Isaiah 50: the servant of the Lord is mistreated.

 In Isaiah 50:1-9, we read the servant saying:

1-3 God says:

“Can you produce your mother’s divorce papers
    proving I got rid of her?
Can you produce a receipt
    proving I sold you?
Of course you can’t.


for people in Judah, the Lord has forsaken them; but the Lord is asking if they can prove it.

Of course you can’t.
    It’s your sins that put you here,
    your wrongs that got you shipped out.
(...)
Do you think I’ve forgotten how to help?
    Am I so decrepit that I can’t deliver?
I’m as powerful as ever,

I sometimes may think that the Lord is far way from me. Is it really true?

Then, the servant says:

4-9
The Master, God, has given me
    a well-taught tongue,
So I know how to encourage tired people.
    He wakes me up in the morning,
Wakes me up, opens my ears
    to listen as one ready to take orders.
The Master, God, opened my ears,
    and I didn’t go back to sleep,
    didn’t pull the covers back over my head.
I followed orders,
    stood there and took it while they beat me,
    held steady while they pulled out my beard,
Didn’t dodge their insults,
    faced them as they spit in my face.
And the Master, God, stays right there and helps me,
    so I’m not disgraced.

The servant was ill treated, but he trusts in the Lord; that is why he is not disgraced.

Therefore I set my face like flint,
    confident that I’ll never regret this.
My champion is right here.
    Let’s take our stand together!
Who dares bring suit against me?
    Let him try!
Look! the Master, God, is right here.
    Who would dare call me guilty?
Look! My accusers are a clothes bin of threadbare
    socks and shirts, fodder for moths!

As in a judgement, the servant is confident that his accusers have no reason to accuse him.

In verses 10-11, the prophet (writer) calls Judah (in captivity) to trust in the Lord.  

Isaiah 49: the Servant of the Lord that has joined me to Israel

 Isaiah 49 refers to the Lord’s Servant. Christians think of Him as Jesus. Jews think of Him as Israel.

The Servant was chosen by the Lord.

1 Listen to me, you islands.
    Pay attention, you people far away.
    Before I was born, Yahweh chose me.
    While I was in my mother’s womb, he recorded my name.

In verse 3, the Servant is called Israel:

3
He said to me,
    “You are my servant Israel.
        I will display my glory through you.”

But we see Matthew mixing Israel and Jesus when he applies that Jesus returned from Egypt as a fuffilment of a prophecy that refers to Israel (Israel was called from Egypt). In a way, Jesus mission is to fufil the mission of Israel.

In the first person the Servant says:

4
But I said,
    “I have worked hard for nothing.
    I have used my strength, but I didn’t accomplish anything.
        Yet, certainly my case is in Yahweh’s hands,
            and my reward is with my Elohim.”

5
Yahweh formed me in the womb to be his servant
    in order to bring Jacob back to him
        and gather Israel to him.
            (Yahweh honors me,
                and my Elohim has become my strength.)

Verse 5 is really difficult to read in face of verse 3: the Servant will bring Jacob/Israel to the Lord. Thus, is the servant, Israel?

6 Now, Yahweh says,

“You are not just my servant
    who restores the tribes of Jacob
        and brings back those in Israel whom I have preserved.
    I have also made you a light for the nations
    so that you would save people all over the world.”

 The Servant will save people all over the world; his mission goes beyond gathering the tribes of Jacob. It is much easier to think of the Servant as Jesus.

 7
Yahweh is the Go’el of Israel, its Holy One.

This is what Yahweh says to the despised one, to the one scorned by the nation, to the slave of rulers:

Kings will see you and stand.
    Princes will see you and bow.
        Yahweh is faithful.
            Qedosh Yisrael has chosen you.

The Lord will exalt Jesus who was despised.

8 This is what Yahweh says:

In the time of favor I will answer you.
    In the day of salvation I will help you.
    I will protect you.
    I will appoint you as my promise[a] to the people.
    You will restore the land.
    You will make them inherit the desolate inheritance.
9
You will say to the prisoners, “Come out,”
    and to those who are in darkness, “Show yourselves.”

They will graze along every path,
    and they will find pastures on every bare hill.
10
They will never be hungry or thirsty,
    nor will the sun or the burning, hot wind strike them.
        The one who has compassion on them will lead them
            and guide them to springs.
        
Jesus is the Redeemer, the One who bought prisioners and opened the eyes of the blind.

If we were in the captivity of Babylon, we would think about the Lord's abandonement:

14
But Zion said, “Yahweh has abandoned me.
    My Adonay has forgotten me.”

15
Can a woman forget her nursing child?
    Will she have no compassion on the child from her womb?
    Although mothers may forget,
    I will not forget you.


Christians see themselves as a branch of Israel. In a way, although I am gentile, I am a son of Israel, due to the Servant of the Lord that has joined me to Israel:

19
Though you are destroyed and demolished and your land is in ruins,
    you will be too crowded for your people now.
        Those who devoured you will be long gone.
20
The children taken from you will say to you,
    “This place is too crowded for me.
    Make room for me to live here.”
21
Then you will ask yourself,
    “Who has fathered these children for me?
        I was childless and unable to have children.
        I was exiled and rejected.
    Who raised these children for me?
        I was left alone.
    Where have they come from?”

Isaiah 48, Isaiah, Babylon, repentance.

 Isaiah 48, Isaiah, Babylon, repentance.

Imagine the people of the Lord in Babylon. They are always tempted to think that other gods are more powerful than the Lord. However this chapter explains why Judah is in Babylon. Although they claim to worship the Lord, it is not true:

1,2 “And now listen to this, family of Jacob,
    you who are called by the name Israel:
Who got you started in the loins of Judah,
    you who use God’s name to back up your promises
    and pray to the God of Israel?
But do you mean it?
    Do you live like it?
You claim to be citizens of the Holy City;
    you act as though you lean on the God of Israel,
    named God-of-the-Angel-Armies.

8  (...)
    I know that you’ve acted very treacherously
    and that you have been called a rebel since you were born.    

Although Judah worship the Lord, they also worship other gods; that is why the Lord reveal future things - Judah should have no execuse that the Lord spoke:

5
That is why I revealed to you what would happen long ago.
    I told you about them before they happened.
    I did this so you couldn’t say,
    “My gods have done these things.
    My carved idols and my metal idols
        have commanded them to happen.”

The Lord has shown many signs to Israel:

3
From the beginning I revealed to you what would happen.
    These words came out of my mouth,
        and I made them known.
    Suddenly, I acted, and they happened.

but Israel is stuborn:

4
I know that you are stubborn.
    Like iron, you are hardheaded.
    Like bronze, nothing gets through your thick skull.
5
That is why I revealed to you what would happen long ago.
    I told you about them before they happened.
    I did this so you couldn’t say,
    “My gods have done these things.
    My carved idols and my metal idols
        have commanded them to happen.”
6
You’ve heard these words.
    Now look at all this.
        Won’t you admit it?

The Lord still wants Judah, Israel by his side.

9
For my name’s sake I’ll be patient.
    For my glory’s sake I’ll hold my anger back from you,
    rather than destroy you.
10
I have refined you,
    but not like silver.
    I have tested you in the furnace of suffering.
11
I am doing this for myself, only for myself.
    Why should my name be dishonored?
    I will not give my glory to anyone else.
12
Listen to me, Jacob,
    Israel, whom I have called.
        I am the one.
            I am the first and the last.
13
My hand laid the foundation of the earth.
    My right hand stretched out the heavens.
    When I call for them, they both stand.

One more sign, a prophecy:

14
Gather together, all of you, and listen.
    What idol has revealed such things?
    Yahweh loves Cyrus.
    He will carry out Yahweh’s plan against Babylon.
    He will use his strength against the Babylonians.
15
I alone have spoken.
    I have called him.
        I will bring him here, and he will succeed.

The Lord calls his people to repent:

17 This is what Yahweh, your Go’el, Qedosh Yisrael, says:

I am Yahweh your Elohim.
    I teach you what is best for you.
    I lead you where you should go.
18
If only you had listened to my commands!
    Your peace would be like a river that never runs dry.
    Your righteousness would be like waves on the sea.
19
Your descendants would be like sand.
    Your children would be like its grains.
        Their names would not be cut off or wiped out in my presence.

The Lord ordains his people to leave Babylon:

20
Leave Babylon; flee from the Babylonians!
    Shout for joy as you tell it and announce it.
        Shout it out to the ends of the earth.
            Say that Yahweh has reclaimed his servant Jacob.
21
They weren’t thirsty when he led them through the deserts.
    He made water flow from a rock for them.
    He split a rock, and water gushed out.

22
“There is no peace for the wicked,” says Yahweh.

It is difficult to think that this text was written by Isaiah because he lived before the Babylonian captivity; how woud he say:"Leave Babylon; flee from the Babylonians!"

Isaiah 47 - Babylon will fall despite her wisdom and knowledge

 
Isaiah 47 is message against Babylon. The Lord says "she" was his instrument to punish the sins of his people:

6
I was angry with my people.
    I dishonored those who belong to me.
    I put them under your control.
    You showed them no mercy.
    You placed a heavy burden on old people.
7
You said, “I will always be a queen.”
    You didn’t carefully consider these things
        or keep in mind how they would end.

Although Babylon receive power from the Lord against his people, she is guilty of showing "no mercy". Jesus says that his disciples should be merciful.
Babylon is secure in herself; she trusts its power:

8
Now then, listen to this, you lover of pleasure.
    You live securely and say to yourself,
        “I’m the only one, and there’s no one else.
            I won’t live as a widow.
            I won’t suffer the loss of children.”
10
You feel safe in your wickedness
    and say, “No one can see me.”
    Your wisdom and knowledge have led you astray,
    so you say to yourself,
        “I’m the only one, and there’s no one else.”

If we were living in Babylon at that time, we were very prone to think like that: no one can destroy Babylon. Babylon had worldly wisdom and knowlege. It was similar to some bi tech company of today. However:

11
But evil will happen to you.
    You won’t know how to keep it away.
    Disaster will strike you.
    You won’t be able to stop it.
    Destruction will overtake you suddenly.
    You won’t expect it.

despite its scientists, economists, etc.:

13
You are worn out by your many plans.
    Let your astrologers and your stargazers,
    who foretell the future month by month,
        come to you, rise up, and save you.
14
They are like straw.
    Fire burns them.
    They can’t rescue themselves from the flames.
    There are no glowing coals to keep them warm
    and no fire for them to sit by.
15
This is how it will be for those who have worked with you,
    for those who have been with you ever since you were young.
        They will go their own ways,
            and there will be no one to save you.

Isaiah 46: Bel and Nebo are man-made gods.

 Was Isaiah 46 written by the prophet Isaiah indeed? Isaiah can be divided in two books: 1-39; and  40-55. The second part deals with the Babylonian captivity and points to Cyrus as the one who will deliver Jerusalem. Let us suppose that Isaiah 46 was written by a jew in Babilonia captivity. All Babylonias veneer Marduk (Bel) and other gods: they are the source of wisdom, the power, etc. We read:

1-2 The god Bel falls down, god Nebo slumps.
    The no-god hunks of wood are loaded on mules
And have to be hauled off,
    wearing out the poor mules—
Dead weight, burdens who can’t bear burdens,
    hauled off to captivity.

The author of these verses could be put to death by the Babylonians! Here, it is evident that Bel and Nebo are man-made gods. In contrast we read:

3-4
“Listen to me, family of Jacob,
    everyone that’s left of the family of Israel.
I’ve been carrying you on my back
    from the day you were born,
And I’ll keep on carrying you when you’re old.
    I’ll be there, bearing you when you’re old and gray.
I’ve done it and will keep on doing it,
    carrying you on my back, saving you.

The Lord carries the family of Israel instead of Babylonian gods being carried.
It is very likely that many Jews were considering to adore the Babylnian gods, but the Lord says:

5-7  “So to whom will you compare me, the Incomparable?
    Can you picture me without reducing me?
People with a lot of money
    hire craftsmen to make them gods.
The artisan delivers the god,
    and they kneel and worship it!
They carry it around in holy parades,
    then take it home and put it on a shelf.
And there it sits, day in and day out,
    a dependable god, always right where you put it.
Say anything you want to it, it never talks back.
    Of course, it never does anything either!

Thus, the Lord is using logic, reason to make his people understand that it is foolish to adore the Babylonian gods. The Lord is the One who writes history and He proves it:

8-11  I am God, the only God you’ve had or ever will have—
    incomparable, irreplaceable—
From the very beginning
    telling you what the ending will be,
All along letting you in
    on what is going to happen,
Assuring you, ‘I’m in this for the long haul,
    I’ll do exactly what I set out to do,’
Calling that eagle, Cyrus, out of the east,
    from a far country the man I chose to help me.
I’ve said it, and I’ll most certainly do it.
    I’ve planned it, so it’s as good as done.

The Lord touches the heart of the people of Israel using words:

12-13  “Now listen to me:
    You’re a hardheaded bunch and hard to help.
I’m ready to help you right now.
    Deliverance is not a long-range plan.
    Salvation isn’t on hold.
I’m putting salvation to work in Zion now,
    and glory in Israel.”

It is the Lord who chose Israel and not the opposite.

Isaiah 45: Cyrus, a pagan king, is called to deliver Jerusalem

 In Isaiah 45 we read a future event: a pagan king, Cyrus, will serve the Lord. He is called "anointed" or Messiah although he is pagan. He will deliver Jerusalem. This prophecy is very specific calling Cyrus by name. If I were a Jew, it would be very clear that there are nations much more powerful than Judah or Israel (Assyria, Babylon). Perhaps, I would question how the Lord, the Creator is really powerful because Judah is not so powerful and the Yahweh is his God. Isaiah 45 calls the unbeliever to understand that Yahweh is in fact controlling the universe. He is the Creator, He made earth and heavens. This chapter finishes with a calling to trust in the Lord who is the only One who provides salvation:

22
Turn to me and be saved, all who live at the ends of the earth,
    because I am El, and there is no other.
23
I have bound myself with an oath.
    A word has gone out from my righteous mouth
    that will not be recalled,
        “Every knee will bow to me
            and every tongue will swear allegiance.”
24
It will be said of me,
    “Certainly, righteousness and strength are found in Yahweh alone.”

All who are angry with him will come to him and be ashamed.
25
All the descendants of Israel will be declared righteous,
    and they will praise Yahweh.

Isaiah 44 - Yahweh is the only Elohim

 In Isaiah 44 we read the Lord saying to Israel:

2
Yahweh made you, formed you in the womb, and will help you.

This is what Yahweh says:

Don’t be afraid, my servant Jacob,
    Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.

We read in Proverbs 9:

10
The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom.
    The knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Although the fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom, I don't need to be afraid because the Lord is the One who takes care of me.

The Spirit brings this confidence to the believer: he belongs to the Lord:

2    I will pour my Ruach on your offspring
    and my blessing on your descendants.
4
They will spring up with the grass
    as poplars spring up by streams.
5
One person will say, “I belong to Yahweh.”
    Another will call on the name of Jacob.
        Another will write on his hand, “Yahweh’s,”
            and he will adopt the name of Israel.

We are not to adhore other gods because other gods are powerless:

6 This is what Yahweh says:

I am the first and the last,
    and there is no Elohim except me.
7
If there is anyone like me, let him say so.
    Let him tell me what happened
        when I established my people long ago.
    Then let him predict what will happen to them.
8
Don’t be terrified or afraid.
    Didn’t I make this known to you long ago?
        You are my witnesses.
            Is there any Elohim except me?
                There is no other rock; I know of none.

        
The believer was created to serve the Lord:

21 Remember these things, Jacob:
    You are my servant, Israel.
        I formed you; you are my servant.
            Israel, I will not forget you.
22
I made your rebellious acts disappear like a thick cloud
    and your sins like the morning mist.
    Come back to me, because I have reclaimed you.

23
Sing with joy, you heavens, because Yahweh has done this.
    Rejoice, you deep places of the earth.
    Break into shouts of joy, you mountains,
    you forests and every tree in them.
        Yahweh has reclaimed Jacob.
            He will display his glory in Israel.

A sign that the Lord knows the future:

28
He says about Cyrus, “He is my shepherd.
    He will do everything I want him to do.”
    He says about Jerusalem, “It will be rebuilt.”
    He says about the temple, “Your foundation will be laid.”

Isaiah 43: Yahweh declares his love to Israel, despite its sins.

 In Isaiah 43 we read:
. the Lord takes care of Israel and declares his love :

43 1 Yahweh created Jacob and formed Israel. Now, this is what Yahweh says:

Do not be afraid, because I have reclaimed you.
    I have called you by name; you are mine.

2
When you go through the sea, I am with you.
    When you go through rivers, they will not sweep you away.
    When you walk through fire, you will not be burned,
    and the flames will not harm you.

4
Since you are precious to me, you are honored and I love you.
    I will exchange others for you.
        Nations will be the price I pay for your life.

. The Lord reveal his plans to Israel:

9
All nations have gathered together, and people have assembled.
    Who among them could have revealed this?
    Who among them could have foretold this to us?
        They should bring their witnesses to prove that they were right.
            Let the people hear them. Then they will say that it is true.

10
“You are my witnesses,” declares Yahweh.
    “I have chosen you as my servant
    so that you can know and believe in me
        and understand that I am the one who did this.
    No god was formed before me,
    and there will be none after me.
11
I alone am Yahweh,
    and there is no savior except me.
12
I have revealed it to you, I have saved you,
    and I have announced it to you.
        There was no foreign god among you.
    You are my witnesses that I am El,” declares Yahweh.


. The Lord knows that Israel is no good, and the Lord takes the first step to forgive Israel:

22
Jacob, you have not prayed to me.
    Israel, you have grown tired of me.
23
You did not bring me sheep for your burnt offerings
    or honor me with your sacrifices.
    I did not burden you by requiring grain offerings
    or trouble you by requiring incense offerings.
24
You did not buy me any sugar cane with your money
    or satisfy me with the best part of your sacrifices.
    Rather, you burdened me with your sins
    and troubled me with your wrongdoings.

25
I alone am the one who is going to wipe away your rebellious actions
    for my own sake.
        I will not remember your sins anymore.

. The Lord will cause some hardships to Israel (for repentance):

28
That is why I will corrupt the leaders of the holy place.
    I will claim Jacob for destruction.
    I will set up Israel for ridicule.
   

Isaiah 42: connecting Jesus and Israel

 

Isaiah 42 points to Jesus because it says about the Servant of the Lord:

1 Here is my Ebed, whom I support.

    Here is my chosen one, with whom I am pleased.

    I have put my Ruach on him.

    He will bring justice to the nations.

This is what Yahweh El says:

6 I, Yahweh, have called you to do what is right.

    I will take hold of your hand.

    I will protect you.

    I will appoint you as my promise[a] to the people,

        as my light to the nations.

7             You will give sight to the blind,

                bring prisoners out of prisons,

                    and bring those who live in darkness

    out of dungeons.

8 I am Yahweh; that is my name.

    I will not give my glory to anyone else

        or the praise I deserve to idols.

9 What I said in the past has come true.

    I will reveal new things before they happen.

However Isaiah 42 talks about another servant:

18 Listen, you deaf people.

    Look, you blind people, so that you can see.

19 Who is blind except my servant

    or deaf like the messenger I send?

    Who is blind like the one who has my trust

    or blind like the servant of Yahweh?

20 You have seen much, but you do not observe anything.

    Your ears are open, but you hear nothing.

This servant is blind but it doesn't fit verse 7. I understand that Isaiah is talking about two servants: Jesus at first and then Israel. It is very interesting that Israel was called in a similar way as verses 6,7. In the New Testament we prophecies that mix Israel ("called form Egypt") and Jesus. In a way, Jesus is Israel according to the Word of the Lord.     

Isaiah 41: the Lord is the real God - He knows the future.

 In Isaiah 41, the Lord calls the nations to show that He is the One in charge of everything. Nations make their gods, but Israel was chosen by the Lord. Gods of other nations can´t say anything, but the Lord says things that will happen:

2 “Who has raised up from the east

    someone to whom Yahweh gives victory with every step he takes?

        Nations are handed over to him.

            He defeats kings.

            With his sword he turns them into dust.

            With his bow he turns them into straw blown by the wind.

Some commentors appoint to Abraham.

The Lord chose Israel:

8 “But you are my servant Israel,

    Jacob, whom I have chosen,

    the descendant of Abraham, my dear friend.

Israel is nothing; the Lord calls it a worm:

14 Don’t be afraid, Jacob, you worm.

    You people of Israel, I will help you,”

    declares Yahweh, your Go’el, Qedosh Yisrael.

The Lord loves the poor and needy:

17 “The poor and needy are looking for water, but there is none.

    Their tongues are parched with thirst.

    I, Yahweh, will answer them.

    I, the Elohim of Israel, will not abandon them.

    

The Lord is the One who knows the future:

22 “Bring your idols so they can tell us what’s going to happen.

    Explain past events that your idols told you about

        so that we may consider them

            and know what their outcome will be.

                Tell us about future events.

25 “I have raised up someone from the north, and he has come.

    He will call on my name from the east.

    He will attack rulers as if they were mud,

        as if he were treading on clay like a potter.

Some commentors appoint to Cyrus, but is this one the same as in verse 2?

Isaiah 40: the Lord will come as a Shepherd to care for his people

 Isaiah 40 we read:

- The Proclamation of Comfort (Isaiah 40:1-2) 

2 Speak softly and tenderly to Jerusalem,

    but also make it very clear

That she has served her sentence,

    that her sin is taken care of—forgiven!

- A Voice in the Wilderness (Isaiah 40:3-5)

3 Thunder in the desert!

    “Prepare for God’s arrival!

Make the road straight and smooth,

    a highway fit for our God.

God comes and this verse is directly related to John Baptist (thunder in the desert) announcing Jesus (God).

- The Transience of Humanity and the Eternity of God's Word (Isaiah 40:6-8)

The grass withers, the wildflowers fade,

    if God so much as puffs on them.

    Aren’t these people just so much grass?

True, the grass withers and the wildflowers fade,

    but our God’s Word stands firm and forever.”

People is like grass, but even so, God will visit mankind.     

- Zion, the Herald of Good News: the Lord comes with power as a shepherd to care his flock (Isaiah 40:9-11)

Climb a high mountain, Zion.

    You’re the preacher of good news.

Raise your voice. Make it good and loud, Jerusalem.

    You’re the preacher of good news.

  

Look at him! God, the Master, comes in power,

    ready to go into action.

He is going to pay back his enemies

    and reward those who have loved him.

Like a shepherd, he will care for his flock,

    gathering the lambs in his arms,

Hugging them as he carries them,

    leading the nursing ewes to good pasture.

    

- God's Incomparable Majesty and Power (Isaiah 40:12-26)

  21-24 Have you not been paying attention?

    Have you not been listening?

Haven’t you heard these stories all your life?

    Don’t you understand the foundation of all things?

God sits high above the round ball of earth.

    The people look like mere ants.

He stretches out the skies like a canvas—

    yes, like a tent canvas to live under.

He ignores what all the princes say and do.

    The rulers of the earth count for nothing.

Princes and rulers don’t amount to much.

- God, the Source of Strength and Hope (Isaiah 40:27-31)

  27-31 Why would you ever complain, O Jacob,

    or, whine, Israel, saying,

“God has lost track of me.

    He doesn’t care what happens to me”?

He energizes those who get tired,

    gives fresh strength to dropouts.

For even young people tire and drop out,

    young folk in their prime stumble and fall.

But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.

    They spread their wings and soar like eagles,

They run and don’t get tired,

    they walk and don’t lag behind.

Isaiah 39: the Lord is well above the most powerful men

 In Isaiah 39, we read about Hezekiah pleased with the visit of 

messengers from Babylon. They sent greetings to him and send him gifts for king Hezekiah recovered from his sickness. 

He showed them the treasures of his palace. 

The prophet Isaiah warned him that it was wrong: everything will be hauled to Babylon, even his sons.

Is there a lesson? 

King Hezekiah was healed with a miraculous sign. Why should him be so glad with the king of Babylon? I myself don't owe anything to men and I owe everything to the Lord. Sometimes, it is difficult to remember this.

Isaiah 38: king Hezekiah who was about to die

 

In Isaiah 38 we read about king Hezekiah who was sick.

1 At that time, Hezekiah got sick. He was about to die. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz visited him and said, “God says, ‘Prepare your affairs and your family. This is it: You’re going to die. You’re not going to get well.’”

The Lord says to Isaiah prepare to die. In a way, I am about to die. It is my obligation to prepare for my death.

King Hezekiah prayed to the Lord:

 “God, please, I beg you: Remember how I’ve lived my life. I’ve lived faithfully in your presence, lived out of a heart that was totally yours. You’ve seen how I’ve lived, the good that I have done.”

The Lord gave him 15 years extra.

Hezekiah praises the Lord:

20 God saves and will save me.

    As fiddles and mandolins strike up the tunes,

We’ll sing, oh we’ll sing, sing,

    for the rest of our lives in the Sanctuary of God.

Isaiah 37: the angel of the Lord vs the king of Assyria

 In Isaiah 37 we see:

King Hezekiah presented the case before the Lord. He could take it more personally, and tried to deal with it, but he "just" prayed:

16“O LORD of Hosts, God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the heavens and the earth. 17Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see. Listen to all the words that Sennacherib has sent to defy the living God.

18Truly, O LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all these countries and their lands. 19They have cast their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods, but only wood and stone—the work of human hands.

20And now, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone, O LORD, are God.c”

The Lord answered him through the prophet Isaiah. The Lord said words directly to the king of Assyria:

23Whom have you taunted and blasphemed?

Against whom have you raised your voice

and lifted your eyes in pride?

Against the Holy One of Israel!

24Through your servants you have taunted the Lord,

and you have said:

“With my many chariots

I have ascended

to the heights of the mountains,

to the remote peaks of Lebanon.

I have cut down its tallest cedars,

the finest of its cypresses.d

I have reached its farthest heights,

the densest of its forests.

25I have dug wells

and drunk foreigne waters.

With the soles of my feet

I have dried up all the streams of Egypt.”

The Lord says that nothing is going out his plan:

26Have you not heard?

Long ago I ordained it;

in days of old I planned it.

Now I have brought it to pass,

that you should crush fortified cities

into piles of rubble

The Lord threats the king of Assyria:

28But I know your sitting down,

your going out and coming in,

and your raging against Me.

29Because your rage and arrogance against Me

have reached My ears,

I will put My hook in your nose

and My bit in your mouth;

I will send you back

the way you came.’

The angel of the Lord struck down 185K Assyrians. The king of Assyria, Sennacherib, returned to Nineveh where his sons murdered him in the pagan temple.

Isaiah 36: "Sennacherib, king of Assyrira, Threatens Jerusalem".

 In Isaiah 36 we read about: "Sennacherib, king of Assyria, Threatens Jerusalem". He sends messengers arguing that Judah should surrender to Assyria because they can't trust in the power of Egypt or the power of the Lord. If they don't surrender, Jerusalem be surround and there will be a great famine and thirst. The messengers are talking to three men sent by king Hezekiah, but they say in Hebrew to all people:

“Do you think my master has sent me to give this message to your master and you but not also to the people clustered here? It’s their fate that’s at stake. They’re the ones who are going to end up eating their own excrement and drinking their own urine.”

'Listen to the message of the Great King, the king of Assyria! Don’t listen to Hezekiah’s lies. He can’t save you. And don’t pay any attention to Hezekiah’s pious sermons telling you to lean on God, telling you ‘God will save us, depend on it. God won’t let this city fall to the king of Assyria.’

21 The three men were silent. They said nothing, for the king had already commanded, “Don’t answer him.”

We, as Christian, must have wisdom not to answer certain lies from Satan.

Isaiah 35 - Redemption and the Way to Zion

 In Isaiah 35 we read about "The Promise of Redemption and the Way of Holiness". In verses 1-2, we see a desert that wellcomes people with flowers and music. In verses 3-4 we read a message of hope:

Tell fearful souls,

    “Courage! Take heart!

God is here, right here,

    on his way to put things right

And redress all wrongs.

    He’s on his way! He’ll save you!”

In verses 5-7 we read a prophecy about restauration:

5-7 Blind eyes will be opened,

    deaf ears unstopped,

Lame men and women will leap like deer,

    the voiceless break into song.

In verses 8-10, we read about the Way to Zion:

There will be a highway

    called the Holy Road.

No one rude or rebellious

    is permitted on this road.

It’s for God’s people exclusively—

    impossible to get lost on this road.

    Not even fools can get lost on it.

Jesus is the Way, the Holy Road. Whoever is in Jesus don't get lost.

Isaiah 34: day of vengeance

 In Isaiah 34 we read:

1. Nations are called to pay attention to a message: the Lord'anger will destroy nations (v1-4).

2. The Lord's sword will descend upon Edom (v5-10) for the cause of Zion:

8 For the Lord has a day of vengeance,

A year of retribution for the cause of Zion.  

3. Edom will be desolated (v11-17). Animals (owls, wild goats) will live in Edom.

Isaiah 33: Despite evil, the Lord reigns

 In Isaiah 33 we see the Destroyer and Betrayer doing evil. A comment says it refers to Assyria. We see a lot of injustice while the evil prevails. Isaiah 33 prophecies that the Destroyer will be destroyed and the betrayer will be betrayed. Isaiah prays:

2 O Yahweh, have pity on us.

    We wait with hope for you.

    Be our strength in the morning.

    Yes, be our savior in times of trouble.

3 People flee from the noise of your army.

    Nations scatter when you attack.

Yahweh is on our side; not because we are righteous but because He made us righteous:

5 Yahweh is honored because he lives on high.

    He will fill Zion with justice and righteousness.

6 He will be the foundation of your future.

    The riches of salvation are wisdom and knowledge.

    The fear of Yahweh is your treasure.

The Lord says to the ones who don't trust in Him:

10 Yahweh says, “Now I will arise.

    Now I will get up.

    Now I will be lifted up.”

11 You will be pregnant with hay.

    You will give birth to straw.

    Your breath will be a fire which will burn you up.

He must be saying this to Assyria - her breath will burn her up.

The Lord is against sinners, from Zion inclusive:

13 Hear what I have done, you people who are far away!

    Acknowledge my might, you people who are near!

14 The sinners in Zion are terrified.

    Trembling seizes the ungodly.

    Can any of us live through a fire that destroys?

    Can any of us live through a fire that burns forever?

Who can outlive the fire?

15 The person who does what is right and speaks the truth will live.

    He rejects getting rich by extortion and refuses to take bribes.

        He refuses to listen to those who are plotting murders.

        He doesn’t look for evil things to do.

16 This person will live on high.

    His stronghold will be a fortress made of rock.

        He will have plenty of food

            and a dependable supply of water.

Although we are righteous by the Lord, it must have a change in our lives; for instance, his people refuses to take bribes.

Isaiah 32: the fair king.

 In Isaiah 32 we read about a king that will rule with fairness.

1 A king will rule with fairness,

    and officials will rule with justice.

2 Then each ruler will be like a shelter from the wind

    and a hiding place from the rain.

    They will be like streams on parched ground

    and the shade of a large rock in a weary land.

3 Then the vision of those who can see won’t be blurred,

    and the ears of those who can hear will pay attention.

4 Then those who are reckless will begin to understand,

    and those who stutter will speak quickly and clearly.

We read about a great problem in Judah that will happen in less than one year:

10 In a little less than a year

    you overconfident women will tremble,

        because the grape harvest will fail

            and no fruit will be brought in from the fields.

but something spectacular will happen:

14 Palaces will be deserted.

    Noisy cities will be abandoned.

    Fortresses and watchtowers will become permanent caves.

    They will be a delight for wild donkeys and pastures for flocks

15 until the Ruach is poured on us from on high.

    Then the wilderness will be turned into a fertile field,

    and the fertile field will be considered a forest.

16 Then justice will live in the wilderness,

    and righteousness will be at home in the fertile field.

17 Then an act of righteousness will bring about peace,

    calm, and safety forever.

As a Christian, I understand that Jesus, the king, is the One who fufills verse 17. His act of rightewsness brings peace for me and for mankind.

Isaiah 31: seek help from the Lord, not from men.

 In Isaiah 31 we read:

1-3 Doom to those who go off to Egypt

    thinking that horses can help them,

Impressed by military mathematics,

    awed by sheer numbers of chariots and riders—

And to The Holy of Israel, not even a glance,

    not so much as a prayer to God.

Still, he must be reckoned with,

    a most wise God who knows what he’s doing.

He can call down catastrophe.

    He’s a God who does what he says.

He intervenes in the work of those who do wrong,

    stands up against interfering evildoers.

Egyptians are mortal, not God,

    and their horses are flesh, not Spirit.

When God gives the signal, helpers and helped alike

    will fall in a heap and share the same dirt grave.

Assyria and Egypt were the great super powers surrounding Israel and Judah. King Hezekiah was afraid of Assyria so he was tempted to seek an alliance with Egypt. Isaiah was warning that God is much more powerful than Egypt - Judah should rest in the Lord and not in an alliance with Egypt.