Impending Doom
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Isaiah records these words given by the LORD during the reign of Hezekiah king of Judah. While the king of Assyria had been decimating and exiling Israel, Judah was also being afflicted. Calamity had fallen on all of Israel due to their sins. Judah was not exempted from this, as Shalmaneser and then Sennacherib laid waste to the cities. Not many people were left, just as God had foretold through Moses.
Hezekiah had trusted the LORD, perhaps out of desperation, to avoid a certain end prophesied by so many prophets of God. He knew keenly that obedience to the LORD meant blessings and security in the Land. He also saw how disobedience brought calamity, having watched his father and Judah suffer, and being a personal witness of the devastation of Israel by Assyrian armies for their long rejection of The LORD. And God was with him as he trusted the LORD during these times.
As Israel fell into exile, Hezekiah rebelled against Assyria. Kings changed and soon Sennacherib returned once again to conquer more of the land. History records that in 701 bc, Sennacherib came to resubjugate Judah and Philistia. He defeated the rebels in Ekron, then returned to come against Jerusalem. In the path was the second most important city of Judah - Lachish. Situated high on a hill, fortified by former kings, with an almost impossible to breach wall surrounding it, the Assyrians went to work building a siege ramp. Their overwhelming numbers were no match for Judah, so the city fell and Sennacherib sat on the throne in that city and decreed the inhabitants be slaughtered. This event was later recorded on a relief in the capital city of Nineveh. It is currently in the British Museum, showing Sennacherib on a throne as the spoils of Lachish are paraded before him.
Hezekiah found himself in a tight spot. He sent a message to Sennacherib in Lachish, saying, ‘I have done wrong. Withdraw from me, and I will pay whatever you demand of me.’ The demand came and was paid. Three hundred talents of silver, thirty talents of gold were paid to the king of Assyria. Hezekiah gave him all the silver found in the Temple treasuries and in the palace. Then he stripped off the gold which he had covered the Temple door and doorposts with.
God had allowed this calamity to come on Judah for their own sin of rejecting their God. They were going through the motions of worship, but their hearts were far from God. So God spoke these words through Isaiah as He allowed His Temple to be humbled: ‘Hear the word of the Lord, You rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the instruction of our God, You people of Gomorrah. “What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me?” Says the Lord. “I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle; And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs or goats. When you come to appear before Me, Who requires of you this trampling of My courts? Bring your worthless offerings no longer, Incense is an abomination to Me. New moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies - I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly. I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts, They have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them. So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; Yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood. Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow.’
God always knows what is happening. And He always knows how to get our attention. He even uses wicked enemies to bring His people to repentance. He gave them so many opportunities to humble themselves first and do the right things for the right reasons. Hezekiah was spared for his own heart of obedience to the LORD, but even he faced difficult time brought on by the sins of his nation before him. Repent quickly and seek the LORD while there is time.