Isa 39 and Isa 40:1-11
Notes
Transcript
News from Babylon
News from Babylon
Good evening...
Remember last week, Hezekiah was sick and it was a sickness unto death..
God had told Hezekiah through Isaiah that he was going to die and needed to get his house in order.
But Hezekiah prayed to the Lord seeking his help and the Lord answered, and promised to extend his days 15 years. To prove it, God would move the shadow on the sun dial backward 10 steps.
Today we come to chapter 39 Lets look here
1 At that time Merodach-baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent envoys with letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered. 2 And Hezekiah welcomed them gladly. And he showed them his treasure house, the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his whole armory, all that was found in his storehouses. There was nothing in his house or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them.
This takes place some months after Hezekiah’s sickness and recovery. We know it would take come time for news to travel all the way to Babylon about the events happening in Judah.
And the prince sends gifts and letters to the King via his envoys after he has heard that Hezekiah has recovered and is strong again.
Now we are not told the size of the gift, it might have been small or it might have been large, but the real issue is the reason for the gift.
Is it a bribe, a gift to generate a political alliance ? We are not 100 percent sure, but we know that Isaiah will be critical a little later in the text…]
Hezekiah joyfully welcomes these enjoys and shows them the riches of silver, gold and other items in the treasure house plus their military might and weapons that he had in the armory. Why did Hezekiah do all this? we are not sure.. He may have been naive, could have been a move to establish a treaty with Babylon or just a gesture of courtesy..
Regardless, Hezekiah showed them everything....
3 Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah, and said to him, “What did these men say? And from where did they come to you?” Hezekiah said, “They have come to me from a far country, from Babylon.” 4 He said, “What have they seen in your house?” Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house. There is nothing in my storehouses that I did not show them.”
It is no surprise that Isaiah heard about these men and so he goes and speaks to the King. But perhaps he only heard they were visitors but did not know exactly who they were, or maybe he wanted to see if Hezekiah would tell him the truth.
So Isaiah goes right to the heart of the matter, where were these men from and what did they say to you.
Hezekiah shares with him that they were men from Babylon and when Isaiah asks what did you show them, Hezekiah says that he showed them all that was in His house and storehouses. There was nothing that he did not show them..
He doesn’t explain why he did these things but it seems a bit foolish.
Now verses 5-7 Isa 39:5-7
5 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord of hosts: 6 Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the Lord. 7 And some of your own sons, who will come from you, whom you will father, shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”
Now the word of the Lord comes to Hezekiah.... This is not Isaiah’s opinion, no it is the Lord’s words.
A time will come, indicating a future even when God’s discipline would directly match the sinful deeds of the King. What was his sin? Pride. Pride in his wealth and place.
25 But Hezekiah did not make return according to the benefit done to him, for his heart was proud. Therefore wrath came upon him and Judah and Jerusalem.
What does this tell us, he did not fully trust in the Lord to deliver him and their country in the future, He believed his own wealth, his own power and perhaps even an alliance with Babylon would keep the enemies away.
God’s response to this failure to trust the Lord completely was to remove every material house would be taken to Babylon.
Thus his plan to perhaps walk alongside of Babylon would backfire in his face.
This also relates to the exile some, the royal sons and grandsons of Hezekiah would serve in the nation of Babylon. Even says some will be eunuchs in the King’s palace.
This mistake will tarnish Hezekiah’s reign simply because he did not trust the Lord completely.
The Lord says that nothing will be left...
8 Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord that you have spoken is good.” For he thought, “There will be peace and security in my days.”
This is really odd, he seems to be thinking of himself here. There will be peace and security in my lifetime,,, not caring about those after him.
But it could also be that he accepts the Lord’s judgment.
Now we move to chapter 40 and we are going to look at the first 8 verses here
1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and cry to her
that her warfare is ended,
that her iniquity is pardoned,
that she has received from the Lord’s hand
double for all her sins.
God is exhorting someone to give words of divine comfort and compassion to his people.
And there seems to be a sense of urgency here.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, this call is like a young man wooing his girl or someone bringing reassurance … God aims to win their hearts back. He knows their sorrow, they will face exile.
but one day it will be over, one day God will pardon their sin.
3 A voice cries:
“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord;
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
It is listen, someone is calling out.... the preparing a way is not the people on a journey to God. But it is that God journeys to his people’s aid.
And so a road is created, a straight one for our God. This is a level, smooth roadway that will certainly bring the arrival of God.
What does this remind you off when God makes this call to his people. It makes you think of John the baptist… The one who was walking and proclaiming the pathway of God. God has come and is calling out for those who desire to come to him.
Verses 4-5 Isa 40:4-5
4 Every valley shall be lifted up,
and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
and the rough places a plain.
5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
and all flesh shall see it together,
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
Every valley lifted up and every mountain is make low, there is that smooth road way. And in verse 5 we see that the glory of Lord shall be revealed. All shall see what the Lord has spoken..
These metaphors speak to the rough way that is present as you come from the east approaching the city of Jerusalem.
But the call is more than making the world level, it is making the heart of people right. personal repentance and a social reformation is needed to make the world fit for a coming King.
The mouth of the Lord has spoken this ensures that it will happen
Now lets look at veres 6-8 Isa 40:6-8
6 A voice says, “Cry!”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”
All flesh is grass,
and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.
7 The grass withers, the flower fades
when the breath of the Lord blows on it;
surely the people are grass.
8 The grass withers, the flower fades,
but the word of our God will stand forever.
A voice says…someone has spoken. and then it shifts and I said.... perhaps the call to Isaiah to speak.
But the person says What shall I cry?
All flesh is grass.... temporary and fleeting, it is only there for a season and either whither and or is cut down.
And here is the truth, everything is fading, everything is fleeting the only thing that stands forever is the Word of the Lord.
Hezekiah’s own pride in the previous chapter has shown that even the King will trust in the wrong things, when truly all that we can trust in is the reliable word of God.
23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for
“All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.”
And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
9 Go on up to a high mountain,
O Zion, herald of good news;
lift up your voice with strength,
O Jerusalem, herald of good news;
lift it up, fear not;
say to the cities of Judah,
“Behold your God!”
10 Behold, the Lord God comes with might,
and his arm rules for him;
behold, his reward is with him,
and his recompense before him.
11 He will tend his flock like a shepherd;
he will gather the lambs in his arms;
he will carry them in his bosom,
and gently lead those that are with young.
This section will remind the people that their exile is not the end of them, there would be a coming Messiah, and his coming would not be in vain.
Verse 9 says for the one declaring the message to stand on a high mountain, there is a message being declared that all should hear, more especially the people of Judah
The peoples of Judah will hear this news and the source is from the Lord their God and him alone..
And verse 10 tells us that the Lord will come in His might, a conquering King is coming where, to the people of Judah and that would tell us it must be that the Lord is coming back to the promised land.
So their exile is not forever, the people will return and then at the right time, God will send his savior into the world
He will in verse 11, the will tend to his flock. John 10:14
14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,
He will carry them, for the world and the prince and ruler of this world does not care abou tthem, the Lord will hold them in His booum.
Leading them, blessing them and helping them follow him..
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.
The messiah is coming and the people who had no hope will have hope.