How To Deal With Enemies When Walking In The Will Of God
Discover Jesus as: Immanuel Isaiah 37-38 Read on Bible Gateway (HCSB)
Lesson
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Teaching Notes
INTRO
Isaiah and Elijah are both called prophets. Elijah was a working prophet, and Isaiah was a hearing and speaking prophet. Both of these prophets’ works were in the plan of God. There is a pattern in God’s intentions. God brought out the attributes of what is to come in the future. Today we must ask ourselves, “What is God saying now?” Is there an Isaiah among us? What is the spirit of the church saying to us today?
The Book of Isaiah is the glue that connects the Old Testament and the New Testament. Isaiah prophesied about the Messiah and about judgement.
TEACHING
Isaiah 36: Hezekiah was a good king, but a number of threats came at him from the Rabshakeh. Constable explains the Rabshakeh was “a title that seems about equivalent to field commander. The word literally means ‘chief cup-bearer,’ but this appears to have been the name of the original office from which the present one evolved. The chief cup-bearer was the king’s personal advisor (Nehemiah 1:11).”1
Hezekiah was overwhelmed by the message that came to him from the Rabshakeh who said that Hezekiah and his kingdom would next be conquered and under Assyrian rule. The Rabshakeh from Sennacherib brought a series of hard and harsh threats against Hezekiah.
Isaiah 37: Hezekiah’s response to the threats regarding the end of his kingdom and his kingship begins in chapter 37. Hezekiah realized he needed the help of Isaiah and the support of the Lord to deal with the threat from Sennacherib. Therefore, Hezekiah covered himself with sackcloth and went into the house of the Lord. He also had his head of household Eliakim, his scribe Shebna, and the elders of the priests cover themselves with sackcloth and go to Isaiah to ask for advice and counsel from the prophet.
The report from Hezekiah to Isaiah by these leaders was basically that although they were the people of Israel, God’s chosen people, they may not be able to withstand this army. Hezekiah laid this out before the Lord for the protection of Israel.
Verse 4 states that Hezekiah may have felt that, given their past mistakes when they had turned away from God, the Israelites may have deserved their fate. Yet, Hezekiah also felt they should talk to Isaiah to see what could be done. Hezekiah asked Isaiah to intercede on behalf of the remnant.
Isaiah responded to the officials, instructing them to tell Hezekiah that the Lord said, “Don’t be afraid because of the words you have heard” (v. 6). Isaiah also sent word that Sennacherib would hear a rumor and would return to his land where he would die by the sword. Before Sennacherib left to fight against Tirhakah, whom he heard was coming to conquer Assyria, he sent word to Hezekiah that even though he was not coming now to conquer Jerusalem, he would be back. Sennacherib told Hezekiah he would suffer the same fate as the kings of Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, Eden, Hamath, Arpad, Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah.
After receiving this message, Hezekiah went to the temple and laid his message out before the Lord and prayed. He prayed, asking God to hear the prayer, see their situation, and deliver them. Then all kingdoms will know that the Lord God is the only true God.
Beginning in verse 21 Isaiah gave a message from God that defended Israel. God said that in times of judgment He used other nations (like Assyria) to correct His people—but only to correct, not destroy them. Hezekiah went to Isaiah to get a word about how the Lord was directing Israel. God had informed Sennacherib and the Rabshakeh that He had allowed them to serve as a rod and a staff against kingdoms that had not obeyed or listened to God. Now that time was over.
In verse 27 God gave word to Sennacherib to give to the Rabshakeh that He had made those other cities weak so they would be defeated. Isaiah proclaimed to Sennacherib that the Lord God was in charge. Hezekiah was called according to God’s purpose, as well as Israel and Judah, but they had not followed God’s purpose. But God can work all things toward good. This was seen in the prophet Isaiah himself. He was a salvation prophet. God had a plan.
God used His own hosts to fight this battle. The Lord has armies beyond numbers. In this battle with the Assyrians, God was defending Himself for His own sake and for the sake of David.
At the end of this account, the angel of the Lord put to death one hundred and eighty-five thousand people in the Assyrians camp. Sennacherib returned to Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, the next morning. Later, as Sennacherib was worshipping his god Nisroch in the temple, he was killed with a sword by two of his sons who then fled to Armenia. Esarhaddon, another of his sons, succeeded him as the new king.
CLOSING
In one action, God moved against Assyria, and it fell to pieces. God had used them to annihilate nations that did not follow the Lord God. Assyria was used by God to punish the nation of Israel, and after they crossed a line by raging against God Himself (Isaiah 37:29), God in turn punished them as well. Hezekiah and Isaiah saw the power and grandeur of God through this process and experience.
In the chapter 38 of Isaiah is the account of Hezekiah becoming ill. Isaiah told him to prepare for his death, but Hezekiah prayed to the Lord. God allowed Hezekiah to recover, and then God added another fifteen years to Hezekiah’s life.
Thomas Constable, Dr. Constable’s Expository Bible Study Notes: Isaiah, p. 229; available at https://planobiblechapel.org/tcon/notes/pdf/isaiah.pdf.
Questions
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King Hezekiah was distraught. He tore his clothes and put on burlap (sackcloth) in Isaiah 37:1. Where else in Scripture and who else tore their clothes and for what reasons? (Genesis 37:34; 1 Kings 21:27; Esther 4:1-3)
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In Isaiah 37:37, King Sennacherib went to his home in Nineveh. Where else has Nineveh been mentioned (Jonah 1-4)? In what context?
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King Hezekiah was sick and dying. He prayed and cried out to the Lord. The Lord heard and answered his prayers by extending his life for fifteen more years in Isaiah 38:1-8. Has there ever been a time when you prayed and cried out to the Lord and He answered? Share that testimony with someone.
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What did the Holy Spirit highlight to you in Isaiah 37—38 through the reading or the teaching?
Daily Word
Laura Martin Isaiah 37:14–17
“Hezekiah took the letter from the messengers, read it, then went up to the LORD’s temple and spread it out before the LORD. Then Hezekiah prayed to the LORD: LORD of Hosts, God of Israel, who is enthroned above the cherubim, You are God—You alone—of all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the heavens and the earth. Listen closely, LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, LORD, and see. Hear all the words that Sennacherib has sent to mock the living God.”
King Hezekiah received a letter from King Sennacherib telling Hezekiah not to trust in Yahweh because Jerusalem would be handed over to the Assyrians. Hezekiah received the letter, read it, and then immediately went into the Temple of the Lord. He spread the letter out before the Lord and prayed: “Lord of Hosts . . . You are God—You alone—of all the kingdoms of the earth. . . . Lord our God, save us from his power so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the Lord—you alone.”
If you find yourself facing a problem, surrounded by enemies, and fighting a battle, immediately go and spread it out before the Lord God Almighty. He is God alone. He will fight your battles. He will give you what you need and will bring victory in His name. In King Hezekiah’s situation, the Lord sent an angel and, in one night, He struck down the enemy camp. The Lord fought the enemy for King Hezekiah after Hezekiah spread it out before Him. Today spread your life before the Lord. Allow the Lord to have control of your life and ask Him to fight your battles. In Christ, you will have victory!
“Hezekiah took the letter from the messengers, read it, then went up to the Lord’s temple and spread it out before the Lord. Then Hezekiah prayed to the Lord: Lord of Hosts, God of Israel, who is enthroned above the cherubim, You are God—You alone—of all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the heavens and the earth. Listen closely, Lord, and hear; open Your eyes, Lord, and see. Hear all the words that Sennacherib has sent to mock the living God.”
— Isaiah 37:14–17
FURTHER SCRIPTURE
- Deuteronomy 3:21–22 — “I commanded Joshua at that time: Your own eyes have seen everything the Lord your God has done to these two kings. The Lord will do the same to all the kingdoms you are about to enter. Don’t be afraid of them, for the Lord your God fights for you.”
- 2 Chronicles 32:7–8 — “‘Be strong and courageous! Don’t be afraid or discouraged before the king of Assyria or before the large army that is with him, for there are more with us than with him. He has only human strength, but we have Yahweh our God to help us and to fight our battles.’ So the people relied on the words of King Hezekiah of Judah.”
- Isaiah 37:20 — “Now, Lord our God, save us from his power so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the Lord —You alone.”
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