verse twelve adds, Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed, as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were in Telassar?  Rabshakeh then began to name nations whose gods had not saved them, believing that the God of Judah was no more powerful than any other god. Those who do not believe in the one true God often claim He is as powerless as any other false god and want to get those who believe in Him to question His power and ability to deliver them.  We can never allow this to happen if we are Christians. 

Verse thirteen continues, Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arphad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah? Rabshakeh just continued to list kings of nations that had been defeated by the Assyrians.  He was still filled with self-pride, as the rulers of the world today who refuse to acknowledge God often are. As followers of Christ, we should never view any nation as more powerful than God.

Isaiah 37:1

Isaiah 37:1 says, And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the Lord.  As Matthew Henry points out, much of this is a repeat of what we were told about Sennacherib in the book of Kings.  First, we have his rise to power, and then we have his fall in answer to the prayers of the people of Judah who were still faithful to God.  When our life story is told, there may be times when it looked like the world was beating us, but if we remain faithful to God as followers of Christ, He will hear our prayers and bring us the ultimate victory. When Hezekiah heard what Rabshakeh had to say, he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, a sign of humility, and went into the house of the Lord.  When life seems to be collapsing on us as Christians, we need to humble ourselves before God and look to Him for guidance. 

Verse two adds, And he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests covered with sackcloth, unto Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz.  Hezekiah then sent Eliakim and Shebna and the elders of the priests to Isaiah.  Even though they may have been the ones who were supposed to proclaim God’s word to the people, the elders of the priests were sent to Isaiah, a prophet who was known to be true to God.  We should never feel that we are too good to look to others for prayer and guidance when life is going badly for us, no matter what our position may be in the church. 

Verse three continues, And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.  These men brought a message from Hezekiah to Isaiah.  We need to bring our concerns to the Holy Spirit first, but we also may need to turn to other Christians for help.  They said Hezekiah said the situation was like a woman who was ready to give birth but didn’t have the strength to do so.  Jerusalem was ready to be delivered from the threats of Sennacherib, but the people didn’t have the strength to do so, so Hezekiah had sent his messengers to Isaiah to ask God for a way to defeat Sennacherib and his army. 

Verse four concludes, It may be the Lord thy God will hear the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God, and will reprove the words which the Lord thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that is left.  It is interesting to me that Hezekiah referee to God as Isaiah’s God and not their God.  Hezekiah was known as a good king who was trying to restore the worship of God to Judah, but he didn’t call God his God.  There didn’t seem to be an assurance that God would hear and answer the prayers of the people or even of Isaiah in the way that Hezekiah wanted, but there was a need to ask Him to.  If we are a born-again believer, God is going to hear our prayers, and then all we can do is accept that He will answer the in the best way possible and never lose faith in this fact. 

Verse five states, So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah.  Hezekiah’s servants came to Isaiah in obedience to the command of Hezekiah.  We need to come to Jesus Christ in obedience to the command of God if we are going to be spiritually successful in life. 

Verse six adds, And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say unto your master, Thus saith the Lord, Be not afraid of the words that thou hast heard, wherewith the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.  Isaiah gave them God’s answer.  Hezekiah was not to fear Sennacherib in spite of his words of blasphemy against God.   God’s message to Christians today is that we should never fear those who deny Him and blaspheme against Him. 

Verse seven continues, Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.  Isaiah said God was going to send a blast on Sennacherib and that he would hear a rumor and return to his own land where God would then cause him to fall.  God didn’t say that He needed an army from Judah to defeat Sennacherib but that he would do it with just words.  Though we are to be a part of the army of God, He will never be dependent on us to bring about victory.  Since God will always be the victor, there is no reason for us to fear any power in the world. 

Isaiah 36:11

Isaiah 36:11 says, Then said Eliakim and Shebna and Joah unto Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray thee, unto thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and speak not to us in the Jews' language, in the ears of the people that are on the wall.  Eliakim, Shebna and Joah told Rabshakeh to speak to them in the language of the Syrians so that the other Jews wouldn’t be able to understand what they were saying.  They wanted the discussion to remain between Rabshakeh and Hezakiah’s representatives without involving all the people around them.  When representatives of the government discuss matters that will affect the people of both countries, they usually do so in secret, so that they can discuss all aspects without constant cheering or protesting from people.  People just have to put their faith in their representatives doing what is best for them, though this often doesn’t happen.  We as followers of Christ also need to trust that our representatives are looking to God for guidance in their decisions, though this certainly does not always happen. 

Verse twelve adds, But Rabshakeh said, Hath my master sent me to thy master and to thee to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men that sit upon the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?  Rabshakeh denied their request, saying that his master had not sent him just to the leaders but to all the people who were affected by his actions.  He wanted to get popular opinion on his side, and this is still a tactic used by leaders today.  They appeal to what tickles the ears of their supporters without any concern for what God may want.  

Verse thirteen continues, Then Rabshakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and said, Hear ye the words of the great king, the king of Assyria.  Instead of following the suggestion of the leaders of Israel, Rabshakeh did just the opposite, speaking out loudly to the people of Judah in their own language.  He called on them to hear the words of the great king of Assyria.  We are often going to hear the people of the world calling out for us to do the opposite of what God’s word says, but we as Christians cannot listen to them. 

Verse fourteen states, Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you.  Rabshakeh said that the king of Assyria said for them to not be deceived by Hezekiah, because he couldn’t deliver them.  In one respect, he was correct.  It wasn’t by the power of Hezekiah that the people of Judah would be delivered, but by the power of God.  We should never put our faith in a person, other than Jesus Christ, but should always put our faith in God alone.  God is the One Who will deliver us from sin and into everlasting life with Him through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. 

Verse fifteen adds, Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, saying, The Lord will surely deliver us: this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.  Rabshakeh then told the people not to trust in God, because He couldn’t deliver them from the Assyrian army either.  It is one thing to tell people not to put their faith in earthly leaders, even Godly ones, but it something entirely different to tell them not to put their faith in God because He can’t deliver them.  This is the height of self-pride on the part of the individual or nation. 

Verse sixteen continues, Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me: and eat ye every one of his vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his own cistern;  The king of Assyria told them to come to him with a present and then he would feed them from their vines and they could drink the waters of their cisterns.  He really wasn’t offering them more than they already had, and no one today can offer us more than we already have spiritually.  We already have the promise of God that if we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, that our needs will be met.  He is the Bread of Life and the Living Water.  We don’t have to go to anyone else and pay them anything in order to receive this gift of salvation.  As a matter of fact, if we try to do so, this can keep us from receiving God’s gift of salvation. 

Verse seventeen says, Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards.  Rabshakeh told them that if they came to serve the king of Assyria that he would give them a land like their own where there would be plenty of corn and wine, or plenty to eat and drink in other words.  People of the world may try to convince us today that what they can offer is greater than what God has already given us as followers of Christ, but nothing will ever be equal to the things that He gives us.  The people of Judah had been given a land flowing with milk and honey, and if they were now suffering, it was because they had disobeyed God, and the only way to have that blessing restored was to return to Him.  If we are suffering spiritually in life, it will likely be because we have stopped obeying God, and until we repent and turn to Him again, no one will be able to make us spiritually blessed again. 

Verse eighteen adds, Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, the Lord will deliver us. Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?  Rabshakeh told them to not believe that God could deliver them if Hezekiah told them this because no god had been able to deliver anyone from the power of Assyria.  He was making the mistake of comparing the only true God to all the false gods of the world.  Those who deny God or profess other gods may believe that God is unable to deliver His people from their power, but we as Christians should never listen to them or doubt the power of God to deliver us.

Verse nineteen continues, Where are the gods of Hamath and Arphad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim? and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?  Rabshakeh then mentioned several false gods of other people and asked if they had been able to deliver any of these people from Assyria.  Once more, we don’t need to be concerned with false gods that have failed others, but only need to put our faith in the one true God, Who will never fail to deliver His people from the power of sin and death. 

Verse twenty states, Who are they among all the gods of these lands, that have delivered their land out of my hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?  Rabshakeh asked who these gods were that could not deliver the people who served them out of his hand and then said that the God of Jerusalem was no better.  He really did believe that Assyria was unbeatable and that the God of Jerusalem was no better than any other god.  There are still many people in power in the world today who believe the same thing.  They think that even if God exists, that He has no more power than any false god people believe in, but they are just as wrong as Rabshakeh was then. 

Verse twenty-one continues, But they held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not.  The people of Jerusalem kept quiet, because Hezakiah had told them not to answer.  We are to share the gospel with the world, but sometimes we might as well just remain quiet if someone is so full of self-pride that they refuse to believe in God and His power.  I am not saying that we should, but we might be just as effective by not sharing the gospel, but we should always let the Holy Spirit guide us in when we do or don’t share the gospel. 

Verse twenty-two concludes, Then came Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, that was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.  Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah tore their clothes in a sign of humility to God and then told Hezekiah what Rabshakeh had said.  I don’t believe that we need to share the threats or promise of people to us if we will simply turn away from God and put our faith in them, but at times we may need to understand the threats that have been made against us.  Still, when we do, we don’t need to listen to anyone who declares God to be powerless and themselves to be the only way to find peace.