Isaiah 36:4-10 - Arrogance is a sign of ignorance

Isaiah 36 opened with Assyria invading the 46 cities of Judah, seeking to seize them. Sennacherib did not keep his word though Hezekiah had paid the agreed tribute. He wanted total capitulation of Judah. Hezekiah apparently had turned to trust the LORD. So Rabshakeh his emissary, and a large troop were sent to intimidate Judah. Verses 4-10 captured the conversation Rabshakeh had with the three representatives of Judah namely, Eliakim, Shebna the scribe, and Joah.  There was no nicety or diplomacy but only harsh and hostile words from the emissary of Assyria. His words were meant and intended to sting and coerce. He didn’t even show any courtesy for the king. Calling the king by name, he condescendingly said, “Say now to Hezekiah, ‘This is what the great king, the king of Assyria says.’” What arrogance! Verse 5 went on to show that he rumbled on insinuating that Judah had put their trust in the wrong place.

Earlier Judah did turn to Egypt for help. Rabshakeh said that was a rebellion against the king of Assyria. So he began firstly in verses 4-6 to belittle Judah for seeking help from Egypt. He told the representatives of Hezekiah that Egypt was a bruised and crushed reed that could pierce the hands of those who turned to it for assistance. Rabshakeh of course was right on that and Isaiah would most surely agree with him wholeheartedly. For that was Isaiah’s earlier message to Judah to trust God and not the Egyptians.   

 

Secondly, in verse 7, he jeered at the Judeans for trusting in the LORD, their covenant God. Of Course this time Rabshakeh was totally wrong. It was right for Hezekiah and Judah to trust God. For apart from Him who else could guarantee them the victory. But being a pagan idolator and a polytheist, this envoy and Sennacherib thought that their idols were on par with Jehovah God. To them, how could Hezekiah’s removal of the high places and the idols be pleasing to Yahweh? Yet, there might be some among the Judeans who would agree with this envoy because their own relationship with Yahweh was not well established. They could still be seething with anger at Hezekiah for removing the idols and breaking down the high places. Here is a reminder for us never to live a life of compromise. God must be the LORD of all, or He is not LORD at all.             

 

Thirdly, in verse 8, Rahshakeh sarcastically disparaged Judah by saying that even if the king of Assyria were to offer 2,00o horses to act them, they would have no one capable to ride on them. He even demeaned Hezekiah by saying that even the least of Sennacherib’s soldiers would be more efficient on horses and chariots than he. He then surmised that if Hezekiah was not even acquainted with a horse, how dare he defy Assyria’s great king.  

 

Lastly in verse 10, he claimed to be acting at the behest of God. He reasoned that if God had not approved, he would not have taken the effort to seek Judah’s destruction. He could well have heard of Isaiah’s prophecies that God was using them as the dominant force of the day to deal with His people.  

 

Here we can see the boasting of Sennacherib through Rabshakeh. All boasting, know it or not, is a sign of ignorance. Rabshakeh, speaking on behalf of Sennacherib, was displaying how unaware he was of the true situation. Here he failed to realize that God was in sovereign control. For us Christians, if we are to boast, be sure it’s Jeremiah 9:24’s kind of boasting. In that verse, the Lord declares saying, “…let the one who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises mercy, justice, and righteousness on the earth; for I delight in these things ….” The Apostle Paul echoing this verse added in 2 Corinthians 10:18 saying, “For it is not the one who commends himself that is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.” One great motto in life to follow is: achieve without bragging but accept defeat without giving excuses.

Isaiah 36:1-3 – No insurmountable crisis with God

Isaiah 36-39 narrate the events that took place in the life of King Hezekiah. These chapters are essentially historical narratives that took place during Hezekiah’s reign. In 2 Kings 18:13 – 20:20, these events had already been recorded. However, Isaiah, even though recording the same events, did not present them in the same chronological order. He placed them in the reverse. The records in chapters 36-37 contained events that happened during and after Assyria’s invasion. Whereas chapters 38-39 described events that happened before the invasion by Assyria. Isaiah chose the order that suits his presentation of the materials better. Whatever the case, Isaiah recorded the political menace, as well as a health hazard, that threatened to take Hezekiah’s life. In both his political difficulty and the near-death experience, these chapters narrated how God came through for him as he turned to Him.

Remember Hezekiah was a good king, unlike his father Ahaz. He ruled at a time when Assyria was strengthening her control of Palestine and Syria. During his 25 years reign, Hezekiah had brought some measures of reform to Judah. He destroyed pagan altars, removed the idols, and had the temple of God, which his father Ahaz closed, cleansed, and re-opened. He even re-instated the Levitical priesthood. Isaiah 36 described the time of national crisis that Hezekiah and Judah encountered with the Assyrians under Sennacherib. Assyria’s ascendency to power had put Judah under great threat. Israel, Judah’s northern relatives had already fallen into the hands of Assyria and they were now threatening to invade Jerusalem. Although Hezekiah had paid tribute to them, Assyria insisted on total submission. Wisely, Hezekiah chose to turn to God in contrast to his father who chose to trust man.

Isaiah 36 began with Sennacherib coming against the forty-six fortified cities of Judah to seize them. Stationed some 25 miles southwest of Jerusalem, Sennacherib controlled the operation from Lachish. While he was dealing with Philistia, he sent Rabshakeh, his envoy, and a sizable army to terrorize Hezekiah. The envoy representing Sennacherib met Hezekiah’s representatives, namely, Eliakim, Shebna the scribe, and Joah, at the conduit of the upper pool on the road to fuller’s field.  Interestingly,  Isaiah 7:3-4, tell us that this was the same spot that Isaiah, sent by God, confronted Ahaz, who was facing the threat of the Israel-Syria alliance under Pekah and Rezin. But in that incident, Ahaz chose to trust men instead of God.

 

The truth is this: who we trust and turn to in times of our crisis will determine the outcome we will experience.  Ahaz’s response was different from that of Hezekiah. The former turned to man and experienced defeat while the latter turned to God and overcame his problem. Both their experiences leave us with a lesson on who we should turn to in times of our troubles. Our victory is assured when we understand the bigness of our God. He is there to help us through our circumstances when we trust Him. Are we ready to trust Him?

Isaiah 35:8-10 – On the highway of holiness

In earlier verses, Isaiah prodded those who were insightful and could grasp the implication of his prophecies to encourage those who felt dejected, affected, and anxious. This is one assignment we mature Christians need to take heed. We must learn to seize all available opportunities to encourage and restore the weak and fainthearted. We can trust the work of the Lord Jesus, the God-sent Messiah. He provides not only physical healing but also spiritual strengthening. He promises to never leave us nor forsake us.

Here in the last three verses of Isaiah 35, Isaiah poetically described how our transforming journey with Christ our Redeemer looks like. Firstly, it is a  journey on the highway of holiness. It is a way defined for people who have been cleansed and set to live a regenerated life. Secondly, it is a plain and uncomplicated journey. According to the last line of verse 8, “Fools will not wander on it.” Here Isaiah was not referring to Psalm 14’s definition of a fool, where the Psalmist defines a fool as a person who claims in his heart that there is no God. The “fools” Isaiah referred to here is better taken to mean people who are simple-minded. In other words, this highway is so plain and straightforward that even the simple-minded could understand and not stray within it. Then in saying that no lion would be there, the prophet suggests that thirdly, this journey is a safe one. Fourthly, this journey would be a liberated one. The people who travel on it are the redeemed who are walking free from the incumbents of their bondages. Fifthly, it is a journey that has a definite destination, which is Mount Zion, the city of God, the city of Christ our great King. Sixthly, it would be a joyful journey where the redeemed will travel to their eternal home, rejoicing and singing with everlasting joy.   

 

The spiritual journey with Christ is an awesome one. Beloved, we are traveling on the highway of holiness. Christ has qualified us for this journey. He has set us apart and made us righteous before God by His works on calvary. Besides, we are traveling on an uncomplicated journey. The direction from the Word of God is plain and uncomplicated. We will not meander off the straight and narrow way when we follow the clear instructions of His Word. Then the journey we are taking is a safe one. For we are guarded and protected by God’s own love. And wonderfully, as redeemed of the Lord, our journey is a bondage free one. So stay free in the liberty where Christ has set us free and not submit to the yoke of tradition and man-made rules. Remember we are heading for the everlasting city of God. As we do let us heed Paul’s call to rejoice, no matter how tough the journey. Remember the joy of the Lord is our strength. There is no better journey than this journey, so stay on track and don’t look back!  

Isaiah 35:1-7 – Jesus is God’s answer to all our needs

In contrast to what had been described in chapter 34 for those opposers of God and His people, chapter 35 gives us a glorious scene for the people whose hope rested in God. In Isaiah 34, we saw how God’s judgment had turned good land into barren and wasteland. Now in Isaiah 35, the opposite happened to the wilderness and desert. They bloomed, signifying God’s redemptive work. Lebanon, Carmel, and Sharon would all be blooming again. Lebanon was known for her cedar, Carmel her oaks, and Sharon her flowers. Because of the glory of the Lord, the wilderness and desert would experience a fresh burst of life and joy. God would turn up and miraculously bring life and joy to this stretch of otherwise barren land. That is the power of God’s glorious appearance.   

In verses 3-7, for those who could understand and could make sense of Isaiah’s prophecies, the prophet exhorted them to encourage those who were disheartened, feeble, and anxious. While God would come executing vengeance, He however would save His people. Interestingly, In Matthew 11:1-6, when the disciples of John the Baptist who were sent to Jesus to inquire if He was the Messiah, the Lord Jesus quoted verse 5 and part of verse 6 in response to their questions. One aspect that would authenticate His work as the Messiah would be His healing ministry. In quoting these verses, Jesus was claiming to be the Messiah God had sent. He would bring physical healing to the sick. We all know that Jesus came to fulfill this prophecy. In Luke 4:18-19, He proclaimed saying:  

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He anointed Me to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent Me to proclaim release to captives,
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set free those who are oppressed,
To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”

   

In the second half of verse 6 as well as verse 7 of Isaiah 35, we are told that “waters shall burst forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.” What Isaiah is saying is this: not only would God bring physical healing but that He would also provide spiritual refreshment. The abundance of waters God would supply speaks of spiritual refreshment. Jesus is still the water of life to our thirsty soul.  

 

God’s people are indeed His privileged people. In knowing Jesus the Messiah, we are connected to the rich supply of God’s physical and spiritual provisions. Not only can we experience healing, but we can also receive His refreshing and rejuvenating spiritual life. What is our need today? Physical healing? Spiritual refreshment and strengthening? Jesus is God’s answer to our physical and spiritual needs. What a privilege! Hallelujah! What a Saviour!

Isaiah 34:16-17 – God’s plan will definitely come to pass

Isaiah started off chapter 34 with a very bleak picture of the coming judgment of God on all the nations. He described an onslaught where massive death would take place. Decomposing bodies would be strewn all over, filling the atmosphere with their putrefying stench. Besides that, mountains would be drenched with blood and the land would be plunged into deep darkness. What a gloomy picture of the future of the nations in the impending judgment.   

Using Edom as a representative of the enemies of the people of God, Isaiah warned of wholesale death for Edom and how her land would be completely and totally devastated and left in utter desolation. The ravaged land would become so unfit for orderly living by human but would become a habitat for wild desert creatures.   

 

In the last two verses, the prophet gave the sense of certainty of the judgment that had been made on Edom. His challenge was for the upcoming generations to examine the book of the Lord. Referring to the collection of his prophecies, he was sure that as they read the collection of prophecies and evaluate what happened to Edom, they would be able to see the reality of the situation. Everything predicted concerning Edom would be verified by what one would see happen there. She would be a land for wild animals, for God’s Spirit would bring about it.

 

Since Edom represents the power of the nations that resist God, Isaiah was saying that those nations which resist God would be brought low and put to shame. This is one truth we need to take heed of, i.e. no one who resists the truth of the Kingdom will be spared spiritual despair. Edom’s desolation stands as a warning not to resist God and His program or will end up in anguish and despondency. But we know that God has a perfect plan with an expected end for us, His people. Let us gladly collaborate with God and see His plan come to pass in our lives. He means what He promised!

 

 

Isaiah 34:5-15 – Our security is found in Christ

Isaiah 34 opened with the whole earth being called to pay attention to what God would do to judge it. Verses 1-4 gave us a bleak picture of how the earth would be strewn with putrefying decaying corpses that would stench the whole atmosphere. The dire situation was further described as mountains drenched with the blood of the great slaughter and how the earth would be plunged into pitch darkness. In verse 5, the judgment is said to fall on Edom. The sword of God drunk with blood from heaven would fall upon the Edomites. God had designated Edom for destruction. The Edomites, as we know, were descendants of Esau. Though they were somewhat related to Israel they had never been kind to the latter. They would not lift a finger to help Israel in their times of dire need but had instead been hostile toward them. Here Edom is used to represent all the powers of the nations that were hostile to God’s people. Hence, they had been placed under a ban and scheduled for utter destruction.   

Here we first see the Edomites being likened to various kinds of animals. Every one of them from weak to strong, from ordinary to noble were being represented by animals. From lambs to goats and young bull, from wild oxen to strong bull, they were all scheduled for the slaughter. Like animals for sacrifices, they would all be destroyed. And there would be a huge sacrifice at Bozrah, the capital city, and the land would be drenched with the blood of the great sacrifice. Their payback time for all the hostilities they had shown toward Zion was scheduled for the day of the LORD’s vengeance. There would be a wholesale death where no one would be spared.     

 

In verses 9-10, the destruction of Edom would be like what had happened to Sodom and Gomorrah which the Lord had destroyed. Pitch and brimstone would be left of the land. It would be an unquenchable burning heap where the smoke of the fire would continually ascend. What Isaiah was doing was to show a picture of complete destruction. Edom would be forever barren and uninhabitable. Then finally in verses 11-15, Isaiah painted a picture of permanent devastation. The land would be plunged into complete waterlessness. It would be largely a place that would be disorganized and not habitable, and a place infested by wild desert animals.

 

Lessons: The ungodly world is scheduled for utter and complete destruction on the day of reckoning. It would be a complete and total annihilation where none would escape. Thankfully, like Noah and his family in the Ark, we who have placed our hope in Christ can find our security in Him. As the day of reckoning looms nearer and nearer, we should seize every opportunity to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Let us submit wholly to God and allow Him to work in us that which He had begun on the day of our conversion. Remember when God’s judgment comes, it will be swift and fast and none can escape, except those who are safe in His loving arms!         

Isaiah 34:1-4 – Don’t court divine indignation

In chapters 24-27, Isaiah’s message of judgment was on the whole world. No nation was specifically mentioned. In his message, the prophet saw how God would ultimately destroy His enemies and restore Israel, His people, to the land. In Isaiah 34-35, he returned to the judgment of the whole earth. So in 34:1-4, he prophesied a cataclysm calamity that would happen worldwide.

Isaiah began by calling all the peoples of the earth to pay attention and listen to what he would say about the coming judgment of God. The Almighty, he said, was angry with all the nations. He could no longer hold back His wrath, so the whole earth had been placed under a divine ban and scheduled for utter destruction. There would be an onslaught on the armies of mankind.  

In verses 3 and 4, Isaiah painted a bleak picture of the consequence of the judgment. Putrefying corpses would be littered all over the ground. And the stench of those rotting decaying corpses would be the only “scent” that would fill the atmosphere. The mountain would be covered with red drenched blood of the onslaught. The sky would be like a scroll that would be rolled up. And the host of heavenly lights would be so weakened, and wear off just like withering leaves of a tree. Hence, they could no longer shine to provide light like it used to do. Thus the whole earth would be plunged into utter darkness.

Since the fall, the whole earth has been wreaked with evil for so long that it seems like there is no limit to its wickedness. Fallen mankind has been courting troubles for themselves by constantly pushing God’s patience to the limit. While the Bible describes God as a loving father, it also portrays Him as a holy judge. Hence, we cannot test the patience of God and expect to get away scot-free forever. There is an unavoidable day of reckoning. Isaiah paints for us that day here. This is a call not to test the patience of God. Don’t court divine indignation but rather court divine love. Set your heart on finding the will of God. And then with diligence, seek to live for Him.