The Messiah will Return as King

The Messiah, The King In All His Beauty

Book of Isaiah 33 10-24; 2 Kings 19:20-37

What is the truth of every true prophet of God?

1) They did always look to Heaven for wisdom rather than to Earth.

2) What they received from Heaven they then communicated to the men that God had sent them to.

This is a guideline for every Christian!

What is the truth of the Word of God?

1) In these Scriptures we will also see the magnitude of deliverance that repentance can bring.

2) We will also see the terrible ruin of how deliverance can affect the enemies of God.

In short the King of Assyria, with his ambassador Rabshakeh had destroyed the Northern Kingdom of Israel and had taken it's people(mostly the men) away to foreign lands.

He was moving through all of Judah at will and was now threatening Jerusalem.

We know that Hezekiah had trusted in his own methods and had removed many of the treasures of the Temple and had given to King Sennacherib as a bribe, but this had no effect on this ruthless king.

We also know that Hezekiah had trusted in some help from Egypt, sending even more of his nations money but that help would never materialize.

There was only one who could help Hezekiah and the people of Judah, the One Hezekiah should have sought to begin with!

God had promised deliverance if these people would call upon Him but in this instance there was also a ruthless king who had defied the Living God and he needed to see the results of his foolishness.

A lesson for all national leaders, "Do Not Challenge The Living God, Jehovah, The Holy One of Israel".

In all these things we will see in "typology" the results of the returning Messiah.

We will see a graphic picture of life when the Messiah returns to set up His Kingdom!

*****Isa 33:10  Now will I rise, saith the LORD; now will I be exalted; now will I lift up myself. 

Isa 33:11  Ye shall conceive chaff, ye shall bring forth stubble: your breath, as fire, shall devour you. 

Isa 33:12  And the people shall be as the burnings of lime: as thorns cut up shall they be burned in the fire. 

Isa 33:13  Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done; and, ye that are near, acknowledge my might. 

Not part of our lesson but lets read verse 1:

Isa 33:1  Woe to thee that spoilest, and thou wast not spoiled; and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee! when thou shalt cease to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled; and when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee. 

There is coming a day when those who have caused harm to God's people will end, for the Lord will execute "Judgment" upon them!

Sennacherib, the King of Assyria was seeking world domination at this time and Judah stood in his way.

Sennacherib, is in "typology" a type of the Antichrist.

Listen to how he was described. He was weak but sought glory. He was a coward, when things did not go his way. He was cruel and boastful in his successes.

As God said about Satan: Isa_14:16  They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;

When the Lord rises from His throne, nothing and no one can stop the "Judgment" of God!

King Hezekiah had finally reached out to the Lord and the Lord had heard his prayer:

2Ki 19:20  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. 

Notice that God did not answer Hezekiah directly but still answered through His prophet. It was time for Hezekiah to trust the Word of God through His prophets!

We face this same challenge with God's prophets! Do we believe or not?

The prophecies in the Bible are real. These words are God's guarantee to His children!

We are to trust in all the Word of God!

And what did God say?

*****2Ki 19:21  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. 

2Ki 19:22  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. 

In all his boasting this foolish king had challenged Jehovah God and as we see, God responds directly to him.

We may ask ourselves, does God speak to ruthless national leaders? This is the evidence that He does, though most will never admit it and still reject Him.

1) God said Sennacherib would flee from Jerusalem.

2) God said Sennacherib would not "rape, pillage, nor burn this city" as he intended.

3) God said Sennacherib would be mocked by those that he intended to harm.

4) God said Sennacherib had not only challenged Jerusalem but he had challenged Him, the Living God, Jehovah!

It is never a good thing for anyone to insult and defy the Living God!

Notice Isaiah uses that phrase "The Holy One Of Israel" 27 times in his Scriptures.

God, Himself is not only "Holy" and "Gracious" unto Israel, but He makes His people "Holy" also. He causes His people to be separate from the rest of the world and sanctified by Him.

Here we can not only see the praise of God but the privilege of those who love Him!

The truth is, any plans made against Jerusalem can only take place if God allows it to take place. The Assyrian plans of destruction were no more than chaff or stubble that was carried away with the wind.

The fury of those that come against Jerusalem, will be the same fire that will destroy them.

Another lesson this world needs to learn!

It is said, that this mighty army of Assyria was of 200,000 men but they would only be as thorns that will burn up quickly in a fire.

And God says to all others, see hear and see what he has done. In other words, this is an example of what would happen to others who try to destroy Jerusalem.

*****Isa 33:13  Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done; and, ye that are near, acknowledge my might. 

King Hezekiah was facing impossible odds and a hopeless situation. He was helpless to deliver his people but the Word of God through His prophet, gave him assurance and the promise of deliverance.

This is what the Word of God can do for us all if we will only believe!

2Co_12:10  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

We can certainly trust in the promises of God!

2Ti 4:18  And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 

How does Sennacherib remind us of the Antichrist?

*****2Ki 19:23  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. 

These messengers included Tartan, the commander in chief of the armies of Assyria.

There was the Rubsaris, the chief eunuch of Assyria.

There was Rabshakeh, the chief cup bearer, representing the embassies of Assyria.

There was a great multitude of chariots as a show of force, a well trained and battle hardened military force that no one had been able to stop.

As we have seen in earlier lessons, most every assault on Judah came from the direction of the forest of Lebanon and we see another threat to destroy these wonderful forest.

We can see that Sennacherib had every intention of destroying all the wonderful Holy sites of Israel.

We see this same thing as ISIS occupies the Arab lands. They intentionally destroy all the ancient artifacts and monuments.

In fact Sennacherib had every intention of making Israel uninhabitable and desolate.

We should understand that God has made some strong promises to Israel and to His Church!

*****Isa 33:15  He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;

In fact there is a glorious day of salvation coming to God's people, a day when the Messiah will set up His kingdom upon this earth.

When God has had enough of the atrocities of this world and direct challenges to His truths, He will certainly return to settle all things.

In typology we can see this in this passage of 2 Kings.

*****2Ki 19:24  I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of besieged places.

2Ki 19:25  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  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. 

1) We know that Sennacherib had ridiculed and blasphemed the Holy One of Israel.

2) We also know that he had heaped insults on the Lord, who has already said in the Scriptures, He will not tolerate insults or rejection.

3) This king had exalted himself above all men, above all gods, and had boasted of his military power.

He had said he could conquer any nation.

He had said he could cut down any national leader.

He had said that no part of this earth was out of his reach.

He had said he could take the resources of any land.

He had said he had powers that only a God could have.

In response to all these things, God has His way of putting things so they cannot be misunderstood!

*****2Ki 19:27  But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me. 

2Ki 19:28  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.

Psalms 139 teaches us that God knows everything about each and everyone of us that love Him but we can see that God keeps His eyes on all those that are evil too and those that hate Him!

Every ruler in the world should take note of this Scripture!

All those that hate God's people, then show that they also hate the Lord!

Everyone knows that certain animals that are hard to maintain control have a ring inserted into their nose, so they can be led about without much problem. The Lord said He would lead Sennacherib around like a wild animal.

One commentary says that these Assyrians would actually do this to kings and rulers that were captured alive and I believe this could be true, because the Lord loves to repay in the same way as evil men have done themselves.

One thing for sure, all national leaders are under the watchful eye of the Lord and they need to be aware of this.

The truth is, the Lord said Sennacherib would be defeated, he would be subdued like an animal, and he would returned to his own land.

The Lord then gave King Hezekiah a sign through the prophet Isaiah.

*****2Ki 19:29  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. 

2Ki 19:30  And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall yet again take root downward, and bear fruit upward. 

The land of Judah had been over run by the armies of Assyria and the people of Jerusalem had been shut up behind the walls of the city but when this thing was over, they would still find enough produce from what had been shed on the ground from the previous harvest to last them for a year, and the next year they would be supplied in the same way. In the third year they could begin again to cultivate the land and enjoy their crops in peace.

This would mean that none of enemies of Judah would be able attack Judah for this period of time.

In truth, after Sennacherib was turned away from Judah, he ruled for 17 more years but he never attacked Judah again.

Many Jews had been carried away to foreign lands by Sennacherib but God promises that those who remain will be firmly fixed in the land much like a tree that takes root and begins to bear fruit.

These things could only take place because of the Lord!

*****2Ki 19:31  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. 

2Ki 19:32  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. 

If King Hezekiah was a true believer then he should accept what God promised, that the army of the Assyrians would not enter into Jerusalem. Sennacherib would not be able to place Jerusalem under siege nor even get close enough to shoot one arrow into the city.

We should also notice when it comes to the Jews, it is always only a remnant that will be saved!

Rom 11:4  But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. 

Rom 11:5  Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

There are always some true believers even amongst the Jews and even in our day, that we may not know about! 

As Christians we can see that this was a promise from God that was fulfilled.

And the Lord continues:

*****2Ki 19:33  By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the LORD. 

2Ki 19:34  For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake. 

Again we see God will not allow any human being, no matter how powerful they think they are, to interfere with His promises!

As we see if this evil king was allowed to destroy Jerusalem at this time then it would have affected what God had promised to King David. It would have affected the "First Coming" of the Messiah and made the Word of God to be false.

God will not allow this to happen in any age!

King Sennacherib and his army:

1) would not enter into Jerusalem, nor shoot one arrow, nor lay siege to the city.

2) he would return to his own land by the quickest route possible.

We may ask ourselves why? It is because Jerusalem would be defended by the Lord Himself, for His own honor!

What did God do?

*****2Ki 19:35  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. 

It could be said that this was a miracle of God because it was a promise fulfilled.

No human plan could have accomplished this thing!

We should also realize that we can never know what will come about tomorrow as these Assyrians were planning to be victorious the very next day!

Jas 4:14  Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. 

Jas 4:15  For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. 

Note: King Hezekiah had humbled himself and prayed.

God had made promises to King David, that must be kept.

King Sennacherib had directly challenged the Lord, Jehovah.

God knows what is going on in this world at all times.

God will never allow any human to cause a change in the promises He has made.

And for the Church, how could we love a Father who could not keep His Word?

We know that the Angels of the Lord are assigned to protect God's people.

Heb_1:14  Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

We should also clearly understand that the power of just one of God's Angels is tremendous.

Angels are not ever moved by revenge or anger. Angels move only by the command and the Lord is the commander of His hosts of Angels.

On the night before the Assyrian army planned to attack Jerusalem, one Angel of the Lord was sent to smite their camp and 185,000 soldiers were killed in what could only be called a "Super Natural" way, unexplained by the knowledge of man.

This one Angel, without any noise, ended the plans of Sennacherib while these men were asleep never to awaken again and those that were allowed to live awoke to see dead corpses, not sick but dead.

This remnant of evil left in a hurry!

God left a remnant of this army, so they could return to their homeland with a story that was unbelievable but also unexplainable, except to say they were attacked by the Jehovah God of Israel.

We should understand that the "justice" of God never sleeps.

God's judgment is swift and devastating, much like what will happen when the Lord returns the second time.

God fulfilled the prayer of Hezekiah and part of the promise to David and kept His own honor, in one swift blow to the enemy!

Deliverance, "without seeing the wrath of God", has been promised to the Church and God will fulfill this promise also!

The truth is, wickedness will always end in ruin.

But this was not all, God had a special plan for Sennacherib.

*****2Ki 19:36  So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh. 

2Ki 19:37  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. 

Sennacherib was assassinated by his own sons.

Isa 37:38  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. 

It is believed that this thing took place as much as 20 years later.

We can see God has His way of ending plans for world domination and this will not happen until the 7 years of tribulation when this world will abide under the control of the Antichrist.

Napoleon remarked that "God was always on the side of the biggest battalions", but God clipped his wings.

Alexander wept because there were no more nations to conquer and died because of excessive alcohol consumption.

Hannibal died from his own poison.

Caesar was stabbed by his own best friends.

Hitler died committing suicide, while hiding in a basement and there are others and there will be others.

The truth is the Lord Jesus will return in all His glory and put an end to the wickedness of this world forever!

*****Isa 33:16  He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.

Isa 33:17  Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off. 

Those that love the Lord will dwell on high. To dwell is to be a permanent resident!

Those that love the Lord will dwell in safety and with safety comes perfect peace.

This new life will be completely satisfying, our bread will be given to us, and our water will never run dry.

This new life will be with the King of Kings in all His glory.

In fact as we look upon our new life, we will finally know what true life is all about!

The idea of perfect security for those who have patiently waited on the Lord, will lead to an easy transition to an eternal life in glory!

*****Isa 33:18  Thine heart shall meditate terror. Where is the scribe? where is the receiver? where is he that counted the towers? 

Isa 33:19  Thou shalt not see a fierce people, a people of a deeper speech than thou canst perceive; of a stammering tongue, that thou canst not understand.

We will be free from the terror of oppressors for terror will have completely disappeared.

There will be no more plans for destruction, there will be no more tax collectors, there will be no more spies searching for ways to cause harm.

There will be no more fierce people seeking to cause harm.

There will be no more politicians with their promises and their lies.

There will be no speech that cannot be completely understood and no false agenda from anyone.

All the government will come from Zion!

*****Isa 33:20  Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken. 

Isa 33:21  But there the glorious LORD will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams; wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby. 

Isa 33:22  For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us. 

The Bible says:

Rev 21:1  And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 

Rev 21:2  And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 

Rev 21:3  And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 

Jerusalem will become the center of worship without the fear of terror attacks.

Jerusalem will never know trouble or unrest again!

The peace of God will blanket New Jerusalem like a tent that cannot fall. None of those stakes of the tent can even be pulled up and not one of those ropes can be cut.

Psa 46:2  Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 

Psa 46:3  Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. 

Psa 46:4  There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. 

Psa 46:5  God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.

All but a few of the major cities in this world are built adjacent to a river but God will be that river in New Jerusalem and no ships will sail there.

The Lord will be our "Judge".

The Lord will be our "Lawgiver"

The Lord will be our "King"

Because the Lord has been our "Savior" all along!

Heb 5:9  And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; 

*****Isa 33:23  Thy tacklings are loosed; they could not well strengthen their mast, they could not spread the sail: then is the prey of a great spoil divided; the lame take the prey. 

Isa 33:24  And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity.

When God is our river, no warships of the enemy can sail His river.

And how many times does God have to say that there will be no sickness before we believe Him! Not in the New Jerusalem and not in the Jerusalem of the Millennial Kingdom!

Why, because the people have been justified!

Rom 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 

Rom 8:2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 

Once God has removed all the sin of this world, He will remove all the suffering and there will be neither of these things in New Jerusalem!

We see that Isaiah understood the visions of God and the Word of God, and wrote all these things down for us in words that could be understood and these Jews certainly understood.

We will see the Lord in all His glory and all His beauty and that day may not be far off, in fact we do not know what tomorrow will bring!

Are you prepared to meet the Lord? He's coming soon!

Questions?

Let's pray!