For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Isaiah 37:1-7

1 When King Hezekiah heard this, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and went into the temple of the Lord. 2 He sent Eliakim the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary, and the leading priests, all wearing sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz. 3 They told him, ‘This is what Hezekiah says: this day is a day of distress and rebuke and disgrace, as when children come to the moment of birth and there is no strength to deliver them. 4 It may be that the Lord your God will hear the words of the field commander, whom his master, the king of Assyria, has sent to ridicule the living God, and that he will rebuke him for the words the Lord your God has heard. Therefore pray for the remnant that still survives.’

5 When King Hezekiah’s officials came to Isaiah, 6 Isaiah said to them, ‘Tell your master, “This is what the Lord says: do not be afraid of what you have heard – those words with which the underlings of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me. 7 Listen! When he hears a certain report, I will make him want to return to his own country, and there I will have him cut down with the sword.”’

A. Find Out

1. What did Hezekiah do and where did he go? v.1
2. Who did he send where? v.2
3. How did Hezekiah describe that day? v.3
4. What did he wonder and then ask? v.4
5. What did Isaiah say should be Hezekiah’s response? v.6
6. Why? What would happen? v.7

B. Think:

1. How was Hezekiah’s response good?
2. How did it lack and needed help from Isaiah?
3. How did God say it would be resolved?

C. Comment:

The three officials have brought their report to Hezekiah who realises they are in serious trouble. He too demonstrates his anguish by tearing his clothes and pouring ashes over his head (v.1a), the traditional signs of mourning and grief. He next goes to the temple (v.1b), the place of meeting with God. This at least seems a good start.

Then he sends for the three officials and sends them to Isaiah (v.2) with a message that recognises that this day is one of rebuke and shame for Israel (v.3). He wonders if the Lord has heard what has happened and will rebuke the enemy (v.4) and he asks Isaiah to pray for them all. Hezekiah’s words (that he repeats) “the Lord YOUR God” rather suggest that his own relationship with the Lord is somewhat shallow to say the least.

When the messengers come to Isaiah (v.5) and, presumably, convey the message, Isaiah has an answer from the Lord for them (v.6). It’s all right, he says, you don’t need to be afraid of what has been said because the king is going to hear a report from his home country and I will put it in his heart to return there speedily and when he gets there he will be assassinated (v.7).

In this the Lord is going to use sinful men to deal with this ungodly king and they will bring about his death. The Lord will simply nudge the king in his mind to go home.

D. Application:

1. In trouble? Seek the Lord.
2. In trouble? Ask the Lord what He wants to do in this situation.

Passage: Isaiah 37:8-13

8 When the field commander heard that the king of Assyria had left Lachish, he withdrew and found the king fighting against Libnah.

9 Now Sennacherib received a report that Tirhakah, the king of Cush, was marching out to fight against him. When he heard it, he sent messengers to Hezekiah with this word: 10 ‘Say to Hezekiah king of Judah: do not let the god you depend on deceive you when he says, “Jerusalem will not be given into the hands of the king of Assyria.” 11 Surely you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the countries, destroying them completely. And will you be delivered? 12 Did the gods of the nations that were destroyed by my predecessors deliver them – the gods of Gozan, Harran, Rezeph and the people of Eden who were in Tel Assar? 13 Where is the king of Hamath or the king of Arpad? Where are the kings of Lair, Sepharvaim, Hena and Ivvah?’

A. Find Out

1. What happened next? v.8
2. What did the Assyrian king hear? v.9
3. What does he warn Hezekiah against? v.10
4. What does he ask him to think about? v.11
5. What did he conclude from that? v.12
6. What evidence does he have to back that? v.13

B. Think:

1. What has caused the temporary relief for Jerusalem?
2. What is the king of Assyria implying by sending the message?
3. What is the point, therefore, of the message?

C. Comment:

Isaiah has brought a word that the king of Assyria will be drawn back home and there he will be assassinated, but the events that immediately follow are not that – that WILL come later. This almost seems like a respite given by the Lord to let Hezekiah have time before Him, to more fully seek Him than he has done so far.

The first move in the relief is the commander hearing that his king has moved on and is engaged in battle again (v.8) and presumably goes to help. The next thing is that Sennacherib hears that Egypt is sending an army against him (v.9).

Realising that he is going to have to put off dealing with Hezekiah he sends a message that might be summarised in a twofold way: “I will be back!” and “Nothing has changed!” The first is implied and the second is spelled out.

He appeals to Hezekiah on the basis of his own godless mentality that puts all ‘gods’ at the same level, including the God of Israel. Don’t rely on your deceptive god (v.10), just look at all we’ve done to the countries we’ve invaded (v.11) and defeated. Do you think you’ll be any different? All the gods of those nations didn’t help them (v.12) so, implied, why will you be any different. None of those kings are around any more (v.13). In such a manner Sennacherib continues to try to put fear in Hezekiah for when he returns to Jerusalem eventually.

D. Application:

1. Prophetic fulfilment may not happen immediately.
2. Don’t be put off by intervening events. God’s word will be fulfilled.

Passage: Isaiah 37:14-20

14 Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord. 15 And Hezekiah prayed to the Lord: 16 ‘Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. 17 Give ear, Lord, and hear; open your eyes, Lord, and see; listen to all the words Sennacherib has sent to ridicule the living God.

18 ‘It is true, Lord, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste all these peoples and their lands. 19 They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by human hands. 20 Now, Lord our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, Lord, are the only God.’

A. Find Out

1. What did Hezekiah receive and what did he do with it? v.14
2. How did he describe the Lord? v.15,16
3. What did he ask of the Lord? v.17
4. What does he acknowledge about the Assyrians? v.18,19
5. What does he then ask? v.20a
6. On what basis? v.20b

B. Think:

1. How does Hezekiah maintain a right perspective?
2. How is he realistic in prayer?
3. What is his desire for the outcome?

C. Comment:

If Hezekiah had appeared half-hearted in his attitude towards God, this crisis appears to have sharpened him and focused him. The letter, brought by messengers from Sennacherib, is handed to him and his first response is to take it to God in the Temple (v.14) and then pray (v.15). Very often the recorded prayers in the Bible flow out of a crisis and this one is no different.

As he approaches the Lord in prayer he first acknowledges the Lord’s greatness as the maker of heaven and earth (v.16). It is similar to the disciples’ prayer in Acts 4:24 acknowledging the all-powerful God. That brings a right perspective.

He brings the letter from Sennacherib to the Lord’s attention (v.17) and he acknowledges the power of the enemy who has overcome other nations and their gods (v.18,19).

Pulling the two first parts of the prayer together – the Lord’s greatness and the enemy’s apparent supremacy – he now asks the Lord to intervene and deliver them from the enemy and in such a way that the world will see and know that it is the Lord (v.20). This last part conforms to God’s will which is revealed again and again in the Old Testament, that He will be able to be revealed through Israel to the rest of the world. The Lord wants the world to know Him and so eventually come into relationship with Him.

D. Application:

1. As you pray, maintain a right perspective before you ask.
2. As you pray don’t be afraid to be real about the situation.

Passage: Isaiah 37:21-27    

21 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, 22 this is the word the Lord has spoken against him:

‘Virgin Daughter Zion
    despises and mocks you.
Daughter Jerusalem
    tosses her head as you flee.
23 Who is it you have ridiculed and blasphemed?
    Against whom have you raised your voice
and lifted your eyes in pride?
    Against the Holy One of Israel!
24 By your messengers
    you have ridiculed the Lord.
And you have said,
    “With my many chariots
I have ascended the heights of the mountains,
    the utmost heights of Lebanon.
I have cut down its tallest cedars,
    the choicest of its junipers.
I have reached its remotest heights,
    the finest of its forests.
25 I have dug wells in foreign lands
    and drunk the water there.
With the soles of my feet
    I have dried up all the streams of Egypt.”

26 ‘Have you not heard?
    Long ago I ordained it.
In days of old I planned it;
    now I have brought it to pass,
that you have turned fortified cities
    into piles of stone.
27 Their people, drained of power,
    are dismayed and put to shame.
They are like plants in the field,
    like tender green shoots,
like grass sprouting on the roof,
    scorched before it grows up.

A. Find Out

1. Who now brings what, and why? v.21,22a
2. How does Jerusalem react to Sennacherib? v.22b
3. What had the king of Assyria done? v.23,24a
4. What had he said he had done? v.24b,25
5. Yet why was he able to do that? v.26
6. With what result? v.27

B. Think:

1. How had Sennacherib’s attitude towards God been wrong?
2. How had his understanding about what he had achieved been wrong?
3. What is Hezekiah finding out through this word from Isaiah?

C. Comment:

Hezekiah has prayed and because he has turned to the Lord, the Lord now has a word for him through Isaiah (v.21). It is a word against Sennacherib (v.22a) which is interesting because there is no indication of it being sent to him; it is purely for Hezekiah’s encouragement.

This word starts off declaring that Jerusalem is not afraid of Sennacherib, indeed she mocks him (v.22b). He has been foolish enough, in his pride, to insult the Lord (v.23, 24a). He thought he had achieved so much with his great army, sweeping through and devastating the land (v.24), and taking the resources of other lands (v.25).

He had thought he was so great in doing all this, but he had not realised that what he was doing had been ordained by the Lord long back (v.26). The joke of all this was that in fact he was the tool of the Lord to bring discipline and correction to those nations he had invaded (v.27).

Now within all this we should note various things. First, although we said that this would be a word of encouragement to Hezekiah, it also gives him the big picture and that means he should now see that even this invasion is from the hand of the Lord, bringing discipline to him as well as to the surrounding nations who have also been invaded.

Second, we should note that God uses human sinfulness within His plans, even Sennacherib’s wrong attitudes, even as He used men’s wrong attitudes to crucify the Lamb of God (see Acts 2:23).

D. Application:

1. Ask the Lord to give you the ‘big picture’ of what is happening today.
2. Realise that the Lord works in and through godless nations.

Passage: Isaiah 37:28-35

28 ‘But I know where you are
    and when you come and go
    and how you rage against me.
29 Because you rage against me
    and because your insolence has reached my ears,
I will put my hook in your nose
    and my bit in your mouth,
and I will make you return
    by the way you came.

30 ‘This will be the sign for you, Hezekiah:

‘This year you will eat what grows by itself,
    and the second year what springs from that.
But in the third year sow and reap,
    plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
31 Once more a remnant of the kingdom of Judah
    will take root below and bear fruit above.
32 For out of Jerusalem will come a remnant,
    and out of Mount Zion a band of survivors.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.

33 ‘Therefore this is what the Lord says concerning the king of Assyria:

‘He will not enter this city
    or shoot an arrow here.
He will not come before it with shield
    or build a siege ramp against it.
34 By the way that he came he will return;
    he will not enter this city,’
declares the Lord.
35 ‘I will defend this city and save it,
    for my sake and for the sake of David my servant!’

A. Find Out

1. What does the Lord say about Sennacherib? v.28
2. What will He do and why? v.29
3. What sign of this will Hezekiah have? v.30
4. And what will there be? v.31,32
5. What does He declare about the king of Assyria? v.33,34
6. Why will that be? v.35

B. Think:

1. What will God do with Sennacherib?
2. Why?
3. What effect will that have on Jerusalem and surrounding area?

C. Comment:

This, remember, is a word about Sennacherib (see 37:21,22). The Lord has confronted him with his attitude (v.23-25) but declared that this was His preordained purpose (v.26,27). Now He says He will deal with that bad attitude (v.28,29a) and will lead him back the way he came (v.29b).

He then brings reassurance to Hezekiah and gives him a sign that this was His will (v.30a). It will be that crops will grow naturally for two years and then in the third year they will venture out and plant (v.30). In other words there will be peace in the next three years so the invader will not take them. Indeed the people of Jerusalem will be as a remnant of Israel who will grow (v.31,32). This will not be the end of Israel!

Then He reiterates what He has said about Sennacherib: he will not be allowed to enter Jerusalem or even fire an arrow at it or build a siege against it (v.33). This king is going to return home the same way he came (v.34) without ever entering Jerusalem and it will all be because the Lord will defend Jerusalem (v.35) to maintain His promise to David to prolong his name in this place.

This is a remarkably clear prophecy and there is no room to mistake the Lord’s intent: He WILL protect Jerusalem from this enemy king and He WILL deal with this king.

D. Application:

1. You threaten what is precious to the Lord at your own risk!
2. The Lord will look after His children.

Passage: Isaiah 37:36-38     

36 Then the angel of the Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning – there were all the dead bodies! 37 So Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there.

38 One day, while he was worshipping in the temple of his god Nisrok, his sons Adrammelek and Sharezer killed him with the sword, and they escaped to the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son succeeded him as king.

A. Find Out

1. Who did what, where? v.36
2. So what did Sennacherib do? v.37
3. What was he doing back at home? v.38a
4. What happened to him? v.38b

B. Think:

1. Read again Isa 37:5-7
2. What was God’s part in this fulfilment?
3. What part did sinful men play?

C. Comment:

When Hezekiah had first called on Isaiah for help, Isaiah had prophesied that Sennacherib would return to his own country and there he would be assassinated (Isa 37:7). It was a clear word. Subsequent to that, after Hezekiah had prayed, Isaiah further prophesied that the Lord would take Sennacherib back to his own country (37:29) and that Jerusalem would have peace (37:30) and Sennacherib would not be allowed to come back against Jerusalem (37:33,34).

Now we see the ‘simple’ fulfilment of those words. The commander of Sennacherib’s force against Jerusalem had heard his king was fighting again at Lachish (37:8). The king then heard that Egypt was coming against him (37:9) and (presumably) started to move south to counter that force. It was during that time that during an overnight camp we are told that the angel of the Lord killed a large number of his army (v.36). We aren’t told how he did this but often he used practical means and an obvious guess would be to suggest that they all drank poisonous water and died.

The outcome was that the king was so shattered that he turned around and returned to Nineveh (v.37). History seems to indicate that he remained there for another twenty years, engaging in other military exploits but never again against Israel. History further records that he was assassinated in 681BC. Thus it was responding to reports that first drew him away from attacking Jerusalem, and then in that process a large part of his army died, so that he returned home where eventually he was assassinated as Isaiah had prophesied.

D. Application:

1. Fulfilment of prophecy often takes a long time to come.
2. Fulfilment is often a combination of what we expect and don’t expect.