Isaiah 36 & 37

Father God, we give reverence to Your holy name and say You alone are God and may Your power and wisdom that You have blessed us with found in the name of Jesus be magnified over all the nations of the earth. May hearts, lives, families, systems and communities be renewed and transformed for Your glory in the name of Jesus, Amen.

Today's lead Word is coming from Isaiah 37:33-35 (NKJV)

33."Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the king of Assyria: 'He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor build a siege mound against it.

34.By the way that he came, by the same shall he return; and he shall not come into this city,' says the LORD.

35.For I will defend this city, to save it for my own sake and for My servant David's sake."

Isaiah chapter 36 starts off with threats made by the King of Assyria towards King Hezekiah of Jerusalem. The king of Assyria, sent word through his messenger/governor, Rabshakeh, to ask King Hezekiah, "...in whom do you trust, that you rebel against me?" (Isaiah 36:5). They proceeded to boast in their strength as they said no gods of any nation had been delivered from the king of Assyria (Isaiah 36:20). As a result, they intimidated the people of Jerusalem and asked them to disregard the advice of their king Hezekiah that the LORD would deliver them out of their hand.

Isaiah 36:21 NKJV says, "But they held their peace and answered him not a word; for the king's commandment was, "Do not answer him." Often times when the enemy is trying to prove a point and comes in like a roaring lion with all kinds of threats as seen in 1 Peter 5:8, the LORD often reminds us that in quietness and confidence you will find strength (Isaiah 30:15). When Jesus was tempted by satan in the wilderness (Luke 4:3-13), the enemy wanted Him to prove that He was the son of God but Jesus showed us what it means to be secure in our identity as sons and daughters of God because He refused to prove that He was the beloved Son of God, more so to satan.

Isaiah chapter 37 continues with king Hezekiah's servants approaching the prophet Isaiah who prophesies, "Thus you shall say to your master, "Thus says the LORD: "do not be afraid of the words which you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me. Surely, I will send a spirit upon him, and he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword by his own hand." (Isaiah 37:6-7 NKJV).

I believe King Hezekiah's response and actions were commendable. When he received a letter from the hand of his messengers, Isaiah 37:14 tells us that he went up to the house of the LORD and in prayer spread the letter before the LORD. He received the word of the LORD from God's prophet but it took it a step further by personally hearing what God was saying concerning this matter that had troubled their hearts.

In his prayer to the LORD God, king Hezekiah said in Isaiah 37:16-20 (NKJV)

"O, the LORD of hosts, God of Israel, the One who dwells between the cherubim, You are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see; and hear all the words of Senacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God. Truly, LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations and their lands, and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were not gods, but the work of men's hands - wood and stone. Therefore they destroyed them. Now therefore, O LORD our God save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the LORD, You alone."

God in His infinite majesty and wisdom had already answered this request but because Hezekiah sought His face, the LORD re assured his heart with more conviction that his enemies were defeated as seen above in today's lead Scriptures. Senacherib, the king of Assyria returned to his home in defeat after the angel of the LORD killed one hundred and eighty five thousand Assyrians. The Assyrian king was later killed by his sons in his home town (Isaiah 37:36-38). Every prophecy of the LORD came to pass.

When considering king Hezekiah's prayer with a new Testament lense, we have confidence as we know and worship the same God He prayed to full of power, wsidom and majesty like no other unlike the other man-made gods their enemies prayed to. The power and majesty of God reflected in the old testament has never changed. God is still as powerful today as He was then. God's power today is demonstrated in His love towards humanity when He sent his Son Jesus, who is the power and wisdom of God to all who receive salvation in His name.

During Hezekiah's time, God dwelt in cherubims (Isaiah 37:16), but now under the new covenant, God dwells in the bodies of His children. Apostle Paul in his epistle to the Corinthian church reminds us, "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are."

This a reminder to you and I that we are the temple of God which means that the Spirt of God dwells in us because of what Christ accomplished for us when He came to die for the sin of the world and was raised from the dead.

In the above word found in Isaiah 37:35, we see the LORD telling Hezekiah that He would defend and save His city. This is not only a reflection of God's majestic power but also a reminder of His love towards all people reflected under the new covenant. Jesus in Matthew 5:14 says, "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden." You and I are that city that cannot be hidden, a city that God is partnering with to defend and save for His name's sake in whichever capacity you are faithfully representing Him in.

With this revelation, I declare over you that the enemy shall not come into your city with a shield or the intention to build a siege mound against you. By the same way the enemy came is the same way he shall return and will not come near your city. The power of God in you will see to it that you successfully make it in all of your endeavours and may God destroy everything that is not of Him in your body which is His temple in the name of Jesus, AMEN, thank you LORD.

Invitation to salvation: When you receive Jesus Christ, the Son of God, you have the privilege of Christ, the hope of glory living on the inside of you where you are a child of God who is a city that is set on a hill. This happens after you give your life to Christ and become born again which means all your sins are forgiven, washed away and you receive the free gift of eternal life and every blessing of God found in Christ.

If this sounds like you, please repeat this prayer after me;

"I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that; Jesus Christ, the Son of God came in a human body to die for my sins so that I could have a new life where I am dead to sin and alive to God. I repent of my past sins and enter the Kingdom of light where I choose relationship with Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour and with God as my loving Father today and forever. Thank you Father that because the Son has made me free, I am now free indeed." AMEN.

Congratulations, by grace you are saved and are now a new creation in Christ Jesus. The old life has passed away and you have received the free gift of salvation into your life (2 Corinthians 5:17) where you get to freely access everything I've shared in this post. To the glory of the Almighty God. Amen.