Isaiah Survey of the Old Testament: The Prophets Fall 2005

The Humility of King Hezekiah (Chapters 28-39)

In chapters 7 – 12 King Ahaz is confronted with an invading army and must choose to trust God for deliverance or trust in a foreign alliance. In chapters 29 – 39, Ahaz's son, King Hezekiah faces the same choice. However, unlike his father, Hezekiah chooses to trust in the Lord rather than the armies of men. Hezekiah serves as a contrast to the arrogance of the nations and is an illustration of one who humbly trusts in the Lord.

The Warning- Don't Rely on Egypt

The Threats of Sennacherib (Chapter 36)

Isaiah records in chapters 36-39 a historical narrative, which is almost identical to 2 Kings 18-20. The Assyrian king, Sennacherib has invaded Judah and conquered nearly all the fortified cities. The army of Assyria is outside the gates of Jerusalem, and the king's General, Rabshakeh, calls out to the people of Jerusalem to surrender.

In his call for surrender, Rabshakeh gives two primary reasons why Jerusalem will not be able to withstand the coming siege:

• You can not trust Egypt (v. 6)
• You can not trust Yahweh (v. 7, 18-20).

Isaiah's Prior Warning

Rabshakeh's first reason was accurate. Egypt could not be trusted to rescue Jerusalem. Isaiah himself had warned that the people were not to trust Egypt in 30:1-3. Very likely there were those in Jerusalem that had been pushing for the king to make a strategic alliance with the super-power to the south. Just as King Ahaz had trusted in Assyria to defeat the Israel-Aram alliance, now Hezekiah would be tempted to trust in Egypt to defeat Assyria.

The problem was not in the political or military alliance. Rather, by seeking an alliance with Egypt, Hezekiah would be trusting in military strength rather than in God.

Now the Egyptians are men and not God, And their horses are flesh and not spirit; So the LORD will stretch out His hand, And he who helps will stumble And he who is helped will fall, And all of them will come to an end together. (Isaiah 31:3 NASB)

To trust in Egypt and military strength would be a sign of the pride and arrogance which Isaiah had just condemned in the prior 27 chapters. Judah would be trusting in the might of men rather than in God. Judah had exalted the Egyptians to the place where only God rightfully should be.

Isaiah even prophesied of Assyria's conquering of Egypt. In Chapter 20, Isaiah foretold this event by walking around Jerusalem naked and barefoot. The reason for Egypt's occupation is given in Isaiah 20:5:

"Then they shall be dismayed and ashamed because of Cush their hope and Egypt their boast.” (Isaiah 20:5 NASB).

Hezekiah Heeds the Warning (37:1-20)

Hezekiah knew that Rabshakeh was correct in his assessment of Egypt. However, he took personally his slandering of His God. Hezekiah responds to the Assyrian threat by calling for the whole city to pray before God (vs. 1-4). Hezekiah's prayer is recorded in vs. 16-20. In this prayer, Hezekiah affirms God's greatness and his own inadequacy. Hezekiah is humble before God, and expresses his hopeless state. This is a tremendous contrast to those condemned by Isaiah in the early part of the book. Where others trusted their military might or their political power, Hezekiah trusted only the Yahweh and His faithfulness.

Hezekiah's prayer was not for the deliverance of the people, but for God to defend His honor before this arrogant Assyrian. Rabshakeh had maligned God, comparing Him to idols who were unable to defend the other nations. Hezekiah asked for victory over the Assyrians so that “all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone, Yahweh, are God” (37:20).

Hezekiah understood the calling of the nation of Israel. He was not asking God to save his own skin, but to help Israel do what Solomon had set forth in 1 King 8:60 as the purpose of the nation.

God is Faithful (37:21-38)

In response to Hezekiah's prayer, God sends Isaiah to tell Hezekiah that God will deliver him. But as part of the response, Isaiah also speaks out against the arrogance of Sennacherib, who has taken credit for the things that God has done (vs. 23-26). But God know of his raging against God and his arrogance (37:28-29), and God will humble the king. Furthermore, Isaiah prophesies (vs. 33-35) that Assyria will leave without a battle.

This happens just as predicted (vs. 36-37), and the king of Assyria is killed by his sons with his own sword (vs. 38).

The Conclusion of Hezekiah's Reign (Chapters 38-39)

Hezekiah comes down with an illness, and Isaiah tells him that he will die. Hezekiah is grieved over this news, and in a powerful prayer asks God to allow him to live, for he can serve God better alive than dead. God allows Hezekiah to live.

However, Hezekiah makes a foolish and arrogant mistake later in life. The king of Babylon heard that Hezekiah had recovered from his illness and sent an emissary to wish him well. Hezekiah pridefully shows the Babylonian emissary the riches of his treasury and reveals his armory. When Isaiah hears of this, he declares that some day Babylon will come and conquer Judah and take away all hat he had shown them. Furthermore, Hezekiah's descendents will be carried off into exile.

Hezekiah is strangely glad at this news, for this is trouble for the future generations. For now, under his reign, there will be peace.

With chapter 39, the focus of attention moves from Assyria and its threat to Israel and Judah, to Babylon. The rest of the book will focus on the exile to Babylon predicted in this chapter, and will speak primarily to that future generation awaiting deliverance from their Babylonian exile.

The Faithfulness of God to the Humble (Chapter 40)

Isaiah 40 serves as a transitional chapter in the book. It carries forward the theme of pride and humility, but also sets the tone of comfort and hope that will characterize the rest of the book. It is a very poetic chapter, considered by many to be one of the most beautifully written descriptions of God's sovereignty in the whole bible.

In verses 12-26, Isaiah shows how far God is above his creation. He declares that to God, “the nations are as a drop in a bucket,” and “are counted by Him less than nothing.” The haughtiness of the nations is foolishness when you look at it from God's perspective.

If we understand our place from God's perspective, God will comfort us and give us strength (v. 27-31). “He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power. (Isaiah 40:29 NASB)” It is the weak that shall have strength, and the humble that will be lifted up by God.

There are two responses people generally have when they encounter God's transcendence. Some, when seeing an all-powerful, all-seeing God are fearful and scared. If God can see everything I do, if he knows everything about me, and can do absolutely anything, then I can not escape from Him. God's transcendence is a scary thing if you have not experienced God's forgiveness.

But Isaiah reason for writing is not fear. Isaiah begins this whole passage with his intent in discussing God's transcendence.

(Isaiah 40:1) Comfort, yes, comfort My people!" Says your God.

To those who have found forgiveness from God, His transcendence brings comfort and strength for the week. It gives us confidence.

(Isaiah 40:29-31) He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

If I have been purified by God, and have found forgiveness from Him, then I have God on my side. God, who is all-powerful, all-knowing, transcendent. I have access to someone who can do anything. With God on my side, there is nothing to fear. I have a reservoir of strength and confidence in God from which I can tap.

[Next: Deliverance from Babylon]

Back to the Prophets