Lesson #32

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RETURN TO THE LIST OF LESSONS

ISAIAH 36-37
Lesson #32
GOD’S GREAT MIRACLE AT LASCHISH

• MEMORY VERSE: PSALMS 126:3

 

• ISA 36 – 39 IS A SECTION CALLED “THE HISTORIC INTERLUDE”
• RATHER THAN FUTURE PROPHECY, IT TELLS US HISTORY OF THE PAST THAT OCCURRED DURING THE DAYS OF THE REIGN OF GOOD KING HEZEKIAH
• WHY IS THIS HISTORIC SECTION PUT IN BETWEEN THE FIRST HALF OF THE BOOK THAT COVERS GOD’S JUDGMENT AND GOVERNMENT, AND THE LAST HALF OF THE BOOK THAT COVERS GOD’S GRACE AND SALVATION?
  • WE CAN DISCOVER GREAT SPIRITUAL TRUTHS IN HISTORIC SECTIONS OF THE BIBLE IF WE LOOK AT THEM WITH THE EYE OF FAITH.
    • THE EVENTS IN THESE FEW CHAPTERS ARE RECORDED 3 TIMES IN THE BIBLE, SO THEY MUST BE IMPORTANT. (2KINGS 18-19)
• THREE MARVELOUS MIRACLES ARE RECORDED IN THIS SECTION.
  • =1= THE FIRST HALF OF THE BOOK CONCERNED THE FEAR OF THE COMING OF THE ASSYRIAN EMPIRE.
  • =2= THE LAST HALF OF THE BOOK CONCERNS THE COMING OF THE BABYLONIAN EMPIRE.
  • =3= THEREFORE, THE HISTORIC INTERLUDE IS A TRANSITION BETWEEN THESE TWO LARGER SECTIONS.

• THE ASSYRIAN’S GREAT VICTORY AT LACHISH

• LITTLE ISRAEL WAS CAUGHT BETWEEN A BIG THREE-WAY POWER STRUGGLE AT THAT TIME IN HISTORY.
  • THERE WAS THE GROWING AGGRESSIVENESS OF THE ASSYRIAN EMPIRE.
  • THERE WAS THE OLD EGYPTIAN EMPIRE FADING BECAUSE OF INTERNAL STRUGGLES.
  • THERE WAS THE RISING BABYLONIAN EMPIRE.
• THIS POWER STRUGGLE AT TIMES BROKE OUT INTO REGIONAL WARS. AT OTHER TIMES IT WAS LIKE A COLD WAR. THESE 3 GREAT POWERS HAD A BIG INFLUENCE ON LITTLE ISRAEL CULTURALLY AND SPIRITUALLY THROUGH TRADE, INTERMARRIAGE, AND WARFARE.
  • ISRAEL IMPORTED HEATHEN WORSHIP, CULT SYMBOLS, PAGAN ART, ETC. EVEN GOOD KING HEZEKIAH WAS NOT IMMUNE. KING HEZEKIAH’S SEAL IS AN EXAMPLE. IT USES A WINGED EGYPTIAN BEETLE PUSHING A MUD BALL. THIS IS A PAGAN SYMBOL OF AN EGYPTIAN GOD.
• IN 701 BC KING SENNACHERIB OF ASSYRIA LAID SIEGE TO THE JUDEAN CITY OF LACHISH.

• READ ISAIAH 36 THE IMPORTANT BATTLE LASCHISH
  • THIS ATTACK BY ASSYRIA WAS A BOLD MOVE AGAINST THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM BECAUSE LACHISH WAS ONE OF JUDAH’S STRONGHOLDS. KING SENNACHERIB WON THIS BATTLE.
  • THIS ATTACK ISOLATED KING HEZEKIAH INSIDE THE CITY OF JERUSALEM.
    • SENNACHERIB’S COMMENT ABOUT KING HEZEKIAH’S SITUATION WAS, “HE HIMSELF IS SHUT UP LIKE A CAGED BIRD.”
    • KING HEZEKIAH WAS SO DEMORALIZED BY THIS DEFEAT THAT JUDAH PROMISED TO PAY TRIBUTE TO KING SENNACHERIB–30 TALENTS OF GOLD AND 300 TALENTS OF SILVER. (2KINGS 18:13-16 2CHR 32)
  • A FEW YEARS LATER KING HEZEKIAH REBELLED AGAINST PAYING TRIBUTE AND SENNACHERIB ATTACKED LACHISH AGAIN TOTALLY DESTROYING THE CITY. (2KINGS 18:17-25 2KINGS 19)
    • THE ASSYRIAN FIELD COMMANDER, RAB-SHAKEH, SET UP CAMP AROUND JERUSALEM AS A THREAT. HE MET HEZEKIAH AT THE AQUEDUCT OF THE UPPER POOL, ON THE ROAD TO THE FULLER’S FIELD. YOU WILL REMEMBER THIS LOCATION FROM ISA 7:3 WHERE KING AHAZ REFUSED TO BELIEVE ISAIAH’S MESSAGE.
    • RAB-SHAKEH ASKED HEZEKIAH AND THE PEOPLE OF JUDAH TO SURRENDER. WHEN THEY DIDN’T’, HE ASKS , “IN WHAT ARE YOU TRUSTING?” (36:4)
      • FIND THE 7 TIMES THE WORD “TRUST” IS USED IN THE KING JAMES (4-15)
        • VS. 4, VS. 5, 2 IN VS. 6, VS. 7, VS. 9, VS. 15.
      • IN WHAT 4 BLASPHEMOUS THINGS DID HE SAY JUDAH WAS FOOLISHLY TRUSTING?
        • EMPTY TREATIES
        • MILITARY POWER
        • DIPLOMATIC POWER
        • OTHER NATIONS
    • THE SUBTLETY OF “PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE” (36:10-11)

• RAB-SHAKEH SHOUTS HIS MESSAGE TO THE WALLS OF JERUSALEM. THE ASSYRIAN COMMANDER SUGGESTS THAT GOD IS ON THEIR SIDE AGAINST JUDAH.
  • HE RECOGNIZES THAT GOD IS PUNISHING THE ISRAELITES AND IS USING ASSYRIA TO BRING THAT PUNISHMENT.
  • THEREFORE, GOD MUST BE ON THE SIDE OF ASSYRIA.
  • IF ALL ISRAEL’S FOREIGN GODS COULD NOT SAVE ISRAEL, WHY DID THEY THINK THEIR GOD WOULD?
• THE SOLDIERS ON THE WALL COULD HEAR THE COMMANDER SHOUT THESE THINGS. (11) IT WAS LIKE PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE THAT SEEKS TO PLANT DOUBTS AND CREATE DISCOURAGEMENT.
  • IF WE LOOK AT THIS THROUGH THE EYE OF FAITH, WE SEE THAT THESE ARE SATAN’S TACTICS EXACTLY LIKE THOSE HE USES AGAINST INDIVIDUAL CHRISTIANS.
    • HE CREATES DOUBT IN GOD, AND DOUBT IN SELF WORTH.

• THE CITIES OF 36:19:
  • IT WAS FROM THESE CITIES THAT PEOPLE WERE CONQUERED BY ASSYRIA AND TRANSPORTED TO SAMARIA TO INHABIT THE NORTHERN KINGDOM OF ISRAEL.

• READ ISA 37
  • HEZEKIAH’S RESPONSE:
    • =1= HE TORE HIS CLOTHES. (1)
      • THIS ACTION SYMBOLIZES DISTRESS, MOURNING, COMPLETE REPENTANCE AND HUMILITY AT THE FEET OF THE LORD.
    • =2= HE SENT WORD TO ISAIAH. (2)
      • ISAIAH’S ENCOURAGING MESSAGE FROM GOD:
        • =1= GOD HAS HEARD THE ASSYRIAN’S BLASPHEMY AND IS AGAINST ASSYRIA.
        • =2= A RUMOR WILL CAUSE THE ASSYRIAN KING SENNACHERIB TO RETURN HOME TO HIS OWN LAND. (7)
        • =3= SENNACHERIB WILL DIE IN HIS OWN LAND. (7)
  • WHEN RAB-SHAKEH RETURN ED TO HIS CAMP OUTSIDE JERUSALEM, HE LEARNED THAT KING SENNACHERIB HAD LEFT LACHISH AND WAS GOING TO FIGHT AGAINST ANOTHER JUDEAN CITY NEARBY CALLED LIBNAH.
    • A RUMOR CAME THAT THE MAIN FORCE OF THE ASSYRIAN ARMY WAS UNDER ATTACK BY EGYPT. RAB-SHEKAH WITHDREW FROM JERUSALEM AND WENT TO LIBNAH. HOWEVER, BEFORE HE LEFT, HE SENT KING HEZEKIAH A LETTER THAT HE WOULD RETURN . (37:8-13)
  • HEZEKIAH TURNS TO GOD IN PRAYER (37:14-20)
    • HEZEKIAH’S PRAYER:
      • =1= THEY WERE TRUSTING IN A BIG GOD. HE WAS NOT JUST A LOCAL DEITY, BUT A GOD WHO CONTROLLED ALL NATIONS. HE WAS THE CREATOR. (37:15-16)
      • =2= HE CALLS ATTENTION TO THE ASSYRIAN BLASPHEMY AGAINST GOD AND HIS PEOPLE. (37:17)
      • =3= HE CALLS ATTENTION TO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HEATHEN GODS AND THE ONE TRUE GOD.
    • ANALYSIS OF HEZEKIAH’S PRAYER IN 37:14-20). WHAT SPECIFIC THINGS DO WE LEARN ABOUT A PRAYER OF FAITH?
      • PRAISE TO THE ALMIGHTY GOD THAT AFFIRMS GOD’S SUPREME POWER AND ENCOURAGES THE BELIEVER TO TRUST GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY.
      • AFFIRMS GOD’S INTERVENTION IN MAN’S AFFAIRS.
      • TRUSTS IN THE JUSTICE OF GOD.
      • APPEALS TO GOD’S REPUTATION AS A JUST, ALL POWERFUL GOD AMONG PEOPLE THAT TRUSTED IN WORTHLESS IDOLS.
        • GOD SHOULD USE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEMONSTRATE HIS SUPERIORITY.
  • WHAT 3 THINGS DOES HEZEKIAH SAY TO THE KING OF ASSYRIA IN REPLY? (37:6-7)
    • =1= (37:22,31-35)
      • GOD WILL PRESERVE A REMNANT THAT WILL ONE DAY POSSESS THE LAND AND RECEIVE GOD’S FULFILLED PROMISES.
    • =2= (37:23-29)
      • THE SOVEREIGN WILL BRING JUDGMENT ON ISRAEL’S ENEMIES EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY BE LARGER AND MIGHTIER THAN LITTLE ISRAEL.
    • =3= (37:30)
      • WITH ISRAEL’S HARD WORK AND GOD’S BLESSING, ISRAEL WILL NOT ONLY SURVIVE BUT WILL ALSO PROSPER.
  • ASSYRIA’S SIN OF PRIDE: (37:24-25)
    • THE WORDS “I” AND “MY” OCCUR 7 TIMES IN THESE TWO VERSES.
      • THIS REMINDS US OF SATAN’S PRIDE IN THE FALL OF LUCIFER.

• WHAT WAS THE MARVELOUS MIRACLE THAT SAVED THE CITY OF JERUSALEM FROM ASSYRIAN INVASION? (37:36)
  • READ 2CHR 32:21 THE ANGEL OF THE LORD
    • GOD SENT THE ANGEL OF THE LORD TO THE ASSYRIAN CAMP AND 185,000 ASSYRIANS WERE KILLED. THIS WAS THE DEFEAT OF THE ASSYRIAN ARMY FROM WHICH THEY NEVER RECOVERED.
      • WHO IS “THE ANGEL OF THE LORD”?

• SOME THINK IT IS A PRE-INCARNATE APPEARANCE OF CHRIST. SOME THINK THIS IS THE “DEATH ANGEL” THAT APPEARED IN EGYPT AT THE FIRST PASSOVER.

• SENNACHERIB RETURN ED TO NINEVEH. MEANWHILE, AN ASSASSINATION PLOT WAS UNDER WAY IN NINEVEH. A BABYLONIAN FACTION AROSE WITHIN THE ASSYRIAN EMPIRE. THEY PERSUADED SENNACHERIB’S 2 SONS TO JOIN THE BABYLONIAN REVOLT. TWENTY YEARS LATER IN 681 SENNACHERIB WAS ASSASSINATED BY HIS TWO SONS WHILE HE WORSHIPED IN A PAGAN TEMPLE.

HOMEWORK
ISAIAH 38-39
This is a self-study. Please do not send homework answers to the techer forcorrection.

• APPLICATION OF ISA 36-37
  • IDENTIFYING SATAN’S TACTICS AND UNDERSTANDING PRINCIPLES OF PRAYER WILL IMPROVE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD AS WELL AS BRING VICTORIOUS ANSWERS TO PRAYER.
    • REVIEW WHAT YOU LEARNED ABOUT BOTH OF THESE TOPICS IN THESE CHAPTERS.

• PREPARATION FOR ISA 38-39
  • READ ISA 38

• THE BASIS OF ANSWERED PRAYER IN HEZEKIAH’S DAY WAS “THE GOD OF DAVID, THY FATHER”. (38:5)
  • WHAT IS THE BASIS OF PRAYER TODAY? (FIND A SCRIPTURE TO PROVE IT.)

• WHAT SIGN DID GOD GIVE HEZEKIAH THAT HE WOULD HEAL HIM AND DELIVER JERUSALEM FROM ASSYRIA?

• READ 2CHR 32:25
  • WHAT WERE THE LAST 15 YEARS OF KING HEZEKIAH’S LIFE LIKE?

• READ ISA 39
  • WHAT DID HEZEKIAH DO THAT LACKED WISDOM AND PROMPTED THE FALL OF THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM?

• DISCUSSION: WAS HEZEKIAH RIGHT IN ASKING THE LORD TO LENGTHEN HIS LIFE? WHY OR WHY NOT?

MEMORY VERSE: ISAIAH 38:19