Bible

Today in the Bible room, we’re marking the one-year anniversary of our weekly Bible summaries, and we are reading Session 4 in Isaiah, chapters 34 through 44.

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Isaiah – Session 4 of 6

Chapter 34. Anger

The Lord speaks his anger with all the nations:

• He is furious with all their armies;
• He will destroy them in a great blood bath;
• He will execute a vicious slaughter in Edom;
• He will defend Judah against all enemies;
• The vengeance of the Lord will cover the land;
• Judah will possess forever all the land He has given them.

Chapter 35. Excellent

God has an excellent future planned for His people:

• Even the desert shall bloom as the rose;
• Every ailment of His people will be healed;
• Waters shall come forth as streams in the desert;
• There will be a road called the Highway of Holiness;
• Only the redeemed shall walk this road;
• There will be only joy and gladness;
• As all sorrow and sighing will disappear.

Chapter 36. Confrontation

Isaiah records a serious confrontation between two kings:

• Hezekiah is in his fourteenth year as king at Jerusalem;
• The Assyrian ruler, King Sennacherib, decides to
• Face off against the ruler of Judah, King Hezekiah;
• The Assyrians have already overrun the cities of Judah;
• And now they are ready to attack the capital, Jerusalem;
• The Assyrian army approaches the wall of Jerusalem;
• On behalf of Sennacherib, the commander wants to talk;
• He tells Hezekiah’s representatives to pay the tax they owe;
• And, if they pay, the Assyrians will give them 2,000 horses;
• He also tells them not to trust in Egypt for their defense;
• He says Hezekiah’s army is no match for the Assyrians;
• And Hezekiah’s God will not deliver him from this attack;
• The men of Jerusalem do not answer these threats,
• But they go tell Hezekiah everything they have heard.

Chapter 37. Answers

Isaiah is asked for his help, he goes to God in prayer, and gets an answer:

• Hezekiah hears the bad news from the messengers;
• He is distraught, tears his clothes, puts on his sackcloth;
• Then he goes to the temple to meet members of his staff;
• They all put on their sackcloth and wait for the king;
• Hezekiah tells them to go find Isaiah, the prophet of God;
• They must ask him to pray for those who remain in Jerusalem;
• Perhaps Isaiah’s God has heard the threats of the Assyrians;
• Isaiah gets his answer from God and relays it to Hezekiah;
• He tells his men to tell Hezekiah not to worry about the future;
• He says God is going to tell Sennacherib to go on home,
• And when he gets there, he will be killed by his own family;
• Well, the Assyrian envoys have heard about Isaiah’s prayer;
• So, they go tell Sennacherib what Isaiah has said;
• The Assyrian king is irate and sends a message to Hezekiah;
• He tells him not to be fooled, he can just look around him;
• Assyria has captured every city: God will not save them;
• Hezekiah decides he will go to God in prayer himself;
• At the temple he lays out the message from Sennacherib;
• He describes their needs and his requests of God;
• And ends with “So everyone will know You alone are God”;
• God’s answer to Hezekiah’s prayer is sent to Isaiah;
• The prophet sends a message to the king:
• First, the Lord tells Hezekiah how bad he has been;
• And all the wrong things he has done, the list is long;
• But the Lord says because Hezekiah has prayed to Him;
• He will answer his prayer and He will defend Jerusalem;
• That night an angel of the Lord visits the Assyrian camp;
• The next morning there are 185,000 dead enemy soldiers;
• Sennacherib decides to go home to Nineveh;
• There, he is killed by his sons while he worships his god.

Chapter 38. Prayer

King Hezekiah learns that he has a terminal illness, his passing is near:

• Isaiah brings this news to the king; suggests he get ready;
• By experience, he knows the power of prayer to the Lord;
• Weeping bitter tears he turns toward the wall, and prays;
• Again, Isaiah receives the Lord’s answer for the king;
• He tells him the Lord has seen his tears, and heard his prayer;
• He will add fifteen years to the king’s life;
• And, Jerusalem will be protected from the Assyrians;
• As a sign from God, the sun moves ten degrees on the dial;
• Later, Hezekiah writes about his illness and recovery;
• He tells how sick he was, and that he was sure he was dying;
• He recounts how much he prayed, and what he prayed for;
• And how he had asked the Lord to extend his life;
• He prays further thanking the Lord for his healing;
• Isaiah had prescribed they should make a poultice of figs;
• Put it on the sore, and the king will be healed;
• Hezekiah asks, and receives, the sign he had prayed for.    

Chapter 39. Hospitality

The king of Babylon sends greetings to Hezekiah:

• He had heard about Hezekiah being ill and recovering;
• Two sons of the Babylonian king visit Jerusalem;
• Hezekiah honors them with his hospitality;
• He shows them everything of value there is in Jerusalem;
• They see all the armory and weapons of war, everything;
• Isaiah inquires of Hezekiah about these visitors;
• The king tells the prophet who they are, where they’re from;
• He tells Isaiah about giving them a grand tour of Jerusalem;
• Isaiah tells the king he will regret his too much hospitality;
• He tells him all his family will end up being taken to Babylon;
• King Hezekiah is just thankful he will finish his life in peace.

Chapter 40. Crying

The voice of one crying in the wilderness:

• Prepare the way for the Lord; make a straight way for God;
• The voice said: “Cry out!”
• And he said “What shall I cry?” All flesh is grass;
• But the Word of our God stands forever;
• Say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!”
• Even the youths will be tired;
• But they that wait upon the Lord, shall renew their strength;
• They shall soar like eagles, run, and not grow tired;
• They shall walk and not faint.

Chapter 41. Chosen

Isaiah writes that God’s people are a chosen people:

• You are My servant; I have chosen you;
• Fear not, for I am with you;
• Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
• I will strengthen you.
• Yes, I will help you.
• I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

Chapter 42. Justice

The Lord announces His Elect One who will bring justice to the Gentiles:

• He will not rest until He has brought justice to the world;
• Sing the Lord’s praises over all the earth;
• God’s people have been disobedient to His Law;
• They have sinned against Him;
• They have not followed His ways.

Chapter 43. Redeemed

The Lord tells His people to have no fear, He has redeemed them:

• He says, I am the Lord your God, and I have loved you;
• But you have not obeyed with sacrifices to the Lord;
• The Lord is very disappointed with the sin of His people;
• But the Lord says He will not remember those sins.

Chapter 44. Chosen

God has chosen Israel as His special people:

• Again, the Lord tells His people to have no fear;
• He says He will pour water on him who is thirsty;
• He says He is the First and the Last;
• Idolatry is so foolish: just examine the process;
• A man plants a tree, the rain waters it, he sees it grow;
• He cuts it down, burns part of it to warm himself;
• Over this same fire he bakes some bread, roasts a roast;
• Makes himself a meal to satisfy his hunger;
• What’s left of the tree, he carves into an image;
• And falls down before it, worships it, calls it his god;
• He prays to it and asks it to help him;
• Why would a man fall down before a block of wood?
• His deceived heart has made him unable to think;
• The Lord tells His people to return to Him;
• They should sing with joy for He has redeemed them;
• The Lord confirms He will restore Judah and Jerusalem.

End of Session 4 of 6 of the book of Isaiah