Isaiah 36-37
Important Chapters
in the Major Prophet
In the section of Isaiah we come to today, we have the three quick lessons or example of the life of King Hezekiah. There are three very distinct parts to his life and Isaiah breaks them out very succinctly.
Isaiah 36 – The Confrontation with Destruction – the situational layout.
Isaiah 37 – King Hezekiah places his confidence in the Lord for the City – dealing with danger.
Isaiah 38 – King Hezekiah places his health in the Lord for life – dealing with mortal illness.
Isaiah 39 – King Hezekiah places God’s treasures in the hands of the Babylonians – dealing with flattery.
These chapters are an account of the end of the kingdom of Assyria and the rise of the nation Babylon. Assyria was the main threat to Israel in the first half of Isaiah and Babylon becomes Israel’s prime enemy in the second half. This occurs in the reign of Hezekiah, a godly king of Israel, who is here confronted with three attacks that many believers will confront at one time or another. He faced the danger of an armed attack by Assyria, he faced the danger of mortal illness and he faced the danger of man’s flattery. Of all those three, you would think that the last was the least dangerous, but you would be wrong since that is the one test he failed so poorly.
The first danger is found in Chapter 36. In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them. And the king of Assyria sent the Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem, with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Fuller’s Field. And there came out to him Eliakim the son of Hezekiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the secretary, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder. (Isa 36:1-3)
According to this account, Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, was personally involved in the siege of Lachish, a city west of Jerusalem, and then sent a part of his army under his general, Rabshakeh to conquer Jerusalem. Rabshakeh is puzzled by the resistance of the Jews and their confidence that he will fail in his efforts to take the city, as the next verses point out.
And the Rabshakeh said to them, “Say to Hezekiah, ‘thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: On what do you rest this confidence of yours? Do you think that mere words are strategy and power for war? On whom do you now rely, that you have rebelled against me?'” (Isa 36:4-5)
Notice the surprise in his words. He goes on to count out what he thinks to be their resources. ‘Behold, you are relying on Egypt, that broken reed of a staff, which will pierce the hand of any man who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh King of Egypt to all who rely on him.’ (Isa 36:6)
Egypt would be no help to them, he says. Then, remembering that Israel was a religious nation, he asks was it Jehovah they were relying on? He reminds Hezekiah that the king himself had ordered the destruction of the high altars around Jerusalem that were dedicated to the worship of Jehovah. What the pagan general failed to realize, of course, was that those altars were built in opposition to God’s word, that the only place God was to be worshiped was in the temple in Jerusalem. Hezekiah himself had torn down these rival altars.
Next, Rabshakeh suggests that Hezekiah is perhaps relying on his own army to withstand the Assyrian attack. He offers the king a proposition to point out how much more powerful he is than Hezekiah. “l will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders upon them.” Thus, in his sarcasm he points out the weakness of Judah from a military viewpoint. Finally, Rabshakeh returns to the idea that Israel is depending upon God for deliverance, saying in verse 10: “Moreover, is it without the Lord that I have come up against this land to destroy it? The Lord said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.” (Isa 36:10a)
Now he is claiming God inspired him to attack Judah. He is not unique – claiming God’s inspiration to do something God does not approve of. This is another case of people finding their own justification for an action and claiming to be God’s tools. As has been said, there is no right way to do the wrong thing.
When the official deputation tries to quiet Rabshakeh, and minimize his impact on the Jewish army that was listening in, Rabshakeh becomes even more insulting. Then Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah said to the Rabshekah, “Pray, speak to your servants in Aramaic [not in Hebrew as he had been doing], for we understand it; do not speak to us in the language of Judah within the hearing of the people who are on the wall.” But the Rabshakeh said, “Has my master sent me to speak these words to your master and to you, and not to the men sitting on the wall, who are doomed with you to eat their own dung and drink their own urine?” (Isa 36:11-12)
But, despite the request made to him, Rabshakeh goes on to urge the people loudly — and in Hebrew — to not let Hezekiah deceive them, to not let him “make you rely on the Lord,” to not “listen” to him, and to “beware lest Hezekiah deceive you.” If you listen carefully, you will hear your own voice in these statements of Rabshakeh when you confront problems and your own faith is being tested. First, he says, Hezekiah cannot deliver them; he is powerless. Second, he charges, Hezekiah’s faith is groundless; it is nothing but words. Third, he promises that Assyria will treat them kindly and give them a prosperous land if they will but surrender. Fourth, he implies that the God they depend on is, in his estimation, as powerless as the gods of the cities the Assyrians have already overcome. The Israelites respond with silence out of obedience to their King. But they were silent and answered him not a word, for the king’s command was, “Do not answer him.” Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna, the secretary, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him the words of the Rabshakeh. (Isa 36:21-22)
Silence can sometimes be the best response to such attacks. The King responds differently when he gets the news. When King Hezekiah heard it, he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the Lord. (Isa 37:1)
Sackcloth and ashes were used as a public sign of repentance and humility before God. When Jonah declared to the people of Nineveh that God was going to destroy them for their wickedness, everyone from the king on down responded with repentance, fasting, and sackcloth and ashes (Jonah 3:5–7). They even put sackcloth on their animals (verse 8). Their reasoning was, “Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish” (verse 9). Sack cloth symbolizes humility, personal admission to whatever complicity on our part has contributed to the judgment we are facing. Thus King Hezekiah humbles himself, and takes his problem into the house of the Lord. This is like for us taking a matter before the Lord in prayer, humbly admitting our failures, agreeing that we have been justified, exposed to threat, and looking to God for help. That is what the king does next. He sends Eliakim and Shebna to Isaiah the prophet, seeking a word from the Lord. When we are faced with a threat to our faith it is wise to act as Hezekiah does here — personally humble ourselves and seek an answer from the Lord in his word. Isaiah supplies that answer to the king.
When the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah, Isaiah said to them, “Say to your master, ‘Thus says the Lord: Do not be afraid because of the words you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have reviled me. Behold, I will put a spirit in him, so that he shall hear a rumor, and return to his own land; and I will make him fall by the sword in his own land.'” (Isa 37:5-7)
Isaiah’s word points out to Hezekiah that the king of Assyria had not just attacked Judah but had attacked Jehovah. He had reviled God, and this was God’s battle. God will often battle for His name but not as often for our comfort. This is the continual reminder of Scripture to us, “The battle is the Lord’s.” We are an instrument in the battle but it belongs to the Lord. The attacks we suffer is not directed at us as much as it is directed against God; that is why we are called to continue with patience and faith for God to carry on his own battles. This is what happens here, as we read in the next verses.
The Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria fighting against Libnah; for he had heard that the king had left Lachish. Now [while he was there] the king heard concerning Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, “He has set out to fight against you.” [This is that rumor which the prophet had said the king of Assyria would hear.] And when he heard it, he sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying, “Thus shall you speak to Hezekiah king of Judah: ‘Do not let your God on whom you rely deceive you by promising that Jerusalem will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria. Behold, you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, destroying them utterly. And shall you be delivered?'” (Isa 37:8-11)
This message comes in the form of a letter to Hezekiah. It was intended to keep the King’s heart fearful and anxious. It was a threat for the future, saying that although the king of Assyria was leaving for the moment, he would return again to wreak vengeance on Judah. Had Hezekiah not trusted in the Lord, he would have lived in constant fear.
It is very important for Christians to understand that God does not want his people to live in fear. Fear is one of the great obstacles of faith in our day. Anxieties surround us. We need to listen and believe the words of Jesus, “Do not be anxious about tomorrow.” Again and again our Lord told his disciples, “Fear not.” Paul says, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, of love and a sound mind.” It is not within our power to remove these threats to us, but we can meet them with faith. This is what Hezekiah does. Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and he goes up to the house of the Lord, and spreads it before the Lord.
Prayer is one of the actions that the world sees as worthless and God holds in high regard. It is where the values of the world and the values of God are in complete opposition. That is the only proper response to any threat, to your person or to your faith.
Here is the king’s wonderful prayer. And Hezekiah prayed to the Lord: “O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, who art enthroned above the cherubim, thou art the God, thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth. Incline thy ear, O Lord, and hear; open thy eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God. Of a truth, O Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations and their lands, and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone; therefore they were destroyed. So now, O Lord our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou alone art the Lord.” (Isa 37:15-20)
Notice how accurate this prayer is. Hezekiah acknowledges the facts as they are. Assyria is a powerful force that had already swept other kingdoms away before it, but these nations were depending on idols to protect them, while Hezekiah’s dependence is on the Lord of heaven and earth. To him Hezekiah prays, simply and plainly, for help.
Word comes back immediately from Isaiah. In a beautiful poetic description (Verses 22-29), the prophet sets before us God’s view of the king of Assyria and his threat to the nation. Jehovah points out the pride and arrogance of Assyria, but says that the nation is still in his control: he alone permits it to act one way or the other. There is a clear promise of removal. Finally there is a detailed description of deliverance. Verse 33: “Therefore says the Lord concerning the king of Assyria: He shall not come into this city, or shoot an arrow there, or come before it with a shield, or cast up a siege mound against it. By the way that he came, by the same he shall return, and he shall not come into this city, says the Lord. For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David.” (Isa 37:33-35)
Not for Hezekiah’s sake would God save the city, but for his own sake and for the promises he made to David. God accomplished this by means of one of the most remarkable miracles of history. Verse 36:
And the angel of the Lord went forth, and slew a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the camp of the Assyrians; and when men arose early in the morning, these were all dead bodies. (Isa 37:36)
The King James Version puts that rather quaintly: “and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.” Scripture says an angel of the Lord came into the camp, while history says a plague broke out and this vast army perished in one night. That is how it looks to the historians, but behind this we can discern the invisible hand of God directing the affairs of men. Notice how God’s promise was fulfilled exactly as Isaiah had delivered it.
Then Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went home and dwelt at Nineveh. And as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, Adrammelech and Sherezer, his sons, slew him with the sword, and escaped into the land of Ararat. And Esar-haddon his son reigned in his stead. (Isa 37:37-38)
All took place as the God of history had ordained. Chapters 38 and 39 set out two more tests of Hezekiah’s faith and we’ll look at them the next time we are together.
Isaiah 38-39
Chapters 38 and 39 set out two more tests of Hezekiah’s faith, the first of which was a personal sickness he suffered. The timing of these events is important. When you look at how this happened, the text tells us that this sickness occurred in the in the middle of the Assyrian invasion, and appears to be linked to the deliverance that God provided for Hezekiah.
In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: Set your house in order; for you shall die, you shall not recover.” Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall, and prayed to the Lord, and said, “Remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in thy sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. (Isa 38:1-3)
Various books indicate that Hezekiah was around 39 years old at this time. Verses 10-20 records, after the fact, how he felt while he was sick. He begins by describing his sense of despair. I said, In the noon time of my days I must depart; I am consigned to the gates of Sheol for the rest of my years. I said, I shall not see the Lord in the land of the living; I shall look upon man no more among the inhabitants of the world. (Isa 38:10-11)
He goes on to describe how deprived he feels, as he regrets not having a longer life. Probably a lot of people have felt this way when they are confronted with some kind of serious illness. Look at verse 4-6 here: Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah: “Go and say to Hezekiah, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will add fifteen years to your life. I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and defend this city.” (Isa 38:4-6)
This shows how we know this happened when the city was under attack. It might even be considered an addition to Chapters 36 and 37. We are told that Hezekiah was granted a reprieve from God’s declaration through Isaiah and fifteen years were added to his life. During those years a son, Manasseh, is born to him. Manasseh goes on to be the absolute worst king Israel ever had. This could be the negative side of that Garth Brooks song, “Some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered prayers.” Had God allowed Hezekiah to die then, Manasseh would not have been born and his later incident of showing off God’s treasures would have been avoided. However, Hezekiah’s life was extended that extra time brought about some of the worst legacies of his rule over Judah.
God heard his prayer and granted him fifteen years. Verses 16-20, written after this promise was made, reflect a new spirit of hope. In line with God’s grace, Verse 21 retells Isaiah’s instruction to Hezekiah for his recovery. Now Isaiah had said, “Let them take a cake of figs, and apply it to the boil, that he may recover.” Hezekiah also had said, “What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the Lord?” (Isa 38:21-22) This was a sign that the king knew he was cured, when he could join in public worship.
It is believed that the king may have been suffering from a form of cancer — melanoma, perhaps — and this cake of figs was to be applied to it to draw out the poison from his body and speed the healing. Hezekiah had asked what sign would he receive so that he should “go up to the house of the Lord?” i.e. resume his daily worship. Verse 7 gives that sign:
“This is the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do this thing that he has promised: Behold, I will make the shadow cast by the declining sun on the dial of Ahaz turn back ten steps.” So the sun turned back on the dial the ten steps by which it had declined. (Isa 38:7-8)
Why would God do such a remarkable thing just to encourage this king’s faith? It must have been intended for more than just for the King’s benefit. This was a sign that would grab the attention of the entire world because you can’t just do something like this only in Jerusalem. It has to occur across the entire globe.
Some believe that perhaps the earth stopped its rotation, but there is no record that that happening. But the sign given to Hezekiah did not require that. Scientists now know that a shift in the axis of the earth would have such a result. Whatever it was and however it was done, I have great faith that God, the One who made all of Creation, knew how to do it.
This miracle links also with Chapter 39, the closing chapter of this section, which describes a visit by ambassadors from Babylon to Hezekiah. According to Second Chronicles 32, they came because they saw the sign which was given to Hezekiah and they wanted to investigate what was going on in Israel and their investigation resulted in some dramatic changes in the course of the nation. That God would do something this far reaching tells us again that God has a powerful interest in what happens to the house of David and He also has a desire to make His glory known to all nations. Hezekiah, a son of David, is here in the spotlight of God’s concern, and God is willing to adjust the forces of nature to encourage him in his moment of crisis. Next we hear from the ambassadors from Babylon.
At that time Merodach-baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent envoys with letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered. (Isa 39:1)
Previously, when Hezekiah received a letter from the king of Assyria he handled the threat by spreading it before the Lord in the house of the Lord. But when he receives a letter from Babylon — a flattering letter, and a present with it — Hezekiah responds very differently.
And Hezekiah welcomed them; and he showed them the treasure house, the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his whole armory, all that was found in his storehouses. There was nothing in his house or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them. (Isa 39:2)
Taken in by the flattery of the visitors from Babylon, the king trusted these ambassadors despite the fact that Isaiah had spoken very clearly of the threat from that region. The king ignored Isaiah’s words, as many people, even believers, ignore the clear warnings of Scripture in our time.
So Isaiah pays another visit to Hezekiah. The old prophet says to the king, “I see you have had visitors. Who were these men?” “Oh,” replies Hezekiah, “they are ambassadors from Babylon, the great power to the east. This superpower has recognized our tiny kingdom, and that makes me feel proud and honored.” Imagine him showing the letter to his friends, his wife, and his counselors but not to Isaiah. Asked by Isaiah what he had shown these ambassadors, Hezekiah replied, “I showed them everything we’ve got — all our treasures, all our defenses, everything.” Isaiah goes on to give a prediction of what will result from the king’s foolishness.
“Hear the word of the Lord of hosts: “Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left, says the Lord. And some of your own sons, who are born to you, shall be taken away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.” (Isa 39:5b-7)
Hezekiah’s response to this terrible prophecy is pretty self-centered: “Well, the word of the Lord is good. But thank God it will not happen in my day, at any rate.”
What this teaches us is that prosperity is a far greater threat than adversity. When we are challenged, attacked and insulted, we naturally run to the Lord as our defender. But when we are offered a new position, with a higher salary, and to take it we must remove ourselves and our families from the influences that have shaped us morally and spiritually; or when our work is of such a nature that we are taken away from time we should spend “seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” (cf, Matt 6:33), we are being exposed to the subtle trap of Babylon. We have all known people who have fallen into this trap, losing spiritual vitality sometimes for years because they failed to heed warnings concerning the traps of this world.
Ray Stedman tells the story of Alexander Solzhenitsyn who once had a very close friend while he was imprisoned in the Gulag. They saw eye to eye on everything. They enjoyed the same things, they liked to discuss the same subjects. Solzhenitsyn thought their friendship would last a lifetime. To his astonishment, however, when his friend was offered a privileged position in the prison system he accepted it. That was the first step in a change in his friend that ultimately led to his good friend being a torturer who devised horrible and cruel torments against the same Soviet prisoners he had resided with. Solzhenitsyn described the fear he carried in his own heart when he realized that simple decisions, made in a moment, in the face of an offer of prosperity, can wreck a life, though attack and personal insult were unable to shake a person’s faith.
Some of the greatest tests of faith don’t’ come when we receive news that offends us, when we are insulted or threatened. The most effective tests are sometimes offers of prosperity and blessing that are accepted at the cost of our walk with the Lord. When these do happen, we must spread these before the Lord, and listen to his wise words in evaluating the effect of that which we are offered.