ISAIAH: GOD CONTROLS THE NATIONS GOD DEFENDS *JERUSALEM ISAIAH CHAPTER S 31 TO 39 _NORMAN HILLYER_ CHAPTER 37 HEZEKIAH ASKS ISAIAH FOR ADVICE V1 When king Hezekiah heard the report from his three officials, he was extremely *upset. Because of his despair, he tore his clothes and he put on *sa... [ Continue Reading ]
Hezekiah goes to the *Temple. Probably his prayer is like the one in verses 15-20 of this chapter.... [ Continue Reading ]
Hezekiah sends officials to Isaiah with a message. But the king does not ORDER Isaiah to come to him. Kings respected God’s *prophets (see 1 Kings 22:7; 2 Kings 22:12-14 and Jeremiah 37:3).... [ Continue Reading ]
Hezekiah’s officials emphasise how very weak they feel.... [ Continue Reading ]
Many of God’s people had been living to the north of the land called Judah. But they are now prisoners in Assyria. ISAIAH GIVES THE *LORD’S REPLY TO HEZEKIAH V5 Isaiah received king Hezekiah’s message. V6 Isaiah sent back this answer: ‘The *Lord tells you not to let the servants of the king of Ass... [ Continue Reading ]
This verse may give the impression that Sennacherib’s death happened very soon afterwards. In fact, Sennacherib ruled the *Assyrian *empire for another 20 years. But he never again entered the country called Judah. • What made Sennacherib return to his own country was probably the news about Tirhak... [ Continue Reading ]
Ancient records show that the *Assyrians defeated Tirhakah in a battle at Eltekeh in 701 *BC. Eltekeh was a city west of *Jerusalem.... [ Continue Reading ]
Sennacherib knows that he must return home. But he makes a final effort to force Hezekiah to give in to the *Assyrians. • The cities that Sennacherib mentions are all in the area between the rivers called Tigris and Euphrates. These rivers are in the modern country called Iraq. HEZEKIAH PRAYS FOR... [ Continue Reading ]
The king’s actions describe the character of true prayer. Before Hezekiah asks God for his urgent help, the king gives his complete attention to God himself. • God is powerful. He is the commander of heaven’s armies. He is the *Lord. He is Israel’s God. He is the only real God. He rules all the nat... [ Continue Reading ]
The king’s prayer is one of calm trust in the *Lord (see my note on Isaiah 28:16). Hezekiah has had experience of the wonderful things that God can do.... [ Continue Reading ]
The meaning is not every nation across the entire world. But the *Assyrians defeated every country that they chose to attack.... [ Continue Reading ]
The *Assyrian army was the most powerful army that the nations had ever known. But huge armies do not impress God. VERSES 21-38 form a section that is parallel (similar) to Isaiah’s reply earlier in this chapter (see verses 5-7). GOD ANSWERS HEZEKIAH’S PRAYER V21 Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent a *... [ Continue Reading ]
True prayer is the only practical way to deal with painful problems in this world. What military arms (see Isaiah 36:9) and agreements between governments (see Isaiah 30:1-2) and money (see 2 Kings 18:13-14) all fail to do, prayer achieves.... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Unmarried’ here refers to a young woman that foreign attackers have not been able to ‘touch’. That is, to force her to have sex with them. • To ‘shake the head’ was another way to say to ‘laugh at someone secretly’.... [ Continue Reading ]
People in that region were familiar with the use of impressive language. But Sennacherib so very greatly *exaggerates his actions that his proud words sound stupid. • For example, not even Sennacherib could drive *chariots to the top of mountains. There would be no roads. The feet of a million of h... [ Continue Reading ]
The *Assyrian king’s deeds were all part of God’s plan. Sennacherib is merely like a tool that God is using. So Sennacherib has no reason to be proud.... [ Continue Reading ]
The purpose of these verses is to make Hezekiah’s trust in God even stronger. • The *Lord seems to be speaking to Sennacherib. But the words are in fact for Hezekiah to hear. The *Lord is in total control of events.... [ Continue Reading ]
It was the custom to lead a camel and a bull (male partner of cow) by a hook (piece of metal) in the nose. • Sennacherib’s past and present actions are all under God’s control. So also is Sennacherib’s future fate. ISAIAH AGAIN ENCOURAGES HEZEKIAH V30 Then Isaiah said to king Hezekiah: ‘Here is a... [ Continue Reading ]
Isaiah’s reference to crops gives a signal to God’s people. For two years they will have to find food that grows naturally. But in the third year they will be able to sow and to harvest crops again. By then, the fields will have recovered from the effects of the *Assyrian soldiers. During the troubl... [ Continue Reading ]
God promised king David that there would always be some member of his family to lead God’s people (see 2 Samuel 7:16). • One of the titles (names) of Jesus the *Messiah was ‘Son of David’ (see Isaiah 9:6-7). This name appears often in the *New Testament (see Matthew 12:23). GOD PUNISHES SENNACHERI... [ Continue Reading ]
Neither the *Old Testament nor any *Assyrian record mentions any further visit by Sennacherib to the country called Judah (see 2 Kings 19:36-37).... [ Continue Reading ]
Sennacherib had laughed at the *Lord as too weak to oppose the *Assyrians. Now Sennacherib dies while he is *worshipping his own god called Nisroch. So Sennacherib’s god was too weak to protect him, even in the god’s own *temple. • No other ancient record mentions an *Assyrian god called Nisroch.... [ Continue Reading ]