Memory Verses

And the effect of righteousness will be peace, And the result of righteousness will be quietness and confident trust forever. Isaiah 32:17 AMP

Key people

Here is a list of key people found in today’s reading (in order of appearance) with bios from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Isaiah. The 8th-century BC Israelite prophet after whom the Book of Isaiah is named.

Today’s Devotional Reading: Isaiah 32 – 37

Isaiah 32 Amplified Version (AMP)
Isaiah 33 Amplified Version (AMP)
Isaiah 34 Amplified Version (AMP)
Isaiah 35 Amplified Version (AMP)
Isaiah 36 Amplified Version (AMP)
Isaiah 36 Amplified Version (AMP)

From Matthew Henry’s Commentary

This chapter seems to be such a prophecy of the reign of Hezekiah as amounts to an abridgment of the history of it, and this with an eye to the kingdom of the Messiah, whose government was typified by the thrones of the house of David, for which reason he is so often called “the Son of David.” Here is, I. A prophecy of that good work of reformation with which he should begin his reign, and the happy influence it should have upon the people, who had been wretchedly corrupted and debauched in the reign of his predecessor, Isa. 32:1-8. II. A prophecy of the great disturbance that would be given to the kingdom in the middle of his reign by the Assyrian invasion, Isa. 32:9-14. III. A promise of better times afterwards, towards the latter end of his reign, in respect both of piety and peace (Isa. 32:15-20), which promise may be supposed to look as far forward as the days of the Messiah. (Chapter 32)

This chapter relates to the same events as the foregoing chapter, the distress of Judah and Jerusalem by Sennacherib’s invasion and their deliverance out of that distress by the destruction of the Assyrian army. These are intermixed in the prophecy, in the way of a Pindaric. Observe, I. The great distress that Judah and Jerusalem should then be brought into, Isa. 33:7-9. II. The particular frights which the sinners in Zion should then be in, Isa. 33:13, 14. III. The prayers of good people to God in this distress, Isa. 33:2. IV. The holy security which they should enjoy in the midst of this trouble, Isa. 33:15, 16. V. The destruction of the army of the Assyrians (Isa. 33:1-3), in which God would be greatly glorified, Isa. 33:5; 10-12. VI. The enriching of the Jews with the spoil of the Assyrian camp, Isa. 33:4, 23, 24. VII. The happy settlement of Jerusalem, and the Jewish state, upon this. Religion shall be uppermost (Isa. 33:6), and their civil state shall flourish, Isa. 33:17-22. This was soon fulfilled, but is written for our learning. (Chapter 33)

In this chapter we have the fatal doom of all the nations that are enemies to God’s church and people, though Edom only is mentioned, because of the old enmity of Esau to Jacob, which was typical, as much as that more ancient enmity of Cain to Abel, and flowed from the original enmity of the serpent to the seed of the woman. It is probable that this prophecy had its accomplishment in the great desolations made by the Assyrian army first, or rather by Nebuchadnezzar’s army some time after, among those nations that were neighbours to Israel and had been in some way or other injurious to them. That mighty conqueror took a pride in shedding blood, and laying countries waste, and therein, quite beyond his design, he was fulfilling what God here threatened against his and his people’s enemies. But we have reason to think it is intended as a denunciation of the wrath of God against all those who fight against the interests of his kingdom among men, that it has its frequent accomplishment in the havoc made by the wars of the nations and other desolating judgments, and will have its full accomplishment in the final dissolution of all things at the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. Here is, I. A demand of universal attention, Isa. 34:1. II. A direful scene of blood and confusion presented, Isa. 34:2-7. III. The reason given for these judgments, Isa. 34:8. IV. The continuance of this desolation, the country being made like the lake of Sodom (Isa. 34:9, 10), and the cities abandoned to wild beasts and melancholy fowls, Isa. 34:11-15. V. The solemn ratification of all this, Isa. 34:16, 17. Let us hear, and fear. (Chapter 34)

As after a prediction of God’s judgments upon the world (Isa. 24:1-23) follows a promise of great mercy to be had in store for his church (Isa. 25:1-2), so here after a black and dreadful scene of confusion in the foregoing chapter we have, in this, a bright and pleasant one, which, though it foretel the flourishing estate of Hezekiah’s kingdom in the latter part of his reign, yet surely looks as far beyond that as the prophecy in the foregoing chapter does beyond the destruction of the Edomites; both were typical, and it concerns us most to look at those things which they were typical of, the kingdom of Christ and the kingdom of heaven. When the world, which lies in wickedness, shall be laid in ruins, and the Jewish church, which persisted in infidelity, shall become a desolation, then the gospel church shall be set up and made to flourish. I. The Gentiles shall be brought into it, Isa. 35:1, 2, 7. II. The well-wishers to it, who were weak and timorous, shall be encouraged, Isa. 35:3, 4. III. Miracles shall be wrought both on the souls and on the bodies of men, Isa. 35:5, 6. IV. The gospel church shall be conducted in the way of holiness, Isa. 35:8, 9. V. It shall be brought at last to endless joys, Isa. 35:10. Thus do we find more of Christ and heaven in this chapter than one would have expected in the Old Testament. (Chapter 35).

The prophet Isaiah is, in this and the three following chapters, an historian; for the scripture history, as well as the scripture prophecy, is given by inspiration of God, and was dictated to holy men. Many of the prophecies of the foregoing chapters had their accomplishment in Sennacherib’s invading Judah and besieging Jerusalem, and the miraculous defeat he met with there; and therefore the story of this is here inserted, both for the explication and for the confirmation of the prophecy. The key of prophecy is to be found in history; and here, that we might have the readier entrance, it is, as it were, hung at the door. The exact fulfilling of this prophecy might serve to confirm the faith of God’s people in the other prophecies, the accomplishment of which was at a greater distance. Whether this story was taken from the book of the Kings and added here, or whether it was first written by Isaiah here and hence taken into the book of Kings, is not material. But the story is the same almost verbatim; and it was so memorable an event that it was well worthy to be twice recorded, 2 Kgs. 18:1–19:37; and here, and an abridgment of it likewise, 2 Chron. 32:1-33 We shall be but short in our observations upon this story here, having largely explained it there. In this chapter we have, I. The descent which the king of Assyria made upon Judah, and his success against all the defenced cities, Isa. 36:1. II. The conference he desired to have with Hezekiah, and the managers on both sides, Isa. 36:2, 3. III. Rabshakeh’s railing blasphemous speech, with which he designed to frighten Hezekiah into a submission, and persuade him to surrender at discretion, Isa. 36:4-10. IV. His appeal to the people, and his attempt to persuade them to desert Hezekiah, and so force him to surrender, Isa. 36:11-20. V. The report of this made to Hezekiah by his agents, Isa. 36:21, 22. (Chapter 36)

In this chapter we have a further repetition of the story which we had before in the book of Kings concerning Sennacherib. In the foregoing chapter we had him conquering and threatening to conquer. In this chapter we have him falling, and at last fallen, in answer to prayer, and in fulfillment of many of the prophecies which we have met with in the foregoing chapters. Here we have, I. Hezekiah’s pious reception of Rabshakeh’s impious discourse, Isa. 37:1. II. The gracious message he sent to Isaiah to desire his prayers, Isa. 37:2-5. III. The encouraging answer which Isaiah sent to him from God, assuring him that God would plead his cause against the king of Assyria, Isa. 37:6, 7. IV. An abusive letter which the king of Assyria sent to Hezekiah, to the same purport with Rabshakeh’s speech, Isa. 37:8-13. V. Hezekiah’s humble prayer to God upon the receipt of this letter, Isa. 37:14-20. VI. The further full answer which God sent him by Isaiah, promising him that his affairs should shortly take a happy turn, that the storm should blow over and every thing should appear bright and serene, Isa. 37:21-35. VII. The immediate accomplishment of this prophecy in the ruin of his army (Isa. 37:36) and the murder of himself, Isa. 37:37, 38. All this was largely opened, 2 Kgs. 19:1-37 (Chapter 37)

Reflection

In Isaiah 36, Sennacherib, king of Assyria sent his Rabshakeh (military commander) with a large army to deliver a message to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. This correspondence was so grim that it prompted Hezekiah’s servants to tear their clothes in grief before delivering the message to him.

Hezekiah could have responded with immediate retaliation. But, Hezekiah was not a haughty king: he was a praying man. So, what did Hezekiah do? He went into his prayer closet in humility with the Rabshakeh’s letter and laid the paper before God.

And when King Hezekiah heard this, he tore his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth and went into the house of the Lord. Isaiah 37:1 AMP

Satan says to the servant of the Lord, Do not trust in God because your trust is in vain. This is the banner that he waives in the face of anyone whose faith is being tested. Then, he sends reinforcements to back up his claim. The Rabshakeh quoted so many times when the children of God had lost to his own people. Satan knows how to brag about the time He caught you off guard or vulnerable. He wants you to feel that your best days are over and you will be defeated again.

Hezekiah did not give in to Satan’s taunting. He knew how to create a move of God (how to get God to move in a situation).

Do not accept Satan’s paint strokes over God’s original blueprints. The enemy has altered the picture so that you cannot see the real plan. What’s real? Here is the revelation:

To be “shamed” is not the same as to to be “ashamed.”

The enemy can try to shame me because of my faith; but I will not be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The enemy tries everyday to shame people (to publicly embarrass them or make them a laughingstock, because he wants them to give up on trying to live holy; on trying to succeed; on trying to get out of poverty, out of failure, or out of defeat on any plain; and he certainly wants them to stop influencing others to believe in Jesus – this is what riles his feathers the most. The enemy is after your influence.)

To be ashamed is a personal condition that comes from within, where one feels personally guilty or personally humiliated because of their actions or associations, regardless of how anyone else feels about them. If you are ashamed of your association with God, He will be ashamed of you (Luke 9:26).

IT IS WRITTEN:

…I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me. Isaiah 49:23

When the enemy conjures a claim against your future, you must do as Hezekiah did. Stand in the way of holiness. Buckle down in prayer. The enemy wants to trap you into defeat and depression and fear based on the word of his letter. That is the purpose of his messenger.

Do not forget that God also has a messenger. You don’t need to reply in haste to the enemy. God can send a message of His own on your behalf. He is worthy of your confident trust. Though the enemy is still raising hell, God is still performing miracles. He can still do what He did in the Bible.

Through worship, we create an atmosphere where God is welcome and free to move in our lives. You are reading these words right now because God moved. More than a decade ago (2003), He moved me to “write the vision.” I have been writing ever since.

² Then the Lord answered me and said, “Write the vision And engrave it plainly on [clay] tablets So that the one who reads it will run. ³ “For the vision is yet for the appointed [future] time It hurries toward the goal [of fulfillment]; it will not fail. Even though it delays, wait [patiently] for it, Because it will certainly come; it will not delay (Habakkuk 2:2-3)

God is still bringing visions to pass in my life. I value His movement. You and I belong to God. We should invite Him to come and do what He does best because we need to experience a move of God every now and then to refresh our faith so that we do not fall into unbelief – where He will not do many works (Mark 6:5).

References

« The Amplified Bible
« The King James Bible
« Matthew Henry’s Commentary

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Image Source: 365 Seeds of Promise by Shenica Graham.

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