These are the original teaching notes from this passage.
- Come to the Lord…
- When King HEZEKIAH heard the threats of RABSHAKEH [from the king of Assyria]
- He went into the House of the Lord and PRAYED…
- He believed there was HOPE – but lacked the STRENGTH [women in labor]
- The Lord answered and told him – do NOT let yourself [jussive] be AFRAID!
- Prayer of Hezekiah…
- The King of Assyria had to leave because of the threat of WAR with Ethiopia…
- But before he left he sent a threatening letter to HEZEKIAH…
- Do NOT be deceived [jussive] by the God in whom you TRUST [בָּטַח]
- Hezekiah had a CHOICE – either LISTEN to the LORD [jussive] or LISTEN to men [jussive]
- For a SECOND time he went into the House of the Lord – and laid the letter before God…
- It changed his PERSPECTIVE – he saw the MAKER of Heaven and Earth…
- And realized why other nations had FALLEN – they did NOT follow the ONLY God!
- Word of the Lord…
- God sent His response to the King of Assyria [Sennacherib]
- The ONLY reason why he was successful – was because it was the PLAN of God…
- But because of his PRIDE – God would send the king back [hook in his nose] to [Ninevah]
- He would NOT come into Jerusalem – because God was defending it…
- AND [וַ] – and ANGEL of the LORD was sent out STRIKE the camp of ASSYRIA…
- In ONE night he KILLED 185 thousand soldiers – in the morning they were ALL [כֹּל] dead [מוּת]
- Then [sequential] Sennacherib went back [שׁוּב] the way he came [to Nineveh]
- And as he was WORSHIPING his god [אֱלֹהִים] his sons killed him [sword]!
- 1st – Doubt of Hezekiah… vs. 1-8
- 1st – Very Sick… vs. 1-3
- All at once… vs. 1
- 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!
- Parallel passages are found in: II Kings 20:1-21 – II Chronicles 32:24-33
- In those DAYS [בַּיָּמִים] – Hezekiah became VERY sick – he was DYING [לָמוּת]
- And Isaiah came to him with a WORD from the LORD:
- Set [piel] your house in order [imperative] – because [כִּי] you are going to DIE [מוּת]
- Most likely Isaiah was telling Hezekiah to plan for a successor…
- Because Hezekiah had NO children – NO heir to sit on the throne…
- It would have to be someone from the House of David [a close relative]
- Because God promised an heir of David would always sit on the throne – II Samuel 7:16
- Hezekiah reigned in Jerusalem for 29 years – II Chronicles 29:1
- Sennacherib attacked Jerusalem in the FOURTEENTH years of his reign – II Kings 18:13
- And Hezekiah ended up living another FIFTEEN years AFTER Isaiah told him he would die…
- Meaning this news potentially came DURING the siege of Jerusalem by Assyria…
- Suggesting this passage backs up into the previous chapter – and Jerusalem was still in peril!
- There are times when we ask the Lord – REALLY – when it rains it pours…
- God knows when hard times come – our first reaction is to depend on ourselves…
- So He adds to our PROBLEMS – till we can NO longer handle them…
- So we learn NOT to trust ourselves – instead trust in God – II Corinthians 12:9
- More time… vs. 2-3
- Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall and prayed to the LORD and said:
- Remember now O LORD I pray how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart.
- And have done what is good in Your sight. And Hezekiah wept bitterly!
- No sooner had Isaiah told him – then Hezekiah TURNED to the WALL…
- Hearing of his imminent DEATH – he went immediately in prayer to the LORD…
- He PLEADED [נָא] with God to remember how he had WALKED before Him…
- In TRUTH [אֱמֶת] – doing GOOD [טוֹב] with his whole HEART [לֵב]
- And [וַ] Hezekiah WEPT greatly [גָּדוֹל] to the LORD!
- I do NOT think Hezekiah was saying he NEVER wanted to DIE [everyone dies]
- But Jerusalem was surrounded by the armies of Assyria…
- And Hezekiah did NOT have an heir to pass the crown onto [no son]
- He was just asking for MORE time so he could finish his work!
- DEATH is a very difficult thing to face on the best of days…
- All the more when we are convinced we still have things to do…
- But we do NOT get to choose the number of our days – Psalm 139:16
- And we need to TRUST the plan of God is the best for our lives [even our death]
- 2nd – Change of Plan… vs. 4-6
- Word of the Lord… vs. 4
- And the word of the LORD came to Isaiah saying:
- Go and tell Hezekiah: Thus says the LORD the God of David your father:
- I have heard your prayer – I have seen your tears – surely 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!
- Before Isaiah had even left the house of Hezekiah – II Kings 20:4
- The word of the Lord came to him to go BACK to the King…
- The LORD had heard his PRAYERS and seen his TEARS…
- God would add FIFTEEN years to his life [he was 39 years old]
- Because God would rescue both Hezekiah and Jerusalem from the king of Assyria!
- This is a TROUBLING verse – it appears to suggest PRAYER can CHANGE the mind of God…
- Yet God CANNOT lie – and does NOT change his mind – Numbers 23:19
- If God says something it happens – we can count on it – II Corinthians 1:20
- Fifteen years…
- It was during those FIFTEEN years his son Manasseh was born…
- Manasseh was TWELVE years old when Hezekiah died – II Kings 21:1
- Manasseh who was the most wicked king ever to reign in Judah…
- It was because of the sins of Manasseh that Judah was taken into captivity – II Kings 24:3
- God has amazing plans for our lives – beyond anything we could imagine…
- But God will NOT insist we obey His plan – it is our CHOICE…
- If we CHOOSE our PLAN – if we INSIST on going our own way – God will let us…
- Yet since God sees the end from the beginning – He knows what is best for our lives…
- So it is only logical for us to desire His PLAN…
- Prayer is NOT about CHANGING the mind of God – getting Him to agree with us…
- Prayer is about God CHANGIN our mind – getting us to line up with His PLANS!
- Luke 22:42 – “Nevertheless not my will but Your will be done.”
- 3rd – The Sign… vs. 7-8
- Doubting… vs. 7
- This is the sign to you from the LORD – that the LORD will do this thing which He has spoken!
- The Lord promised Hezekiah he would be healed in THREE days – II Kings 20:5
- And God would give Hezekiah a SIGN to prove He would keep His WORD [הַדָּבָר]
- But it was Hezekiah that asked for the SIGN [אוֹת] – II Kings 20:8
- Yet the ONLY reason why he would ask for a SIGN – is if he DOUBTED!
- Sign of Ahaz… vs. 8
- Behold I will bring the shadow on the sundial which has gone down with the sun.
- On the sundial of Ahaz – ten degrees backward.
- So the sun returned ten degrees on the dial by which it had gone down!
- Isaiah gave a CHOICE – sun move forward or backwards on the SUNDIAL – II Kings 20:9-10
- Hezekiah wanted the sun to move BACK [because that was impossible]
- Figurately giving Hezekiah more TIME to live…
- So the sun went back TEN steps on the sundial [steps] of AHAZ!
- There is NO need to mention WHOSE sundial the sun backed up on…
- Unless it is to connect us to another time when someone DOUBTED God…
- The Lord told King Ahaz he would NOT be defeated by Israel and Syria – Isaiah 7:11
- And offered to give ANY sign to prove it – and gave him the sign of Immanuel!
- The only reason why we would TEST God – is because we DOUBT His Word…
- It is much easier to believe if we SEE [it takes no faith – it takes no trust]
- Yet Jesus desires that we have a relationship with Him – FRIENDSHIP with God…
- What kind of FRIENDSHIP would it be if God always had to PROVE Himself…
- That is why to have a truly blessed relationship with the Lord – we need to TRUST the Lord!
- 1st – Very Sick… vs. 1-3
- 2nd – Reflection of Hezekiah… vs. 9-20
- 1st – The Perspective… vs. 9-11
- Sheol… vs. 9-10
- The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah when he had been sick – recovered from his sickness:
- I said: In the prime of my life I shall go to the gates of Sheol.
- I am deprived of the remainder of my years!
- This is what Hezekiah wrote AFTER he recovered from his sickness [only here in Isaiah]
- In the PRIME [idiom] of his life – he thought he would enter the gates of SHEOL [שְׁאוֹל]
- He would MISS [pual] the remainder of his years!
- SHEOL [שְׁאוֹל] is a general term in the Old Testament for the GRAVE [death]
- What happened after DEATH – was a mystery hidden until the New Testament…
- Before the cross NO one went to heaven – everyone went down to SHEOL [שְׁאוֹל]
- But there were TWO compartments – Abrahams Bosom [παράδεισος] and Hell – Luke 16:22
- PARADISE [Abrahams Bosom] – was a place of COMFORT for those who died in faith…
- It is now EMPTY – Jesus set the prisoners free after His death – Isaiah 61:1
- HELL [ᾅδης] – is place of torment for those who do NOT have faith…
- HELL will give up its dead to be judged before the Great White Throne – Revelation 20:13
- Not the End… vs. 11
- I said: I shall not see YAH. The LORD in the land of the living.
- I shall observe man no more among the inhabitants of the world!
- The ignorance of Hezekiah led him to say to himself…
- He would NOT see YAH [contraction of יְהֹוָה] in the land of the LIVING…
- He would NOT look upon MAN [אָדָם] – and those who live in this PASSING [חָדֶל] world!
- When I was in high school one of my classmates called Christianity a DEATH cult…
- He was NOT a believer – and to him death was the END…
- What he could NOT see is that death is just the doorway to ETERNAL life!
- II Corinthians 5:1 – “We know that if our earthly house – this tent is destroyed – we have a building from God – a house not made with hands eternal in the heavens.”
- Our bodies are NOT who we are – any more than the CLOTHES we wear…
- Our bodies are simply a TENT for our eternal spirit to live in for a short time…
- When we DIE we CHANGE clothing – and put on our eternal body…
- Because our physical – corrupt bodies cannot inherit eternal life – I Corinthians 15:50
- These bodies were NOT designed to live forever – they were NOT meant to go to heaven…
- But God has a NEW body – a MUCH better one – prepared for those who TRUST in Him!
- 2nd – The Sickness… vs. 12-14
- My life span is gone taken from me like a shepherds tent.
- I have cut off my life like a weaver. He cuts me off from the loom.
- From day until night You make an end of me.
- I have considered until morning like a lion – so He breaks all my bones.
- From day until night You make an end of me.
- Like a crane or a swallow so I chattered. I mourned like a dove.
- My eyes fail from looking upward. O LORD I am oppressed. Undertake for me!
- Hezekiah described the SICKNESS that almost killed him…
- He felt like his TENT [life] was being carried away [niphal] like a SHEPHERD [unstable]
- Like the THREADS on a weavers loom – he life was being CUT [piel] short…
- He lie STILL [piel] until the morning – but it felt like a LION had broken ALL [כָּל] his bones…
- He felt like his life was taken in a DAY – from morning to night [2x for emphasis]
- As he lay in bed – he CHATTERED like [כְּ] a BIRD – MOANED like [כְּ] a dove [in pain]
- Brought low – he tired of looking up to the MASTER [אֲדֹנָי] asking for HELP!
- We do NOT have any guarantees in this life – and it does pass QUICKLY [get sick and die]
- It is like a wisp of SMOKE – we are here today and gone tomorrow – James 4:14
- And once we are GONE the world will forget us – Ecclesiastes 1:11
- So the question becomes if our live is SHORT – and quickly FORGOTTEN – why are we here…
- The answer is to make a CHOICE – where we will spend ETERNITY!
- 3rd – The Recovery… vs. 15-20
- Cautious… vs. 15
- What shall I say? He has both spoken to me and He Himself has done it.
- I shall walk carefully all my years in the bitterness of my soul!
- What could Hezekiah say [piel] about his EXPERIENCE…
- God had SPOKEN [perfect] – He was the one who had made him SICK [perfect]
- It caused [hiphil] him to WALK carefully [2x in OT] for all [כָל] his remaining YEARS…
- Because of the DIFFICULTLY [מַר] that his SOUL [נֶפֶשׁ] had been through!
- Restoration… vs. 16-17
- O Lord by these things men live – and in all these things is the life of my spirit.
- So You will restore me and make me live.
- Indeed it was for my own peace that I had great bitterness.
- But You have lovingly delivered my soul from the pit of corruption.
- For You have cast all my sins behind Your back!
- Hezekiah realized it was through the DIFFICULTIES [sickness] that men LIVE…
- And in all [כֹּל] these things his SPIRIT [רוּחַ] found life…
- Having come to that conclusion – God gave him HEALTH so he could LIVE…
- INDEED – it was for his PEACE [שָׁלוֹם] that the LORD gave him great DIFFICULTLY [מַר]
- But it was also the LORD – in LOVE – that kept his SOUL [נֶפֶשׁ] from CORRUPTION…
- Because he CAST [hiphil] the SINS of Hezekiah behind His back!
- The DIFFICULTIES we face in life are NOT coming from the hand of an ANGRY God…
- They are the GRACIOUS acts of a LOVING Father trying to get our attention…
- He wants to give PEACE [שָׁלוֹם] to our SOUL [נֶפֶשׁ]– life to our SPIRIT [רוּחַ]
- He wants us to learn to come to Him so He can forgive our SINS!
- Hebrews 12:6 – “For whom the LORD loves He chastens.”
- The reason… vs. 18-19
- For Sheol cannot thank You. Death cannot praise You.
- Those who go down to the pit cannot hope for Your truth.
- The living, the living man he shall praise You – as I do this day.
- The father shall make known Your truth to the children!
- Hezekiah reasoned why God did this while he was still ALIVE…
- Those in SHEOL [שְׁאוֹל] cannot give THANKS – or those who are DEAD [מָוֶת] sing PRAISE…
- Those who are in the PIT – cannot HOPE in the TRUTH [אֱמֶת]
- But the LIVING – the LIVING [2x for emphasis] can PRAISE as Hezekiah did that DAY…
- And as a FATHER he would make known [יָדַע] that TRUTH [אֱמֶת] to his CHILDREN!
- This may allude to the hope Hezekiah had he might now have kids…
- Sadly history tells us that his love for God was NOT passed onto Manasseh!
- But it is TRUE that once we are DEAD – there is NO more choice…
- The reason why God will allow us to go through TRIALS is to get our attention…
- Because EVERYONE will live forever – the question is WHERE will we spend our eternity…
- Our decision is LIMITED to our time here on earth – Hebrews 9:27
- The moment we DIE our fate is sealed – there is NO purgatory – NO second chances…
- Either we have received GRACE from Jesus – and have the hope of eternity with God…
- Or we have rejected the Gospel – sentencing ourselves to an eternity separate from Him!
- The response… vs. 20
- The LORD was ready to save me – therefore we will sing my songs with stringed instruments.
- All the days of our life in the house of the LORD!
- The LORD is the one who SAVED [יָשַׁע] Hezekiah…
- Therefore he would SING to the LORD all the days of his life in the house of the LORD…
- Do not miss the context – Hezekiah almost DIED…
- The armies of Assyria were still marauding through Judea – but he is PRAISED the LORD…
- It is even possible the LORD used his sickness to prepare him for the Assyrian crisis…
- Teaching him to come to the LORD before the nation ever needed deliverance!
- Our ability to PRAISE does NOT come from our circumstances…
- We PRAISE the LORD in spite of them – knowing no matter what we have the VICTORY!
- 4th – The Sign… vs. 21-22
- Isaiah said: Let them take a lump of figs and apply it as a poultice on the boil – he shall recover.
- And Hezekiah had said: What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the LORD?
- Isaiah said to put some FIGS and press them on the BOIL of Hezekiah so he would LIVE…
- Then Hezekiah asked for the SIGN [אוֹת] that he would go up to the HOUSE of the LORD…
- Not a SIGN to be healed – that had already been given – Isaiah 38:8
- He wanted to know how soon he could get back to worshiping!
- 1st – The Perspective… vs. 9-11
- 3rd – Fall of Hezekiah… vs. 1-8
- 1st – Babylon… vs. 1-2
- Flattery… vs. 1
- At that time Merodach-Baladan the son of Baladan – king of Babylon.
- Sent letters and a present to Hezekiah for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered!
- At about the same time as Hezekiah was HEALED by the Lord…
- Merodach-Baladan [Marduk has given a son] – the King of Babylon [around 703 B.C.]
- Who was a fierce opponent of Sennacherib – King of Assyria…
- He sent a LETTER and a GIFT because he heard what happened to Hezekiah…
- More likely he was looking to form a political – military alliance against Assyria…
- And God used it as a TEST – to see what Hezekiah would do!
- II Chronicles 32:31 – “Regarding the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon whom they sent to him to inquire about the wonder that was done in the land – God withdrew from Hezekiah in order to test him that He might know all that was in his heart.”
- This is just the opposite of what Hezekiah had previously faced…
- There were NO armies at the gates – NO sickness threatening his life…
- Everything was going GREAT – he had LOTS of MONEY and HONOR – II Chronicles 32:27
- People from other nations were coming and giving him GIFTS…
- Yet it was still a TEST from God – now where would be put his TRUST!
- Pride… vs. 2
- Hezekiah was pleased with them and showed them the house of his treasures.
- The silver and gold – the spices and precious ointment – and all his armory.
- All that was found among his treasures.
- There was nothing in his house or in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them!
- Hezekiah was HAPPY [שָׂמַח] that they had come – and showed them EVERYTHING…
- All of his SILVER – GOLD – SPICS – OILS – ALL [כָּל] of his TREASURES…
- So that there was NOTHING [לֹא] in his house of kingdom they did NOT see…
- Why – because in when everything was going well – PRIDE snuck in!
- II Chronicles 32:25 – “Hezekiah did not repay according to the favor shown him for his heart was lifted up – therefore wrath was looming over him and over Judah and Jerusalem.”
- When life falls apart – and everything is going WRONG…
- We get that is a TRIAL – the Lord is TESTING us to see who we will look to – James 1:2
- But we likely do NOT think of riches and blessing as a TRIAL [test]
- Yet in much the same way the question becomes who will we look to…
- If we have LOTS of money – LOTS of blessings – do we become PRIDEFUL!
- 2nd – Word of the Lord… vs. 3-8
- Questions… vs. 3-4
- 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 to me from a far country – from Babylon.
- He said: What have they seen in your house? So Hezekiah answered:
- They saw all that is in my house. There is nothing among my treasures I have not shown them!
- Isaiah had TWO question for Hezekiah after the men left…
- FIRST – where did the men come from?
- Hezekiah let him know from a FAR away place [not dangerous] – Babylon…
- SECOND – what did you should them in his house?
- Hezekiah admitted he showed them EVERYTHING [כָּל]
- But why ask the questions – as his answer will show he already knew!
- When God called out to Adam and Eve in the Garden – Genesis 3:9
- It was NOT because He did NOT know where they were…
- It was to give them a chance to THINK about what they had DONE – and REPENT!
- When we get the PRICK from the Holy Spirit – the CHECK in our heart…
- We are wise to stop and REFLECT on what we have done – and if needed – REPENT!
- Nothing left… vs. 5-7
- Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah: Hear the word of the LORD of hosts:
- 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.
- 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!
- Isaiah replied: HEAR [imperative] the Word of the LORD of [צְבָאוֹת]
- The DAYS are coming when ALL [כָּל] that is in your house will be taken to BABYLON…
- Everything you and your FATHERS [other kings] have SAVED – nothing will be left…
- Even the SONS of Hezekiah that he would [imperfect] have…
- Would be taken away to SERVE in the king of BABYLON!
- Not in my days… vs. 8
- So Hezekiah said to Isaiah: The word of the LORD which you have spoken is good!
- For he said: At least there will be peace and truth in my days!
- Hezekiah said to Isaiah – the Word from the Lord was GOOD [טוֹב]
- [כִּי] Because – there will be PEACE [שָׁלוֹם] and STABILITY in HIS days…
- In other words at LEAST the consequences would NOT come on HIM!
- Although Hezekiah was a GOOD King – II Chronicles 29:2
- His PRIDE in his later years ended up passing onto his son [Manasseh]
- The Lord wants to TEST us – show us what is in us…
- And He can do that through TRIALS – or through BLESSINGS…
- Both ways He is trying to let us see where were are putting our FAITH…
- But know that the lesson is NOT just for us…
- Our children are WATCHING – and they are following our EXAMPLE!
- 1st – Babylon… vs. 1-2