Isaiah 37, 2 Kings 19, Psalm 147

0:00We are reading Isaiah chapter 37, 2 Kings chapter 19, and Psalm 147, here on commuter Bible O T. If you get a little deja vu today, don't worry, the readings from today's chapters really are near perfect parallels, with only minor differentiations between them. Hearing the report about the royal messenger who insulted the Lord God and the people of Judah, Hezekiah immediately expresses a sense of mourning and loss by covering himself in sackcloth and ashes. He sends directly for Isaiah, who reports that the Lord will soon turn them around. After a second threat is spoken by the Assyrian spokesman, Hezekiah heads to the temple and prays to God. Isaiah who apparently is elsewhere sends a message of hope from the Lord to Hezekiah, promising that the Syria will go back the way they came.

1:02Isaiah chapter 37. When King Hezekiah heard their report, he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and went to the Lord's temple. He sent a liachum who was in charge of the palace, Shabna the court secretary, and the leading priests who were covered with sackcloth to the prophet Isaiah, son of Amos. They said to him, this is what Hezekiah says, today is a day of distress, rebuke, and disgrace. It is as if children have come to the point of birth and there is no strength to deliver them. Hence the Lord your God will hear all the words of the royal spokesman whom His master, the King of Assyria, sent to mock the living God and will rebuke him for the words that

2:04the Lord your God has heard. Therefore, offer a prayer for the surviving remnant. So the servants of King Hezekiah went to Isaiah who said to them, tell your master, the Lord says this, don't be afraid because of the words you have heard, with which the King of Assyria's attendance have blasphemed me. I am about to put a spirit in him and he will hear a rumor and return to his own land where I will cause him to fall by the sword. When the royal spokesman heard that the King of Assyria had pulled out of Lackish, he left and found him fighting against Libna. The King had heard concerning King Tehaka of Kush. He has set out to fight against you.

3:04So when he heard this, he sent messengers to Hezekiah saying, say this to King Hezekiah of Judah. Don't let your God on whom you rely, deceive you by promising that Jerusalem won't be handed over to the King of Assyria. Look, you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the countries. They completely destroyed them. Will you be rescued? Did the gods of the nations that my predecessors destroyed rescue them? Hosanna, Huran, Rezif and the Edenites in Talaasar. Where is the King of Hamath, the King of Arpad, the King of the city of Safarvah, Hina or Iva? Hezekiah took the letter from the messenger's hands, read it, then went up to the Lord's temple and spread it out before the Lord.

4:05Heaven has a Chia prayed to the Lord. Lord of armies, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you are God, you alone of all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the heavens and the earth. Heaven closely, Lord, and here open your eyes, Lord, and see. Hear all the words that Sinakarib has sent to mock the living God. Lord, it is true that the kings of Assyria have devastated all these countries and their lands. They have thrown their gods into the fire for they were not gods, but made from wood and stone by human hands. So they have destroyed them. Now, Lord God, save us from His power so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know

5:11that you, Lord, are God, you alone. Then Isaiah, son of Amos, sent a message to Hezekiah. The Lord, the God of Israel, says, because you prayed to me about King Sinakarib of Assyria, this is the word the Lord has spoken against him. Virgin daughters, Ion despises you and scorns you. Daughter Jerusalem shakes her head behind your back. Who is it? You have mocked and blasphemed. Most whom have you raised your voice and lifted your eyes in pride against the holy one of Israel. You have mocked the Lord through your servants. You have said, with my many chariots, I have gone up to the heights of the mountains,

6:14to the far recesses of Lebanon. I cut down its tallest cedars, its choice Cypress trees. I came to its distant heights, its densest forest. I dug wells and drank water in foreign lands. I dried up all the streams of Egypt with the souls of my feet. Have you not heard? I designed it long ago. I planned it in days gone by. I have now brought it to pass, and you have crushed fortified cities into piles of rubble. Their inhabitants have become powerless, dismayed and ashamed. They are plants of the field, tender grass, grass on the rooftops, blasted by the east wind.

7:16But I know you are sitting down, you are going out and you are coming in and you are raging against me. Because you are raging against me and your arrogance have reached my ears, I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth. I will make you go back the way you came. This will be the sign for you. This year you will eat what grows on its own, and in the second year what grows from that. But in the third year, so and reap, plant vineyards and eat their fruit. The surviving remnant of the house of Judah will again take root downward and bear fruit upward. More a remnant will go out from Jerusalem and survivors from Mount Zion. The zeal of the Lord of armies will accomplish this.

8:20Therefore, this is what the Lord says about the king of Assyria. He will not enter this city, shoot an arrow here, come before it with a shield or build a siege ramp against it. He will go back the way he came and he will not enter this city. This is the Lord's declaration. I will defend this city and rescue it for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.

9:37Then the angel of the Lord went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. When the people got up the next morning, there were all the dead bodies. So King Sinacarib of Assyria broke camp and left. He returned home and lived in Nineveh. One day while he was worshipping in the temple of his god Nisraq, his sons Adramalek and Sharesar struck him down with the sword and escaped to the land of Erirat. Then his son S.R. Haddon became king in his place.

10:40Second Kings Chapter 19 When King Hezekiah heard their report, he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth and went into the Lord's temple. He sent a layekim who was in charge of the palace, Shebna the court secretary, and the leading priests who were covered with sackcloth to the prophet Isaiah, son of Amos. They said to him, This is what Hezekiah says. Today is a day of distress, rebuke and disgrace. For children have come to the point of birth, but there is no strength to deliver them. Perhaps the Lord your god will hear all the words of the royal spokesman whom his master the king of Assyria sent to mock the living god. And will we bewke him for the words that the Lord your god has spoken?

11:41Therefore offer a prayer for the surviving remnant. So the servants of King Hezekiah went to Isaiah who said to them, Well your master, the Lord says this, Don't be afraid because of the words you have heard, with which the king of Assyria's attendance have blasphemed me. I am about to put a spirit in him, and he will hear a rumor and return to his own land, where I will cause him to fall by the sword. From the royal spokesman heard that the king of Assyria had pulled out of Lackish, he left and found him fighting against Libna. The king had heard concerning King Tirhaka of Kush. Look, he has set out to fight against you. So he again sent messengers to Hezekiah saying,

12:42Say this to King Hezekiah of Judah. Don't let your god on whom you rely deceive you by promising that Jerusalem will not be handed over to the king of Assyria. Look, you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the countries. They completely destroyed them. Will you be rescued? Did the gods of the nations that my predecessors destroyed rescue them? Even such as Gozen, Huran, Resif and the Edenites in Tulasser? Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of the city of Safarvayim, Hina or Iva? Hezekiah took the letter from the messenger's hands, read it, then went up to the Lord's temple and spread it out before the Lord.

13:42Then Hezekiah prayed before the Lord. Lord God of Israel enthroned between the cherubim. You are God, you alone of all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the heavens and the earth. Listen closely, Lord, and here. Open your eyes, Lord, and see. Do the words that Sinak Arab has sent to mock the living God? Lord, it is true that the kings of Assyria have devastated the nations and their lands. They have thrown their gods into the fire for they were not gods, but made by human hands, wood and stone. So they have destroyed them. Now, Lord our God, please save us from His power so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, Lord, are God, you alone.

14:48Then Isaiah, son of Amos, sent a message to Hezekiah. The Lord, the God of Israel says, I have heard your prayer to me about King Sinak Arab of Assyria. This is the word the Lord has spoken against him. Virgin daughter Zion despises you and scorns you. Daughter Jerusalem shakes her head behind your back. Who is it you mocked and blasphemed against whom have you raised your voice and lifted your eyes in pride against the holy one of Israel? You have mocked the Lord through your messengers. You have said, with my many chariots I have gone up to the heights of the mountains, to the far recesses of Lebanon.

15:49I cut down its tallest cedars, its choice cypress trees. I came to its farthest outpost, its densest forest. I dug wells and drank water in foreign lands. I dried up all the streams of Egypt with the souls of my feet. Have you not heard? I designed it long ago. I planted in days gone by. I have now brought it to pass, and you have crushed fortified cities into piles of rubble. Their inhabitants have become powerless, dismayed and ashamed. They are plants of the field, tender grass, grass on the rooftops, blasted by the east wind. But I know you are sitting down, you are going out, and you are coming in, and you are

16:50raging against me. Because you are raging against me and your arrogance have reached my ears, I will put my hook in your nose, and my bits in your mouth. I will make you go back the way you came. This will be the sign for you. This year you will eat what grows on its own, and in the second year what grows from that. But in the third year, so and reap, plant vineyards and eat their fruit. The surviving remnant of the house of Judah will again take root downward and bear fruit upward. For a remnant will go out from Jerusalem and survivors from Mount Zion. The zeal of the Lord of armies will accomplish this. Therefore, this is what the Lord says about the king of Assyria.

17:56He will not enter this city, shoot an arrow here, come before it with a shield, or build up a siege ramp against it. He will go back the way he came, and he will not enter this city. This is the Lord's declaration. I will defend this city and rescue it for my sake, and for the sake of my servant, David. That night, the angel of the Lord went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. When the people got up the next morning, there were all the dead bodies. So King Sinacarab of Assyria broke camp and left. He returned home and lived in Nineveh. One day, while he was worshipping in the temple of his god Nysrach, his sons, Adramalek

19:01and Sharesar struck him down with the sword and escaped to the land of Eirirat. Then his son, S.R. Haddon, became king in his place. Born 147. Hallelujah. How good it is to sing to our God for praise is pleasant and lovely. The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem. He gathers Israel's exiled people. He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds. He counts the number of the stars. He gives names to all of them. Our Lord is great, vast in power. His understanding is infinite. The Lord helps the oppressed, but brings the wicked to the ground.

20:07Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving. Play the liar to our God who covers the sky with clouds, prepares the rain for the earth and causes grass to grow on the hills. He provides the animals with their food and the young ravens what they cry for. He is not impressed by the strength of a horse. He does not value the power of a warrior. The Lord values those who fear Him. Those who put their hope in His faithful love. Result the Lord at Jerusalem. Praise your God, Zion. For He strengthens the bars of your city gates and blesses your children within you. He endows your territory with prosperity. He satisfies you with the finest wheat. He sends His command throughout the earth. His word runs swiftly.

21:09He spreads snow like wool. He scatters frost like ashes. He throws His hailstones like crumbs who can withstand His cold. He sends His word and melts them. He unleashes His winds and the water flows. He declares His word to Jacob, His statutes and judgments to Israel. He has not done this for every nation. They do not know His judgments. Hallelujah. Today's episode was narrated and orchestrated by me, John Ross, and co-produced by the Christian Standard Vital. Thanks for listening and remember to trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not rely on your own understanding. In all your ways, note Him and He will make your paths straight.