Isaiah 45

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The name Cyrus was already mentioned by Isaiah in the previous chapter—an amazing detail referring to Cyrus the Great who reigned in Persia in the sixth century BC. Remember that Isaiah ministered in the eighth and seventh centuries BC, long before the birth of this Cyrus, who had such a prominent place in these chapters of prophecy and in the deliverance of many peoples, including the Jews. Cyrus would defeat the Babylonians, and would eventually issue the decree authorizing the return of many Jews to their homeland and the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem.

Cyrus was called here the Lord’s anointed. That was another way of saying “Messiah” or “Christ.” The anointed one was chosen by God for a special task of deliverance and salvation for the people of God. Here the title was given to a non-Jewish emperor. God was able to use a wide variety of people for the accomplishment of His will. God led the way for Cyrus. He brought him to power and removed obstacles that stood in his way. It was God who was able to call such a man by name for the sake of His people Israel, even though this man may not have worshiped the Almighty.

Cyrus was an amazing figure in human history, but we are most interested in God. Who is this God? He loves righteousness, and He will bring about the fruit of righteousness as His wonderful plans unfold. Seemingly unbeatable foes can be easily defeated by Him. Strong nations that seem unstoppable can be brought to an end in a moment. He is in charge of the earth and the stars. He rules men and angels. He knows and brings about things that are to come. This God sets Cyrus in place at just the right time to complete His own holy purposes.

Though the Lord’s ways are most complex, and though His secret will cannot be guessed or fully understood by men, this is not because He is being entirely secretive in all of His works. He has shown to us the way of righteousness and truth in His Son. He has made the meaning of His moral law clear for all who would have a heart to follow Him. But have we obeyed? We need Him to overcome our disobedience.

As God is Savior, He has also provided a Messiah-Savior who is far above Cyrus. Cyrus the Great performed the will of his Creator without having a very complete understanding of the Lawgiver behind all of the providential events in which he was a central figure. By contrast, Jesus played His part as the Son of God as one who willingly became man in order to accomplish a mission with which He was perfectly aware. Christ understood our sin. He knew the penalty that the Law demanded and willingly accepted the punishment for us. As His Father is God and Savior, so the Son of God is also God and Savior. He understood His office as the Anointed One in the plan of redemption and executed the charge committed to Him flawlessly.

It is now incumbent upon all of us to surrender before the majesty of this King whose glory was veiled in humble flesh, and who has redeemed not only our souls, but even our bodies. We must turn to Him and be saved. Many powerful people, though mightily used by God, may entirely mistake the Lord Jesus Christ as too simple, too poor, and too powerless to be seriously received as the King that He is. But we have come to know the truth that Jesus is Lord.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Lord God, You have a Messiah King who is better than any emperor of old. Every other great king pointed forward to this one King and Lord. This Redeemer is the Son of God. He is also the Son of Man. He is the Potter. Has He now become the clay for our sake? Your Son shall build up Your city. He shall set the exiles free. Even now Christ has set us free. Yet we wait for Him. We long for the fullness of salvation that is ours in Him. We seek You and we find You. You have gathered us from the nations. You declared this long ago, and have vindicated Your holy Word. Every knee shall bow, every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of Your holy Name.

Isaiah 44

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God is the supplier of water upon a thirsty land—not merely physical water that people need every day, but the spiritual water of the Holy Spirit. Without the Spirit of God Israel would be worse than dry. They would be dead in their trespasses and sins. With the divine gift of a living Lord at work within them they would have a river of life.

In John 4, the woman at the well wanted to know where she could find that unending stream. Long before her time, Israel heard an early announcement through Isaiah concerning the only possible source of unending refreshment. The only true and living God would give His people the Holy Spirit.

The world was full of false gods. Silent idols seemed to clamor for the attention of all of the inhabitants of the earth. In reality, they were nothing and they could do nothing. They certainly could not cause the Spirit of God to dwell within people.

The story of the idol-maker and idol-worshiper was always truly ridiculous and pitiful. A man might make an idol from a piece of wood and then use the rest of the same wood as something for the fire upon which he cooked his meal. People should have thanked God for the food that they enjoyed every day. Instead the idol-worshiper thanked a painted block from a dead tree.

What are we to think of this false worship? We are saddened when we consider those who are caught in such a delusional way of life. Yet we have confidence in the Lord, and we believe in His power to save. God would not forget His chosen ones.

God would raise up a Gentile king, Cyrus, who would send the Israelites out of the land of idol worship where they had been captives. A far better Savior than Cyrus would eventual come to the Jews. He would announce a victory that would be beyond the wildest dreams of all who longed for His appearing.

The true Servant of the Lord would give His body as a curse upon a tree for the salvation of His people. His wounds would atone for the sins of those from every tribe and tongue. From His throne on high Jesus would send forth His Spirit for all who would hear His Word and believe. All who would one day be thirsty for His presence in their lives would be able to ask and receive the Holy Spirit.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Father God, You made us, and You call us to believe. We trust You. You will have wonderful mercy upon Your people. Your promises are so big and so true. You speak of things yet to come, and Your words are completely reliable. The lover of idols will be put to shame. You are God. There is nothing wise in the worship of objects. We will not fall down before the work of our own hands. We will not pray to something that was carved out of a block of wood. We cast off every lie that we once believed. We will sing to You, O Lord. You stretched out the heavens. You confirm the words of Your prophets. You raise up a Cyrus for Your purposes. You are building Your temple.

Isaiah 43

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The worth of any promise depends on the character, power, and intentions of the maker of the commitment. A pledge is of little value if any of these things is lacking. The most sure word that we could every hear is a promise from God. He has the best character, the greatest power, and the most wonderful intentions toward His own Name and toward His beloved people.

In Isaiah 43 God makes a great promise to Israel. His words are full of love and commitment. He will be with them. This was His determination for ancient Israel and it is still true for all who call upon His Name today. Israel would face deep waters and flames, but the floods would not overwhelm them and the fire would not consume them. Egypt might be destroyed, and Cush might fall, but God would save His chosen nation. She was precious in His eyes and the object of His great love. The church has inherited these good words of hope as the New Covenant community. We are treated as the special people of God. He will take us through suffering to victory.

God would do a marvelous work of gathering the exiles of Israel from far-off nations. There were several levels of fulfillment to this powerful announcement of grace. First, after the exile to Babylon, many of God’s people would eventually be restored to the land under Ezra, Nehemiah, and others. Second, in the first century when Christ came and the Spirit was poured out upon the church, people of faith would be gathered to the Lord in an amazing way. Finally, the most complete work of gathering is yet to come in the Lord’s eternal kingdom when Christ returns to bring His people home for good. The sons of God will be finally revealed. He has not only created them physically, but they are also alive spiritually. The partial fulfillment of the Lord’s promises is encouraging, but those who truly hear His Word are eager for the fullness of His presence. We long for that day when we can say that all that was promised we now fully possess.

This ultimate time of gathering at the return of the Lord Jesus will not only be for blessing but for judgment. The God of Israel is the real God. It is certainly wise to surrender to Him now while there is yet time. He has made a way home for us. Jesus is that way, and heaven is our desired destination. He can save us from the wrath that will fall upon His enemies. No army can stop Him when He has determined to bless or when He has decided to express His vengeance.

If God chooses to bless, if He determines to do “a new thing” in the lives of those who once rejected Him, His merciful plan will not be stopped. We who believe have eternal life because the Lord's mercy and justice met so perfectly in the atoning death of Christ so long ago. God’s wrath against us has been satisfied through the cross of His Son. There is no remaining obstacle against us that can keep us from the fullness of His blessing.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

O Lord, You have redeemed us. Through water and flame, through every fiery trial, You are still with us. You call us Your sons and Your daughters. You love us and protect us. We are Your witnesses throughout the earth in Your Son Jesus Christ. There is no other Savior. There is no other Judge. You are the Holy One, and You are the King. You are doing a new thing, and You will not be stopped. Forgive us our sins, O Lord. We sinned against You in Adam, and we have sinned against You in our own days. You forgive us. You discipline us. You love us.

Isaiah 42

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In Chapter 42 we are given a personal word about a Servant, a word that is fulfilled in the gift of Christ. This Servant is the chosen one of God, full of the Holy Spirit. He has a heart for the very weakest, but He himself is powerful enough to bring about “justice” all over the earth.

Our great Messiah has become a “light for the nations.” He literally did open up the eyes of several people who were blind, but He has given spiritual sight to millions. We were once stuck in the prison house of sin and guilt. Our bondage has been broken through His death.

This Messiah King is the Lord of Israel. He also is the God of power and glory who has come in person to save us. He is the same God who knows things from long ago and can even bring about future events.

Yet how can the One who is the Lord Himself also be the Servant of the Lord? Here we have the mystery of the Father and the Son. With Isaiah's declaration that the Spirit of God is upon this divine Servant, God is revealing to His chosen ones the truth of the Trinity.

Through Isaiah, God directed Israel to sing a heartfelt song of praise. Even the people of far-off nations were called to sing to the Lord and to declare His praise to other nations still further away until there were no people groups who had not yet heard the truth of Jesus.

But would His coming be good news for those who would still cling to worthless idols? What if a great King committed Himself in love for us, even to the point of giving His life, and yet many people continued to prefer a lifeless image to the One who saved us in person? Such rebellion would be a great insult. The Lord would not be content to leave the entire world in such foolishness. He would grant to His elect new eyes to see His greatness and a new will to turn away from false suitors who could not compare to Him.

Israel was to be a servant to the Lord as a whole nation. Yet she became blind like the idols that she worshiped and deaf to the words of the prophets. God brought His law clearly to her, but she would not follow His commandments. She ended up in a desperate condition, and yet she was still unwilling to repent. God gave up His people to plunderers and looters. He poured on the heat of His anger until the fire was all around them. The invading armies of foreign nations were poised to kill. Yet Israel would still not take these events to heart and receive His holy love.

This must not be the way for the followers of God today. The Lord has spoken to us in the Scriptures. We have no right to make His gracious instruction something less than it is. Jesus knows us and loves us. He died for our sins as the Suffering Servant. Now He lives and reigns as our glorious Lord. It is right and good for us to worship Him and to follow Him forever.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Father God, there is no one like Your Servant Jesus Christ. He brings forth justice upon the earth. Look upon us, O God. We are bruised reeds. Do not break us. We have no real flame left in us. Do not utterly snuff us out. Breathe new life into us again by Your Spirit. Thank You for Your mercy. Your Son will establish justice throughout the earth. We long for His day. Come, Lord Jesus! Even now open the eyes of the blind through the preaching of Your Word. Teach us to praise You everywhere and at all times. You are powerful to save. Speak, O Lord, and rescue us. Your church is like a woman in labor. There is suffering here, but You are surely leading us. You will not forsake us. Your Son has taken upon Himself all our infirmities. Restore our fortunes, O Lord. Help us as we cry out to You.

Isaiah 41

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God was the root cause behind all of the power struggles of international events in the days of Isaiah. Was there a powerful king coming with an army from the east? Did he seem unstoppable? God was behind this situation. He took no pleasure in disaster, and He was not the author of sin, but He worked all things according to the perfect counsel of His most holy will.

God’s plan for His nation Israel was not an insignificant part of His overall design for the glory of His name and the redemption of the elect. It was from Israel that the Servant of the Lord would come as the only Redeemer of God’s people. God called that nation into being for a purpose. He never abandoned His plan for His chosen ones. He was with them. He would help them, by His “right hand”—that is by the man with Him in every way, the Lord Jesus Christ.

God knew what was necessary in order to show His favor to those who would receive His mercy. He understood that there were strong enemies who would want to destroy them. He was able to defeat every foe, seen and unseen, and to use even the weakness of His people to show forth His great strength.

Surely the Assyrian threat was very real and frightening to the people of Jerusalem. They needed to calmly consider all the facts. Did the Assyrians know the future? Could they declare the events of coming years and bring them about? Where did the Assyrians come from anyway? If the Lord's people reasoned backward from any immediate troubles they were facing, they would eventually come back to the God of providence.

This God, who would one day send the Babylonians for His purposes of discipline, would also eventually send a Savior for His people. Christ Jesus, after performing signs of His divinity and achieving all righteousness, would display His supreme power in redemptive love. He would one day sit with His Father and send forth the Holy Spirit as the divine counselor for the church. Our God would work faith in the hearts of His people through His powerful Word.

We must not be confused into thinking that we are the ultimate root cause of any victory here or hereafter. The everlasting God is with us. He has secured our redemption in the death and resurrection of His Son.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Sovereign Lord, You will judge all the nations of the earth. You are the First and the Last, and it is right for You to bring about all of Your holy decrees. We are Your servants in Jesus Christ. We will not be afraid, for You will strengthen and help us. You are the Redeemer. You are the Holy One. We will rejoice in You in the day of our deliverance. You bring springs of water in the desert. It is Your Hand that has brought us a time of refreshment in these days. By Your power there shall come an age of resurrection. We call upon Your Name, O Lord, and You hear us. Our strength is in Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 40

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In Isaiah 40 we enter a new section of this important book. While God would continue to correct His people, His Word from this point forward was filled with much comfort.

God commanded that His messengers speak tenderly to Jerusalem, announcing the end of her warfare and the completion of the Lord’s dealing with her sins. The city would still face great difficulties over the decades to come after Isaiah. When would the good news that Isaiah wrote about actually come for the people of God? It would first be announced by a future prophet who would be a voice crying out, telling the people to prepare the way of the Lord. The Lord Himself would eventually be revealed, but before that great day, John the Baptist would point others to the coming Messiah.

How could the eternal and everlasting God actually enter into space and time and speak to man face to face? The children of the eternal God lived in the world of the perishing. Like the grass of the field, their lives would be over in the blinking of an eye. How could God visit them in a way that would have a lasting impact?

God would come in the flesh. He would guard His children as a mighty protector. He knew the wonders of creation, for He had spoken over the tumultuous waters in the beginning. He would not be intimidated by the great nations of the world. He would win for His chosen ones a new world that would never fade away.

What would God be like when He came? He was nothing like the idols of men which could not accomplish anything. He would be a powerful Lord and a tender Shepherd. He who knew all the stars by name would never forget His people.

The Jesus who would one day experience in person the trials of this world would also humble Himself to the point of the lowest weakness. After dying for our sins, He would then be exalted far above the heavens. From that position of full authority, He would give strength to the most weary worshiper who would call upon His Name. Through Him, even very weak followers would “mount up with wings like eagles.” They would “run and not be weary.” They would “walk and not faint.”

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Lord God, bring to us ministers who comfort Your people with words of good news from on high. Speak forth Your glory so that all flesh shall hear of Your greatness. We are like grass that withers and fades. Your Word will stand forever. In that Word we behold You, Your Son, and Your Holy Spirit. There is no one like You. You are before all things and You reign over all that You have created. All the nations are as nothing before You. How could we display You with some image that we have created? You are the everlasting God. You bring the greatest powers of the earth low and they die like men. You rule over the stars in the heavens, and You know Your children. You do not faint or grow weary. Give us power and strength as we wait for You. Teach us to fly, to run, to walk, to stand, and to wait.

Isaiah 39

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In this chapter we have the conclusion to the historical interlude in Isaiah where we have noted several important interactions between the prophet and the king. Up to this point they have all seemed to shine a positive light on the man Hezekiah who was a good leader in Judah. Now we begin to see the limits of his understanding.

The occasion for this story was that Hezekiah had recovered from a life-threatening illness. We saw that the Lord gave Hezekiah an additional fifteen years in response to the king’s earnest plea before God. This was an answer to prayer, and the beginning of a new day for a man who had faced troubling challenges from the Assyrians.

Now another people group, the Babylonians, expressed interest in the life of the king in Judah. The Babylonian king sent friendly letters and a special gift to Hezekiah. Hezekiah’s response was most cordial. He welcomed them gladly, and showed them everything about Jerusalem that might make it attractive to the invading force of a foreign power. After the visitors had departed, Isaiah told Hezekiah that it would be this Babylon that would eventually carry off everything of value in Judah back to Babylon, even some of the king’s own descendants.

Hezekiah’s reaction to this prophecy? Instead of repentance or regret, the king received the message as “good.” His reasoning? There would be peace and security in his day.

How can we understand the king's words? Hezekiah might have taken it as a foregone conclusion that the Lord was going to eventually fulfill His word in sending His people into exile. He may have had a great sense that the time was very near. He may have also concluded that there would ultimately be no amount of tears that would change this situation. With that in mind, it was good news that the day of reckoning for Jerusalem would not come immediately. Nonetheless, would it not have been better to mourn before the Lord as the king had on two earlier occasions? The parallel passage in 2 Chronicles 32:31 indicates that “in the matter of the envoys of the princes of Babylon... God left him to himself, in order to test him and to know all that was in his heart.” Was this a time for proud boasting in front of the Babylonians? Hezekiah was a very good king, but he was not perfect.

What are we to think about the day of destruction that would come upon Jerusalem? We are of two minds. On one hand, we mourn the fact that fierce Gentiles would capture the Lord’s holy possessions. We also consider the tremendous loss of life and civil freedom that would be coming to God’s nation. So many people would die, while others would suffer and then live on as slaves in a foreign land. We can only grieve about these things.

On the other hand, we too know that the exile of Judah would have to eventually come, just as the Lord had said for so many centuries. Even more than this, the way of approaching God through ceremonies designed for only one nation would eventually have to end, giving way to a New Testament life built on the blood of the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world.

The plan of God for the salvation of the nations was older than Adam. It was stated very clearly through Abraham, for this man of faith was to be a source of blessing to all the peoples of the earth. New Testament life and worship would ultimately come through Abraham's descendant, Jesus Christ, the perfect King of kings. Paul, Peter, and James would one day be able to see how the inclusion of the Gentiles into the people of the Lord was a part of the eternal plan of God. The wrenching fact of God's discipline of Judah was a step toward the fulfillment of the Lord's eternal purpose through the work of Jesus “to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth.” (Ephesians 1:10)

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Father, do we know an enemy when he visits us with smooth words? Are we so foolish that we say much more than we should? Our bragging will bring us great trouble. Teach us how to be quiet about our accomplishments. There is a day when it is best for us to say nothing. Teach us that the way of pride will not be good for us. If we boast, let us boast in You and not in ourselves.

Isaiah 38

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Pain and life-threatening illnesses are such serious challenges to our peace and well-being. The great king Hezekiah had made it through a very dangerous assault from the greatest military power of his day—the Assyrian empire. Then a message came from the prophet Isaiah that the king would not recover from the personal affliction of a menacing infection.

Once again Hezekiah turned to God. He made his own faithfulness his plea before the Lord. The king also wept bitterly before the Almighty.

Why would he weep at this time? He was a man who knew the sufferings of this world. Wouldn’t he look forward to a release from the miseries that were part of his existence on this earth?

Hezekiah had an earnest desire to remain for several more years in his mortal body. God was pleased to give a favorable answer to the king's request. He received another fifteen years of life, and God confirmed this blessing of extra time with a miraculous sign.

The Lord hears and answers prayer. We may not understand why the tears of one man seem to produce a favorable response, while another man's plea is denied. There is much about God's providence that remains hidden to us. This important truth has been clearly revealed: Jesus came not only that we would experience redemption for our spirits, but that our bodies would be saved as well.

The Lord Jesus Christ died at a young age. He insisted that in His case it was better for His disciples that He go to the right hand of the Father. From that place of power He would grant spiritual blessings for the church which would be of great benefit to the building up of the kingdom of God. Because of what Jesus accomplished through His death, resurrection, and ascension, those who die in the Lord can greet death with a very confident expectation. We can know, perhaps better than Hezekiah did, that “to live is Christ and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21)

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Glorious Lord, You know the struggles that we face. You know our fears and our desires. You know our hearts and our deeds. Your mercy is wonderful. You are able to give us more time here below. You hear us when we cry out to You. You send away sickness according to Your plan. You enable us to live. You restore us to health. If You decree disease or trouble, surely You do even this for our welfare. We shall go up to Your house with the multitude of Your holy ones at just the right time. We shall worship You forever.

Isaiah 37

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Hezekiah had received dreadful news. An official Assyrian representative had delivered an insulting and blasphemous message within the hearing of the people. When the news of this came to the king of Judah, he did what people would do in that day when they wanted to humble themselves under God’s almighty hand. He tore his clothes, put on garments of mourning, and went to the house of God to bring his petition for divine relief.

Hezekiah came to God. He prayed his heart out. He acknowledged the terrible situation that he was facing. He sent word to Isaiah the prophet, and asked for him to pray for the people in Jerusalem. He also reminded Isaiah that the Rabshakeh may have gone too far with his deeply offensive message. He counted on the fact that such an assault against the Name of the Lord could not be overlooked. He placed his hope in God’s defense of His own divine glory.

Everything that the Rabshakeh was attempting to accomplish in the heart of God’s people could be summed up with these words, “Fear Assyria and her king, and surrender now.” It was interesting that when the Word of the Lord came back to Hezekiah through Isaiah, the first thing that God said was, “Do not be afraid.” Assyria would be defeated, not because of any military might from the people of Judah, but by God’s intervention.

The king of Assyria, as God had promised, had to make a hasty retreat. Before he went home, he sent another blasphemous and threatening message to Hezekiah. It must have seemed like the prayers of the king and the words of the prophet had failed. Hezekiah again deeply humbled himself before God. He put the matter before the Lord, and he prayed. He exalted God in the face of the vile insults of the Assyrian ruler. He acknowledged the depth of his military problem, but he insisted that God was not some idol like the gods of the nations whom the Assyrians had defeated. He called out for the Almighty to save His chosen people.

Word again came from Isaiah. Now God had something to say to the Assyrians that He wanted Hezekiah to hear. These mockers of God were despised by the Lord's people, and they would deal now with the Almighty who had established every dominion known to man. Assyria had power because the God of Israel had ordained it long ago. God knew all about the enemies of His people, and He had heard their raging against Him. Therefore they would be dragged home before they caused any more trouble. The people of Judah would yet have more years of peace, and God would bring an elect remnant out of Judah. Sennacherib would never be able to stop the Lord's plans.

The determination of God was this: Though Sennacherib might boast that he had trapped Hezekiah like a bird in a cage, the Assyrian king would not enter Jerusalem. By the way that the enemy armies came they would now go back to Assyria. An angel would destroy thousands within the Assyrian forces, and Sennacherib would return to Nineveh, where his own sons would take away his life.

What a turnaround! Yet it would pale in comparison to what would happen to Jesus centuries later. A powerful and unruly mob shouted, “Crucify Him!” Their desire seemed to win the day. They thought that Jesus was defeated and shamed. Yet in the death of Christ, it was the evil commander of a demonic legion of rebellious angels who would be publicly humiliated. The Son of God atoned for our sins, and He would soon rise from the grave in the greatest vindication known to man. His loud cries and tears from Gethsemane and Calvary were heard. His people were saved from the threatening foe, and the door to the eternal city of God was opened for a vast multitude. Now He lives and reigns above. We can have confidence in Him. We need not fall for the boasts of a powerful Sennacherib. We can stand again today in the strength of our Savior.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Our Father, in the day of His earthly ministry, Your Son Jesus Christ turned to You in faith continually. You heard His cries. He was not afraid of the words of men. He trusted You. By His life and death, our deliverance was accomplished. We thank You for the mercy of the cross. We will not believe the lies of the adversary who came against Your Son so long ago. He was defeated through the same cross that became our salvation. We will not listen to the words of men who would mock You. Hear from on high and help us. Your Son takes our prayers and perfects them. He intercedes for us. You will surely glorify Your own Name. The proud boasts of Your adversaries will be utterly overthrown. You are able to capture every enemy. We shall be a band of survivors, though men succeed at taking our lives. What can they do to us? We will surely be in Your blessed presence forever.

Isaiah 36

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Isaiah 36 and the three chapters that follow provide the reader with an informative historical interlude from the reign of Hezekiah. Hezekiah was a good king in Judah in the days when both Israel and Judah were threatened by the power of the Assyrian empire. Israel fell to this foe from the east, and much of Judah also suffered from Assyrian domination, but Hezekiah and Jerusalem were spared the final indignity of the destruction of the city where David and his descendants once reigned. Jerusalem would instead fall by the hand of the Babylonians more than a century later.

Sennacherib was the king of Assyria in Hezekiah’s day, and he sent a high official to bring a message from the head of the empire to Hezekiah and to the people of Jerusalem. His visit took place after the other fortified cities of Judah had already been captured. The high official, called here the Rabshakeh, came to Jerusalem with a large army. He came to a public place where the officials of Judah and the populace as a whole could hear his message, and he spoke in the language of the common man.

What message did the Rabshakeh bring? Those who seek to deceive the people of the Lord in any age do not speak pure lies, or they would be more easily dismissed. They try to catch people in the net of despair with the bait of half-truths.

First, the true part: Sennacherib was indeed a powerful man as the king of Assyria, and mere words would not save people from the kind of military danger they faced at that time. Also, the people of Judah did have a tendency to place their trust in foreign alliances. God Himself had told them earlier in Isaiah that Egypt would not be able to save them from the Assyrians. Further, Hezekiah had in fact removed some places of worship where the people had turned for help in the past. Judah was vastly outnumbered by the Assyrians. The Lord God was certainly involved in directing foreign powers to come up against His own people. As the Rabshakeh insisted, it was not just the leaders who were in danger from the Assyrians, but a fight against Sennacherib and a siege against Jerusalem would very likely mean starvation and disease for the people who would try to survive that assault from within the city. Finally, the other nations, including Israel and Samaria, had found resistance to the Assyrians futile, and their local gods that they worshiped had not been able to deliver them from the Assyrians, who had plans to eventually resettle the remaining people of Judah in other places. All of this was true.

What then was untrue? The Rabshakeh suggested that to trust in the Lord would not work for the people of Judah. This was a wicked falsehood. He tried to suggest that the Lord was in the same category as the idols of the nations, again a horrible deception. Not all approaches to supposed gods need to be seen as equal. The gods of the nations were idols and demons. The Lord Jehovah made and governed the heavens and the earth. Hezekiah had removed certain places of worship, but these were places of false devotion, not sacred spaces that God had authorized. While God had used the Assyrians and others to discipline His people, it was not God’s will to see Jerusalem destroyed at that time. Humility before God and an earnest plea to Him in faith would not be wasted breath. God would actually hear the plea of His servants.

God would deliver His people from this powerful foe in a very amazing way. We can appreciate that fact today. It was much harder for the ranking men who had to bring such a provocative message of the Assyrian official to the king of Judah in their own era. Chapter 36 closes with their evil report coming to the ears of the king in Jerusalem.

When we think of the King over the church today, we know that He also faced the challenge of half-truths and lies as Satan attempted to move Jesus in the direction of fear and sin. That serpent of old even used the words of the Bible to try to confuse God’s faithful servant. How did Jesus respond? He recognized the dishonest use of the Scriptures as a subtle attack that needed to be resisted. He fought back with the true proclamation of the Word of God. He would not yield Himself to His unclean adversary for even a moment. Instead He was utterly committed to the One against whom devils had rebelled so long ago when they first fell from their lofty heights.

Our Lord reigns as the King Supreme over the heavenly Jerusalem. He has accomplished His victory over sin and death for us by taking upon Himself the penalty for all that is unrighteous in us. We must not shrink in fear as followers of Jesus today. We need not answer the proud boasts of the devil. The Lord will rebuke him. The Almighty will give Satan His final answer one day by casting this fallen angel into a lake of fire. Our delight is that we are on the side of a righteous and powerful Ruler. He has satisfied divine justice with His own body and blood on the cross. Jesus has accomplished all that was necessary for us to experience the fullness of divine love.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Lord God, Your adversary comes against us making accusations. He would entice us away from the path of faith with deceptive words. He would sift us as wheat for our destruction. Father, You are so different from him. You bring trials to Your people for a good purpose. Your discipline of us is a part of Your merciful plan of grace. Our enemy seeks only evil. He works for our destruction. You are the Lord, and You will deliver Your Jerusalem out of his hand. 

Isaiah 35

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The northern kingdom of Israel fell to Assyria during Isaiah's lifetime. In Isaiah 35, the prophet wrote about the restoration of God’s people to the Promised Land, but he must have also been speaking of far greater promises—more than what they could have even imagined at that time. Isaiah was a herald of a New Covenant era and ultimately of the glorious arrival of the Kingdom of heaven.

We still wait, in a way, for the greatest fulfillment of these words so many hundreds of years after they were first uttered. We who have this long-standing hope are in the line of those who have trusted in God from the beginning of time. Even though we today have a firmer expectation of the future because of the appearing of the promised Messiah, yet we too need to “strengthen” our “weak hands” in the ancient promises of God.

Much more than the Old Testament faithful remnant, we should know for certain that Jesus will come again and rescue us. He has already saved us through His death and resurrection. He displayed His holy power in the first century when He opened the eyes of the blind. He unstopped deaf ears, and made the lame man leap for joy. Those who were far from Judaism, who once had no heart for the worship of Israel’s God, were made to sing a new song to Jehovah.

How could Gentiles worship God through the mediation of a Jewish Messiah? The waters of the Holy Spirit broke forth in the spiritual wilderness of lands far from Canaan.

We who live in places that were once so far away from God's people have been given the great honor of sharing in the hope of Israel. We have been put on the highway that leads to heaven. We have been freed from the bondage of sin and death. We are the ransomed of the Lord through the blood of Christ. No chains of man, or discipline of our loving Father in heaven, can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Though we may often receive news that is less triumphant than what we might desire, and though we have frequent opportunities to comfort others in their very real disappointments, even now we know something of heaven’s gladness. In Christ we are not far from the kingdom of God. All our best hopes and dreams are surely reserved for us above. We have sent our best treasures ahead of us. Our sorrows and sighing are mixed with the wonder of a love that excels all earthly joys.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Father God, we had wandered so far from You, but You have strengthened us and You have saved us by Your strong hand. We have been given new life, and streams have suddenly appeared in the desert. There is a road for us that leads to Zion, for we are Your ransomed people. Cause sorrow and sighing to flee far from us, for we are Your beloved children, and You will never forsake us.

Isaiah 34

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How many years of existence does the Lord ordain for any of the nations of this world? Even if a country with the same name continues on for centuries, is it really still the same place?

One day all the nations of the world will face the judgment of God. The destruction that was described in Isaiah 34 was massive and vivid. But it was not enough to speak of the destiny of human beings. In the day of God’s anger the very heavens will be rolled up like a scroll, and the stars will seem to fall from the sky as the order of normal life gives way to a new day at the coming of the Lord’s mighty vengeance.

Isaiah wrote about distant events that would one day be the culmination of human history. He addressed these ultimate matters in the light of the more immediate wrath of God against contemporary nations that were significant in the centuries before the coming of Christ. Why was God angry with these historic people groups? Why had He reached the point where it would seem that nothing could turn away His fury? Edom was singled out here as a representative of all the nations who would one day face “the sword of the Lord” in a coming day of vengeance. Why Edom? She had rejoiced at the discipline of God against His covenant people, and since the beginning she had hated the chosen status of Israel.

The way that anyone treated the special people of God was a most significant issue in both testaments. Saul of Tarsus would one day be confronted by the risen Christ because of his persecution of the church. He would then be redirected to bring the message of the gospel to the nations of the Lord. Some from the Gentiles would be brought into the new Israel of God, not through circumcision, but through faith in Christ. Others would be left as the rejected “Edom.” The Lord Jesus in His warning concerning the coming Day of Judgment told His disciples that it would not go well for those nations who had persecuted the church (Matthew 24 and 25). Paul made the same point in 2 Thessalonians 1 concerning those who hated the Lord’s people.

God has a jealous love for His people. He may discipline them and even use any nation as an agent of His wrath, but that nation must not dare to celebrate the shame of the Lord's chosen people. Assyria had her part to play in God's work of correction, but the Almighty would not stand for their pride, their boasting in their idols, and their unbelief and immorality.

Edom, Assyria, and the other nations of the world would soon be as nothing. God had reserved their lands as a place for wild animals. None of this should have been a surprise to anyone in Isaiah's day. They could have learned the truth of His coming judgments in the earlier Scriptures. Certainly we who have the Old and New Testaments have no excuse for ignorance.

The reigning Messiah King, Jesus Christ, will one day be a Defender against those who would treat His weak ones as their prey. The Lord will rescue His church from the clutches of her enemies. The only pathway of wisdom is for people everywhere to come to Him and find their place in the New Covenant assembly of the Almighty. Jesus Christ, the living head of God’s people, is the only Redeemer of God’s elect.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Perfect Lord, You are wonderful in Your mercy and glorious in Your justice. Your day is coming. You will not be stopped. You have a sword. You will bring this age to an end in the day of Your vengeance. You have not forgotten the church for whom Your Son gave His obedience and blood. The power and fear of the world will suddenly be nothing in that day. There will be a wonderful peace for Your servants. We read about this in Your Word and we believe. There is a place for Your people that can never be taken away. From generation to generation we will dwell in Immanuel’s land.

Isaiah 33

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In Isaiah 33, God addressed Assyria as a “destroyer” and a “traitor.” But the Lord announced that this destroyer would be “destroyed,” and this traitor would be “betrayed.”

Any nation may have its day according to the sovereign plan of the Lord, but like all the powers that have come before it, every empire will come and will go. Nations rise and fall. It is the God of Israel who controls all their affairs with His mighty hand. Happy are those who know this and who wait for His grace. He will be their mighty arm and their salvation in times of trouble.

Isaiah's words are very relevant for the spiritual warfare of the church in the New Testament age. We who believe in Jesus Christ need His help every day. We would be so easily diverted from the calling of God were He not our continual Helper.

One day the Lord will sound His war cry and all of His adversaries will have to flee. He will come with legions of angels. He will cleanse the church of all wickedness, purify us from all sin, and fill us with heavenly treasures. Though for now the destroyer may seem to enjoy a victory against the people of God, the ultimate plans of the Almighty shall never be overturned. The enemies of God's covenant people will be brought to shame.

There was only one Man who could pass through the “everlasting burnings” from the fire of the Almighty and then live again. He is our righteous Savior. Those who believe in Him will behold His great beauty in “a land that stretches afar.” The proud man will not be able to dwell there. Only the humble servant of the Lord will be safe in that place.

One day our eyes will see heaven! The King of the land will be with us always. He will watch over the weak and will never let us be destroyed. Come soon, Lord Jesus! Establish your kingdom forever. We trust you, and we wait for you.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Father God, we were wandering and we did not even know it. There was a destroyer who was troubling us, and we thought for a moment that he was a friend. We fear You, and we remember You. We look around Your church and we see that the land is mourning. Rise up and be exalted. Take away our godlessness, and help us to remember the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ who gave His life for us. He dwells on high. We will behold Him in His beauty. The day of the hateful adversary will be gone, and there will be perfect peace and provision in Your holy Jerusalem. You are the Lord, and You will keep us. We will have glorious health and the fullest restoration in Your presence.

Isaiah 32

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We live in a world where the gift of a good leader may only last as long as his current term in office. The one who replaces him may work just as hard to destroy what his predecessor carefully built up. Sometimes we do not even have to wait for a new person to replace an old one to see the destruction of a good enterprise. A power struggle can reveal critical differences in goals and tactics between two strong individuals in any endeavor. It is one of the great beauties of the Godhead that there will never be a disagreement of any kind between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

There is much good that can come from an excellent king. A ruler who will lead in righteousness is a point of stability and protection in a place of shifting sands. The King that God has provided for the church is more than just a good leader. He gives sight and hearing. He helps us to know what really matters, and He showers us with gifts from heaven. After He made atonement for our sins, He ascended into heaven and sent His church many blessings that are most essential for the fulfillment of His kingdom plan.

Isaiah spoke with disdain about the women who were at ease in Zion. They seemed to only care about drinking. God gave wine to gladden the heart of man, but we do not live for wine, and our greatest achievement is not in acquiring knowledge about mixed drinks. Man longs for a joy that will not end in a hangover. We need a happiness that will not turn to panic when the grape harvest fails. The answer for us is in the gift of the Spirit of God. As the apostle Paul says to the Ephesian church, “Do not be drunk with wine, but be filled with the Spirit.”

Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity, is the King of the church. The third person of the Godhead is the Spirit of God, who is most necessary for the reign of our King. True spiritual blessings can only come from the Spirit.

Our King is mighty. He reigns in perfect righteousness. The Spirit of God poured on us from on high is also powerful. He can turn a wilderness of broken, bruised, and weary people into new creatures in Christ who yield choice fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. No law can produce these blessings.

One of the wonders of the Lord’s perfect reign in our lives is that there is a complete agreement in all things between the divine King and the divine Spirit. We praise both. We receive both. They have no power struggle, but together with the Father, they are one God eternally. We will have quietness and security forever in the kingdom of the Lord. The dominion of our King and the blessings of the Spirit will never end.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Great God, we praise You for Your Son, our King who reigns in righteousness. He has displayed His power. He opened the eyes of the blind. He provided food for the hungry. He planned and accomplished noble things. This Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Now He is at Your right hand. He is powerful to save. Pour out Your Spirit from on high. Bring fruitfulness, righteousness, and love to us in our misery and sadness. We long to dwell in Your eternal peace. Conquer our fears even now and bless us with the security of a more solid faith.