Hednesford Pentecostal Church The Book of Isaiah
Bible Version Unless otherwise stated all Bible references are taken from The Holy Bible, New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Contents 1. Introduction... 8 1.1. The Man... 8 1.2. The Prophetic... 9 2. The Kings... 10 2.1. Uzziah... 10 2.2. Jotham... 12 2.3. Ahaz... 12 2.4. Hezekiah... 14 3. Chapter 1... 20 3.1. Judgement and Correction... 20 3.2. Empty Religion... 22 3.3. Invitation for Repentance... 23 3.4. Fallen Jerusalem... 23 4. Chapter 2... 24 4.1. Future PRE-EMINENCE of Zion... 24 4.2. Prosperous but Lost... 25 4.3. Judgment Day... 26 5. Chapter 3... 28 5.1. Description of Judgment to Come... 28 5.2. The Root Cause... 29 5.3. Judgement of Leaders... 29 5.4. Specific Judgement Against the Women of Jerusalem... 30 6. Chapter 4... 30 6.1. The Branch of the Lord... 30 6.2. A new Tabernacle... 31 7. Chapter 5... 32 7.1. The Parable of the Vineyard... 32 7.2. The Six Woes... 33 7.3. Resulting Judgement... 35 8. Chapter 6... 35 8.1. Isaiah s Vision of the Lord... 35 8.2. Isaiah s Woe... 37 8.3. Isaiah s Commission... 37 9. Chapter 7... 38 9.1. Word to King Ahaz... 38 9.2. A Sign... 39 9.3. Future Judgment... 40 9.4. The Broken Nation... 40 10. Chapter 8... 40 10.1. Isaiah s Son... 40 10.2. A Flood from Assyria... 41 John Tyrell 2 of 170 19/04/2013
10.3. Stone of Stumbling... 41 10.4. Disciples PRIVILEGE... 42 10.5. To the Law and the Testimony... 42 11. Chapter 9... 43 11.1. Galilee of the Gentiles... 43 11.2. The given Son... 44 11.3. A Word Against the Northern Tribes... 44 12. Chapter 10... 45 12.1. Judgment of Unjust Rulers... 45 12.2. Judgment of Assyria... 46 13. Chapter 11... 48 13.1. The Anointed One... 48 13.2. Millennial Reign... 49 13.3. Gathering of the Dispersed... 50 14. Chapter 12... 51 14.1. Your Anger is Turned Away... 51 14.2. You Comfort Me... 52 14.3. Behold... 53 14.4. I Will... 53 14.5. Trust and not be afraid... 53 14.6. My Strength... 54 14.7. My Song... 54 14.8. Joy... 54 14.9. Water... 54 14.10. Song of Praise... 55 15. Chapter 13... 55 15.1. Babylon... 55 15.2. The Day of the Lord... 56 15.3. Babylonians... 56 16. Chapter 14... 57 16.1. Jacob Restored... 57 16.2. Babylon Fallen... 57 16.3. Fall of Satan... 58 16.4. Trampled Underfoot... 58 16.5. ASSYRIA... 59 16.6. The Philistines... 59 17. Chapter 15... 59 17.1. Introduction... 59 17.2. The Burden Against Moab... 61 18. Chapter 16 - Moab... 62 19. Chapter 17... 63 19.1. The Burden of Damascus... 63 19.2. The NORTHERN Kingdom of Israel... 63 19.3. The Rage of the Nations... 64 20. Chapter 18 - Ethiopia... 64 John Tyrell 3 of 170 19/04/2013
21. Chapter 19 - Egypt... 65 22. Chapter 20 Prophetic Enactment... 67 23. Chapter 21... 68 23.1. The Fall of Babylon... 68 23.2. The Burden Against Dumah (Edom)... 69 23.3. The Burden Against Arabia... 69 24. Chapter 22... 69 24.1. The Invasion of Jerusalem... 69 24.2. the Steward of the Royal House... 71 25. Chapter 23... 72 25.1. Background... 72 25.2. Ezekiel s Prophecy... 73 25.3. Isaiah s Burden... 73 26. Chapter 24... 75 27. Chapter 25... 77 28. Chapter 26... 78 29. Chapter 27... 80 30. Chapter 28... 82 30.1. Drunken Ephraim... 82 30.2. Drunken Judah... 82 30.3. Knowledge and Understanding... 83 30.4. False Hopes... 83 30.5. If God is Against us... 84 30.6. Parable of the Farmer... 84 31. Chapter 29... 85 31.1. Jerusalem s Destruction... 85 31.2. Frustrated Invaders... 85 31.3. Blind Israel... 86 31.4. Reversals... 86 32. Chapter 30... 87 32.1. Rebellious Children... 87 32.2. Sudden Calamity... 88 32.3. Returning and Rest... 88 32.4. The Lord Waits... 89 32.5. Judgment Day... 90 33. Chapter 31... 90 33.1. Trusting in Man... 90 33.2. Defence of Jerusalem... 91 34. Chapter 32... 91 34.1. Godly Leadership and Times of Blessing... 91 34.2. Until Then... 92 34.3. Lovers of Pleasure... 93 34.4. Spirit of Life... 93 35. Chapter 33 Assyrian Invasion and God s Intervention... 94 John Tyrell 4 of 170 19/04/2013
36. Chapter 34 Judgment of All Nations... 96 37. Chapter 35 Restoration and Rejoicing... 98 38. Chapters 36 and 37... 99 39. Chapter 38 Hezekiah s Illness... 100 39.1. The Sun Dial of Ahaz... 101 39.2. Hezekiah s Song... 103 40. Chapter 39 Hezekiah s Babylonian Visitors... 104 41. Chapter 40... 105 41.1. Comforting Words... 105 41.2. The Lord s Coming... 106 41.3. The Word of the Lord... 107 41.4. Good News... 107 41.5. Who is like unto the Lord?... 107 41.6. Wait on the Lord... 109 42. Chapter 41... 109 42.1. I Am He... 109 42.2. Idol Worshippers... 110 42.3. Fear Not... 110 42.4. Streams in the Desert... 111 42.5. Idols Challenged... 111 42.6. The Lord Declares... 112 43. Chapter 42... 112 43.1. The Servant of the Lord... 112 43.2. The Lord Arises... 114 43.3. Israel Plundered... 115 44. Chapter 43... 116 44.1. The Return of the Exiles... 116 44.2. The Lord Alone... 117 44.3. Forget the Former Things... 118 44.4. Israel s Sin... 119 45. Chapter 44... 119 45.1. Living Water... 119 45.2. The Living God and Dumb Idols... 120 45.3. Future Delivrance... 121 46. Chapter 45... 122 46.1. Cyrus The Lord s Anointed... 122 46.2. Arguing with God... 123 46.3. The Creator s Plan... 124 47. Chapter 46... 125 48. Chapter 47... 126 48.1. Babylon Judged... 126 49. Chapter 48... 127 49.1. Obstinate Israel... 127 49.2. Fleeing from Exile... 129 John Tyrell 5 of 170 19/04/2013
50. Chapter 49... 129 50.1. The Lord s Servant... 129 50.2. The Exalted Messiah... 130 50.3. The Lord s Comfort and Committment... 131 50.4. Zion s Future Blessing... 132 51. Chapter 50... 133 51.1. Estranged Israel... 133 51.2. The Messiah Speaks... 133 51.3. Fear, Obey and Trust... 134 52. Chapter 51... 134 52.1. Listen... 134 52.2. Awake Arm of the Lord... 135 52.3. Awake Jerusalem... 137 53. Chapter 52... 137 53.1. Awake Zion... 137 53.2. Behold the Messiah... 138 54. Chapter 53... 139 55. Chapter 54... 141 56. Chapter 55... 143 56.1. Call to the THirsty... 143 56.2. Sure Mercies of Daivd... 143 56.3. Seek the Lord... 144 56.4. The Word of the Lord... 145 57. Chapter 56... 145 57.1. Hope for Foreigners... 145 57.2. Bad Leadership... 147 58. Chapter 57... 147 59. Chapter 58... 148 59.1. Empty Fasting... 148 59.2. Revival is Possible... 150 60. Chapter 59... 150 61. Chapter 60... 153 62. Chapter 61... 155 63. Chapter 62... 157 63.1. Future Glory of Zion... 157 63.2. Watchmen... 158 63.3. Travelling to Zion... 158 64. Chapter 63... 159 64.1. Winepress of Wrath... 159 64.2. The Lord s Lovingkindness... 160 65. Chapter 64... 162 66. Chapter 65... 163 66.1. Rebellious People... 163 John Tyrell 6 of 170 19/04/2013
66.2. A Remnant... 164 66.3. The Righteous Contrasted with the Wicked... 164 66.4. New Heavens and Earth... 165 67. Chapter 66... 166 67.1. False Religion... 166 67.2. Hypocritical Offerings... 167 67.3. Encouragement to True Worshippers... 167 67.4. Suddenly... 167 67.5. Judgment... 168 68. Conclusions... 169 69. Appendices... 170 69.1. The Fall of Nineveh... 170 John Tyrell 7 of 170 19/04/2013
1. INTRODUCTION Isaiah s name means Jehovah is salvation. The length of Isaiah s service, the subjects he prophecies about and the beautiful language that he uses makes Isaiah a favourite of the Old Testament prophets for most believers. He gives a clear revelation of the Messiah, the redemption plan and among the best descriptions of the last day events and the millennial reign. Next to Psalms, Isaiah is the Old Testament book most quoted within the New Testament, there being 29 direct quotations. Interestingly the New Testament writers always attributed the prophecy they quote to Isaiah, rather than a more simple it is written, said by the prophets etc. The book of Isaiah is split into two sections. Chapters 1 to 39 condemn sin, foretell coming judgement but give an invitation for repentance. Chapters 40 to 66 give prophecies about the future hope and peace of God s people. This includes the return from captivity, the coming Messiah and the future glory of Israel. The chapters are not all in chronological order. The obvious difference between the two sections caused liberal theologians to speculate that the two portions were written by different authors. The second part, they proposed, was written much later after the return from Babylon; and that is why the author knew the name of Cyrus. Believers who are assured of the divine inspiration of the Bible have no problems with Isaiah the prophet receiving a revelation from God concerning Cyrus, even though it was hundreds and years before the event. John attributes both halves of the book to Isaiah when he wrote: John 12:37-41. 1.1. THE MAN But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him, {38} that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: "Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? 1 "{39} Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again: {40} "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, lest they should see with their eyes, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them. 2 " {41} These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him. 3 Isaiah introduces himself in the very first verse. Isa 1:1. The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. It appears that Isaiah started prophesying before the death of king Uzziah (Isa 6:1), which was about 740 BC. In chapter 37 4 he mentions the death of the Assyrian king Sennacherib, who died in approximately 680 BC, which was after the death of Hezekiah. Isaiah's ministry could have therefore been greater than 60 years. 1 Isa 53:1 2 Isa 6:9:10 3 Isa 6:1 4 Isa 37:37-38 John Tyrell 8 of 170 19/04/2013
One Jewish tradition says Amoz was an uncle of king Uzziah, which would make Isaiah the king s cousin. Another tradition says that Isaiah was martyred (sawn in two) during the reign of Manasseh. Isaiah is mentioned in some of the Old Testament history books. The passages are: 2 Chron 26:22 refers to king Uzziah. 5 2 Kings 19 and 2 Chron 32 deal with the besieging of Jerusalem by the Assyrians. 2 Kings 20 deals with King Hezekiah s sickness and restoration. It goes on to speak of Hezekiah s pride and the coming judgement. 1.2. THE PROPHETIC Isaiah was a Seer to whom God gave revelation through visions and through sending the word of the Lord. God made the man and his family prophetic signs in the land. Like other Old Testament prophets Isaiah would at times have to act out prophetic statements before the people. At other times he would send the word of the Lord to some leader via a letter. There are other occasions when it appears that the word of the Lord may simply have been declared as a witness against various nations, even though the leaders of those nations would not have heard the utterance. It is important that as believers we understand the power of the word of God, and the necessity for that word to be audibly spoken out, both to men and into heavenly places. The declaration of the prophetic is a vital part of the churches, and an individual s activity in spiritual warfare. In Ezekiel s vision of the valley of dried bones, it was necessary for the prophet to proclaim the word of the Lord in order for the purposes of God to be fulfilled. Ezek 37:4-5. Ezek 37:9-10. Again He said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, 'O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! {5} Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: "Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. Also He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live."' {10} So I prophesied as He commanded me and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army. The prophetic word declares that God is going to bring order, structure, restoration and life. The word of the Lord is powerful and is sure. Isa 55:11. Isa 44:26. Amos 3:7. So shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. Who confirms the word of His servant, and performs the counsel of His messengers; who says to Jerusalem, 'You shall be inhabited,' To the cities of Judah, 'You shall be built,' And I will raise up her waste places; Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. An Old Testament prophet could have a governmental role within Israel, like one of the judges, or they could be speaking into the government of day. If they were a prophet of God, their word had 5 2 Chr 26:22. Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, from first to last, the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz wrote. John Tyrell 9 of 170 19/04/2013
to be obeyed without question or delay. In the New Testament, were all believers are supposed to be baptised in the Holy Spirit and prophesy, the office of prophet is only one of the governmental offices within the body of Christ. 2. THE KINGS Isa 1:1. The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. To properly understand Isaiah writings we must make an effort to appreciate the times and conditions in which he ministered. The state of Israel during the period of his ministry was determined to the main to the leadership provided by the respective kings. We shall therefore look briefly at the lives of the four kings. 2.1. UZZIAH Uzziah was a hero in Judah. He inherited a weak kingdom, but strengthened it and made it secure. The name Uzziah means the Lord is my strength. He was the ninth king of Judah and he is also called Azariah (the Lord has helped ). This second name is very apt because we are told and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper, God helped him, he became exceedingly strong and he was marvellously helped. As Uzziah sought the Lord, God was happy to bless, strengthen and prosper him for the sake of Judah. 2 Chr 26:1-15. Now all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah. {2} He built Elath and restored it to Judah, after the king rested with his fathers. {3} Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem. {4} And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. {5} He sought God in the days of Zechariah 6, who had understanding in the visions of God; and as long as he sought the LORD, god made him prosper. {6} Now he went out and made war against the Philistines, and broke down the wall of Gath, the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod; and he built cities around Ashdod and among the Philistines. {7} God helped him against the Philistines, against the Arabians who lived in Gur Baal, and against the Meunites. {8} Also the Ammonites brought tribute to Uzziah. His fame spread as far as the entrance of Egypt, for he became exceedingly strong. {9} And Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, at the Valley Gate, and at the corner buttress of the wall; then he fortified them. {10} Also he built towers in the desert. He dug many wells, for he had much livestock, both in the lowlands and in the plains; he also had farmers and vinedressers in the mountains and in Carmel, for he loved the soil. 6 A prophet John Tyrell 10 of 170 19/04/2013
{11} Moreover Uzziah had an army of fighting men who went out to war by companies, according to the number on their roll as prepared by Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the officer, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king's captains. {12} The total number of chief officers of the mighty men of valour was two thousand six hundred. {13} And under their authority was an army of three hundred and seven thousand five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy. {14} Then Uzziah prepared for them, for the entire army, shields, spears, helmets, body armour, bows, and slings to cast stones. {15} And he made devices in Jerusalem, invented by skilful men, to be on the towers and the corners, to shoot arrows and large stones. So his fame spread far and wide, for he was marvellously helped till he became strong. So Uzziah was very successful in warfare against the old enemies and in organising government, in civil engineering and in bringing agricultural prosperity. These were certainly great years to be living in Judah. Everything the king put his hand to God appeared to bless. They went from a broken down, defenceless people to becoming a regional superpower. A key factor in this period of blessing was the godly influence and counsel of a prophet Zechariah. The king may have the god-given authority to lead, but he was also required to be able to follow. Uzziah s success unfortunately did not continue. When he became strong things went wrong. Uzziah s downfall was not because of a greater nation or a more powerful army. His downfall came because of pride within his own heart. He became arrogant and unteachable. This led to his down fall. 2 Chr 26:16-22. But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the LORD his God by entering the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense. {17} So Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him were eighty priests of the LORD; valiant men. {18} And they withstood King Uzziah, and said to him, "It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the LORD, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have trespassed! You shall have no honour from the LORD God." {19} Then Uzziah became furious; and he had a censer in his hand to burn incense. And while he was angry with the priests, leprosy broke out on his forehead, before the priests in the house of the LORD, beside the incense altar. {20} And Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and there, on his forehead, he was leprous; so they thrust him out of that place. Indeed he also hurried to get out, because the LORD had struck him. {21} King Uzziah was a leper until the day of his death. He dwelt in an isolated house, because he was a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD. Then Jotham his son was over the king's house, judging the people of the land. {22} Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, from first to last, the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz wrote. It appears the Zechariah was not longer on the scene and without his influence Uzziah s heart was lifted up. History was being repeated: 2 Chr 24:2. Joash did what was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest. John Tyrell 11 of 170 19/04/2013
His pride led to his great presumptuous sin. But when this sin is challenged he responds with rage. While he was angry": This man displayed human sin in the sanctuary of God without wearing priestly garments. He had no covering, no anointing and no sprinkling of blood upon him. He was no longer teachable and was ignorant of the word of God. 2.2. JOTHAM Uzziah s son served as prince regent whilst his father was in isolation. He then became king after Uzziah s death. It was in the year of Uzziah s death that Isaiah had a vision of the glory of the Lord and heard the pronouncement of judgement against Judah. Jotham means The Lord is Perfect. He was a good king, and was prosperous. His secret was because he prepared his ways before the LORD his God. However he failed to control the idolatry of the people. His godly leadership brought temporal blessing to the nation, but the people s corruption was storing up wrath. 2 Chr 27. Jotham was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jerushah the daughter of Zadok. {2} And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Uzziah had done (although he did not enter the temple of the LORD). But still the people acted corruptly. {3} He built the Upper Gate of the house of the LORD, and he built extensively on the wall of Ophel. {4} Moreover he built cities in the mountains of Judah, and in the forests he built fortresses and towers. {5} He also fought with the king of the Ammonites and defeated them. And the people of Ammon gave him in that year one hundred talents of silver, ten thousand kors of wheat, and ten thousand of barley. The people of Ammon paid this to him in the second and third years also. {6} So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the LORD his God. {7} Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars and his ways, indeed they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. {8} He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. {9} So Jotham rested with his fathers, and they buried him in the City of David. Then Ahaz his son reigned in his place. He died young and no explanation is given as to why, but it did open up the way for the corruption to be fully realized and judgement to follow. 2.3. AHAZ Jotham untimely death made way for Ahaz to reign. Despite the good example of the previous generations, Ahaz was an ungodly king who promoted the worship of Molech, with its pagan rites of human sacrifice. He made images of Baal, offered infant sacrifices in the Valley of Hinnom, and sacrificed on the high places. In response God, raised up foreign enemies to come against Judah. Once again the nation was impoverished. In response rather than change himself through repentance, Ahaz changed gods again and worshipped the gods of these foreign powers. John Tyrell 12 of 170 19/04/2013
2 Chr 28:1-5. Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem; and he did not do what was right in the sight of the LORD, as his father David had done. {2} For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made moulded images for the Baals. {3} He burned incense in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, and burned his children in the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. {4} And he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree. {5} Therefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria. They defeated him, and carried away a great multitude of them as captives, and brought them to Damascus. Then he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who defeated him with a great slaughter. 2 Chr 28:16-27. At the same time King Ahaz sent to the kings of Assyria to help him. {17} For again the Edomites had come, attacked Judah, and carried away captives. {18} The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the lowland and of the South of Judah, and had taken Beth Shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Sochoh with its villages, Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages; and they dwelt there. {19} For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had encouraged moral decline in Judah and had been continually unfaithful to the LORD. {20} Also Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria came to him and distressed him, and did not assist him. {21} For Ahaz took part of the treasures from the house of the LORD, from the house of the king, and from the leaders, and he gave it to the king of Assyria; but he did not help him. {22} Now in the time of his distress King Ahaz became increasingly unfaithful to the LORD. This is that King Ahaz. {23} For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which had defeated him, saying, "Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me." But they were the ruin of him and of all Israel. {24} So Ahaz gathered the articles of the house of God, cut in pieces the articles of the house of God, shut up the doors of the house of the LORD, and made for himself altars in every corner of Jerusalem. {25} And in every single city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD God of his fathers. {26} Now the rest of his acts and all his ways, from first to last, indeed they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. {27} So Ahaz rested with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, in Jerusalem; but they did not bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel. Then Hezekiah his son reigned in his place. It was to this wretched King Ahaz that Isaiah s prophesied the birth of the promised Immanuel. Isa 7:10-16. Moreover the LORD spoke again to Ahaz, saying, {11} "Ask a sign for yourself from the LORD your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above." {12} But Ahaz said, "I will not ask, nor will I test the LORD!" {13} Then he said, "Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also? {14} "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. {15} "Curds and honey He shall eat, that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good. {16} "For before the Child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land that you dread will be forsaken by both her kings. John Tyrell 13 of 170 19/04/2013
2.4. HEZEKIAH Hezekiah means The Lord is my Strength. Despite having such a corrupt father, he was one of the greatest and most godly kings to have reigned. 2.4.1. His Reforms His first act was to reopen the Temple and restore it and the worship of the true God. 2 Chr 29:1-5. Hezekiah became king when he was twenty-five years old, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Abijah the daughter of Zechariah. {2} And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father David had done. {3} In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the LORD and repaired them. {4} Then he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them in the East Square, {5} and said to them: "Hear me, Levites! Now sanctify yourselves, sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and carry out the rubbish from the holy place. His next great act was to reinstate the Passover and to invite all of Israel to the occasion. 2 Chr 30:1-5. And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the Passover to the LORD God of Israel. {2} For the king and his leaders and all the assembly in Jerusalem had agreed to keep the Passover in the second month. {3} For they could not keep it at the regular time, because a sufficient number of priests had not consecrated themselves, nor had the people gathered together at Jerusalem. {4} And the matter pleased the king and all the assembly. {5} So they resolved to make a proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, that they should come to keep the Passover to the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem, since they had not done it for a long time in the prescribed manner. Next he destroyed the idols and images, not only in Judah but also into parts of Israel. 2 Ki 18:4. He removed the high places and broke the sacred pillars, cut down the wooden image and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made; for until those days the children of Israel burned incense to it, and called it Nehushtan. So Scripture records: 2 Chr 31:20-21. Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, and he did what was good and right and true before the LORD his God. {21} And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, in the law and in the commandment, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart. So he prospered. Hezekiah s godliness brought security and prosperity once more to Judah, but although the people were made to conform to external righteousness, the heart of the people was unrepentant. The days of wrath were not over. It was at this point of Hezekiah s obedience and success that trouble came. In his military preparations Hezekiah built a tunnel that channelled water from the Spring of Gihon outside the city walls to the Pool of Siloam inside the walls (2 Kin. 20:20). This waterway (now known as Hezekiah s Tunnel) was cut through solid rock, extending more than 520 meters (1,700 feet). It is a marvellous piece of engineering. John Tyrell 14 of 170 19/04/2013
2.4.2. Attack by the Assyrians 2 Chr 32:1. After these deeds of faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and entered Judah; he encamped against the fortified cities, thinking to win them over to himself. Despite having done everything right, Hezekiah finds that his kingdom is now invaded by the Assyrians. This is ten years after the Assyrians had taken Israel captive. Initially Hezekiah sought to buy off the Assyrians, taking treasure from the House of God to do so: 2 Ki 18:13-16. And in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them. {14} Then Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria at Lachish, saying, "I have done wrong; turn away from me; whatever you impose on me I will pay." And the king of Assyria assessed Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. {15} So Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the LORD and in the treasuries of the king's house. {16} At that time Hezekiah stripped the gold from the doors of the temple of the LORD, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria. History tells us that the Assyrians also took some of Hezekiah s daughters as concubines. When Hezekiah says he had done wrong it is a reference to the alliance Hezekiah made with Tyre and Egypt against the Assyrian s. He had done this contrary to the counsel of Isaiah (Isa 30). He must therefore of wondered if his disobedience had caused this disaster and that God was angry with him. The payment he makes doesn t work and the attack continues. Hezekiah provides good leadership for the people in this difficult time. 2 Chr 32:2-8. And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come, and that his purpose was to make war against Jerusalem, {3} he consulted with his leaders and commanders to stop the water from the springs which were outside the city; and they helped him. {4} Thus many people gathered together who stopped all the springs and the brook that ran through the land, saying, "Why should the kings of Assyria come and find much water?" {5} And he strengthened himself, built up all the wall that was broken, raised it up to the towers, and built another wall outside; also he repaired the Millo in the City of David, and made weapons and shields in abundance. {6} Then he set military captains over the people, gathered them together to him in the open square of the city gate, and gave them encouragement, saying, {7} "Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid nor dismayed before the king of Assyria, nor before all the multitude that is with him; for there are more with us than with him. {8} "With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God, to help us and to fight our battles." And the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. The Assyrians decimate the country and defeat all but a few of the cities, Jerusalem, Libnah and Lachish. According to Assyrian records they captured 46 cities and 200,150 people. This would have been a real test of Hezekiah s and the people s faith. Was God judging the people s persistent idolatry? The king of the Assyrians, Sennacherib, sent messengers to Jerusalem with clever words designed to attack their faith and resolve. John Tyrell 15 of 170 19/04/2013
2 Ki 18:19-37. Then the Rabshakeh said to them, "Say now to Hezekiah, 'Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: "What confidence is this in which you trust? {20} "You speak of having plans and power for war; but they are mere words. And in whom do you trust that you rebel against me? {21} "Now look! You are trusting in the staff of this broken reed, Egypt, on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him. {22} "But if you say to me, 'We trust in the LORD our God,' is it not He whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away, and said to Judah and Jerusalem, 'You shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem'?"' {23} "Now therefore, I urge you, give a pledge to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses; if you are able on your part to put riders on them! {24} "How then will you repel one captain of the least of my master's servants, and put your trust in Egypt for chariots and horsemen? {25} "Have I now come up without the LORD against this place to destroy it? The LORD said to me, 'Go up against this land, and destroy it.'" So the Assyrians claim that the Lord, the God of the Hebrews was with them, and the Hezekiah s reforms had angered God by removing His High Places. This could have persuaded many of the people who had be opposed to what Hezekiah did. When we worshipped on the High Places, everything was well and we were prospering. But since we stopped disaster has come. {26} Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, Shebna, and Joah said to the Rabshakeh "Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it; and do not speak to us in Hebrew in the hearing of the people who are on the wall." {27} But the Rabshakeh said to them, "Has my master sent me to your master and to you to speak these words, and not to the men who sit on the wall, who will eat and drink their own waste with you?" {28} Then the Rabshakeh stood and called out with a loud voice in Hebrew, and spoke, saying, "Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria! {29} "Thus says the king: 'Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he shall not be able to deliver you from his hand; {30} 'nor let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, "The LORD will surely deliver us; this city shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria."' {31} "Do not listen to Hezekiah; for thus says the king of Assyria: 'Make peace with me by a present and come out to me; and every one of you eat from his own vine and every one from his own fig tree, and every one of you drink the waters of his own cistern; {32} 'until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive groves and honey, that you may live and not die. But do not listen to Hezekiah, lest he persuade you, saying, "The LORD will deliver us." {33} 'Has any of the gods of the nations at all delivered its land from the hand of the king of Assyria? {34} 'Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim and Hena and Ivah? Indeed, have they delivered Samaria from my hand? {35} 'Who among all the gods of the lands have delivered their countries from my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem from my hand?'" {36} But the people held their peace and answered him not a word; for the king's commandment was, "Do not answer him." {37} Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and told him the words of the Rabshakeh. John Tyrell 16 of 170 19/04/2013
Now their arguments reveal that they don t believe that the Lord had sent them, in fact that don t believe that the Lord has any power, just as the god s of the other defeated peoples had no power. The Assyrian plan for the Jews was relocation in another land, a practise that keeps people defeated and depended upon their conquerors. But they make it sound so reasonable. In response Hezekiah humbles himself and seeks advice from Isaiah the prophet. 2 Ki 19:1-7. And so it was, when King Hezekiah heard it, that he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD. {2} Then he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz. {3} And they said to him, "Thus says Hezekiah: 'This day is a day of trouble, and rebuke, and blasphemy; for the children have come to birth, but there is no strength to bring them forth. {4} 'It may be that the LORD your God will hear all the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to reproach the living God, and will rebuke the words which the LORD your God has heard. Therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left.'" {5} So the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah. {6} And Isaiah said to them, "Thus you shall say to your master, 'Thus says the LORD: "Do not be afraid of the words which you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me. {7} "Surely I will send a spirit 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."' " Sennacherib again sends messengers to Hezekiah. 2 Ki 19:10-19. "Thus you shall speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying: 'Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you, saying, "Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria." {11} 'Look! You have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands by utterly destroying them; and shall you be delivered? {12} 'Have the gods of the nations delivered those whom my fathers have destroyed, Gozan and Haran and Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Telassar? {13} 'Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, henna, and Ivah?'" {14} And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD. {15} Then Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said: "O LORD God of Israel, the One who dwells between the cherubim, you are God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. {16} "Incline your ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God. {17} "Truly, LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands, {18} "and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were not gods, but the work of men's hands; wood and stone. Therefore they destroyed them. {19} "Now therefore, O LORD our God, I pray, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you are the LORD God, you alone." The moment that would swing the whole affair had been reached. Instead of delegating the prayer, Hezekiah takes the letter into the Lord s house and prays the issue through. God hears and sends an answer. John Tyrell 17 of 170 19/04/2013
2 Ki 19:20-35. Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'Because you have prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria, I have heard.' {21} "This is the word which the LORD has spoken concerning him: 'The virgin, the daughter of Zion, has despised you, laughed you to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem has shaken her head behind your back! {22} 'Whom have you reproached and blasphemed? Against whom have you raised your voice, and lifted up your eyes on high? Against the Holy One of Israel. {23} By your messengers you have reproached the Lord, and said: "By the multitude of my chariots I have come up to the height of the mountains, to the limits of Lebanon; I will cut down its tall cedars and its choice cypress trees; I will enter the extremity of its borders, to its fruitful forest. {24} I have dug and drunk strange water, and with the soles of my feet I have dried up All the brooks of defence." {25} 'Did you not hear long ago How I made it, from ancient times that I formed it? Now I have brought it to pass, that you should be for crushing fortified cities into heaps of ruins. {26} Therefore their inhabitants had little power; they were dismayed and confounded; they were as the grass of the field and the green herb, as the grass on the housetops and grain blighted before it is grown. {27} 'But I know your dwelling place, your going out and your coming in, and your rage against Me. {28} Because your rage against Me and your tumult Have come up to My ears, therefore I will put My hook in your nose And My bridle in your lips, and I will turn you back By the way which you came. To Hezekiah God promises that Judah will recover from the invasion. 2.4.3. Hezekiah s Sickness {29} 'This shall be a sign to you: You shall eat this year such as grows of itself, and in the second year what springs from the same; also in the third year sow and reap, plant vineyards and eat the fruit of them. {30} And the remnant who have escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward. {31} For out of Jerusalem shall go a remnant, and those who escape from Mount Zion. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.' {32} "Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the king of Assyria: 'He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor build a siege mound against it. {33} By the way that he came, by the same shall he return; and he shall not come into this city,' Says the LORD. {34} 'For I will defend this city, to save it For My own sake and for My servant David's sake.'" {35} And it came to pass on a certain night that the angel of the LORD went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses; all dead. Having demonstrated powerful prayer in dealing with Sennacherib, Hezekiah is again delivered from the inevitable through prayer. This is one of those occasions in Scripture when it appears that God apparently changed his mind, or relents of a course of action. Hezekiah was able to bring this about through humbling himself before God. John Tyrell 18 of 170 19/04/2013
2 Ki 20:1-11. In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, "Thus says the LORD: 'Set your house in order, for you shall die, and not live.'" {2} Then he turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the LORD, saying, {3} "Remember now, O LORD, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what was good in Your sight." And Hezekiah wept bitterly. {4} And it happened, before Isaiah had gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying, {5} "Return and tell Hezekiah the leader of my people, 'Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: "I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the LORD. {6} "And I will add to your days fifteen years. I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for my own sake, and for the sake of my servant David."' {7} Then Isaiah said, "Take a lump of figs." So they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered. The reference to the king of Assyria could mean that this took place before the destruction of the Assyrian army, or it could be assurance that no successor to Sennacherib would come and try again. If it had taken place before, you would have expected Hezekiah to have mentioned this promise in his pray. Unlike his ungodly father Ahaz, who refused to ask for a sign, Hezekiah boldly seeks a sign. His request is obviously acceptable since the Lord suggests two signs {8} And Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "What is the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up to the house of the LORD the third day?" {9} Then Isaiah said, "This is the sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing which He has spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees or go backward ten degrees?" {10} And Hezekiah answered, "It is an easy thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees; no, but let the shadow go backward ten degrees." {11} So Isaiah the prophet cried out to the LORD, and He brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down on the sundial of Ahaz. With our greater understanding of how the solar system works, the apparently temporary reversal of the earth s rotation is an extra-ordinary sign. Perhaps for us the lesson is that for God anything he does is an easy thing. Hezekiah was succeeded by his son Manasseh, who was to be the most evil of the kings of Judah, and whose actions determined Jerusalem s destruction. We are told: 2 Ki 21:1-2. Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hephzibah. {2} And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. It appears that this man was born within the extra fifteen years of Hezekiah s life. The extra fifteen years were not very productive for Hezekiah. 2.4.4. Poor Finish Before his defeat in Judah, Sennacherib had defeated the Babylonians. It is no surprise therefore that they think very highly of Hezekiah. They send envoys when they hear that he had been sick. John Tyrell 19 of 170 19/04/2013
2 Ki 20:12-21. At that time Berodach-Baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been sick. {13} And Hezekiah was attentive to them, and showed them all the house of his treasures; the silver and gold, the spices and precious ointment, and all his armoury; all that was found among his treasures. There was nothing in his house or in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them. Amazingly Hezekiah has again accumulated riches after the Assyrians had taken them away. His eagerness to boast shows that there was pride in the king s heart. He showed them every thing I have and I have done. But judgement is already determined against Judah. Hezekiah had challenged his own people and brought in tremendous reforms. He had faced an enemy far stronger than himself, and had overcome through faith. And now it appears he had defeated death. But a more subtle enemy had sunk its poisonous fangs into the king. {14} Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah, and said to him, "What did these men say, and from where did they come to you?" So Hezekiah said, "They came from a far country, from Babylon." {15} And he said, "What have they seen in your house?" So Hezekiah answered, "They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them." {16} Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Hear the word of the LORD: {17} 'Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and what your fathers have accumulated until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,' says the LORD. {18} 'And they shall take away some of your sons who will descend from you, whom you will beget; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.'" Today s ally is tomorrow s enemy. The prophet reveals that Hezekiah had boasted in would soon be lost and his own descendents will serve as eunuchs. {19} So Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "The word of the LORD which you have spoken is good!" For he said, "Will there not be peace and truth at least in my days?" {20} Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah; all his might, and how he made a pool and a tunnel and brought water into the city; are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? {21} So Hezekiah rested with his fathers. Then Manasseh his son reigned in his place. No humbling him this time, no bitter tears. Instead his attitude is Why should I care, I m okay. This inappropriate response is a sad ending to Hezekiah s story. It serves us well to remember that all our heroes are flawed just as we are. We all have strengths and weakness. We win battles and we make foolish mistakes. 3. CHAPTER 1 3.1. JUDGEMENT AND CORRECTION Isa 1:2-9. Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For the LORD has spoken: "I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against Me; {3} The ox knows its owner and the donkey its master's crib; but Israel does not know, my people do not consider." The first two chapters of Isaiah briefly touch on all the prophetic topics of the whole book. Within the verses there is no means of dating when these prophetic messages were given, since verse 1 could have added as an introduction. John Tyrell 20 of 170 19/04/2013
In the first section the scene is a court room where God calls creation to hear His complaint against Israel, his people. There are other occasions when the Lord calls for witnesses between Him and his people. Deut 30:19. "I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; Despite his tender care and good parenting, the people of God have rebelled against the Lord. The psalmist prophesied: Psa 32:9. Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you. But such is the state of the people s spirituality in Isaiah s day that to be like a horse or a mule would have been an improvement. These so-called dumb domesticated animals display faithfulness towards their master, but the people of God have not realised that it is the Lord who provides for them. They fail to consider or use their minds and think things through. Jesus commanded us to consider the birds of the air and the flowers of the field in order to consider the faithfulness of God. Mat 6:28-30. Luke 12:24. "So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; {29} "and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. {30} "Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? "Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? It is also prudent to consider our own ways. Mat 7:1-3. "Judge not, that you be not judged. {2} "For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. {3} "And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? The lack of knowledge and vision are dangerous things for any people. Solomon warns us: Prov 29:18. Hosea also tells us: Hosea 4:6. Isa 1:4-6 Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but happy is he who keeps the law. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. Alas, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a brood of evildoers, children who are corrupters! They have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked to anger The Holy One of Israel, they have turned away backward. {5} Why should you be stricken again? You will revolt more and more. The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faints. {6} From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but wounds and bruises and putrefying sores; they have not been closed or bound up, or soothed with ointment. John Tyrell 21 of 170 19/04/2013