36-39. Isaiah Chapters Thirty-Six - Thirty-Nine
Part II The Assyrians, Chaldeans, and Hezekiah
Chapters 36-39
Chapter 36 A new section of the prophecies begins here. These and the two following chapters are suitably introduced in their historical setting. For the circumstances of Hezekiah’s reign, mentioned in 2 Chronicles 32:32 as a part of the “vision” of Isaiah, are a fulfillment of what Isaiah had predicted nearly thirty years before (Isaiah 8:5-10), and had alluded to subsequently (see Isaiah 10:12-19, Isaiah 10:33-34; Isaiah 14:24-25; Isaiah 30:28-31; Isaiah 31:8). The two chapters, dealing with the invasion and overthrow of the Assyrian, form, therefore, the historical consummation of chapters seven to thirty-five.
Chapters thirty-eight and thirty-nine, on the other hand, with the account of Hezekiah’s sickness, recovery and failure, form the historical basis of chapters forty to sixty-six. Chapters thirty-six and thirty-seven are retrospective. Chapters thirty-eight and thirty-nine are prospective. The four are clearly in their divinely appointed setting in the whole book. The fact that the whole passage is found in 2 Kings 18:13 to 2 Kings 20:19 provides no argument for the supposition that two or more authors compiled the book. The internal evidence is to the contrary. There are indications that these chapters form the original of the narrative in 2 Kings.
However that may be, the facts remain that chapters thirty-six and thirty-seven record the judgments which began to descend upon the nation because of their persistent rejection of God’s testimonies and their defiant rebellion against Him, judgments of which the prophet had warned them. On the other hand, while in Hezekiah’s reign national corruption had been checked, and there was a measure of restoration, yet the very failure on the part of the king after the mercy of his recovery, provided evidence that Judah would have to be subjected to the disasters of the Captivity.
But, prospectively, all this only serves to call forth the assurance that God would not permanently cast away His people. Hence the opening of the latter part of the book, beginning with chapter forty, a great part of which is an extension of the promised blessings in chapter thirty-five and certain preceding passages. The whole book demonstrates God’s pleasure in causing mercy to rejoice against judgment.