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!
