Hezekiah asks for the Lord's help

ISAIAH CHAPTER 37

While the Assyrians were outside the walls of Jerusalem shouting to the people to come out and give up, Hezekiah was confused and put on sackcloth and went to the temple to pray. He sent Eliakim, the palace administrator and the leading priest to Isaiah,the prophet. They told Isaiah the the King thinks this is a day of trouble, insult and disgrace. Like a child ready to be born, but the mother hasn't the strength to deliver it. But, they said to Isaiah, perhaps the Lord has heard the Assyrians and will punish them.

Isaiah listened to the representatives of Hezekiah and said to tell their master that the Lord says to not be disturbed by the blasphemous speech by the Assyrians. The Lord himself would make sure the Assyrian king receives a message that he is needed at home and the Lord would make him want to return to his own land, where he will be killed by a sword.

Soon after, the Assyrian king received word that the king of Ethiopia was fighting against him and he left to meet the attack. He sent a message to Hezekiah in Jerusalem that his god would deceive him. That the kings of Assyria had always done whatever they wanted and crushed anyone who stood in their way. He told them no other nation would come and help them.

Hezekiah read the message from the Assyrian king and prayed to the Lord Almighty to listen and open his eyes. The Lord's reply was delivered by Isaiah to Hezekiah in verses 22 through 29, in which the Lord says about the Assyrian king: Jerusalem would scoff at him. He does not know whom he raises his voice against and the Holy One of Israel would know the Assyrian mocked him.It was the Lord himself who allowed the Assyrians to conquer lands, his own plan because he alone knew everything they did and now the Lord would put the hook in their nose and lead them back on the road they came.

Then Isaiah told Hezekiah that proof of the Lord's protection from the Assyrians would come as food, when the first year they would eat what grows by itself, and the next year what springs up from that, but in the third year they would plant crops and harvest and have vineyards and eat fruit. Those left in Jerusalem would flourish and multiply and a remnant will spread out from  Jerusalem, survivors from Mount Zion. And the Assyrian army would not shoot their arrows, nor march outside the gates. The king will return to his own country, for the Lord would defend them in honor of his servant David.

That night the angel of the Lord went to the Assyrian camp and killed 185,000 troops. When the survivors awoke the found corpses everywhere and the king returned to his own land. One day while the Assyrian king worshiped his god Nisroch, his sons killed him with their swords.

BIBLE NOTES SHOW: Cherubim referred to in verse 16 were mighty angels. "Enthroned between the mighty cherubim" refers to the atonement cover of the Ark of the Covenant, which symbolized God's holiness, power and sovereignty.

Leading people by the nose with hooks or putting bits in their mouths, was a common torture the Assyrians used on their captives.

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY? Hezekiah finally did what Isaiah had been telling the people to do - turn to God and watch him come to the rescue. Hezekiah persisted in prayer even though he could not know the answer was already put in motion. In our world today, we are often asked to pray and have faith that God has already prepared an answer. Our task is to ask in faith and wait in humility.

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:



HEALTH: Update on Logan: She gave birth to a healthy, baby boy. Thank you God!


Pray for Gabe.


Pray for Janice Long’s parents, especially her mother who faces another round of chemotherapy and her father with Alzheimer’s.Update on this family: After many trips back and forth to Ok., her mother-in law passed away last week. Our sympathy to the family. Finally she is at peace.


Pray for Arlene’s nephew David and for my neighbor Al who is nearing the end of his life.


Pray for Carolyn’s brother Ronald who has cancer and for her sister Wanda’s soul which went to heaven.


Pray for our friend Michelle who was diagnosed with MS.


Pray for Robert Sargent who is quite ill with lung cancer.


Pray for Gary Summers, my friend from church, who has cancer.


Pray for Judy’s husband who was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. Pray for her too, that she can deal with the side effects of his illness.


Pray too for Charly’s husband Robert who is undergoing chemo for his prostate cancer. Update on Robert: he has one more treatment and then three months of waiting for his psat test to come back clean.


Pray for James’s sister Cynthia whose chemo has lost its effect as the cancer grows powerful.


Pray for another friend named Carolyn whose faith remains strong, but is lost and confused about where and how to spend her elder years.


SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary


RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John


LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter, Brian


SUPPORT: Haiti, Chile, survivors of Japan’s earthquake, survivors of the devastating tornadoes in our southernmost states and Joplin, Missouri. Pray too, for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom.