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Home , Isaiah 37

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7/2/00 1) The threats from Sennecharib to the men on the wall reached and he 37-39 expressed tremendous grief and sorrow by tearing his clothes and covered We come to the final chapters of the historical himself with sackcloth, a sign of interlude that runs from chapter thirty-six to thirty- mourning and grief, abasing oneself nine. before God. vs. 1 * 2kings 19:1-7 The material focuses on ’s invasion, 2) He expressed his dependency on God his threats, the destruction of is army after next by going into the house of the Lord. Hezekiah laid the blasphemous letter before God vs. 1 in the temple, reproaching “the Holy One of * Quite different from the first time when ”. he paid tribute to Sennacherib. 2kings 18:14-16 Then we are given a window into the terminal 3) He called for the servants of God. vs. 2 illness of Hezekiah and his healing by God, a) Eliakim. followed by his boastful display of all his riches to b) Sheba. the Babylonian envoys, which would turn for his c) The elders of the priests. own hurt. * Who were equally covered with * These chapters are in no way attempting to be in sackcloth. chronological order as to the chapters that d) Isaiah the prophet. precede them, but simple supplementary details of specific accounts regarding Hezekiah’s 37:3-4 The words of the men to Hezekiah. reign! 1) This is a day of trouble, rebuke and blasphemy. vs. 3a-c 37:1-7 Hezekiah’s desperation and 2) The phrase “the children have come to Isaiah’s assurance of deliverance. birth, but there is no strength to bring them forth.” 37:1-2 Hezekiah’s response of brokenness a) Some take this to mean literally, that and humility. the women giving birth were not able 3 4

to birth them, due to the lack of food 1)) This is not a contradiction but a and provisions. supplimentation, the record is not b) Other take is as a proverb referring to intending to give any sort of their own ability to survive the crisis chronology, as an Eastern book. they found themselves in, apart from 2)) The power of intercessory prayer God. vs. 3d-e is to be exercised at all times. Phil. * I think this is the correct 4:6-7 interpretation! 3) They advised Hezekiah to pray to God 37:5-7 The servants of the king went to and perhaps God would rebuke the words Isaiah. of Sennacharib. vs. 4 1) They were all in one accord about the a) They said, “The Lord your God”. matter, having exhausted all of their own b) They said, ’s message energies, trusting in . vs. 5 “reproached the Living God”. 2) The prophet told them not to be afraid of * The word is “ridicule”, repeated the words heard, for they had four times. vs. 17, 23, 24 blasphemed God. vs. 6 c) They said, “He was to make a) Remember that the name of Isaiah intercession for the remnant”, means “The Lord saves”. acknowledging their sin and casting b) The word for servants is “houseboys” themselves on the mercy and grace of or ‘waiters”, from God’s perspective! God! 3) God would redirect the king of , 1)) Unlike Ahab who was afraid and away from . vs. 7 did not trusted God, Hezekiah was a) “I will send a spirit upon him”. to be obedient in faith! b) “he will hear a rumor and return to his 2)) Remember Isaiah’s son’s name own land.” “Shear-jashub” meant “a remnant c) “I will cause him to fall by the sword will return”. 7:3 in his own land.” d) The fulfilment is given to us in verse * The king's heart is in the hand of the thirty-six to thirty-eight, at the end of LORD, Like the rivers of water; the chapter. He turns it wherever He wishes. Prov. 21:1 5 6

37:8-20 Sennacherib’s threatening letter 1) Hezekiah received the letter from the against God. hand of the messengers. vs. 14a-b 2) Hezekiah’s response was to go to the 37:8-9 The hand of God in the affairs of men. house of the Lord and spread the letter 1) Rabshakeh returned to find Sennacherib out before the Lord, recognizing that the fighting at Libnah and departed to charges were against God not himself. Lachish. vs. 8 vs. 14c * Archaeologists have found a great wall 3) Hezekiah prayed to the Lord with the relief in Sennacherib’s palace that proper perspective. vs. 14-15 pictured the capture of Lachish and a) He addressed God as LORD, Jehovah, it’s people. the covenant God, “I Am, that I Am”. 2) The king of Assyria heard or vs. 15 Egypt, was coming out to war against b) He acknowledged God was in a league him. vs. 9a-b of His own. vs. 16 3) This in fact caused the king to not delay 1)) “O LORD of hosts”, the captain of the siege of Jerusalem, so he sent a more the armies of heaven, the One who arrogant message to Hezekiah. vs. 9c-d has never lost a fight or war. 2)) “God of Israel”, the paternal 37:10-13 The content of the letter. source of their existence. 1) The charge of deception was now on 3)) “The One who dwells between the God, instead of Hezekiah. vs. 10 cherubim”, the One Who is Holy 2) The victorious history over other nations and all seeing. and their gods was given, as in the first 4)) “You are God, You alone, of all message in chapter thirty-six. vs. 11-13 the kingdoms of the earth”, there is * The book of Kings tells us that captives none other like Him, all powerful. from Hamath and Sepharvaim were 5)) “You have made heaven and resettled in , this was known earth”, He is Creator of all things, to the men of . 2kings 17:24 even Sennacharib. 3) Hezekiah’s petition to God. vs. 17-20 37:14-20 The prayer of Hezekiah. 7 8

a) He petitions the ear and eyes of God to challenge “the Holy One of Israel”. vs. the words of Sennacharib, that 23 reproach the living God. vs. 17 * By threatening the virgin of the Holy b) He acknowledge the victories of the One, Judah! vs. 22b king of Assyria over the other nations 5) The boastful words and threats by his and gods, due to the fact that they Sennacherib’s servants reproached the were the work of man’s hands. vs. 18- Lord. vs. 24-25 19 * The phrase the “Holy One of Israel”, c) He asked their Lord and God to save appears twenty-eight times in Isaiah them from Sennacherib’s hand, for and only five times in the rest of the purpose that all the nations know Scripture. that He is God alone. vs. 20 6) The past history of God as Creator declared that He allowed Sennacharib the 37:21-35 The Lord Judgment against conquests over these nations but he had, Sennacharib. attributed them to his own power, instead of God’s doing. vs. 26-27 37:21 The message from Isaiah the prophet * Even as God had used her to be the to king Hezekiah. vs. 21-29 “rode of His wrath” against Judah. Is. 1) The message was in direct response from 10:5 “The Lord God of Israel”, to Hezekiah 7) The full knowledge of God regarding the who was praying to God against location of the city of Nineveh, the kings Sennacharib. vs. 21 activities and his rage against God have 2) The words are concerning Sennacharib. been noted by Him, God would turn him vs. 22a. back by putting a hook in his nose, as 3) The people and city of Jerusalem they did to many of their captives. vs. 28- despised Sennacharib and were shaking 29 their heads in astonishment over his a) They were gruesome and cruel and brashness. vs. 22b-e often cities would commit mass 4) The ignorance of Sennacharib is suicide, when they were surrounded demonstrated by his presumptuousness to by the Assyrians! b) God was all knowing and all present! 9 10

c) He had spared them through the preaching of Jonah but through 37:37 The death of Sennacharib. repentance but later pronounce their 1) The king of Assyria returned to Nineveh judgment through Nahum the prophet. and his sons killed him as he worshipped in the house of , escaping into the 37:30-35 The sign to Hezekiah from God. land of Ararat. vs. 38a-d 1) They would eat the fruit of the land in * 2kings 19:36-37 two years and the third sow and reap 2) , his son reigned in his place. their crops, due to the fact that Assyria vs. 38e would be gone. vs. 30 * There are twenty years between verse 2) The remnant that had escaped would thirty-seven and thirty-eight, in which return. vs. 31 these events took place, in 681 B.C. 3) The ultimate remnant of God’s people would prevail. vs. 32 38:1-8 The life of Hezekiah extended. 4) The king of Assyria would not cone into * These last two chapters of the first division of the city, shoot an arrow or siege it by retribution, serve as an introduction and link building a mound against it, but return to the second section of redemption. the same way he came. vs. 33-34 5) The reason was that God would defend 38:1 Hezekiah had taken sick. the city for His own sake and ’s. 1) Hezekiah’s illness was very severe and he vs. 35 was close to death as a result of the illness, around the fourteenth year of his 37:36-38 The defeat of Sennacherib. reign, 701 B.C. 36:1 2) Hezekiah was told by Isaiah, at the 37:36 The Lord’s direct intervention on the direction of God to set his house in order, front-line troops. for he would not live. 2kings 20:1-21 1) The angel of the Lord went out into the camp of the Assyrians and killed 38:2-3 The prayer of Hezekiah. 250,000, in one night. 2kings 19:35 1) He turned his face to the wall and prayed 2) When morning came the people of God, to the Lord. vs. 3 witnessed the hand of God. 11 12

a) Some think he did this to simply seek would turn back the sundial of , ten God with all his heart. degrees, making the day longer. vs. 7-8 b) Others think he did so, pouting and * The account of Kings tells us that he sulking. was told that God would heal him and 2) His prayer seems to reveal, by the after three days, Hezekiah would go content, that he was implying that he did up to the house of the Lord. 2Kings not deserved to die, due to his 20:5 faithfulness. vs. 4 a)) And that Hezekiah was told by a) Remember now, O Lord, I pray , how God, that He would cause the sun I have walked before you in truth and to go forwards ten degrees, but he with a loyal heart. said it was easy for the dial to go b) And have done what is good in Your down ten degrees and requested sight, bringing about spiritual reform. that it go back ten degrees. 2Kings 2kings 18:4-7 20:10 c) Then it says, “He wept bitterly”, b)) Isaiah cried out to the Lord and meaning much and loud. God brought the shadow ten degrees backwards. 2Kings 20:11 38:4-8 The Lord’s proclamation to Hezekiah. * Joshua also requested a long day 1) Isaiah was the instrument of God to speak and God did it. Josh. 10 to the king. vs. 4 2) God granted Hezekiah’s prayer. vs. 5 38:9-20 The lamentation of Hezekiah. a) God acknowledge Hezekiah as one of David’s children. 38:9-14 Hezekiah in retrospect, looking back b) God had heard his prayer. to his lament and grief, recording his c) God had seen his tears. thoughts, emotions and feelings, in a Psalm d) God would add to his life fifteen poetically. years. * The Psalm is not found in 2Kings 20 and 3) God would deliver him and the city, He 2Chron. 32! would defend it. vs. 6 1) The Psalm was written during Hezekiah’s 4) God gave a sign to Hezekiah, that he illness and news of his death and healing. might believe the word of the Lord, He vs. 9 13 14

* It is believed he was about thirty-eight “he would walk carefully and in the at the time! bitterness of his soul.” 2) He thought he was being deprived of the 2) He acknowledges the commonness of remainder of his years. vs. 10 men’s failures and God gracious 3) He knows he will not be on earth long. vs. restoration. vs. 16 11 3) He acknowledged that the conviction and 4) He expresses his death in poetical words, bitter experience was in order to bring as a tent taken down, cut off like a him to God, to forgive his sin and weaver, brief as a day and a night. vs. 12 experience peace, it was for his own 5) He says it was sudden, over night, good. vs. 17 emotionally devastating. vs. 13 4) He declares that dead men can not praise 6) He compliant was grievous and mournful, God in Sheol but the living can, even as as a crane or swallow, in sleepless nights. he was doing and that he would teach his vs. 14 children God’s truth. vs. 18-19 * This is close to Job’s complaint! * He was childless at this time, Mannasseh was born three years after 38:15-20 Hezekiah with in retrospect, looks this and became the most evil king of now at the present to the future, revealing Israel at age twelve. 2kings 21:1 his attitude. 5) He gives God the glory in saving him 1) He acknowledged God’s healing as well from death and sing his song with string as his responsibility to walk carefully all instruments. vs. 20 his years, in the bitterness of his soul. vs. 15 38:21-22 The council of Isaiah to Hezekiah. a) It is very possible that this implies that God had chasten Hezekiah due to sin, 38:21 Isaiah recommends a fig remedy for which is confirmed by verse Hezekiah’s healing. seventeen, “You have cast all my sin 1) A lump of figs to be applied. behind Your back”. 2) The problem was a boil, that had infected b) It would be an experience, he would his circulatory system. not forget and would always regret * Yet this healing was a dinive miracle having failed, implied by the fact that by the hand of God, though it came 15 16

through a the recepie of some figs for had withdrawn for Hezekiah to test his his boil. heart! 2Chron. 32:31 * Perhaps they discussed an alliance to 38:22 Hezekiah asked for a sign to be help them from Assyria? assured. 2Kings 20:11 * Ahaz had refused a sign. 7:12 39:2 The response of Hezekiah. 1) He was pleased with them, seeing he was 39:1-2 The Babylonian envoys visit the beneficiary of the gift, his heart was Hezekiah. revealed! 2) He in his pride showed them all that was 39:1 The illness and recovery of Hezekiah in his treasury, his armory. was responded to by political motivation. 3) He did not leave anything out, be it in his 1) Merodach-Baladan the son of the king of house or dominion. sent letters of congratulations * In 606, 596 and 586 B.C for his recovery by the hands of Neuchadnezzar took everything to Babylonian envoys. Babylon! a) He was king form 710-721 B.C. and a brief spell of nine months in 712 B.C 39:3-4 The inquiry of Isaiah. b) Babylon had know greatness in the past but had now been eclipsed by 39:3 Isaiah the prophet is sent to Hezekiah Assyria. by God. c) Babylon would be the next ruling 1) Isaiah inquires as to the nature of their power on the scene, in prophetic visit, “What have they said?”, and history. Dan. 2, 7 “Where are they from?” vs. 3a-d 2) Having heard of his sickness, he also sent 2) To which Hezekiah responded, “From a a present. far country, from Babylon”. vs. 3e-g * It is believed to be about 703 B.C.? 3) Chronicles tells us that they came to 39:4 Isaiah asked one last question. esquire about the wonder, in other words 1) What have they seen in your house? the miracle of the sundial, also that God 17 18

2) They have seen all in my house and there * Let the next generation pay my is nothing among my treasures that I mistakes, let them flip the bill, spoken have not shown them. like a true politician! a) In his arrogant pride he had no desecration. b) In his smugness of having fifteen more years, he became presumptuous and brought hurt to his house and nation.

39:5-8 The judgment proclaimed by Isaiah.

39:5-7 Isaiah prophesied to Hezekiah. 1) He was to hear the word of the Lord of hosts, the all powerful mighty worrier. vs. 5a-b 2) He was to know that all of the accumulated wealth of his house and that of his fathers, would be carried away to Babylon in the future. vs. 6 3) He was to know that some of his own children would be carried away and become eunuchs in the palace of Babylon. vs. 7 39:8 The response of Hezekiah was indifference. 1) “The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good! 2) At lest there will be peace and truth in my days.”