Isaiah 40:6

Isaiah 40:6 says, The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:  This verse and the next two refer to God’s word being spoken to the people.  Isaiah asked what he should cry.  He wasn’t just giving his opinion but was looking to God for the message.  When we witness to people today, it cannot be based on our opinion but must aways be based on God’s word as He leads us to the right words to say.  The message was that the people of is real were no more powerful than the grass of the field and all their goodliness was as a flower.  Sometimes, we think more highly of ourselves than we should.  We are still just a part of God's creation.

Verse seven adds, The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.  Isaiah said that just as God could wither the grass, so could He allow His people to be defeated because of their disobedience to Him.  God wasn’t just arbitrarily punishing the people of Israel, but they were being punished for their sins. 

Verse eight continues, The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.  I believe that God was saying that everything in this world is temporary but that His word is eternal.  For this reason, God’s word should always be more important to us than any earthly treasure if we are a part of His people.

Verse nine states, O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!  Isaiah called on the people of Judah and Jerusalem to go up on the mountain and call on people to behold their God.  They were not to cower in fear or quietly proclaim that they believed in God, but they were to do so openly and boldly.  This is still what we as Christians should be doing today.  There should never be a time we are afraid to proclaim that we follow God’s commandments and directions. 

Verse ten adds, Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.  Isaiah said that God's people needed to see that God was coming with a strong hand and that He would rule over them.  He would also be the One Who gave rewards to people and called them to His work.  God will accomplish His work with or without people doing it, but as followers of Christ, we are called on to do what He calls us to do.  When we know what God wants us to do, we need to do it willingly and with all our might.  We don’t work for rewards, but we work because we have been awarded salvation if we have put our faith in Jesus Christ. 

Verse eleven continues, He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.  Isaiah said that God would be like a good shepherd taking care of His flock.  He would gather the lambs, or young and defenseless ones with His arm and gently lead the ones with young.  God also expects His people to do the same thing with people of the world, especially the young and defenseless and expectant mothers.  I don’t believe that God ever expects us to send them away as burdens. 

Verse twelve states, Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?  Isaiah was basically asking who other than God could create everything that there is, and the answer would be no one. 

Verse thirteen adds, Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counsellor hath taught him?  Isaiah then asked who directed the Spirit of God other than God Himself, or who taught the Holy Spirit how to counsel people, other than the heavenly father.  God is the source of all truth and wisdom, and we should never think that we are better prepared to handle any situation than He is.  We have the Holy Spirit indwelling us to counsel us, and we need to listen to what he says. 

Verse fourteen continues, With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?  This is just a continuation of the statement that God doesn’t need anyone to advise Him, nor is there anyone who can.  We just need to accept the truth of God without trying to add to or take away from it.  God is the Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer of everything, though mankind is the only part of creation that needed redeeming.   

 

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.