The Isaiah Factor 1
Politics and Religion
Your Word Is a Lamp to My Feet
Psa 119:17-24 GIMEL. Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word. (18) Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. (19) I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me. (20) My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times. (21) Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments. (22) Remove from me reproach and contempt; for I have kept thy testimonies. (23) Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes. (24) Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors.
Ecc 1:9-11 KJV The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. (10) Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us. (11) There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.
Ecc 3:14-15 KJV I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him. (15) That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.
Ecc 3:16-17 KJV And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there. (17) I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.
Christ Came to Fulfill the Law
Mat 5:17-20 KJV Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. (18) For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. (19) Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (20) For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:17 KJV Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
The Example of Christ
Rom 15:1-7 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. (2) Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. (3) For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. (4) For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. (5) Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: (6) That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (7) Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.
Rom 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Hello again Friends. We are starting up our journeys into what we are going to call the Isaiah factor. As we mentioned in the introduction the reason we are using a math term or word is because of the duality in many of Isaiah’s prophecies. The fact that there are certain types of events taking place then and now. We are going to start of course with chapter 1. Our starting point will be with the rulers that had control when Isaiah was called. The very first verse points this out. Perhaps it is due to the fact that as we observed in the introduction Isaiah was a statesman or nobleman of sorts.
Isa 1:1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
Isaiah tells us that these 4 kings were the rulers during his call. We can safely say there are reasons for doing so. Much of what Isaiah encounters and leaves for us is based upon political decisions in some cases. The same types of things that will lead into our judgment today. It’s this very first verse we will be exploring today. We will looking into the history of these 4 kings.
Uzziah- Smith’s Bible Dictionary
Uzzi'ah. (strength of Jehovah).
1. King of Judah B.C. 809-8 to 757-6. In some passages, his name appears in the lengthened form Azariah: After the murder of Amaziah, his son Uzziah was chosen by the people, at the age of sixteen, to occupy the vacant throne; and for the greater part of his long reign of fifty-two years, he lived in the fear of God, and showed himself a wise, active and pious ruler. He never deserted the worship of the true God, and was much influenced by Zechariah, a prophet who is mentioned only in connection with him. 2Ch_26:5.
The only thing we would add to this is that the name Azariah is also the same as Uzziah.
Azariah Reigns in Judah
2Ki 14:21-22 And all the people of Judah took Azariah, which was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah. (22) He built Elath, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.
Azariah Reigns in Judah
2Ki 15:1-7 In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign. (2) Sixteen years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned two and fifty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem. (3) And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done; (4) Save that the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burnt incense still on the high places. (5) And the LORD smote the king, so that he was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house. And Jotham the king's son was over the house, judging the people of the land. (6) And the rest of the acts of Azariah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? (7) So Azariah slept with his fathers; and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.
We find his complete history in 2nd Chronicles 26.
Uzziah Reigns in Judah
2Ch 26:1-5 Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah. (2) He built Eloth, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers. (3) Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Jecoliah of Jerusalem. (4) And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah did. (5) And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.
2Ch 26:6-9 And he went forth and warred against the Philistines, and brake down the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod, and built cities about Ashdod, and among the Philistines. (7) And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gurbaal, and the Mehunims. (8) And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to the entering in of Egypt; for he strengthened himself exceedingly. (9) Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them.
2Ch 26:11-15 Moreover Uzziah had an host of fighting men, that went out to war by bands, according to the number of their account by the hand of Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the ruler, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king's captains. (12) The whole number of the chief of the fathers of the mighty men of valour were two thousand and six hundred. (13) And under their hand was an army, three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy. (14) And Uzziah prepared for them throughout all the host shields, and spears, and helmets, and habergeons, and bows, and slings to cast stones. (15) And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong.
Uzziah's Pride and Punishment
2Ch 26:16-23 But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense. (17) And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men: (18) And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God. (19) Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar. (20) And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him. (21) And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD: and Jotham his son was over the king's house, judging the people of the land. (22) Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write. (23) So Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the burial which belonged to the kings; for they said, He is a leper: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.
Uzziah was a great leader and obviously did many great things for the nation. However he let his accomplishments get the best of him it appears. The only time there was, is and will be a King and High Priest that can rule and make the offering is when Lord Yeshua Himself returns. We have explored the passage of Genesis 14 where Abram after rescuing his family member meets an individual named Melchizedek.
Gen 14:9-13 With Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and with Tidal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings with five. (10) And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain. (11) And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way. (12) And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed. (13) And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram.
Gen 14:14-16 And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan. (15) And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus. (16) And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.
Abram Blessed by Melchizedek
Gen 14:17-20 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's dale. (18) And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. (19) And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: (20) And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
Gen 14:20-24 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all. (21) And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself. (22) And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, (23) That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich: (24) Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.
It seems as though Uzziah wanted to be a sort of Melchizedek himself. This of course was not to be. The same thing that plagued Uzziah as with many of the other kings was the existence of the high places as the Bible tells us. The places where offerings were being made to the false gods of the day. Although we are not bound by Jewish law necessarily regarding false worship, here in America we are guilty of the same thing. We allow every kind of religion under the sun nowadays. We could put it this way, it seems Israel then as America now having a different religion on every street corner. We would also go as far as to say that a prime example of what we are seeing here would be yoga being practiced in churches. One more thing about Uzziah. We should realize that ABBA Father only cursed him as opposed to taking his life at this time. ABBA Father would have certainly been within His rights to do so. Instead we get a demonstration of mercy.
Warning Against Idolatry
1Co 10:1-6 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; (2) And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; (3) And did all eat the same spiritual meat; (4) And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. (5) But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. (6) Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
1Co 10:7-12 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. (8) Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. (9) Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. (10) Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. (11) Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. (12) Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
Here we have Paul yet again warning against idolatry in the NT world. There are a lot of folks out there that believe such things do not exist today. Well anything someone chooses to worship other than Lord Yeshua and ABBA Father can be called idolatry or even Satanism. If you are not worshipping one then you are the other. Well enough about this for now let’s explore what Jotham son of Uzziah was like as a leader.
Let’s do a quick summary about Uzziah
- He’s also known as Azariah
- His rule much looks like America right now meaning a “peace through strength” kind of thing
- His rule saw great agricultural and commerce gains
- He was very strong for his people and his military as witnessed by the technological advances in his weaponry
- He defeated the enemies of Israel during the days we are exploring
- He apparently let things inflate his ego a bit too much
- He tried to do something that went against the laws of the temple and its purposes by trying to offer in the Holiest of Holies. This is a function reserved for a high priest. The only other allowance for this as we explored was Melchizedek. He was King and High Priest of Salem. This is our Lord and Savior at the time of His return. He has presented His blood in the heavenly temple and He is returning as King of kings and Lord of lords. Amen!!
- He is struck with leprosy for the rest of his days.
Jotham Reigns in Judah
2Ki 15:32-38 In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel began JothamH3147 the son of Uzziah king of Judah to reign. (33) Five and twenty years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was JerushaH3388 , the daughter of ZadokH6659. (34) And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD: he did according to all that his father Uzziah had done. (35) Howbeit the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burned incense still in the high places. He built the higher gate of the house of the LORD. (36) Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? (37) In those days the LORD began to send against Judah Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah. (38) And Jotham slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead.
JothamH3147
יוֹתָם
yôthâm
yo-thawm'
From H3068 and H8535; Jehovah (is) perfect; Jotham, the name of three Israelites: - Jotham. Total KJV occurrences: 24
JerushaH3388
יְרוּשָׁה יְרוּשָׁא
yerûshâ' yerûshâh
yer-oo-shaw', yer-oo-shaw'
Feminine passive participle of H3423; possessed; Jerusha or Jerushah, an Israelitess: - Jerusha, Jerushah. Total KJV occurrences: 2
ZadokH6659
צָדוֹק
tsâdôq
tsaw-doke'
From H6663; just; Tsadok, the name of eight or nine Israelites: - Zadok. Total KJV occurrences: 53
Some believe that this reference to Zadok refers to the high priest or chief priest during Jotham’s rule. This would have been in the family line of Aaron dating back to David’s rule. Same family ties here for sure.
Smith Bible Dictionary
2. The son of King Uzziah or Azariah and Jerushah. After administering the kingdom for some years, during his father's leprosy, he succeeded to the throne, B.C. 758, when he was 25 years old, and reigned 16 years in Jerusalem. He was contemporary with Pekah, and with the prophet, Isaiah. His history is contained in 2Ki_15:1, and 2Ch_27:1.
Jotham Reigns in Judah
2Ch 27:1-9 Jotham was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Jerushah, the daughter of Zadok. (2) And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Uzziah did: howbeit he entered not into the temple of the LORD. And the people did yet corruptly. (3) He built the high gate of the house of the LORD, and on the wall of Ophel he built much. (4) Moreover he built cities in the mountains of Judah, and in the forests he built castles and towers. (5) He fought also with the king of the Ammonites, and prevailed against them. And the children of Ammon gave him the same year an hundred talents of silver, and ten thousand measures of wheat, and ten thousand of barley. So much did the children of Ammon pay unto him, both the second year, and the third. (6) So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the LORD his God. (7) Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars, and his ways, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. (8) He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. (9) And Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and AhazH271his son reigned in his stead.
As we read with his father Uzziah it seems Jotham did not remove the high places of false worship either. As we mentioned earlier there seemed to be some adversity apparently to doing so. This brings us into the reign of Ahaz. One thing we can say about Ahaz is that he was the most evil of the 4 kings of Judah we are dealing with in Isaiah’s ministry.
AhazH271
אָחָז
'âchâz
aw-khawz'
From H270; possessor; Achaz, the name of a Jewish king and of an Israelite: - Ahaz. Total KJV occurrences: 41
Ahaz Reigns in Judah
2Ki 16:1-3 In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah Ahaz the son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign. (2) Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem, and did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD his God, like David his father. (3) But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel.
2Ki 16:4-7 And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree. (5) Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to war: and they besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome him. (6) At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered Elath to Syria, and drave the Jews from Elath: and the Syrians came to Elath, and dwelt there unto this day. (7) So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, saying, I am thy servant and thy son: come up, and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, which rise up against me.
2Ki 16:8-12 And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house, and sent it for a present to the king of Assyria. (9) And the king of Assyria hearkened unto him: for the king of Assyria went up against Damascus, and took it, and carried the people of it captive to Kir, and slew Rezin. (10) And king Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, and saw an altar that was at Damascus: and king Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the fashion of the altar, and the pattern of it, according to all the workmanship thereof. (11) And Urijah the priest built an altar according to all that king Ahaz had sent from Damascus: so Urijah the priest made it against king Ahaz came from Damascus. (12) And when the king was come from Damascus, the king saw the altar: and the king approached to the altar, and offered thereon.
It’s in this passage we can see political and religious differences in authority. We have a ruler in this case that puts his own need above those of his people. You can kind of see that there were 2 ways of looking at ABBA Father’s word. The conservative way or the right way. Then you have the liberal way or the left. Does any of this sound familiar. In other words you will either do your best to hold to the word of ABBA Father as a ruler or you will liberal and free swinging with the commands.
We would also like to mention here that we will be exploring the foundations of the Assyrian empire soon in our biblical empires journeys. We would also mention here that the Assyrian empire was named after the capitol city Assur. This city was named after one of the sons of Japheth. His name was Asshur.
Gen 10:11-12 Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah, (12) And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city.
Gen 10:21-22 Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born. (22) The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram.
Ahaz Reigns in Judah
2Ch 28:1-4 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: but he did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father: (2) For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for Baalim. (3) Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. (4) He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.
Talk about things having been that shall be. We have had some leaders here in America pay homage in some form or anther to the false gods and goddesses of the world. Ahaz was apparently the bleeding heart liberal of the day. As we have mentioned before over the years now the green movement has been around a lot longer than we may think. An example of a leader paying some form of homage would be like Obama not letting the American people see the body of Bin Laden. For years now yours truly has felt that Obama would not have pulled the trigger on Bin Laden. He sort of had no choice since our navy seals had found him point blank pretty much. Word would have gotten out very quick if Obama had not pulled the trigger. Of course he himself was not the one. He just said go ahead.
Judah Defeated
2Ch 28:5-10 Wherefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought them to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter. (6) For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, which were all valiant men; because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. (7) And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king's son, and Azrikam the governor of the house, and Elkanah that was next to the king. (8) And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria. (9) But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded: and he went out before the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them, Behold, because the LORD God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage that reacheth up unto heaven. (10) And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you: but are there not with you, even with you, sins against the LORD your God?
2Ch 28:11-14 Now hear me therefore, and deliver the captives again, which ye have taken captive of your brethren: for the fierce wrath of the LORD is upon you. (12) Then certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against them that came from the war, (13) And said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives hither: for whereas we have offended against the LORD already, ye intend to add more to our sins and to our trespass: for our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel. (14) So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the congregation.
2Ch 28:15-18 And the men which were expressed by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Samaria. (16) At that time did king Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria to help him. (17) For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried away captives. (18) The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low country, and of the south of Judah, and had taken Bethshemesh, and Ajalon, and Gederoth, and Shocho with the villages thereof, and Timnah with the villages thereof, Gimzo also and the villages thereof: and they dwelt there.
2Ch 28:19-21 For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he made Judah naked, and transgressed sore against the LORD. (20) And Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria came unto him, and distressed him, but strengthened him not. (21) For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of the LORD, and out of the house of the king, and of the princes, and gave it unto the king of Assyria: but he helped him not.
Ahaz's Idolatry
2Ch 28:22-27 And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the LORD: this is that king Ahaz. (23) For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him: and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel. (24) And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of the LORD, and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem. (25) And in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn incense unto other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD God of his fathers. (26) Now the rest of his acts and of all his ways, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. (27) And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in Jerusalem: but they brought him not into the sepulchres of the kings of Israel: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.
There are a lot of things that Ahaz did wrong. Even to the point of military defeat for Judah.
- There is not one commandment that Ahaz obeyed let alone disobeyed. One of the things that plagued Israel over the years was turning to adversary nations for help against adversary nations. We will be exploring such activity within these studies.
- He pays tribute to foreign nations and their leaders which in turn is the same thing as supporting their false systems of worship.
- In light of the help he eventually receives he dedicates an altar identical to that used by the Syrians and their false gods.
- Of course we cannot leave out the offering of the children to either pass through the fire or thrown into the fire.
- He built all kinds of places to perform false worship even described in the Bible as being on every corner. Sort of like America today in many ways we will continue to suggest.
- He totally stopped and shut down worship of ABBA Father.
- He allowed the people to be taken captive and be relocated while the Syrians attempt to repopulate the area for themselves.
- Basically anything that was dedicated to ABBA Father was done away with or repackaged into false worship.
With these things said we will now look at the last king of Judah associated with Isaiah’s ministry. His name is Hezekiah. He has what we might call a lovely roller coaster ride of a relationship with ABBA Father. In spite of all as we will see he was remembered as doing things the right way with ABBA Father.
2Ki 16:20 And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.
Hezekiah Reigns in Judah
2Ki 18:1-6 Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that HezekiahH2396the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. (2) Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was AbiH21, the daughter of Zachariah. (3) And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did. (4) He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan. (5) He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him. (6) For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses.
HezekiahH2396
יְחִזְקִיָּהוּ יְחִזְקִיָּה חִזְקִיָּהוּ חִזְקִיָּה
chizqı̂yâh chizqı̂yâhû yechizqı̂yâh yechizqı̂yâhû
khiz-kee-yaw', khiz-kee-yaw'-hoo, yekh-iz-kee-yaw', yekh-iz-kee-yaw'-hoo
From H2388 and H3050; strengthened of Jah; Chizkijah, a king of Judah, also the name of two other Israelites: - Hezekiah, Hizkiah, Hizkijah. Compare H3169. Total KJV occurrences: 87
AbiH21
אֲבִי
'ăbı̂y
ab-ee'
From H1; fatherly; Abi, Hezekiah’s mother: - Abi. Total KJV occurrences: 1
There were not many leaders that did away with the high places but Hezekiah manages to pull it off. Can you believe it took almost a thousand years to get rid of the brazen serpent that Moses constructed in the desert.
As we can see he was able to take back much of the land that was lost to the Edomites under Ahaz.
2Ki 18:7-12 And the LORD was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth: and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not. (8) He smote the Philistines, even unto Gaza, and the borders thereof, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city. (9) And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it. (10) And at the end of three years they took it: even in the sixth year of Hezekiah, that is the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken. (11) And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria, and put them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes: (12) Because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD their God, but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them.
Pretty easy to see why Israel failed and Judah was able to survive at this point.
Sennacherib Attacks Judah
2Ki 18:13-16 Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the fenced cities of Judah, and took them. (14) And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, I have offended; return from me: that which thou puttest on me will I bear. And the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. (15) And Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house. (16) At that time did Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of the LORD, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.
2Ki 18:18-21 And when they had called to the king, there came out to them Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder. (19) And Rabshakeh said unto them, Speak ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest? (20) Thou sayest, (but they are but vain words,) I have counsel and strength for the war. Now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me? (21) Now, behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt, on which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him.
We see the Assyrians being very mocking of ABBA Father. This is never a good idea. It also reveals to us the evil that is actually running the show behind the scenes. As we have been exploring in our looks into demonic possession and serial killers we find the Assyrians to be very arrogant and self loving. We also find that taunting is a tactic used by the enemy very often.
2Ki 18:22-25 But if ye say unto me, We trust in the LORD our God: is not that he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and hath said to Judah and Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem? (23) Now therefore, I pray thee, give pledges to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them. (24) How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master's servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? (25) Am I now come up without the LORD against this place to destroy it? The LORD said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.
2Ki 18:26-35 Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna, and Joah, unto Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray thee, to thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and talk not with us in the Jews' language in the ears of the people that are on the wall. (27) But Rabshakeh said unto them, Hath my master sent me to thy master, and to thee, to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men which sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you? (28) Then Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and spake, saying, Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria: (29) Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand: (30) Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria. (31) Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me, and then eat ye every man of his own vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his cistern: (32) Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of oil olive and of honey, that ye may live, and not die: and hearken not unto Hezekiah, when he persuadeth you, saying, The LORD will deliver us. (33) Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? (34) Where are the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah? have they delivered Samaria out of mine hand? (35) Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of mine hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand?
2Ki 18:36-37 But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not. (37) Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.
Isaiah Reassures Hezekiah
2Ki 19:1-7 And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD. (2) And he sent Eliakim, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz. (3) And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth. (4) It may be the LORD thy God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God; and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left. (5) So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah. (6) And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say to your master, Thus saith the LORD, Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me. (7) Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and shall return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.
Sennacherib Defies the Lord
2Ki 19:8-13 So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah: for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish. (9) And when he heard say of Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, Behold, he is come out to fight against thee: he sent messengers again unto Hezekiah, saying, (10) Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, Let not thy God in whom thou trustest deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria. (11) Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, by destroying them utterly: and shalt thou be delivered? (12) Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed; as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were in Thelasar? (13) Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arpad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivah?
The irony if you will here is in the fact that all these other nations the Assyrians had defeated were worshipping false gods and goddesses to begin with. This time the fight was taken to the wrong God ABBA Father.
Hezekiah's Prayer
2Ki 19:14-19 And Hezekiah received the letter of the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up into the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD. (15) And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said, O LORD God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth. (16) LORD, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, LORD, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God. (17) Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands, (18) And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them. (19) Now therefore, O LORD our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD God, even thou only.
Hezekiah does as any good shepherd of ABBA Father’s people should do. He turned the entire matter over to ABBA Father.
Isaiah Prophesies Sennacherib's Fall
2Ki 19:20-25 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, That which thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard. (21) This is the word that the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin the daughter of Zion hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee. (22) Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel. (23) By thy messengers thou hast reproached the Lord, and hast said, With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon, and will cut down the tall cedar trees thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the lodgings of his borders, and into the forest of his Carmel. (24) I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of besieged places. (25) Hast thou not heard long ago how I have done it, and of ancient times that I have formed it? now have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest be to lay waste fenced cities into ruinous heaps.
2Ki 19:26-34 Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded; they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb, as the grass on the housetops, and as corn blasted before it be grown up. (27) But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me. (28) Because thy rage against me and thy tumult is come up into mine ears, therefore I will put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest. (29) And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such things as grow of themselves, and in the second year that which springeth of the same; and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruits thereof. (30) And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall yet again take root downward, and bear fruit upward. (31) For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this. (32) Therefore thus saith 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 cast a bank against it. (33) By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the LORD. (34) For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.
2Ki 19:35-37 And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses. (36) So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh. (37) And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword: and they escaped into the land of Armenia. And Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.
We have explored this incident in some other areas we have explored. It is not wise to pick a fight with our ABBA Father or Lord Yeshua. After all the taunting and mockery from the Assyrians ABBA Father had enough. See how simple it is for Him to destroy any adversary that gets in His Way. Because of the faith of Hezekiah in his God the nation of Judah was spared. Not only spared but defended in a supernatural way only ABBA Father could show Himself in. Amen!!
Now we will begin to close out our look into Hezekiah.
Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery
2Ki 20:1-6 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live. (2) Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, saying, (3) I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore. (4) And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying, (5) Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD. (6) And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.
2Ki 20:7-11 And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered. (8) And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What shall be the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up into the house of the LORD the third day? (9) And Isaiah said, This sign shalt thou have of the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees? (10) And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees. (11) And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the LORD: and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz.
Hezekiah and the Babylonian Envoys
2Ki 20:12-16 At that time Berodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah: for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick. (13) And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and shewed them all the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not. (14) Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country, even from Babylon. (15) And he said, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All the things that are in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them. (16) And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD.
2Ki 20:17-21 Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD. (18) And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon. (19) Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. And he said, Is it not good, if peace and truth be in my days? (20) And the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and all his might, and how he made a pool, and a conduit, and brought water into the city, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? (21) And Hezekiah slept with his fathers: and Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.
We will be exploring Hezekiah further in depth as we explore our chapters in Isaiah. However we can go ahead and list what we can about him.
- He broke down the high places of false worship that even his own father had a hand in building.
- He took down the brazen serpent going all the way back to the time of Moses. The Israelites had been burning incense to this object for over 900 years or so.
- Hezekiah defeated the Philistines and the Edomites that had been successful when there was no faith in the palace so to speak.
- Because of his faith and ability to listen to the word of ABBA Father sometimes through Isaiah sometimes not brought him the military victories he achieved.
- He becomes ill and prays to ABBA Father for more time which he is granted 15 years.
- Then toward the end of his days he receives envoys from Babylon and divulges all of the best kept secrets of the Lord.
- As we will discover in our chapter studies Hezekiah he was concerned about peace within his lifetime but not concerned about the future.
We will close this look at the kings of Isaiah’s ministry for now but we will be exploring in more detail as we said. It’s usually right about now that we remind you if you are sitting on the fence please look to the following.
Come to Me, and I Will Give You Rest
Mat 11:25-30 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. (26) Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. (27) All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. (28) Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (29) Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (30) For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Wait for the God of Salvation
Mic 7:1-7 Woe is me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grapegleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat: my soul desired the firstripe fruit. (2) The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net. (3) That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up. (4) The best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity. (5) Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom. (6) For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man's enemies are the men of his own house. (7) Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.
As always thanks for sharing a word
God Bless
