Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent a message to Hezekiah: "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Because you have prayed to Me concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria, Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent a message to HezekiahThe phrase begins with "Then," indicating a sequence of events following Hezekiah's prayer. "Isaiah son of Amoz" identifies the prophet, a key figure in delivering God's messages. Isaiah's role as a prophet is crucial, as he serves as a divine intermediary. Historically, prophets were God's chosen messengers, often tasked with delivering challenging truths. "Sent a message" underscores the importance of communication between God and His people, facilitated by His prophets. "To Hezekiah" highlights the personal nature of God's response, emphasizing that God hears and responds to individual prayers. saying, 'This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says
"Saying" introduces the divine message, underscoring the authority of the words that follow. "This is what the LORD" asserts the origin of the message, affirming its divine authority. "The LORD" (YHWH) is the covenant name of God, reminding the Israelites of His eternal and unchanging nature. "The God of Israel" emphasizes the special relationship between God and His chosen people, Israel. This phrase reassures Hezekiah and the people of Judah of God's commitment to them, despite the threats they face. Because you have prayed to Me
"Because" introduces the reason for God's response, highlighting the cause-and-effect relationship between Hezekiah's actions and God's intervention. "You have prayed" emphasizes the power and importance of prayer. Hezekiah's prayer is a model of faith and reliance on God, demonstrating that sincere prayer can move the heart of God. "To Me" underscores the personal nature of prayer, as it is directed to God Himself, not to idols or false gods. This phrase reassures believers that God is attentive to their prayers. concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria
"Concerning" specifies the subject of Hezekiah's prayer, which is the threat posed by Sennacherib. "Sennacherib king of Assyria" identifies the antagonist, a powerful ruler known for his military conquests. Historically, Assyria was a dominant empire, and Sennacherib's campaign against Judah was a significant threat. This phrase highlights the dire situation faced by Hezekiah and the people of Judah, underscoring the miraculous nature of God's intervention. It serves as a reminder that no earthly power is beyond God's control. Persons / Places / Events 1. IsaiahA major prophet in the Old Testament, son of Amoz, who served as a messenger of God to the people of Judah and Jerusalem. He played a crucial role in advising King Hezekiah during the Assyrian threat. 2. HezekiahThe king of Judah who reigned during a time of great threat from the Assyrian Empire. Known for his faithfulness to God, he sought divine intervention through prayer. 3. SennacheribThe king of Assyria, known for his military campaigns and attempts to conquer Judah. His invasion posed a significant threat to Jerusalem. 4. The LORD, the God of IsraelThe covenant God of Israel, who responds to the prayers of His people and acts on their behalf. 5. AssyriaA powerful empire during the time of Hezekiah, known for its military might and conquests, including its campaign against Judah. Teaching Points The Power of PrayerHezekiah's example demonstrates the importance of turning to God in times of crisis. Prayer is a powerful tool for believers, inviting God's intervention in our lives. God's FaithfulnessThe response from God through Isaiah underscores His faithfulness to those who seek Him. God hears and answers the prayers of His people. Leadership and FaithHezekiah's leadership is marked by his reliance on God. Leaders today can learn from his example by prioritizing prayer and seeking divine guidance. Trust in God's SovereigntyDespite the overwhelming threat from Assyria, Hezekiah trusted in God's sovereignty. Believers are encouraged to trust in God's control over all circumstances. The Role of ProphetsIsaiah's role as a prophet highlights the importance of God's messengers in delivering His word and guidance. Prophets in the Bible often provided direction and hope during challenging times. Bible Study Questions 1. How does Hezekiah's response to the Assyrian threat model a faithful approach to crisis management for believers today? 2. In what ways does Isaiah 37:21 demonstrate the importance of prayer in the life of a believer? How can we apply this in our daily lives? 3. How does the account of Hezekiah and Sennacherib in Isaiah 37 relate to the New Testament teachings on prayer and faith? 4. What can we learn from God's response to Hezekiah's prayer about His character and His relationship with His people? 5. How can the account of Hezekiah and the Assyrian threat encourage us to trust in God's sovereignty in our own challenging situations? Connections to Other Scriptures 2 Kings 19This chapter parallels Isaiah 37 and provides additional context to the events surrounding Hezekiah's prayer and God's response through Isaiah. 2 Chronicles 32Offers another account of Hezekiah's reign, emphasizing his faith and God's deliverance from the Assyrian threat. Philippians 4:6-7Encourages believers to present their requests to God through prayer, similar to Hezekiah's approach in seeking divine help. James 5:16Highlights the power of prayer, reinforcing the effectiveness of Hezekiah's prayer in bringing about God's intervention. People Adrammelech, Amoz, Assyrians, David, Eliakim, Esarhaddon, Haran, Hezekiah, Isaiah, Rabshakeh, Sennacherib, Sharezer, Shebna, TirhakahPlaces Ararat, Arpad, Assyria, Cush, Egypt, Gozan, Hamath, Haran, Hena, Ivvah, Jerusalem, Lachish, Lebanon, Libnah, Mount Zion, Nineveh, Rezeph, Sepharvaim, Telassar, Tigris-Euphrates Region, ZionTopics Amoz, Asshur, Assyria, Ears, Hast, Hezekiah, Hezeki'ah, Isaiah, Message, Prayed, Prayer, Saying, Says, Sennacherib, Sennach'erib, Thus, WhereasDictionary of Bible Themes Isaiah 37:21-22 7270 Zion, as a place Isaiah 37:21-24 5893 insults Isaiah 37:21-29 5776 achievement Isaiah 37:21-38 5800 blasphemy Library Where to Carry Troubles
And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up unto the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord.'--ISAIAH xxxvii. 14. When Hezekiah heard the threatenings of Sennacherib's servants, he rent his clothes and went into the house of the Lord, and sent to Isaiah entreating his prayers. When he received the menacing letter, his faith was greater, having been heartened by Isaiah's assurances. So he then himself appealed to Jehovah, spreading …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureThe Triumph of Faith
'And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up unto the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord. 15. And Hezekiah prayed unto the Lord, saying, 16. O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, Thou art the God, even Thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: Thou hast made heaven and earth. 17. Incline Thine ear, O Lord, and hear; open Thine eyes, O Lord, and see: and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture The First Trumpet.
The first trumpet of the seventh seal begins from the final disturbance and overthrow of the Roman idolarchy at the close of the sixth seal; and as it was to bring the first plague on the empire, now beginning to fall, it lays waste the third part of the earth, with a horrible storm of hail mingled with fire and blood; that is, it depopulates the territory and people of the Roman world, (viz. the basis and ground of its universal polity) with a terrible and bloody irruption of the northern nations, …
Joseph Mede—A Key to the Apocalypse The Power of Assyria at Its Zenith; Esarhaddon and Assur-Bani-Pal
The Medes and Cimmerians: Lydia--The conquest of Egypt, of Arabia, and of Elam. As we have already seen, Sennacherib reigned for eight years after his triumph; eight years of tranquillity at home, and of peace with all his neighbours abroad. If we examine the contemporary monuments or the documents of a later period, and attempt to glean from them some details concerning the close of his career, we find that there is a complete absence of any record of national movement on the part of either Elam, …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 8 The Golden Eagle is Cut to Pieces. Herod's Barbarity when He was Ready to Die. He Attempts to Kill Himself. He Commands Antipater to be Slain.
1. Now Herod's distemper became more and more severe to him, and this because these his disorders fell upon him in his old age, and when he was in a melancholy condition; for he was already seventy years of age, and had been brought by the calamities that happened to him about his children, whereby he had no pleasure in life, even when he was in health; the grief also that Antipater was still alive aggravated his disease, whom he resolved to put to death now not at random, but as soon as he should …
Flavius Josephus—The Wars of the Jews or History of the Destruction of Jerusalem Christ Rightly and Properly Said to have Merited Grace and Salvation for Us.
1. Christ not only the minister, but also the author and prince of salvation. Divine grace not obscured by this mode of expression. The merit of Christ not opposed to the mercy of God, but depends upon it. 2. The compatibility of the two proved by various passages of Scripture. 3. Christ by his obedience truly merited divine grace for us. 4. This grace obtained by the shedding of Christ's blood, and his obedience even unto death. 5. In this way he paid our ransom. 6. The presumptuous manner in which …
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion The Harbinger
The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD , make straight in the desert a high-way for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain. And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. T he general style of the prophecies is poetical. The inimitable simplicity which characterizes every …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1 A Discourse of the House and Forest of Lebanon
OF THE HOUSE OF THE FOREST OF LEBANON. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. That part of Palestine in which the celebrated mountains of Lebanon are situated, is the border country adjoining Syria, having Sidon for its seaport, and Land, nearly adjoining the city of Damascus, on the north. This metropolitan city of Syria, and capital of the kingdom of Damascus, was strongly fortified; and during the border conflicts it served as a cover to the Assyrian army. Bunyan, with great reason, supposes that, to keep …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 The Holy City; Or, the New Jerusalem:
WHEREIN ITS GOODLY LIGHT, WALLS, GATES, ANGELS, AND THE MANNER OF THEIR STANDING, ARE EXPOUNDED: ALSO HER LENGTH AND BREADTH, TOGETHER WITH THE GOLDEN MEASURING-REED EXPLAINED: AND THE GLORY OF ALL UNFOLDED. AS ALSO THE NUMEROUSNESS OF ITS INHABITANTS; AND WHAT THE TREE AND WATER OF LIFE ARE, BY WHICH THEY ARE SUSTAINED. 'Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God.'-Psalm 87:3 'And the name of the city from that day shall be, THE LORD IS THERE.'-Ezekiel 48:35 London: Printed in the year 1665 …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 The Prophet Amos.
GENERAL PRELIMINARY REMARKS. It will not be necessary to extend our preliminary remarks on the prophet Amos, since on the main point--viz., the circumstances under which he appeared as a prophet--the introduction to the prophecies of Hosea may be regarded as having been written for those of Amos also. For, according to the inscription, they belong to the same period at which Hosea's prophetic ministry began, viz., the latter part of the reign of Jeroboam II., and after Uzziah had ascended the …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament Concerning the Lord's Supper
There are two passages which treat in the clearest manner of this subject, and at which we shall look,--the statements in the Gospels respecting the Lord's Supper, and the words of Paul. (1 Cor. xi.) Matthew, Mark, and Luke agree that Christ gave the whole sacrament to all His disciples; and that Paul taught both parts of it is so certain, that no one has yet been shameless enough to assert the contrary. Add to this, that according to the relation of Matthew, Christ did not say concerning the bread, …
Martin Luther—First Principles of the Reformation Divine Support and Protection
[What shall we say then to these things?] If God be for us, who can be against us? T he passions of joy or grief, of admiration or gratitude, are moderate when we are able to find words which fully describe their emotions. When they rise very high, language is too faint to express them; and the person is either lost in silence, or feels something which, after his most laboured efforts, is too big for utterance. We may often observe the Apostle Paul under this difficulty, when attempting to excite …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2 Isaiah
CHAPTERS I-XXXIX Isaiah is the most regal of the prophets. His words and thoughts are those of a man whose eyes had seen the King, vi. 5. The times in which he lived were big with political problems, which he met as a statesman who saw the large meaning of events, and as a prophet who read a divine purpose in history. Unlike his younger contemporary Micah, he was, in all probability, an aristocrat; and during his long ministry (740-701 B.C., possibly, but not probably later) he bore testimony, as …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Isaiah 37:21 NIVIsaiah 37:21 NLTIsaiah 37:21 ESVIsaiah 37:21 NASBIsaiah 37:21 KJV
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