Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

Hezekiah got ill at the time of Sennacherib’s assault on Judah. It seems that way because when the Lord prophesies to him during their conversation, He says “And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city” (Isaiah 38:6), which wouldn’t make much sense if the illness and their conversation happened after the assault on the nation. In fact, the prophesy the Lord gave Hezekiah could have given him the strength to hold on in trust during the assault and the subsequent events.

Isaiah came to Hezekiah when the king fell ill and gave him a true word from the Lord: you are going to die and not live. Hezekiah did not plead with Isaiah. The prophet seems to have left the king’s presence almost immediately. God told Hezekiah what was going to happen so that Hezekiah would have the opportunity to change it. Every word from God is either a prophetic warning or a prophetic promise. Every word from God is true. If you do not respond appropriately, you’ll find the promise coming to pass. But if you respond with humbleness and trust in Jesus, you’ll find you’ve heeded the warning. Hezekiah prayed to the Lord not just on his own behalf but also with a sincere desire to save his country. The Lord responded to that trust imediately.

Before Isaiah got out of the palace compound, God was sending him back. Because Hezekiah humbled himself and kept himself in God’s hands, the Lord was going to add fifteen years to his life – enough to see the nation through the crisis and continue walking with God for awhile. God promised to deliver the king and the nation from Assyria. The sign that this would happen would be that the shadow on the sundial would reverse ten degrees. This was a spectacular miracle and something everyone would have noticed (remember that). A poultice of figs was placed on the sickness of Hezekiah as a point of contact for his trust (figs do not heal life-threatening sicknesses). The sun did go backward and Hezekiah did recover. He praised the Lord for it, too. He knew he didn’t deserve it, and he greatly thanked the Lord for His mercy.

The king of Babylon, Merodach-Baladan, heard of this sickness and the method of the recovery. He sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, eager to hear more. Here Hezekiah has his big misstep. He was pleased with these messengers. He didn’t extol God’s mercies to them. Instead, he showed them his stuff. The treasures, the armoury, the precious ointments. His whole dominion he showed them. Full of pride. Full of himself. Look at my wonder. Well, God didn’t like that. Not then and not now. NEVER be afraid to give God glory – He deserves it for what He did. It’s not that we never take credit for anything, we just put our part of it in proper perspective – far below His part. We’re cooperators, not instigators.

Isaiah came by to ask what had happened. Hezekiah didn’t hold back and told him everything. Isaiah must have shaken his head as he heard it. He reported on what God said: Hezekiah had opened the door to conquest. Babylon would come to claim those treasures for their own. They would take his stuff and his sons, some of whom would be eunuchs in Babylon, slaves for the rest of their days. Hezekiah was *slightly* prideful at this. Still. He acknowledged the rebuke and the truth of it. He did not doubt it WOULD come to pass. But he also wasn’t too worried because it would come AFTER his time and not during his time. He was not in a good place.

“A voice is calling in the wilderness, “Clear the way of Yahweh! Make a highway smooth in the desert for our God!” (Isaiah 40:3)

The next two chapters is the Lord’s heartfelt response to His children who have chosen their path. Knowing what was coming, He spoke to that. But also knowing the overall war on sin that He declared in Genesis 3, God spoke to the Redeemer who would pay for ALL sin and make a Way back to the original plan (Jesus). As well as several marks that would identify Him – such as His herald, the last and greatest prophet under the Old Covenant (John the Baptiser).

Because of God’s love for His children, He would bring His glory to them. The path of the Saviour would be well-prepared. The hearts of the people softened to receive. The Lord’s strong hand (Jesus) would work and bring His reward with Him. He would be a shepherd and feed His flock. He would carry them. Care for them (Matthew 9:36-38). God didn’t need to take counsel of humanity for this nor did His Holy Spirit need guidance. God knew what was best and set it in motion. It was prepared for us, not by our request. Therefore, since the Almighty and infinitely powerful God of the Universe made this Way, it is not our place to challenge it. Rather, it is our place to walk along it. Be guided in it. And submit humbly to how it works. We should worship Him how He directs and with the true spirit from our hearts, even though there is no way for us to truly give Him what He deserves.

The Lord, through Isaiah, compares Himself and what He can actually do to the idols of humanity and what they can do. He does it with sarcasm. He does it with questions. And essentially mocks the people who choose to participate in the idiocy of worshipping something they made themselves. He re-iterates the benefits of worshipping Himself, the Great I AM. He tells them how they could live. The standard of freedom, strength, and joy that could be theirs on a daily basis. The victories they could walk in. All of this is just as true for us today as it was then. Trusting in Jesus brings NOTHING but benefits to us. No single person could redeem humanity. Not one was worthy. Not one could save us. It took God to redeem us. God to make us whole again. God to provide covering for what we did. If we will rely on Him totally, we will be filled with all He has. If we will trust in Him totally, we will have nothing to fear. Everything we can possibly imagine doesn’t come close to being what we can walk in when we walk hand and hand with Him. When we do? We are NEVER alone and NEVER have ANY reason to fear. EVER.

Summary

Key Players: God, Jesus, Isaiah, Hezekiah

Key Verse(s): Isaiah 38:2-3, 7-8, 17-20; 39:1-2, 8; 40:1-8, 27-31; 41:8-10, 17-20