Post by Lee on Jun 14, 2014 3:19:10 GMT
In Chapters 36–39 we come upon a historical section in Isaiah’s prophecy. The work of the prophets sometimes included the writing of history, of which there are many illustrations throughout the scriptures. The history of Hezekiah is (considering the brevity of the scriptures) very fully recorded. When we put together the accounts of Kings, Chronicles and Isaiah, we see quite a large picture of his life and work; and the important crises with which he was contemporary and in which he figured so prominently.
In 2 Chron. 32:32 we are told that “the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and his goodness … are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, and in the book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.” This quotation is made to show that in Ezra’s time there was no hint of that alleged composite authorship of Isaiah of which so much is heard in the circles of the “higher critics” of our days. But it is with reference to Chs. 40 and onwards that the critics affirm a “second Isaiah,” so we can defer a passing word on the subject.
Acting on the principle that divine history is “written for our instruction,” and is often, like that of the Israelites, directly typical and hortative in its character, we direct our minds to the things written of Hezekiah. Taking the accounts of Kings and Chronicles in conjunction with Isaiah’s we learn the following:—Hezekiah began to reign at the age of 25 years and reigned 29 years in Jerusalem. Consequently his “fourteenth year” was, as it were, the half-way house of his days, when God gave him a new lease of life. It is said that he did right in the sight of the Lord, and his right doing is the subject of considerable definition in detail—particularly in the book of Chronicles. He ruthlessly destroyed idolatry, even to the extent of breaking up the brazen serpent, because Israel had made a god of it (2 Kings 18:4). He cleansed, sanctified, and restored the temple, and reinstituted the worship of Yahweh and the service of the Levites. He even sent messengers through the northern kingdom inviting the people to return to the God of their fathers, but with some exceptions they were despised and ridiculed. This was in the first year of his reign, and his friendly and righteous action formed, as it were, a last warning and invitation from God to the kingdom of Israel. In another five years it was overthrown; i.e., in the sixth year of Hezekiah.
Hezekiah rebelled against Assyria, and smote the Philistines, both of which powers had prevailed over Judah because of his father Ahaz’ weakness. But in the fourteenth year of Hezekiah we see Sennacherib coming to reassert and enforce his claims, and succeeding to a certain extent; for we are told in 2 Kings 18:13–16 that he took all the fenced cities of Judah and put Hezekiah under tribute, which he raised by spoiling the temple and his palace of the silver and gold. But when Sennacherib undertook to take Jerusalem also, in spite of the best efforts of “the God of Jerusalem, ” in whose service Hezekiah was faithful, a new situation was created, in which it pleased God to make His power known in the vindication of His name and honour, and the deliverance of His King and people and chosen city.
This is the pith and marrow of this historical section of Isaiah: Yahweh, challenged by Sennacherib, and intreated by Hezekiah and Isaiah, vindicates His Name and honour, and delivers His people and city; and the record is written for the latter days, when a still greater Assyrian crisis is to come, and a still greater deliverance to be wrought. Add to this the lessons derived from the prayers and praises of Hezekiah, his new lease of life and how he “occupied” therein, and we realize how deeply instructive is this portion of the word.
Robert Roberts, & Walker, C. C. (1907). The Ministry of the Prophets: Isaiah (517–518
In 2 Chron. 32:32 we are told that “the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and his goodness … are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, and in the book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.” This quotation is made to show that in Ezra’s time there was no hint of that alleged composite authorship of Isaiah of which so much is heard in the circles of the “higher critics” of our days. But it is with reference to Chs. 40 and onwards that the critics affirm a “second Isaiah,” so we can defer a passing word on the subject.
Acting on the principle that divine history is “written for our instruction,” and is often, like that of the Israelites, directly typical and hortative in its character, we direct our minds to the things written of Hezekiah. Taking the accounts of Kings and Chronicles in conjunction with Isaiah’s we learn the following:—Hezekiah began to reign at the age of 25 years and reigned 29 years in Jerusalem. Consequently his “fourteenth year” was, as it were, the half-way house of his days, when God gave him a new lease of life. It is said that he did right in the sight of the Lord, and his right doing is the subject of considerable definition in detail—particularly in the book of Chronicles. He ruthlessly destroyed idolatry, even to the extent of breaking up the brazen serpent, because Israel had made a god of it (2 Kings 18:4). He cleansed, sanctified, and restored the temple, and reinstituted the worship of Yahweh and the service of the Levites. He even sent messengers through the northern kingdom inviting the people to return to the God of their fathers, but with some exceptions they were despised and ridiculed. This was in the first year of his reign, and his friendly and righteous action formed, as it were, a last warning and invitation from God to the kingdom of Israel. In another five years it was overthrown; i.e., in the sixth year of Hezekiah.
Hezekiah rebelled against Assyria, and smote the Philistines, both of which powers had prevailed over Judah because of his father Ahaz’ weakness. But in the fourteenth year of Hezekiah we see Sennacherib coming to reassert and enforce his claims, and succeeding to a certain extent; for we are told in 2 Kings 18:13–16 that he took all the fenced cities of Judah and put Hezekiah under tribute, which he raised by spoiling the temple and his palace of the silver and gold. But when Sennacherib undertook to take Jerusalem also, in spite of the best efforts of “the God of Jerusalem, ” in whose service Hezekiah was faithful, a new situation was created, in which it pleased God to make His power known in the vindication of His name and honour, and the deliverance of His King and people and chosen city.
This is the pith and marrow of this historical section of Isaiah: Yahweh, challenged by Sennacherib, and intreated by Hezekiah and Isaiah, vindicates His Name and honour, and delivers His people and city; and the record is written for the latter days, when a still greater Assyrian crisis is to come, and a still greater deliverance to be wrought. Add to this the lessons derived from the prayers and praises of Hezekiah, his new lease of life and how he “occupied” therein, and we realize how deeply instructive is this portion of the word.
Robert Roberts, & Walker, C. C. (1907). The Ministry of the Prophets: Isaiah (517–518