1 Chronicles 5

1 Chronicles 5:1

Prophecy of Isaiah

Hezekiah himself prayed directly to God, but the answer came via Isaiah (2 Kings 19:20). It was an exhaustive answer from the LORD. This answer applies to the end time.

The LORD began by mocking the power of the king of Assyria (2 Kings 19:21). With God’s word of mockery about the enemies, the people were united. They were also the words of the people, presented here as “the virgin daughter of Zion” and “the daughter of Jerusalem”. These mocking words were put into the mouth of the remnant by the LORD. Only when the people really have the character of virgin and daughter they will be able to speak these words.

Here is a holy, a Divine mocking (cf. Psalms 2:4). That’s how we should learn to mock. Mocking is often an expression of the flesh or an expression of feelings of revenge. Feelings of gloating are also often present when we mock. None of this is present in the mockery of God and in divine mockery by His people.

The LORD took the insults of the king of Assyria very seriously (2 Kings 19:22). How audacious it was to speak in this way to the Holy One of Israel! The LORD could only bring His wrath upon him.

The LORD knew exactly what the proud king had said and what he boasted (2 Kings 19:23-24). Through Isaiah, He revealed the condition of the enemy’s heart. It was pride that dictated his actions. He believed he could overcome the greatest powers of the world. He had indeed conquered a great deal, but in his pride he believed that he could also conquer God. The king of Assyria spoke as if he were God.

Then the LORD spoke to the conscience of the enemy (2 Kings 19:25). Had it never occurred to him that he was only an instrument of God, and that he was only to carry out His will? The enemy was not able to do anything but what God intended long ago. God governs history, not the mighty men of the world. If those in power realized this, they would come to conversion and perform their duties in fear of God and for the good of their subjects. Therefore we are exhorted to pray for all who are in authority (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

God let the king of Assyria know that he could only overcome nations, because God had put them in his power (2 Kings 19:26). In himself, he was like one of the peoples conquered by him. For him, the conquered peoples had become like grass, but he himself was no different from the same grass. “All who hate Zion” will “be put to shame and turned backward”. They will “be like grass upon the housetops, which withers before it grows up” (Psalms 129:5-6). This judgment also included the arrogant king of Assyria.

God knows the enemy through and through. For the believer, this awareness is an encouragement, and at the same time he has the desire to be known through and through himself, so that he may be totally to God’s glory (Psalms 139:1-3; 23-24). For the unbeliever, that thought is intolerable.

The LORD will deal with the enemy without being able to resist (2 Kings 19:28). The enemy will be removed by Him as an unwilling animal with means which He will use for this purpose and which are in accordance with his pride.

In 2 Kings 19:29 Isaiah suddenly turned to Hezekiah. The sign Hezekiah received was a sign that God would not leave His people. The LORD would bless the fruit of the land again. There had been no opportunity to sow, but they would be able to eat what grew naturally. God would ensure that the people had enough to eat. In the third year they would have to start sowing again and be able to reap and eat the fruit of their land.

We can also apply this spiritually. Someone who has just been delivered from the power of sin, who has just been converted, does not know much yet, but the Lord will bless him richly. He gets all these blessings thrown into his lap, as it were, and is allowed to eat what is given to him in this way. But he must also read and study himself, he must sow himself and will also be allowed to reap. He goes looking for food himself. Ruth is an example of this (Rth 2:1-23).

The beautiful 2 Kings 19:30-31 are about the remnant. These verses correspond to what Isaiah said earlier: “Now in that day the remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped, will never again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel. A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God” (Isaiah 10:20-21). The mighty God is the Messiah (Isaiah 9:6). Here we see the connection between the events here and the future.

We must have this remnant character. Mighty enemies threaten us, but we are dependent on the Lord. We look forward to the coming of the Lord Jesus. For us, He does not intervene by judging our enemies, but by taking us up from between our enemies to Himself.

The LORD concluded His answer to Hezekiah with the promise that the enemy would not enter the city. This promise was made repeatedly and in different ways in 2 Kings 19:32-34. The LORD did everything to convince Hezekiah of the certainty of deliverance. The main reason that the enemy would not get possession of God’s city is that the LORD protected the city for His own sake and for His servant David’s sake.

The LORD had chosen this city, it is His city to which His name is connected forever. The LORD also has chosen David his servant to be His king. For the sake of the true David, the Man according to His heart, the Lord Jesus, God will in the future “defend this city to save it”. That salvation is given a pre-fulfilment in the following verses.

1 Chronicles 5:2

Prophecy of Isaiah

Hezekiah himself prayed directly to God, but the answer came via Isaiah (2 Kings 19:20). It was an exhaustive answer from the LORD. This answer applies to the end time.

The LORD began by mocking the power of the king of Assyria (2 Kings 19:21). With God’s word of mockery about the enemies, the people were united. They were also the words of the people, presented here as “the virgin daughter of Zion” and “the daughter of Jerusalem”. These mocking words were put into the mouth of the remnant by the LORD. Only when the people really have the character of virgin and daughter they will be able to speak these words.

Here is a holy, a Divine mocking (cf. Psalms 2:4). That’s how we should learn to mock. Mocking is often an expression of the flesh or an expression of feelings of revenge. Feelings of gloating are also often present when we mock. None of this is present in the mockery of God and in divine mockery by His people.

The LORD took the insults of the king of Assyria very seriously (2 Kings 19:22). How audacious it was to speak in this way to the Holy One of Israel! The LORD could only bring His wrath upon him.

The LORD knew exactly what the proud king had said and what he boasted (2 Kings 19:23-24). Through Isaiah, He revealed the condition of the enemy’s heart. It was pride that dictated his actions. He believed he could overcome the greatest powers of the world. He had indeed conquered a great deal, but in his pride he believed that he could also conquer God. The king of Assyria spoke as if he were God.

Then the LORD spoke to the conscience of the enemy (2 Kings 19:25). Had it never occurred to him that he was only an instrument of God, and that he was only to carry out His will? The enemy was not able to do anything but what God intended long ago. God governs history, not the mighty men of the world. If those in power realized this, they would come to conversion and perform their duties in fear of God and for the good of their subjects. Therefore we are exhorted to pray for all who are in authority (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

God let the king of Assyria know that he could only overcome nations, because God had put them in his power (2 Kings 19:26). In himself, he was like one of the peoples conquered by him. For him, the conquered peoples had become like grass, but he himself was no different from the same grass. “All who hate Zion” will “be put to shame and turned backward”. They will “be like grass upon the housetops, which withers before it grows up” (Psalms 129:5-6). This judgment also included the arrogant king of Assyria.

God knows the enemy through and through. For the believer, this awareness is an encouragement, and at the same time he has the desire to be known through and through himself, so that he may be totally to God’s glory (Psalms 139:1-3; 23-24). For the unbeliever, that thought is intolerable.

The LORD will deal with the enemy without being able to resist (2 Kings 19:28). The enemy will be removed by Him as an unwilling animal with means which He will use for this purpose and which are in accordance with his pride.

In 2 Kings 19:29 Isaiah suddenly turned to Hezekiah. The sign Hezekiah received was a sign that God would not leave His people. The LORD would bless the fruit of the land again. There had been no opportunity to sow, but they would be able to eat what grew naturally. God would ensure that the people had enough to eat. In the third year they would have to start sowing again and be able to reap and eat the fruit of their land.

We can also apply this spiritually. Someone who has just been delivered from the power of sin, who has just been converted, does not know much yet, but the Lord will bless him richly. He gets all these blessings thrown into his lap, as it were, and is allowed to eat what is given to him in this way. But he must also read and study himself, he must sow himself and will also be allowed to reap. He goes looking for food himself. Ruth is an example of this (Rth 2:1-23).

The beautiful 2 Kings 19:30-31 are about the remnant. These verses correspond to what Isaiah said earlier: “Now in that day the remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped, will never again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel. A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God” (Isaiah 10:20-21). The mighty God is the Messiah (Isaiah 9:6). Here we see the connection between the events here and the future.

We must have this remnant character. Mighty enemies threaten us, but we are dependent on the Lord. We look forward to the coming of the Lord Jesus. For us, He does not intervene by judging our enemies, but by taking us up from between our enemies to Himself.

The LORD concluded His answer to Hezekiah with the promise that the enemy would not enter the city. This promise was made repeatedly and in different ways in 2 Kings 19:32-34. The LORD did everything to convince Hezekiah of the certainty of deliverance. The main reason that the enemy would not get possession of God’s city is that the LORD protected the city for His own sake and for His servant David’s sake.

The LORD had chosen this city, it is His city to which His name is connected forever. The LORD also has chosen David his servant to be His king. For the sake of the true David, the Man according to His heart, the Lord Jesus, God will in the future “defend this city to save it”. That salvation is given a pre-fulfilment in the following verses.

1 Chronicles 5:3

Prophecy of Isaiah

Hezekiah himself prayed directly to God, but the answer came via Isaiah (2 Kings 19:20). It was an exhaustive answer from the LORD. This answer applies to the end time.

The LORD began by mocking the power of the king of Assyria (2 Kings 19:21). With God’s word of mockery about the enemies, the people were united. They were also the words of the people, presented here as “the virgin daughter of Zion” and “the daughter of Jerusalem”. These mocking words were put into the mouth of the remnant by the LORD. Only when the people really have the character of virgin and daughter they will be able to speak these words.

Here is a holy, a Divine mocking (cf. Psalms 2:4). That’s how we should learn to mock. Mocking is often an expression of the flesh or an expression of feelings of revenge. Feelings of gloating are also often present when we mock. None of this is present in the mockery of God and in divine mockery by His people.

The LORD took the insults of the king of Assyria very seriously (2 Kings 19:22). How audacious it was to speak in this way to the Holy One of Israel! The LORD could only bring His wrath upon him.

The LORD knew exactly what the proud king had said and what he boasted (2 Kings 19:23-24). Through Isaiah, He revealed the condition of the enemy’s heart. It was pride that dictated his actions. He believed he could overcome the greatest powers of the world. He had indeed conquered a great deal, but in his pride he believed that he could also conquer God. The king of Assyria spoke as if he were God.

Then the LORD spoke to the conscience of the enemy (2 Kings 19:25). Had it never occurred to him that he was only an instrument of God, and that he was only to carry out His will? The enemy was not able to do anything but what God intended long ago. God governs history, not the mighty men of the world. If those in power realized this, they would come to conversion and perform their duties in fear of God and for the good of their subjects. Therefore we are exhorted to pray for all who are in authority (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

God let the king of Assyria know that he could only overcome nations, because God had put them in his power (2 Kings 19:26). In himself, he was like one of the peoples conquered by him. For him, the conquered peoples had become like grass, but he himself was no different from the same grass. “All who hate Zion” will “be put to shame and turned backward”. They will “be like grass upon the housetops, which withers before it grows up” (Psalms 129:5-6). This judgment also included the arrogant king of Assyria.

God knows the enemy through and through. For the believer, this awareness is an encouragement, and at the same time he has the desire to be known through and through himself, so that he may be totally to God’s glory (Psalms 139:1-3; 23-24). For the unbeliever, that thought is intolerable.

The LORD will deal with the enemy without being able to resist (2 Kings 19:28). The enemy will be removed by Him as an unwilling animal with means which He will use for this purpose and which are in accordance with his pride.

In 2 Kings 19:29 Isaiah suddenly turned to Hezekiah. The sign Hezekiah received was a sign that God would not leave His people. The LORD would bless the fruit of the land again. There had been no opportunity to sow, but they would be able to eat what grew naturally. God would ensure that the people had enough to eat. In the third year they would have to start sowing again and be able to reap and eat the fruit of their land.

We can also apply this spiritually. Someone who has just been delivered from the power of sin, who has just been converted, does not know much yet, but the Lord will bless him richly. He gets all these blessings thrown into his lap, as it were, and is allowed to eat what is given to him in this way. But he must also read and study himself, he must sow himself and will also be allowed to reap. He goes looking for food himself. Ruth is an example of this (Rth 2:1-23).

The beautiful 2 Kings 19:30-31 are about the remnant. These verses correspond to what Isaiah said earlier: “Now in that day the remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped, will never again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel. A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God” (Isaiah 10:20-21). The mighty God is the Messiah (Isaiah 9:6). Here we see the connection between the events here and the future.

We must have this remnant character. Mighty enemies threaten us, but we are dependent on the Lord. We look forward to the coming of the Lord Jesus. For us, He does not intervene by judging our enemies, but by taking us up from between our enemies to Himself.

The LORD concluded His answer to Hezekiah with the promise that the enemy would not enter the city. This promise was made repeatedly and in different ways in 2 Kings 19:32-34. The LORD did everything to convince Hezekiah of the certainty of deliverance. The main reason that the enemy would not get possession of God’s city is that the LORD protected the city for His own sake and for His servant David’s sake.

The LORD had chosen this city, it is His city to which His name is connected forever. The LORD also has chosen David his servant to be His king. For the sake of the true David, the Man according to His heart, the Lord Jesus, God will in the future “defend this city to save it”. That salvation is given a pre-fulfilment in the following verses.

1 Chronicles 5:4

Prophecy of Isaiah

Hezekiah himself prayed directly to God, but the answer came via Isaiah (2 Kings 19:20). It was an exhaustive answer from the LORD. This answer applies to the end time.

The LORD began by mocking the power of the king of Assyria (2 Kings 19:21). With God’s word of mockery about the enemies, the people were united. They were also the words of the people, presented here as “the virgin daughter of Zion” and “the daughter of Jerusalem”. These mocking words were put into the mouth of the remnant by the LORD. Only when the people really have the character of virgin and daughter they will be able to speak these words.

Here is a holy, a Divine mocking (cf. Psalms 2:4). That’s how we should learn to mock. Mocking is often an expression of the flesh or an expression of feelings of revenge. Feelings of gloating are also often present when we mock. None of this is present in the mockery of God and in divine mockery by His people.

The LORD took the insults of the king of Assyria very seriously (2 Kings 19:22). How audacious it was to speak in this way to the Holy One of Israel! The LORD could only bring His wrath upon him.

The LORD knew exactly what the proud king had said and what he boasted (2 Kings 19:23-24). Through Isaiah, He revealed the condition of the enemy’s heart. It was pride that dictated his actions. He believed he could overcome the greatest powers of the world. He had indeed conquered a great deal, but in his pride he believed that he could also conquer God. The king of Assyria spoke as if he were God.

Then the LORD spoke to the conscience of the enemy (2 Kings 19:25). Had it never occurred to him that he was only an instrument of God, and that he was only to carry out His will? The enemy was not able to do anything but what God intended long ago. God governs history, not the mighty men of the world. If those in power realized this, they would come to conversion and perform their duties in fear of God and for the good of their subjects. Therefore we are exhorted to pray for all who are in authority (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

God let the king of Assyria know that he could only overcome nations, because God had put them in his power (2 Kings 19:26). In himself, he was like one of the peoples conquered by him. For him, the conquered peoples had become like grass, but he himself was no different from the same grass. “All who hate Zion” will “be put to shame and turned backward”. They will “be like grass upon the housetops, which withers before it grows up” (Psalms 129:5-6). This judgment also included the arrogant king of Assyria.

God knows the enemy through and through. For the believer, this awareness is an encouragement, and at the same time he has the desire to be known through and through himself, so that he may be totally to God’s glory (Psalms 139:1-3; 23-24). For the unbeliever, that thought is intolerable.

The LORD will deal with the enemy without being able to resist (2 Kings 19:28). The enemy will be removed by Him as an unwilling animal with means which He will use for this purpose and which are in accordance with his pride.

In 2 Kings 19:29 Isaiah suddenly turned to Hezekiah. The sign Hezekiah received was a sign that God would not leave His people. The LORD would bless the fruit of the land again. There had been no opportunity to sow, but they would be able to eat what grew naturally. God would ensure that the people had enough to eat. In the third year they would have to start sowing again and be able to reap and eat the fruit of their land.

We can also apply this spiritually. Someone who has just been delivered from the power of sin, who has just been converted, does not know much yet, but the Lord will bless him richly. He gets all these blessings thrown into his lap, as it were, and is allowed to eat what is given to him in this way. But he must also read and study himself, he must sow himself and will also be allowed to reap. He goes looking for food himself. Ruth is an example of this (Rth 2:1-23).

The beautiful 2 Kings 19:30-31 are about the remnant. These verses correspond to what Isaiah said earlier: “Now in that day the remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped, will never again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel. A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God” (Isaiah 10:20-21). The mighty God is the Messiah (Isaiah 9:6). Here we see the connection between the events here and the future.

We must have this remnant character. Mighty enemies threaten us, but we are dependent on the Lord. We look forward to the coming of the Lord Jesus. For us, He does not intervene by judging our enemies, but by taking us up from between our enemies to Himself.

The LORD concluded His answer to Hezekiah with the promise that the enemy would not enter the city. This promise was made repeatedly and in different ways in 2 Kings 19:32-34. The LORD did everything to convince Hezekiah of the certainty of deliverance. The main reason that the enemy would not get possession of God’s city is that the LORD protected the city for His own sake and for His servant David’s sake.

The LORD had chosen this city, it is His city to which His name is connected forever. The LORD also has chosen David his servant to be His king. For the sake of the true David, the Man according to His heart, the Lord Jesus, God will in the future “defend this city to save it”. That salvation is given a pre-fulfilment in the following verses.

1 Chronicles 5:5

Prophecy of Isaiah

Hezekiah himself prayed directly to God, but the answer came via Isaiah (2 Kings 19:20). It was an exhaustive answer from the LORD. This answer applies to the end time.

The LORD began by mocking the power of the king of Assyria (2 Kings 19:21). With God’s word of mockery about the enemies, the people were united. They were also the words of the people, presented here as “the virgin daughter of Zion” and “the daughter of Jerusalem”. These mocking words were put into the mouth of the remnant by the LORD. Only when the people really have the character of virgin and daughter they will be able to speak these words.

Here is a holy, a Divine mocking (cf. Psalms 2:4). That’s how we should learn to mock. Mocking is often an expression of the flesh or an expression of feelings of revenge. Feelings of gloating are also often present when we mock. None of this is present in the mockery of God and in divine mockery by His people.

The LORD took the insults of the king of Assyria very seriously (2 Kings 19:22). How audacious it was to speak in this way to the Holy One of Israel! The LORD could only bring His wrath upon him.

The LORD knew exactly what the proud king had said and what he boasted (2 Kings 19:23-24). Through Isaiah, He revealed the condition of the enemy’s heart. It was pride that dictated his actions. He believed he could overcome the greatest powers of the world. He had indeed conquered a great deal, but in his pride he believed that he could also conquer God. The king of Assyria spoke as if he were God.

Then the LORD spoke to the conscience of the enemy (2 Kings 19:25). Had it never occurred to him that he was only an instrument of God, and that he was only to carry out His will? The enemy was not able to do anything but what God intended long ago. God governs history, not the mighty men of the world. If those in power realized this, they would come to conversion and perform their duties in fear of God and for the good of their subjects. Therefore we are exhorted to pray for all who are in authority (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

God let the king of Assyria know that he could only overcome nations, because God had put them in his power (2 Kings 19:26). In himself, he was like one of the peoples conquered by him. For him, the conquered peoples had become like grass, but he himself was no different from the same grass. “All who hate Zion” will “be put to shame and turned backward”. They will “be like grass upon the housetops, which withers before it grows up” (Psalms 129:5-6). This judgment also included the arrogant king of Assyria.

God knows the enemy through and through. For the believer, this awareness is an encouragement, and at the same time he has the desire to be known through and through himself, so that he may be totally to God’s glory (Psalms 139:1-3; 23-24). For the unbeliever, that thought is intolerable.

The LORD will deal with the enemy without being able to resist (2 Kings 19:28). The enemy will be removed by Him as an unwilling animal with means which He will use for this purpose and which are in accordance with his pride.

In 2 Kings 19:29 Isaiah suddenly turned to Hezekiah. The sign Hezekiah received was a sign that God would not leave His people. The LORD would bless the fruit of the land again. There had been no opportunity to sow, but they would be able to eat what grew naturally. God would ensure that the people had enough to eat. In the third year they would have to start sowing again and be able to reap and eat the fruit of their land.

We can also apply this spiritually. Someone who has just been delivered from the power of sin, who has just been converted, does not know much yet, but the Lord will bless him richly. He gets all these blessings thrown into his lap, as it were, and is allowed to eat what is given to him in this way. But he must also read and study himself, he must sow himself and will also be allowed to reap. He goes looking for food himself. Ruth is an example of this (Rth 2:1-23).

The beautiful 2 Kings 19:30-31 are about the remnant. These verses correspond to what Isaiah said earlier: “Now in that day the remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped, will never again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel. A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God” (Isaiah 10:20-21). The mighty God is the Messiah (Isaiah 9:6). Here we see the connection between the events here and the future.

We must have this remnant character. Mighty enemies threaten us, but we are dependent on the Lord. We look forward to the coming of the Lord Jesus. For us, He does not intervene by judging our enemies, but by taking us up from between our enemies to Himself.

The LORD concluded His answer to Hezekiah with the promise that the enemy would not enter the city. This promise was made repeatedly and in different ways in 2 Kings 19:32-34. The LORD did everything to convince Hezekiah of the certainty of deliverance. The main reason that the enemy would not get possession of God’s city is that the LORD protected the city for His own sake and for His servant David’s sake.

The LORD had chosen this city, it is His city to which His name is connected forever. The LORD also has chosen David his servant to be His king. For the sake of the true David, the Man according to His heart, the Lord Jesus, God will in the future “defend this city to save it”. That salvation is given a pre-fulfilment in the following verses.

1 Chronicles 5:6

Prophecy of Isaiah

Hezekiah himself prayed directly to God, but the answer came via Isaiah (2 Kings 19:20). It was an exhaustive answer from the LORD. This answer applies to the end time.

The LORD began by mocking the power of the king of Assyria (2 Kings 19:21). With God’s word of mockery about the enemies, the people were united. They were also the words of the people, presented here as “the virgin daughter of Zion” and “the daughter of Jerusalem”. These mocking words were put into the mouth of the remnant by the LORD. Only when the people really have the character of virgin and daughter they will be able to speak these words.

Here is a holy, a Divine mocking (cf. Psalms 2:4). That’s how we should learn to mock. Mocking is often an expression of the flesh or an expression of feelings of revenge. Feelings of gloating are also often present when we mock. None of this is present in the mockery of God and in divine mockery by His people.

The LORD took the insults of the king of Assyria very seriously (2 Kings 19:22). How audacious it was to speak in this way to the Holy One of Israel! The LORD could only bring His wrath upon him.

The LORD knew exactly what the proud king had said and what he boasted (2 Kings 19:23-24). Through Isaiah, He revealed the condition of the enemy’s heart. It was pride that dictated his actions. He believed he could overcome the greatest powers of the world. He had indeed conquered a great deal, but in his pride he believed that he could also conquer God. The king of Assyria spoke as if he were God.

Then the LORD spoke to the conscience of the enemy (2 Kings 19:25). Had it never occurred to him that he was only an instrument of God, and that he was only to carry out His will? The enemy was not able to do anything but what God intended long ago. God governs history, not the mighty men of the world. If those in power realized this, they would come to conversion and perform their duties in fear of God and for the good of their subjects. Therefore we are exhorted to pray for all who are in authority (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

God let the king of Assyria know that he could only overcome nations, because God had put them in his power (2 Kings 19:26). In himself, he was like one of the peoples conquered by him. For him, the conquered peoples had become like grass, but he himself was no different from the same grass. “All who hate Zion” will “be put to shame and turned backward”. They will “be like grass upon the housetops, which withers before it grows up” (Psalms 129:5-6). This judgment also included the arrogant king of Assyria.

God knows the enemy through and through. For the believer, this awareness is an encouragement, and at the same time he has the desire to be known through and through himself, so that he may be totally to God’s glory (Psalms 139:1-3; 23-24). For the unbeliever, that thought is intolerable.

The LORD will deal with the enemy without being able to resist (2 Kings 19:28). The enemy will be removed by Him as an unwilling animal with means which He will use for this purpose and which are in accordance with his pride.

In 2 Kings 19:29 Isaiah suddenly turned to Hezekiah. The sign Hezekiah received was a sign that God would not leave His people. The LORD would bless the fruit of the land again. There had been no opportunity to sow, but they would be able to eat what grew naturally. God would ensure that the people had enough to eat. In the third year they would have to start sowing again and be able to reap and eat the fruit of their land.

We can also apply this spiritually. Someone who has just been delivered from the power of sin, who has just been converted, does not know much yet, but the Lord will bless him richly. He gets all these blessings thrown into his lap, as it were, and is allowed to eat what is given to him in this way. But he must also read and study himself, he must sow himself and will also be allowed to reap. He goes looking for food himself. Ruth is an example of this (Rth 2:1-23).

The beautiful 2 Kings 19:30-31 are about the remnant. These verses correspond to what Isaiah said earlier: “Now in that day the remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped, will never again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel. A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God” (Isaiah 10:20-21). The mighty God is the Messiah (Isaiah 9:6). Here we see the connection between the events here and the future.

We must have this remnant character. Mighty enemies threaten us, but we are dependent on the Lord. We look forward to the coming of the Lord Jesus. For us, He does not intervene by judging our enemies, but by taking us up from between our enemies to Himself.

The LORD concluded His answer to Hezekiah with the promise that the enemy would not enter the city. This promise was made repeatedly and in different ways in 2 Kings 19:32-34. The LORD did everything to convince Hezekiah of the certainty of deliverance. The main reason that the enemy would not get possession of God’s city is that the LORD protected the city for His own sake and for His servant David’s sake.

The LORD had chosen this city, it is His city to which His name is connected forever. The LORD also has chosen David his servant to be His king. For the sake of the true David, the Man according to His heart, the Lord Jesus, God will in the future “defend this city to save it”. That salvation is given a pre-fulfilment in the following verses.

1 Chronicles 5:7

Prophecy of Isaiah

Hezekiah himself prayed directly to God, but the answer came via Isaiah (2 Kings 19:20). It was an exhaustive answer from the LORD. This answer applies to the end time.

The LORD began by mocking the power of the king of Assyria (2 Kings 19:21). With God’s word of mockery about the enemies, the people were united. They were also the words of the people, presented here as “the virgin daughter of Zion” and “the daughter of Jerusalem”. These mocking words were put into the mouth of the remnant by the LORD. Only when the people really have the character of virgin and daughter they will be able to speak these words.

Here is a holy, a Divine mocking (cf. Psalms 2:4). That’s how we should learn to mock. Mocking is often an expression of the flesh or an expression of feelings of revenge. Feelings of gloating are also often present when we mock. None of this is present in the mockery of God and in divine mockery by His people.

The LORD took the insults of the king of Assyria very seriously (2 Kings 19:22). How audacious it was to speak in this way to the Holy One of Israel! The LORD could only bring His wrath upon him.

The LORD knew exactly what the proud king had said and what he boasted (2 Kings 19:23-24). Through Isaiah, He revealed the condition of the enemy’s heart. It was pride that dictated his actions. He believed he could overcome the greatest powers of the world. He had indeed conquered a great deal, but in his pride he believed that he could also conquer God. The king of Assyria spoke as if he were God.

Then the LORD spoke to the conscience of the enemy (2 Kings 19:25). Had it never occurred to him that he was only an instrument of God, and that he was only to carry out His will? The enemy was not able to do anything but what God intended long ago. God governs history, not the mighty men of the world. If those in power realized this, they would come to conversion and perform their duties in fear of God and for the good of their subjects. Therefore we are exhorted to pray for all who are in authority (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

God let the king of Assyria know that he could only overcome nations, because God had put them in his power (2 Kings 19:26). In himself, he was like one of the peoples conquered by him. For him, the conquered peoples had become like grass, but he himself was no different from the same grass. “All who hate Zion” will “be put to shame and turned backward”. They will “be like grass upon the housetops, which withers before it grows up” (Psalms 129:5-6). This judgment also included the arrogant king of Assyria.

God knows the enemy through and through. For the believer, this awareness is an encouragement, and at the same time he has the desire to be known through and through himself, so that he may be totally to God’s glory (Psalms 139:1-3; 23-24). For the unbeliever, that thought is intolerable.

The LORD will deal with the enemy without being able to resist (2 Kings 19:28). The enemy will be removed by Him as an unwilling animal with means which He will use for this purpose and which are in accordance with his pride.

In 2 Kings 19:29 Isaiah suddenly turned to Hezekiah. The sign Hezekiah received was a sign that God would not leave His people. The LORD would bless the fruit of the land again. There had been no opportunity to sow, but they would be able to eat what grew naturally. God would ensure that the people had enough to eat. In the third year they would have to start sowing again and be able to reap and eat the fruit of their land.

We can also apply this spiritually. Someone who has just been delivered from the power of sin, who has just been converted, does not know much yet, but the Lord will bless him richly. He gets all these blessings thrown into his lap, as it were, and is allowed to eat what is given to him in this way. But he must also read and study himself, he must sow himself and will also be allowed to reap. He goes looking for food himself. Ruth is an example of this (Rth 2:1-23).

The beautiful 2 Kings 19:30-31 are about the remnant. These verses correspond to what Isaiah said earlier: “Now in that day the remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped, will never again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel. A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God” (Isaiah 10:20-21). The mighty God is the Messiah (Isaiah 9:6). Here we see the connection between the events here and the future.

We must have this remnant character. Mighty enemies threaten us, but we are dependent on the Lord. We look forward to the coming of the Lord Jesus. For us, He does not intervene by judging our enemies, but by taking us up from between our enemies to Himself.

The LORD concluded His answer to Hezekiah with the promise that the enemy would not enter the city. This promise was made repeatedly and in different ways in 2 Kings 19:32-34. The LORD did everything to convince Hezekiah of the certainty of deliverance. The main reason that the enemy would not get possession of God’s city is that the LORD protected the city for His own sake and for His servant David’s sake.

The LORD had chosen this city, it is His city to which His name is connected forever. The LORD also has chosen David his servant to be His king. For the sake of the true David, the Man according to His heart, the Lord Jesus, God will in the future “defend this city to save it”. That salvation is given a pre-fulfilment in the following verses.

1 Chronicles 5:8

Prophecy of Isaiah

Hezekiah himself prayed directly to God, but the answer came via Isaiah (2 Kings 19:20). It was an exhaustive answer from the LORD. This answer applies to the end time.

The LORD began by mocking the power of the king of Assyria (2 Kings 19:21). With God’s word of mockery about the enemies, the people were united. They were also the words of the people, presented here as “the virgin daughter of Zion” and “the daughter of Jerusalem”. These mocking words were put into the mouth of the remnant by the LORD. Only when the people really have the character of virgin and daughter they will be able to speak these words.

Here is a holy, a Divine mocking (cf. Psalms 2:4). That’s how we should learn to mock. Mocking is often an expression of the flesh or an expression of feelings of revenge. Feelings of gloating are also often present when we mock. None of this is present in the mockery of God and in divine mockery by His people.

The LORD took the insults of the king of Assyria very seriously (2 Kings 19:22). How audacious it was to speak in this way to the Holy One of Israel! The LORD could only bring His wrath upon him.

The LORD knew exactly what the proud king had said and what he boasted (2 Kings 19:23-24). Through Isaiah, He revealed the condition of the enemy’s heart. It was pride that dictated his actions. He believed he could overcome the greatest powers of the world. He had indeed conquered a great deal, but in his pride he believed that he could also conquer God. The king of Assyria spoke as if he were God.

Then the LORD spoke to the conscience of the enemy (2 Kings 19:25). Had it never occurred to him that he was only an instrument of God, and that he was only to carry out His will? The enemy was not able to do anything but what God intended long ago. God governs history, not the mighty men of the world. If those in power realized this, they would come to conversion and perform their duties in fear of God and for the good of their subjects. Therefore we are exhorted to pray for all who are in authority (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

God let the king of Assyria know that he could only overcome nations, because God had put them in his power (2 Kings 19:26). In himself, he was like one of the peoples conquered by him. For him, the conquered peoples had become like grass, but he himself was no different from the same grass. “All who hate Zion” will “be put to shame and turned backward”. They will “be like grass upon the housetops, which withers before it grows up” (Psalms 129:5-6). This judgment also included the arrogant king of Assyria.

God knows the enemy through and through. For the believer, this awareness is an encouragement, and at the same time he has the desire to be known through and through himself, so that he may be totally to God’s glory (Psalms 139:1-3; 23-24). For the unbeliever, that thought is intolerable.

The LORD will deal with the enemy without being able to resist (2 Kings 19:28). The enemy will be removed by Him as an unwilling animal with means which He will use for this purpose and which are in accordance with his pride.

In 2 Kings 19:29 Isaiah suddenly turned to Hezekiah. The sign Hezekiah received was a sign that God would not leave His people. The LORD would bless the fruit of the land again. There had been no opportunity to sow, but they would be able to eat what grew naturally. God would ensure that the people had enough to eat. In the third year they would have to start sowing again and be able to reap and eat the fruit of their land.

We can also apply this spiritually. Someone who has just been delivered from the power of sin, who has just been converted, does not know much yet, but the Lord will bless him richly. He gets all these blessings thrown into his lap, as it were, and is allowed to eat what is given to him in this way. But he must also read and study himself, he must sow himself and will also be allowed to reap. He goes looking for food himself. Ruth is an example of this (Rth 2:1-23).

The beautiful 2 Kings 19:30-31 are about the remnant. These verses correspond to what Isaiah said earlier: “Now in that day the remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped, will never again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel. A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God” (Isaiah 10:20-21). The mighty God is the Messiah (Isaiah 9:6). Here we see the connection between the events here and the future.

We must have this remnant character. Mighty enemies threaten us, but we are dependent on the Lord. We look forward to the coming of the Lord Jesus. For us, He does not intervene by judging our enemies, but by taking us up from between our enemies to Himself.

The LORD concluded His answer to Hezekiah with the promise that the enemy would not enter the city. This promise was made repeatedly and in different ways in 2 Kings 19:32-34. The LORD did everything to convince Hezekiah of the certainty of deliverance. The main reason that the enemy would not get possession of God’s city is that the LORD protected the city for His own sake and for His servant David’s sake.

The LORD had chosen this city, it is His city to which His name is connected forever. The LORD also has chosen David his servant to be His king. For the sake of the true David, the Man according to His heart, the Lord Jesus, God will in the future “defend this city to save it”. That salvation is given a pre-fulfilment in the following verses.

1 Chronicles 5:9

Prophecy of Isaiah

Hezekiah himself prayed directly to God, but the answer came via Isaiah (2 Kings 19:20). It was an exhaustive answer from the LORD. This answer applies to the end time.

The LORD began by mocking the power of the king of Assyria (2 Kings 19:21). With God’s word of mockery about the enemies, the people were united. They were also the words of the people, presented here as “the virgin daughter of Zion” and “the daughter of Jerusalem”. These mocking words were put into the mouth of the remnant by the LORD. Only when the people really have the character of virgin and daughter they will be able to speak these words.

Here is a holy, a Divine mocking (cf. Psalms 2:4). That’s how we should learn to mock. Mocking is often an expression of the flesh or an expression of feelings of revenge. Feelings of gloating are also often present when we mock. None of this is present in the mockery of God and in divine mockery by His people.

The LORD took the insults of the king of Assyria very seriously (2 Kings 19:22). How audacious it was to speak in this way to the Holy One of Israel! The LORD could only bring His wrath upon him.

The LORD knew exactly what the proud king had said and what he boasted (2 Kings 19:23-24). Through Isaiah, He revealed the condition of the enemy’s heart. It was pride that dictated his actions. He believed he could overcome the greatest powers of the world. He had indeed conquered a great deal, but in his pride he believed that he could also conquer God. The king of Assyria spoke as if he were God.

Then the LORD spoke to the conscience of the enemy (2 Kings 19:25). Had it never occurred to him that he was only an instrument of God, and that he was only to carry out His will? The enemy was not able to do anything but what God intended long ago. God governs history, not the mighty men of the world. If those in power realized this, they would come to conversion and perform their duties in fear of God and for the good of their subjects. Therefore we are exhorted to pray for all who are in authority (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

God let the king of Assyria know that he could only overcome nations, because God had put them in his power (2 Kings 19:26). In himself, he was like one of the peoples conquered by him. For him, the conquered peoples had become like grass, but he himself was no different from the same grass. “All who hate Zion” will “be put to shame and turned backward”. They will “be like grass upon the housetops, which withers before it grows up” (Psalms 129:5-6). This judgment also included the arrogant king of Assyria.

God knows the enemy through and through. For the believer, this awareness is an encouragement, and at the same time he has the desire to be known through and through himself, so that he may be totally to God’s glory (Psalms 139:1-3; 23-24). For the unbeliever, that thought is intolerable.

The LORD will deal with the enemy without being able to resist (2 Kings 19:28). The enemy will be removed by Him as an unwilling animal with means which He will use for this purpose and which are in accordance with his pride.

In 2 Kings 19:29 Isaiah suddenly turned to Hezekiah. The sign Hezekiah received was a sign that God would not leave His people. The LORD would bless the fruit of the land again. There had been no opportunity to sow, but they would be able to eat what grew naturally. God would ensure that the people had enough to eat. In the third year they would have to start sowing again and be able to reap and eat the fruit of their land.

We can also apply this spiritually. Someone who has just been delivered from the power of sin, who has just been converted, does not know much yet, but the Lord will bless him richly. He gets all these blessings thrown into his lap, as it were, and is allowed to eat what is given to him in this way. But he must also read and study himself, he must sow himself and will also be allowed to reap. He goes looking for food himself. Ruth is an example of this (Rth 2:1-23).

The beautiful 2 Kings 19:30-31 are about the remnant. These verses correspond to what Isaiah said earlier: “Now in that day the remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped, will never again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel. A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God” (Isaiah 10:20-21). The mighty God is the Messiah (Isaiah 9:6). Here we see the connection between the events here and the future.

We must have this remnant character. Mighty enemies threaten us, but we are dependent on the Lord. We look forward to the coming of the Lord Jesus. For us, He does not intervene by judging our enemies, but by taking us up from between our enemies to Himself.

The LORD concluded His answer to Hezekiah with the promise that the enemy would not enter the city. This promise was made repeatedly and in different ways in 2 Kings 19:32-34. The LORD did everything to convince Hezekiah of the certainty of deliverance. The main reason that the enemy would not get possession of God’s city is that the LORD protected the city for His own sake and for His servant David’s sake.

The LORD had chosen this city, it is His city to which His name is connected forever. The LORD also has chosen David his servant to be His king. For the sake of the true David, the Man according to His heart, the Lord Jesus, God will in the future “defend this city to save it”. That salvation is given a pre-fulfilment in the following verses.

1 Chronicles 5:10

Prophecy of Isaiah

Hezekiah himself prayed directly to God, but the answer came via Isaiah (2 Kings 19:20). It was an exhaustive answer from the LORD. This answer applies to the end time.

The LORD began by mocking the power of the king of Assyria (2 Kings 19:21). With God’s word of mockery about the enemies, the people were united. They were also the words of the people, presented here as “the virgin daughter of Zion” and “the daughter of Jerusalem”. These mocking words were put into the mouth of the remnant by the LORD. Only when the people really have the character of virgin and daughter they will be able to speak these words.

Here is a holy, a Divine mocking (cf. Psalms 2:4). That’s how we should learn to mock. Mocking is often an expression of the flesh or an expression of feelings of revenge. Feelings of gloating are also often present when we mock. None of this is present in the mockery of God and in divine mockery by His people.

The LORD took the insults of the king of Assyria very seriously (2 Kings 19:22). How audacious it was to speak in this way to the Holy One of Israel! The LORD could only bring His wrath upon him.

The LORD knew exactly what the proud king had said and what he boasted (2 Kings 19:23-24). Through Isaiah, He revealed the condition of the enemy’s heart. It was pride that dictated his actions. He believed he could overcome the greatest powers of the world. He had indeed conquered a great deal, but in his pride he believed that he could also conquer God. The king of Assyria spoke as if he were God.

Then the LORD spoke to the conscience of the enemy (2 Kings 19:25). Had it never occurred to him that he was only an instrument of God, and that he was only to carry out His will? The enemy was not able to do anything but what God intended long ago. God governs history, not the mighty men of the world. If those in power realized this, they would come to conversion and perform their duties in fear of God and for the good of their subjects. Therefore we are exhorted to pray for all who are in authority (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

God let the king of Assyria know that he could only overcome nations, because God had put them in his power (2 Kings 19:26). In himself, he was like one of the peoples conquered by him. For him, the conquered peoples had become like grass, but he himself was no different from the same grass. “All who hate Zion” will “be put to shame and turned backward”. They will “be like grass upon the housetops, which withers before it grows up” (Psalms 129:5-6). This judgment also included the arrogant king of Assyria.

God knows the enemy through and through. For the believer, this awareness is an encouragement, and at the same time he has the desire to be known through and through himself, so that he may be totally to God’s glory (Psalms 139:1-3; 23-24). For the unbeliever, that thought is intolerable.

The LORD will deal with the enemy without being able to resist (2 Kings 19:28). The enemy will be removed by Him as an unwilling animal with means which He will use for this purpose and which are in accordance with his pride.

In 2 Kings 19:29 Isaiah suddenly turned to Hezekiah. The sign Hezekiah received was a sign that God would not leave His people. The LORD would bless the fruit of the land again. There had been no opportunity to sow, but they would be able to eat what grew naturally. God would ensure that the people had enough to eat. In the third year they would have to start sowing again and be able to reap and eat the fruit of their land.

We can also apply this spiritually. Someone who has just been delivered from the power of sin, who has just been converted, does not know much yet, but the Lord will bless him richly. He gets all these blessings thrown into his lap, as it were, and is allowed to eat what is given to him in this way. But he must also read and study himself, he must sow himself and will also be allowed to reap. He goes looking for food himself. Ruth is an example of this (Rth 2:1-23).

The beautiful 2 Kings 19:30-31 are about the remnant. These verses correspond to what Isaiah said earlier: “Now in that day the remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped, will never again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel. A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God” (Isaiah 10:20-21). The mighty God is the Messiah (Isaiah 9:6). Here we see the connection between the events here and the future.

We must have this remnant character. Mighty enemies threaten us, but we are dependent on the Lord. We look forward to the coming of the Lord Jesus. For us, He does not intervene by judging our enemies, but by taking us up from between our enemies to Himself.

The LORD concluded His answer to Hezekiah with the promise that the enemy would not enter the city. This promise was made repeatedly and in different ways in 2 Kings 19:32-34. The LORD did everything to convince Hezekiah of the certainty of deliverance. The main reason that the enemy would not get possession of God’s city is that the LORD protected the city for His own sake and for His servant David’s sake.

The LORD had chosen this city, it is His city to which His name is connected forever. The LORD also has chosen David his servant to be His king. For the sake of the true David, the Man according to His heart, the Lord Jesus, God will in the future “defend this city to save it”. That salvation is given a pre-fulfilment in the following verses.

1 Chronicles 5:11

Prophecy of Isaiah

Hezekiah himself prayed directly to God, but the answer came via Isaiah (2 Kings 19:20). It was an exhaustive answer from the LORD. This answer applies to the end time.

The LORD began by mocking the power of the king of Assyria (2 Kings 19:21). With God’s word of mockery about the enemies, the people were united. They were also the words of the people, presented here as “the virgin daughter of Zion” and “the daughter of Jerusalem”. These mocking words were put into the mouth of the remnant by the LORD. Only when the people really have the character of virgin and daughter they will be able to speak these words.

Here is a holy, a Divine mocking (cf. Psalms 2:4). That’s how we should learn to mock. Mocking is often an expression of the flesh or an expression of feelings of revenge. Feelings of gloating are also often present when we mock. None of this is present in the mockery of God and in divine mockery by His people.

The LORD took the insults of the king of Assyria very seriously (2 Kings 19:22). How audacious it was to speak in this way to the Holy One of Israel! The LORD could only bring His wrath upon him.

The LORD knew exactly what the proud king had said and what he boasted (2 Kings 19:23-24). Through Isaiah, He revealed the condition of the enemy’s heart. It was pride that dictated his actions. He believed he could overcome the greatest powers of the world. He had indeed conquered a great deal, but in his pride he believed that he could also conquer God. The king of Assyria spoke as if he were God.

Then the LORD spoke to the conscience of the enemy (2 Kings 19:25). Had it never occurred to him that he was only an instrument of God, and that he was only to carry out His will? The enemy was not able to do anything but what God intended long ago. God governs history, not the mighty men of the world. If those in power realized this, they would come to conversion and perform their duties in fear of God and for the good of their subjects. Therefore we are exhorted to pray for all who are in authority (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

God let the king of Assyria know that he could only overcome nations, because God had put them in his power (2 Kings 19:26). In himself, he was like one of the peoples conquered by him. For him, the conquered peoples had become like grass, but he himself was no different from the same grass. “All who hate Zion” will “be put to shame and turned backward”. They will “be like grass upon the housetops, which withers before it grows up” (Psalms 129:5-6). This judgment also included the arrogant king of Assyria.

God knows the enemy through and through. For the believer, this awareness is an encouragement, and at the same time he has the desire to be known through and through himself, so that he may be totally to God’s glory (Psalms 139:1-3; 23-24). For the unbeliever, that thought is intolerable.

The LORD will deal with the enemy without being able to resist (2 Kings 19:28). The enemy will be removed by Him as an unwilling animal with means which He will use for this purpose and which are in accordance with his pride.

In 2 Kings 19:29 Isaiah suddenly turned to Hezekiah. The sign Hezekiah received was a sign that God would not leave His people. The LORD would bless the fruit of the land again. There had been no opportunity to sow, but they would be able to eat what grew naturally. God would ensure that the people had enough to eat. In the third year they would have to start sowing again and be able to reap and eat the fruit of their land.

We can also apply this spiritually. Someone who has just been delivered from the power of sin, who has just been converted, does not know much yet, but the Lord will bless him richly. He gets all these blessings thrown into his lap, as it were, and is allowed to eat what is given to him in this way. But he must also read and study himself, he must sow himself and will also be allowed to reap. He goes looking for food himself. Ruth is an example of this (Rth 2:1-23).

The beautiful 2 Kings 19:30-31 are about the remnant. These verses correspond to what Isaiah said earlier: “Now in that day the remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped, will never again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel. A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God” (Isaiah 10:20-21). The mighty God is the Messiah (Isaiah 9:6). Here we see the connection between the events here and the future.

We must have this remnant character. Mighty enemies threaten us, but we are dependent on the Lord. We look forward to the coming of the Lord Jesus. For us, He does not intervene by judging our enemies, but by taking us up from between our enemies to Himself.

The LORD concluded His answer to Hezekiah with the promise that the enemy would not enter the city. This promise was made repeatedly and in different ways in 2 Kings 19:32-34. The LORD did everything to convince Hezekiah of the certainty of deliverance. The main reason that the enemy would not get possession of God’s city is that the LORD protected the city for His own sake and for His servant David’s sake.

The LORD had chosen this city, it is His city to which His name is connected forever. The LORD also has chosen David his servant to be His king. For the sake of the true David, the Man according to His heart, the Lord Jesus, God will in the future “defend this city to save it”. That salvation is given a pre-fulfilment in the following verses.

1 Chronicles 5:12

Prophecy of Isaiah

Hezekiah himself prayed directly to God, but the answer came via Isaiah (2 Kings 19:20). It was an exhaustive answer from the LORD. This answer applies to the end time.

The LORD began by mocking the power of the king of Assyria (2 Kings 19:21). With God’s word of mockery about the enemies, the people were united. They were also the words of the people, presented here as “the virgin daughter of Zion” and “the daughter of Jerusalem”. These mocking words were put into the mouth of the remnant by the LORD. Only when the people really have the character of virgin and daughter they will be able to speak these words.

Here is a holy, a Divine mocking (cf. Psalms 2:4). That’s how we should learn to mock. Mocking is often an expression of the flesh or an expression of feelings of revenge. Feelings of gloating are also often present when we mock. None of this is present in the mockery of God and in divine mockery by His people.

The LORD took the insults of the king of Assyria very seriously (2 Kings 19:22). How audacious it was to speak in this way to the Holy One of Israel! The LORD could only bring His wrath upon him.

The LORD knew exactly what the proud king had said and what he boasted (2 Kings 19:23-24). Through Isaiah, He revealed the condition of the enemy’s heart. It was pride that dictated his actions. He believed he could overcome the greatest powers of the world. He had indeed conquered a great deal, but in his pride he believed that he could also conquer God. The king of Assyria spoke as if he were God.

Then the LORD spoke to the conscience of the enemy (2 Kings 19:25). Had it never occurred to him that he was only an instrument of God, and that he was only to carry out His will? The enemy was not able to do anything but what God intended long ago. God governs history, not the mighty men of the world. If those in power realized this, they would come to conversion and perform their duties in fear of God and for the good of their subjects. Therefore we are exhorted to pray for all who are in authority (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

God let the king of Assyria know that he could only overcome nations, because God had put them in his power (2 Kings 19:26). In himself, he was like one of the peoples conquered by him. For him, the conquered peoples had become like grass, but he himself was no different from the same grass. “All who hate Zion” will “be put to shame and turned backward”. They will “be like grass upon the housetops, which withers before it grows up” (Psalms 129:5-6). This judgment also included the arrogant king of Assyria.

God knows the enemy through and through. For the believer, this awareness is an encouragement, and at the same time he has the desire to be known through and through himself, so that he may be totally to God’s glory (Psalms 139:1-3; 23-24). For the unbeliever, that thought is intolerable.

The LORD will deal with the enemy without being able to resist (2 Kings 19:28). The enemy will be removed by Him as an unwilling animal with means which He will use for this purpose and which are in accordance with his pride.

In 2 Kings 19:29 Isaiah suddenly turned to Hezekiah. The sign Hezekiah received was a sign that God would not leave His people. The LORD would bless the fruit of the land again. There had been no opportunity to sow, but they would be able to eat what grew naturally. God would ensure that the people had enough to eat. In the third year they would have to start sowing again and be able to reap and eat the fruit of their land.

We can also apply this spiritually. Someone who has just been delivered from the power of sin, who has just been converted, does not know much yet, but the Lord will bless him richly. He gets all these blessings thrown into his lap, as it were, and is allowed to eat what is given to him in this way. But he must also read and study himself, he must sow himself and will also be allowed to reap. He goes looking for food himself. Ruth is an example of this (Rth 2:1-23).

The beautiful 2 Kings 19:30-31 are about the remnant. These verses correspond to what Isaiah said earlier: “Now in that day the remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped, will never again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel. A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God” (Isaiah 10:20-21). The mighty God is the Messiah (Isaiah 9:6). Here we see the connection between the events here and the future.

We must have this remnant character. Mighty enemies threaten us, but we are dependent on the Lord. We look forward to the coming of the Lord Jesus. For us, He does not intervene by judging our enemies, but by taking us up from between our enemies to Himself.

The LORD concluded His answer to Hezekiah with the promise that the enemy would not enter the city. This promise was made repeatedly and in different ways in 2 Kings 19:32-34. The LORD did everything to convince Hezekiah of the certainty of deliverance. The main reason that the enemy would not get possession of God’s city is that the LORD protected the city for His own sake and for His servant David’s sake.

The LORD had chosen this city, it is His city to which His name is connected forever. The LORD also has chosen David his servant to be His king. For the sake of the true David, the Man according to His heart, the Lord Jesus, God will in the future “defend this city to save it”. That salvation is given a pre-fulfilment in the following verses.

1 Chronicles 5:13

Prophecy of Isaiah

Hezekiah himself prayed directly to God, but the answer came via Isaiah (2 Kings 19:20). It was an exhaustive answer from the LORD. This answer applies to the end time.

The LORD began by mocking the power of the king of Assyria (2 Kings 19:21). With God’s word of mockery about the enemies, the people were united. They were also the words of the people, presented here as “the virgin daughter of Zion” and “the daughter of Jerusalem”. These mocking words were put into the mouth of the remnant by the LORD. Only when the people really have the character of virgin and daughter they will be able to speak these words.

Here is a holy, a Divine mocking (cf. Psalms 2:4). That’s how we should learn to mock. Mocking is often an expression of the flesh or an expression of feelings of revenge. Feelings of gloating are also often present when we mock. None of this is present in the mockery of God and in divine mockery by His people.

The LORD took the insults of the king of Assyria very seriously (2 Kings 19:22). How audacious it was to speak in this way to the Holy One of Israel! The LORD could only bring His wrath upon him.

The LORD knew exactly what the proud king had said and what he boasted (2 Kings 19:23-24). Through Isaiah, He revealed the condition of the enemy’s heart. It was pride that dictated his actions. He believed he could overcome the greatest powers of the world. He had indeed conquered a great deal, but in his pride he believed that he could also conquer God. The king of Assyria spoke as if he were God.

Then the LORD spoke to the conscience of the enemy (2 Kings 19:25). Had it never occurred to him that he was only an instrument of God, and that he was only to carry out His will? The enemy was not able to do anything but what God intended long ago. God governs history, not the mighty men of the world. If those in power realized this, they would come to conversion and perform their duties in fear of God and for the good of their subjects. Therefore we are exhorted to pray for all who are in authority (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

God let the king of Assyria know that he could only overcome nations, because God had put them in his power (2 Kings 19:26). In himself, he was like one of the peoples conquered by him. For him, the conquered peoples had become like grass, but he himself was no different from the same grass. “All who hate Zion” will “be put to shame and turned backward”. They will “be like grass upon the housetops, which withers before it grows up” (Psalms 129:5-6). This judgment also included the arrogant king of Assyria.

God knows the enemy through and through. For the believer, this awareness is an encouragement, and at the same time he has the desire to be known through and through himself, so that he may be totally to God’s glory (Psalms 139:1-3; 23-24). For the unbeliever, that thought is intolerable.

The LORD will deal with the enemy without being able to resist (2 Kings 19:28). The enemy will be removed by Him as an unwilling animal with means which He will use for this purpose and which are in accordance with his pride.

In 2 Kings 19:29 Isaiah suddenly turned to Hezekiah. The sign Hezekiah received was a sign that God would not leave His people. The LORD would bless the fruit of the land again. There had been no opportunity to sow, but they would be able to eat what grew naturally. God would ensure that the people had enough to eat. In the third year they would have to start sowing again and be able to reap and eat the fruit of their land.

We can also apply this spiritually. Someone who has just been delivered from the power of sin, who has just been converted, does not know much yet, but the Lord will bless him richly. He gets all these blessings thrown into his lap, as it were, and is allowed to eat what is given to him in this way. But he must also read and study himself, he must sow himself and will also be allowed to reap. He goes looking for food himself. Ruth is an example of this (Rth 2:1-23).

The beautiful 2 Kings 19:30-31 are about the remnant. These verses correspond to what Isaiah said earlier: “Now in that day the remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped, will never again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel. A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God” (Isaiah 10:20-21). The mighty God is the Messiah (Isaiah 9:6). Here we see the connection between the events here and the future.

We must have this remnant character. Mighty enemies threaten us, but we are dependent on the Lord. We look forward to the coming of the Lord Jesus. For us, He does not intervene by judging our enemies, but by taking us up from between our enemies to Himself.

The LORD concluded His answer to Hezekiah with the promise that the enemy would not enter the city. This promise was made repeatedly and in different ways in 2 Kings 19:32-34. The LORD did everything to convince Hezekiah of the certainty of deliverance. The main reason that the enemy would not get possession of God’s city is that the LORD protected the city for His own sake and for His servant David’s sake.

The LORD had chosen this city, it is His city to which His name is connected forever. The LORD also has chosen David his servant to be His king. For the sake of the true David, the Man according to His heart, the Lord Jesus, God will in the future “defend this city to save it”. That salvation is given a pre-fulfilment in the following verses.

1 Chronicles 5:14

Deliverance of Jerusalem

Immediately after the LORD had promised to deliver Jerusalem, He fulfilled his promise. “That night” it happened. “The angel of the LORD”, that is the Lord Jesus, went to war. That night He killed no less than 185,000 enemy soldiers by an act of power. Thus, in the future, the Lord Jesus will come to earth to judge the enemy and to deliver His people.

Sennacherib’s answer was that he broke up camp and returned home. When he was worshiping before his god in the house of his god, he was killed with the sword by his sons. It is really touching, pathetic, to see how “the great king”, as he called himself, bowed down before a dead idol. He worshiped a piece of wood or stone to expect its help, despite the shameful retreat out of Judah. And it became even more slanderous when he, worshiping this piece of wood or stone to ask for help there, was killed. There was no movement in his idol to protect him. The idol stood there unmoved.

The death of Sennacherib occurred as God had predicted in 2 Kings 19:7b. God shows here that He is the God of the whole earth and stands above all gods. Similarly, the king of Assyria who will be there in the end time, will find his end by the power of God (Daniel 11:45).

1 Chronicles 5:15

Deliverance of Jerusalem

Immediately after the LORD had promised to deliver Jerusalem, He fulfilled his promise. “That night” it happened. “The angel of the LORD”, that is the Lord Jesus, went to war. That night He killed no less than 185,000 enemy soldiers by an act of power. Thus, in the future, the Lord Jesus will come to earth to judge the enemy and to deliver His people.

Sennacherib’s answer was that he broke up camp and returned home. When he was worshiping before his god in the house of his god, he was killed with the sword by his sons. It is really touching, pathetic, to see how “the great king”, as he called himself, bowed down before a dead idol. He worshiped a piece of wood or stone to expect its help, despite the shameful retreat out of Judah. And it became even more slanderous when he, worshiping this piece of wood or stone to ask for help there, was killed. There was no movement in his idol to protect him. The idol stood there unmoved.

The death of Sennacherib occurred as God had predicted in 2 Kings 19:7b. God shows here that He is the God of the whole earth and stands above all gods. Similarly, the king of Assyria who will be there in the end time, will find his end by the power of God (Daniel 11:45).

1 Chronicles 5:16

Deliverance of Jerusalem

Immediately after the LORD had promised to deliver Jerusalem, He fulfilled his promise. “That night” it happened. “The angel of the LORD”, that is the Lord Jesus, went to war. That night He killed no less than 185,000 enemy soldiers by an act of power. Thus, in the future, the Lord Jesus will come to earth to judge the enemy and to deliver His people.

Sennacherib’s answer was that he broke up camp and returned home. When he was worshiping before his god in the house of his god, he was killed with the sword by his sons. It is really touching, pathetic, to see how “the great king”, as he called himself, bowed down before a dead idol. He worshiped a piece of wood or stone to expect its help, despite the shameful retreat out of Judah. And it became even more slanderous when he, worshiping this piece of wood or stone to ask for help there, was killed. There was no movement in his idol to protect him. The idol stood there unmoved.

The death of Sennacherib occurred as God had predicted in 2 Kings 19:7b. God shows here that He is the God of the whole earth and stands above all gods. Similarly, the king of Assyria who will be there in the end time, will find his end by the power of God (Daniel 11:45).

1 Chronicles 5:18

Illness and Recovery of Hezekiah

“In those days” (2 Kings 20:1), that is, in the days of his distress because of the enemy from outside, Hezekiah became ill. He even got so ill that he was to die. Hezekiah therefore had a trial from outside, that is the enemy who had surrounded Jerusalem, and a trial from within, within himself. This second test cane on top of the first and was even greater, because it concerned himself.

What happened to Hezekiah is a picture of the trials of the faithful remnant in the end time that also has an enemy from the outside and an enemy from inside. Both enemies are death threatening, but the enemy inside is the worst. The enemy from within is someone from the people themselves, the antichrist.

Isaiah came to Hezekiah with the announcement that he would die and needed to arrange the affairs of his house for that purpose. For us, we must have our affairs arranged in view of the coming of the Lord. This can happen at any moment and that is why we must always be ready for it.

The announcement that he must die caused enormous sadness in Hezekiah. For an Old Testament believer, dying was very sad, especially while still relatively young, like Hezekiah, who was about forty years old at the time. For the promise of the LORD is a long life for being faithful to Him. That was what Hezekiah reminded the LORD. If he were to be taken away then, it would seem as if God were removing him because of his bad spiritual condition.

The LORD wanted Hezekiah to discover the power of death through what happened to him here. He also wanted him to discover the power of the resurrection. We see that the Lord always gives richer lessons than we perceive at first sight. Events that we think put an end to certain things are often not intended by God to take something away from us, but to give us something in addition: a greater view of His power.

When Hezekiah had poured out his grief to the LORD, Isaiah received a new message for Hezekiah. When the word of the LORD came to Isaiah, he was not even completely out of the door. As a result, he quickly returned to Hezekiah with the answer to his prayer.

Hezekiah received a wonderful answer from the LORD. Isaiah was to give him the answer on behalf of “the LORD, the God of your father David”. In this way the gaze was again focused on David as the picture of the Messiah. We notice seven blessings in the answer from the LORD.

1. The LORD had heard his prayer. We may also know that the Lord hears all our prayers.

2. The LORD had seen his tears. The Lord also knows our anguish and repentance for our sins.

3. The LORD told him that he would recover. God would take care of him and recover his health by letting him experience the power of the resurrection, as the following sentence shows. For us, every prayer that fits into His plan is answered by Him. It is not an incentive for anyone who is ill to claim recovery from the disease. Hezekiah had not claimed any health. He had revealed his need, and this was God’s answer for him.

4. After the promise that he would recover, the LORD said that on the third day he would go to the house of the LORD. The power of the resurrection would make him go to the house of the LORD. For us it means that if we are aware that we have new life, we will take our place in the church.

5. The LORD promised him an extension of his life of fifteen years.

6. The LORD promised that he will be saved from the hand of the king of Assyria.

7. The LORD promised protection of the city. Hezekiah gained this protection because of Who the LORD is and because of the Messiah.

The answer to Hezekiah’s prayer was not by a sensational miracle. A common, every day and tangible medicine was used for his healing that others had to apply for him. That medicine was a cake of figs. The result was that “he recovered”.

In a spiritual sense figs are a picture of righteousness. Nathanael sat under the fig tree (John 1:48). The Lord Jesus said of him that he was an Israelite “in whom there is no deceit” (John 1:47). Nathanael and the fig tree give a picture of the faithful remnant that acts justly. A cake of figs is sweet. Knowing the sweetness of righteousness by behaving righteously brings recovery.

Hezekiah also asked for a sign. There seemed to be a certain lack of faith in what the LORD had said. That lack of faith was not ‘punished’ by leaving him in his illness with the accusation that he should have believed. This is often done by contemporary so-called faith healers. Instead, Isaiah gave him a choice of two kinds of signs. In this way God met Hezekiah’s small faith.

In choosing one of the two signs we see that Hezekiah did have faith. He didn’t question whether the signs Isaiah proposed to him were able to be given. He considered in faith which sign would be most obvious. In that consideration, he chose the least obvious sign. The accelerated progression of time is not as impressive as putting time back. This was not about the time on a clock, where you can turn back the hands, but about the sun in the sky, that no man can reach, but only God.

When Hezekiah had made his choice, Isaiah cried to the LORD. Isaiah as well, did not doubt the outcome. Through his prayer God intervened with nature. All of nature was set back by the God of nature, to a position of ten steps back to help a believer believe in Him. The whole course and the whole order are in His hand. He can stop the sun and the moon (Joshua 10:12-13) and also set them back, as He did here.

1 Chronicles 5:19

Illness and Recovery of Hezekiah

“In those days” (2 Kings 20:1), that is, in the days of his distress because of the enemy from outside, Hezekiah became ill. He even got so ill that he was to die. Hezekiah therefore had a trial from outside, that is the enemy who had surrounded Jerusalem, and a trial from within, within himself. This second test cane on top of the first and was even greater, because it concerned himself.

What happened to Hezekiah is a picture of the trials of the faithful remnant in the end time that also has an enemy from the outside and an enemy from inside. Both enemies are death threatening, but the enemy inside is the worst. The enemy from within is someone from the people themselves, the antichrist.

Isaiah came to Hezekiah with the announcement that he would die and needed to arrange the affairs of his house for that purpose. For us, we must have our affairs arranged in view of the coming of the Lord. This can happen at any moment and that is why we must always be ready for it.

The announcement that he must die caused enormous sadness in Hezekiah. For an Old Testament believer, dying was very sad, especially while still relatively young, like Hezekiah, who was about forty years old at the time. For the promise of the LORD is a long life for being faithful to Him. That was what Hezekiah reminded the LORD. If he were to be taken away then, it would seem as if God were removing him because of his bad spiritual condition.

The LORD wanted Hezekiah to discover the power of death through what happened to him here. He also wanted him to discover the power of the resurrection. We see that the Lord always gives richer lessons than we perceive at first sight. Events that we think put an end to certain things are often not intended by God to take something away from us, but to give us something in addition: a greater view of His power.

When Hezekiah had poured out his grief to the LORD, Isaiah received a new message for Hezekiah. When the word of the LORD came to Isaiah, he was not even completely out of the door. As a result, he quickly returned to Hezekiah with the answer to his prayer.

Hezekiah received a wonderful answer from the LORD. Isaiah was to give him the answer on behalf of “the LORD, the God of your father David”. In this way the gaze was again focused on David as the picture of the Messiah. We notice seven blessings in the answer from the LORD.

1. The LORD had heard his prayer. We may also know that the Lord hears all our prayers.

2. The LORD had seen his tears. The Lord also knows our anguish and repentance for our sins.

3. The LORD told him that he would recover. God would take care of him and recover his health by letting him experience the power of the resurrection, as the following sentence shows. For us, every prayer that fits into His plan is answered by Him. It is not an incentive for anyone who is ill to claim recovery from the disease. Hezekiah had not claimed any health. He had revealed his need, and this was God’s answer for him.

4. After the promise that he would recover, the LORD said that on the third day he would go to the house of the LORD. The power of the resurrection would make him go to the house of the LORD. For us it means that if we are aware that we have new life, we will take our place in the church.

5. The LORD promised him an extension of his life of fifteen years.

6. The LORD promised that he will be saved from the hand of the king of Assyria.

7. The LORD promised protection of the city. Hezekiah gained this protection because of Who the LORD is and because of the Messiah.

The answer to Hezekiah’s prayer was not by a sensational miracle. A common, every day and tangible medicine was used for his healing that others had to apply for him. That medicine was a cake of figs. The result was that “he recovered”.

In a spiritual sense figs are a picture of righteousness. Nathanael sat under the fig tree (John 1:48). The Lord Jesus said of him that he was an Israelite “in whom there is no deceit” (John 1:47). Nathanael and the fig tree give a picture of the faithful remnant that acts justly. A cake of figs is sweet. Knowing the sweetness of righteousness by behaving righteously brings recovery.

Hezekiah also asked for a sign. There seemed to be a certain lack of faith in what the LORD had said. That lack of faith was not ‘punished’ by leaving him in his illness with the accusation that he should have believed. This is often done by contemporary so-called faith healers. Instead, Isaiah gave him a choice of two kinds of signs. In this way God met Hezekiah’s small faith.

In choosing one of the two signs we see that Hezekiah did have faith. He didn’t question whether the signs Isaiah proposed to him were able to be given. He considered in faith which sign would be most obvious. In that consideration, he chose the least obvious sign. The accelerated progression of time is not as impressive as putting time back. This was not about the time on a clock, where you can turn back the hands, but about the sun in the sky, that no man can reach, but only God.

When Hezekiah had made his choice, Isaiah cried to the LORD. Isaiah as well, did not doubt the outcome. Through his prayer God intervened with nature. All of nature was set back by the God of nature, to a position of ten steps back to help a believer believe in Him. The whole course and the whole order are in His hand. He can stop the sun and the moon (Joshua 10:12-13) and also set them back, as He did here.

1 Chronicles 5:20

Illness and Recovery of Hezekiah

“In those days” (2 Kings 20:1), that is, in the days of his distress because of the enemy from outside, Hezekiah became ill. He even got so ill that he was to die. Hezekiah therefore had a trial from outside, that is the enemy who had surrounded Jerusalem, and a trial from within, within himself. This second test cane on top of the first and was even greater, because it concerned himself.

What happened to Hezekiah is a picture of the trials of the faithful remnant in the end time that also has an enemy from the outside and an enemy from inside. Both enemies are death threatening, but the enemy inside is the worst. The enemy from within is someone from the people themselves, the antichrist.

Isaiah came to Hezekiah with the announcement that he would die and needed to arrange the affairs of his house for that purpose. For us, we must have our affairs arranged in view of the coming of the Lord. This can happen at any moment and that is why we must always be ready for it.

The announcement that he must die caused enormous sadness in Hezekiah. For an Old Testament believer, dying was very sad, especially while still relatively young, like Hezekiah, who was about forty years old at the time. For the promise of the LORD is a long life for being faithful to Him. That was what Hezekiah reminded the LORD. If he were to be taken away then, it would seem as if God were removing him because of his bad spiritual condition.

The LORD wanted Hezekiah to discover the power of death through what happened to him here. He also wanted him to discover the power of the resurrection. We see that the Lord always gives richer lessons than we perceive at first sight. Events that we think put an end to certain things are often not intended by God to take something away from us, but to give us something in addition: a greater view of His power.

When Hezekiah had poured out his grief to the LORD, Isaiah received a new message for Hezekiah. When the word of the LORD came to Isaiah, he was not even completely out of the door. As a result, he quickly returned to Hezekiah with the answer to his prayer.

Hezekiah received a wonderful answer from the LORD. Isaiah was to give him the answer on behalf of “the LORD, the God of your father David”. In this way the gaze was again focused on David as the picture of the Messiah. We notice seven blessings in the answer from the LORD.

1. The LORD had heard his prayer. We may also know that the Lord hears all our prayers.

2. The LORD had seen his tears. The Lord also knows our anguish and repentance for our sins.

3. The LORD told him that he would recover. God would take care of him and recover his health by letting him experience the power of the resurrection, as the following sentence shows. For us, every prayer that fits into His plan is answered by Him. It is not an incentive for anyone who is ill to claim recovery from the disease. Hezekiah had not claimed any health. He had revealed his need, and this was God’s answer for him.

4. After the promise that he would recover, the LORD said that on the third day he would go to the house of the LORD. The power of the resurrection would make him go to the house of the LORD. For us it means that if we are aware that we have new life, we will take our place in the church.

5. The LORD promised him an extension of his life of fifteen years.

6. The LORD promised that he will be saved from the hand of the king of Assyria.

7. The LORD promised protection of the city. Hezekiah gained this protection because of Who the LORD is and because of the Messiah.

The answer to Hezekiah’s prayer was not by a sensational miracle. A common, every day and tangible medicine was used for his healing that others had to apply for him. That medicine was a cake of figs. The result was that “he recovered”.

In a spiritual sense figs are a picture of righteousness. Nathanael sat under the fig tree (John 1:48). The Lord Jesus said of him that he was an Israelite “in whom there is no deceit” (John 1:47). Nathanael and the fig tree give a picture of the faithful remnant that acts justly. A cake of figs is sweet. Knowing the sweetness of righteousness by behaving righteously brings recovery.

Hezekiah also asked for a sign. There seemed to be a certain lack of faith in what the LORD had said. That lack of faith was not ‘punished’ by leaving him in his illness with the accusation that he should have believed. This is often done by contemporary so-called faith healers. Instead, Isaiah gave him a choice of two kinds of signs. In this way God met Hezekiah’s small faith.

In choosing one of the two signs we see that Hezekiah did have faith. He didn’t question whether the signs Isaiah proposed to him were able to be given. He considered in faith which sign would be most obvious. In that consideration, he chose the least obvious sign. The accelerated progression of time is not as impressive as putting time back. This was not about the time on a clock, where you can turn back the hands, but about the sun in the sky, that no man can reach, but only God.

When Hezekiah had made his choice, Isaiah cried to the LORD. Isaiah as well, did not doubt the outcome. Through his prayer God intervened with nature. All of nature was set back by the God of nature, to a position of ten steps back to help a believer believe in Him. The whole course and the whole order are in His hand. He can stop the sun and the moon (Joshua 10:12-13) and also set them back, as He did here.

1 Chronicles 5:21

Illness and Recovery of Hezekiah

“In those days” (2 Kings 20:1), that is, in the days of his distress because of the enemy from outside, Hezekiah became ill. He even got so ill that he was to die. Hezekiah therefore had a trial from outside, that is the enemy who had surrounded Jerusalem, and a trial from within, within himself. This second test cane on top of the first and was even greater, because it concerned himself.

What happened to Hezekiah is a picture of the trials of the faithful remnant in the end time that also has an enemy from the outside and an enemy from inside. Both enemies are death threatening, but the enemy inside is the worst. The enemy from within is someone from the people themselves, the antichrist.

Isaiah came to Hezekiah with the announcement that he would die and needed to arrange the affairs of his house for that purpose. For us, we must have our affairs arranged in view of the coming of the Lord. This can happen at any moment and that is why we must always be ready for it.

The announcement that he must die caused enormous sadness in Hezekiah. For an Old Testament believer, dying was very sad, especially while still relatively young, like Hezekiah, who was about forty years old at the time. For the promise of the LORD is a long life for being faithful to Him. That was what Hezekiah reminded the LORD. If he were to be taken away then, it would seem as if God were removing him because of his bad spiritual condition.

The LORD wanted Hezekiah to discover the power of death through what happened to him here. He also wanted him to discover the power of the resurrection. We see that the Lord always gives richer lessons than we perceive at first sight. Events that we think put an end to certain things are often not intended by God to take something away from us, but to give us something in addition: a greater view of His power.

When Hezekiah had poured out his grief to the LORD, Isaiah received a new message for Hezekiah. When the word of the LORD came to Isaiah, he was not even completely out of the door. As a result, he quickly returned to Hezekiah with the answer to his prayer.

Hezekiah received a wonderful answer from the LORD. Isaiah was to give him the answer on behalf of “the LORD, the God of your father David”. In this way the gaze was again focused on David as the picture of the Messiah. We notice seven blessings in the answer from the LORD.

1. The LORD had heard his prayer. We may also know that the Lord hears all our prayers.

2. The LORD had seen his tears. The Lord also knows our anguish and repentance for our sins.

3. The LORD told him that he would recover. God would take care of him and recover his health by letting him experience the power of the resurrection, as the following sentence shows. For us, every prayer that fits into His plan is answered by Him. It is not an incentive for anyone who is ill to claim recovery from the disease. Hezekiah had not claimed any health. He had revealed his need, and this was God’s answer for him.

4. After the promise that he would recover, the LORD said that on the third day he would go to the house of the LORD. The power of the resurrection would make him go to the house of the LORD. For us it means that if we are aware that we have new life, we will take our place in the church.

5. The LORD promised him an extension of his life of fifteen years.

6. The LORD promised that he will be saved from the hand of the king of Assyria.

7. The LORD promised protection of the city. Hezekiah gained this protection because of Who the LORD is and because of the Messiah.

The answer to Hezekiah’s prayer was not by a sensational miracle. A common, every day and tangible medicine was used for his healing that others had to apply for him. That medicine was a cake of figs. The result was that “he recovered”.

In a spiritual sense figs are a picture of righteousness. Nathanael sat under the fig tree (John 1:48). The Lord Jesus said of him that he was an Israelite “in whom there is no deceit” (John 1:47). Nathanael and the fig tree give a picture of the faithful remnant that acts justly. A cake of figs is sweet. Knowing the sweetness of righteousness by behaving righteously brings recovery.

Hezekiah also asked for a sign. There seemed to be a certain lack of faith in what the LORD had said. That lack of faith was not ‘punished’ by leaving him in his illness with the accusation that he should have believed. This is often done by contemporary so-called faith healers. Instead, Isaiah gave him a choice of two kinds of signs. In this way God met Hezekiah’s small faith.

In choosing one of the two signs we see that Hezekiah did have faith. He didn’t question whether the signs Isaiah proposed to him were able to be given. He considered in faith which sign would be most obvious. In that consideration, he chose the least obvious sign. The accelerated progression of time is not as impressive as putting time back. This was not about the time on a clock, where you can turn back the hands, but about the sun in the sky, that no man can reach, but only God.

When Hezekiah had made his choice, Isaiah cried to the LORD. Isaiah as well, did not doubt the outcome. Through his prayer God intervened with nature. All of nature was set back by the God of nature, to a position of ten steps back to help a believer believe in Him. The whole course and the whole order are in His hand. He can stop the sun and the moon (Joshua 10:12-13) and also set them back, as He did here.

1 Chronicles 5:22

Illness and Recovery of Hezekiah

“In those days” (2 Kings 20:1), that is, in the days of his distress because of the enemy from outside, Hezekiah became ill. He even got so ill that he was to die. Hezekiah therefore had a trial from outside, that is the enemy who had surrounded Jerusalem, and a trial from within, within himself. This second test cane on top of the first and was even greater, because it concerned himself.

What happened to Hezekiah is a picture of the trials of the faithful remnant in the end time that also has an enemy from the outside and an enemy from inside. Both enemies are death threatening, but the enemy inside is the worst. The enemy from within is someone from the people themselves, the antichrist.

Isaiah came to Hezekiah with the announcement that he would die and needed to arrange the affairs of his house for that purpose. For us, we must have our affairs arranged in view of the coming of the Lord. This can happen at any moment and that is why we must always be ready for it.

The announcement that he must die caused enormous sadness in Hezekiah. For an Old Testament believer, dying was very sad, especially while still relatively young, like Hezekiah, who was about forty years old at the time. For the promise of the LORD is a long life for being faithful to Him. That was what Hezekiah reminded the LORD. If he were to be taken away then, it would seem as if God were removing him because of his bad spiritual condition.

The LORD wanted Hezekiah to discover the power of death through what happened to him here. He also wanted him to discover the power of the resurrection. We see that the Lord always gives richer lessons than we perceive at first sight. Events that we think put an end to certain things are often not intended by God to take something away from us, but to give us something in addition: a greater view of His power.

When Hezekiah had poured out his grief to the LORD, Isaiah received a new message for Hezekiah. When the word of the LORD came to Isaiah, he was not even completely out of the door. As a result, he quickly returned to Hezekiah with the answer to his prayer.

Hezekiah received a wonderful answer from the LORD. Isaiah was to give him the answer on behalf of “the LORD, the God of your father David”. In this way the gaze was again focused on David as the picture of the Messiah. We notice seven blessings in the answer from the LORD.

1. The LORD had heard his prayer. We may also know that the Lord hears all our prayers.

2. The LORD had seen his tears. The Lord also knows our anguish and repentance for our sins.

3. The LORD told him that he would recover. God would take care of him and recover his health by letting him experience the power of the resurrection, as the following sentence shows. For us, every prayer that fits into His plan is answered by Him. It is not an incentive for anyone who is ill to claim recovery from the disease. Hezekiah had not claimed any health. He had revealed his need, and this was God’s answer for him.

4. After the promise that he would recover, the LORD said that on the third day he would go to the house of the LORD. The power of the resurrection would make him go to the house of the LORD. For us it means that if we are aware that we have new life, we will take our place in the church.

5. The LORD promised him an extension of his life of fifteen years.

6. The LORD promised that he will be saved from the hand of the king of Assyria.

7. The LORD promised protection of the city. Hezekiah gained this protection because of Who the LORD is and because of the Messiah.

The answer to Hezekiah’s prayer was not by a sensational miracle. A common, every day and tangible medicine was used for his healing that others had to apply for him. That medicine was a cake of figs. The result was that “he recovered”.

In a spiritual sense figs are a picture of righteousness. Nathanael sat under the fig tree (John 1:48). The Lord Jesus said of him that he was an Israelite “in whom there is no deceit” (John 1:47). Nathanael and the fig tree give a picture of the faithful remnant that acts justly. A cake of figs is sweet. Knowing the sweetness of righteousness by behaving righteously brings recovery.

Hezekiah also asked for a sign. There seemed to be a certain lack of faith in what the LORD had said. That lack of faith was not ‘punished’ by leaving him in his illness with the accusation that he should have believed. This is often done by contemporary so-called faith healers. Instead, Isaiah gave him a choice of two kinds of signs. In this way God met Hezekiah’s small faith.

In choosing one of the two signs we see that Hezekiah did have faith. He didn’t question whether the signs Isaiah proposed to him were able to be given. He considered in faith which sign would be most obvious. In that consideration, he chose the least obvious sign. The accelerated progression of time is not as impressive as putting time back. This was not about the time on a clock, where you can turn back the hands, but about the sun in the sky, that no man can reach, but only God.

When Hezekiah had made his choice, Isaiah cried to the LORD. Isaiah as well, did not doubt the outcome. Through his prayer God intervened with nature. All of nature was set back by the God of nature, to a position of ten steps back to help a believer believe in Him. The whole course and the whole order are in His hand. He can stop the sun and the moon (Joshua 10:12-13) and also set them back, as He did here.

1 Chronicles 5:23

Illness and Recovery of Hezekiah

“In those days” (2 Kings 20:1), that is, in the days of his distress because of the enemy from outside, Hezekiah became ill. He even got so ill that he was to die. Hezekiah therefore had a trial from outside, that is the enemy who had surrounded Jerusalem, and a trial from within, within himself. This second test cane on top of the first and was even greater, because it concerned himself.

What happened to Hezekiah is a picture of the trials of the faithful remnant in the end time that also has an enemy from the outside and an enemy from inside. Both enemies are death threatening, but the enemy inside is the worst. The enemy from within is someone from the people themselves, the antichrist.

Isaiah came to Hezekiah with the announcement that he would die and needed to arrange the affairs of his house for that purpose. For us, we must have our affairs arranged in view of the coming of the Lord. This can happen at any moment and that is why we must always be ready for it.

The announcement that he must die caused enormous sadness in Hezekiah. For an Old Testament believer, dying was very sad, especially while still relatively young, like Hezekiah, who was about forty years old at the time. For the promise of the LORD is a long life for being faithful to Him. That was what Hezekiah reminded the LORD. If he were to be taken away then, it would seem as if God were removing him because of his bad spiritual condition.

The LORD wanted Hezekiah to discover the power of death through what happened to him here. He also wanted him to discover the power of the resurrection. We see that the Lord always gives richer lessons than we perceive at first sight. Events that we think put an end to certain things are often not intended by God to take something away from us, but to give us something in addition: a greater view of His power.

When Hezekiah had poured out his grief to the LORD, Isaiah received a new message for Hezekiah. When the word of the LORD came to Isaiah, he was not even completely out of the door. As a result, he quickly returned to Hezekiah with the answer to his prayer.

Hezekiah received a wonderful answer from the LORD. Isaiah was to give him the answer on behalf of “the LORD, the God of your father David”. In this way the gaze was again focused on David as the picture of the Messiah. We notice seven blessings in the answer from the LORD.

1. The LORD had heard his prayer. We may also know that the Lord hears all our prayers.

2. The LORD had seen his tears. The Lord also knows our anguish and repentance for our sins.

3. The LORD told him that he would recover. God would take care of him and recover his health by letting him experience the power of the resurrection, as the following sentence shows. For us, every prayer that fits into His plan is answered by Him. It is not an incentive for anyone who is ill to claim recovery from the disease. Hezekiah had not claimed any health. He had revealed his need, and this was God’s answer for him.

4. After the promise that he would recover, the LORD said that on the third day he would go to the house of the LORD. The power of the resurrection would make him go to the house of the LORD. For us it means that if we are aware that we have new life, we will take our place in the church.

5. The LORD promised him an extension of his life of fifteen years.

6. The LORD promised that he will be saved from the hand of the king of Assyria.

7. The LORD promised protection of the city. Hezekiah gained this protection because of Who the LORD is and because of the Messiah.

The answer to Hezekiah’s prayer was not by a sensational miracle. A common, every day and tangible medicine was used for his healing that others had to apply for him. That medicine was a cake of figs. The result was that “he recovered”.

In a spiritual sense figs are a picture of righteousness. Nathanael sat under the fig tree (John 1:48). The Lord Jesus said of him that he was an Israelite “in whom there is no deceit” (John 1:47). Nathanael and the fig tree give a picture of the faithful remnant that acts justly. A cake of figs is sweet. Knowing the sweetness of righteousness by behaving righteously brings recovery.

Hezekiah also asked for a sign. There seemed to be a certain lack of faith in what the LORD had said. That lack of faith was not ‘punished’ by leaving him in his illness with the accusation that he should have believed. This is often done by contemporary so-called faith healers. Instead, Isaiah gave him a choice of two kinds of signs. In this way God met Hezekiah’s small faith.

In choosing one of the two signs we see that Hezekiah did have faith. He didn’t question whether the signs Isaiah proposed to him were able to be given. He considered in faith which sign would be most obvious. In that consideration, he chose the least obvious sign. The accelerated progression of time is not as impressive as putting time back. This was not about the time on a clock, where you can turn back the hands, but about the sun in the sky, that no man can reach, but only God.

When Hezekiah had made his choice, Isaiah cried to the LORD. Isaiah as well, did not doubt the outcome. Through his prayer God intervened with nature. All of nature was set back by the God of nature, to a position of ten steps back to help a believer believe in Him. The whole course and the whole order are in His hand. He can stop the sun and the moon (Joshua 10:12-13) and also set them back, as He did here.

1 Chronicles 5:24

Illness and Recovery of Hezekiah

“In those days” (2 Kings 20:1), that is, in the days of his distress because of the enemy from outside, Hezekiah became ill. He even got so ill that he was to die. Hezekiah therefore had a trial from outside, that is the enemy who had surrounded Jerusalem, and a trial from within, within himself. This second test cane on top of the first and was even greater, because it concerned himself.

What happened to Hezekiah is a picture of the trials of the faithful remnant in the end time that also has an enemy from the outside and an enemy from inside. Both enemies are death threatening, but the enemy inside is the worst. The enemy from within is someone from the people themselves, the antichrist.

Isaiah came to Hezekiah with the announcement that he would die and needed to arrange the affairs of his house for that purpose. For us, we must have our affairs arranged in view of the coming of the Lord. This can happen at any moment and that is why we must always be ready for it.

The announcement that he must die caused enormous sadness in Hezekiah. For an Old Testament believer, dying was very sad, especially while still relatively young, like Hezekiah, who was about forty years old at the time. For the promise of the LORD is a long life for being faithful to Him. That was what Hezekiah reminded the LORD. If he were to be taken away then, it would seem as if God were removing him because of his bad spiritual condition.

The LORD wanted Hezekiah to discover the power of death through what happened to him here. He also wanted him to discover the power of the resurrection. We see that the Lord always gives richer lessons than we perceive at first sight. Events that we think put an end to certain things are often not intended by God to take something away from us, but to give us something in addition: a greater view of His power.

When Hezekiah had poured out his grief to the LORD, Isaiah received a new message for Hezekiah. When the word of the LORD came to Isaiah, he was not even completely out of the door. As a result, he quickly returned to Hezekiah with the answer to his prayer.

Hezekiah received a wonderful answer from the LORD. Isaiah was to give him the answer on behalf of “the LORD, the God of your father David”. In this way the gaze was again focused on David as the picture of the Messiah. We notice seven blessings in the answer from the LORD.

1. The LORD had heard his prayer. We may also know that the Lord hears all our prayers.

2. The LORD had seen his tears. The Lord also knows our anguish and repentance for our sins.

3. The LORD told him that he would recover. God would take care of him and recover his health by letting him experience the power of the resurrection, as the following sentence shows. For us, every prayer that fits into His plan is answered by Him. It is not an incentive for anyone who is ill to claim recovery from the disease. Hezekiah had not claimed any health. He had revealed his need, and this was God’s answer for him.

4. After the promise that he would recover, the LORD said that on the third day he would go to the house of the LORD. The power of the resurrection would make him go to the house of the LORD. For us it means that if we are aware that we have new life, we will take our place in the church.

5. The LORD promised him an extension of his life of fifteen years.

6. The LORD promised that he will be saved from the hand of the king of Assyria.

7. The LORD promised protection of the city. Hezekiah gained this protection because of Who the LORD is and because of the Messiah.

The answer to Hezekiah’s prayer was not by a sensational miracle. A common, every day and tangible medicine was used for his healing that others had to apply for him. That medicine was a cake of figs. The result was that “he recovered”.

In a spiritual sense figs are a picture of righteousness. Nathanael sat under the fig tree (John 1:48). The Lord Jesus said of him that he was an Israelite “in whom there is no deceit” (John 1:47). Nathanael and the fig tree give a picture of the faithful remnant that acts justly. A cake of figs is sweet. Knowing the sweetness of righteousness by behaving righteously brings recovery.

Hezekiah also asked for a sign. There seemed to be a certain lack of faith in what the LORD had said. That lack of faith was not ‘punished’ by leaving him in his illness with the accusation that he should have believed. This is often done by contemporary so-called faith healers. Instead, Isaiah gave him a choice of two kinds of signs. In this way God met Hezekiah’s small faith.

In choosing one of the two signs we see that Hezekiah did have faith. He didn’t question whether the signs Isaiah proposed to him were able to be given. He considered in faith which sign would be most obvious. In that consideration, he chose the least obvious sign. The accelerated progression of time is not as impressive as putting time back. This was not about the time on a clock, where you can turn back the hands, but about the sun in the sky, that no man can reach, but only God.

When Hezekiah had made his choice, Isaiah cried to the LORD. Isaiah as well, did not doubt the outcome. Through his prayer God intervened with nature. All of nature was set back by the God of nature, to a position of ten steps back to help a believer believe in Him. The whole course and the whole order are in His hand. He can stop the sun and the moon (Joshua 10:12-13) and also set them back, as He did here.

1 Chronicles 5:25

Illness and Recovery of Hezekiah

“In those days” (2 Kings 20:1), that is, in the days of his distress because of the enemy from outside, Hezekiah became ill. He even got so ill that he was to die. Hezekiah therefore had a trial from outside, that is the enemy who had surrounded Jerusalem, and a trial from within, within himself. This second test cane on top of the first and was even greater, because it concerned himself.

What happened to Hezekiah is a picture of the trials of the faithful remnant in the end time that also has an enemy from the outside and an enemy from inside. Both enemies are death threatening, but the enemy inside is the worst. The enemy from within is someone from the people themselves, the antichrist.

Isaiah came to Hezekiah with the announcement that he would die and needed to arrange the affairs of his house for that purpose. For us, we must have our affairs arranged in view of the coming of the Lord. This can happen at any moment and that is why we must always be ready for it.

The announcement that he must die caused enormous sadness in Hezekiah. For an Old Testament believer, dying was very sad, especially while still relatively young, like Hezekiah, who was about forty years old at the time. For the promise of the LORD is a long life for being faithful to Him. That was what Hezekiah reminded the LORD. If he were to be taken away then, it would seem as if God were removing him because of his bad spiritual condition.

The LORD wanted Hezekiah to discover the power of death through what happened to him here. He also wanted him to discover the power of the resurrection. We see that the Lord always gives richer lessons than we perceive at first sight. Events that we think put an end to certain things are often not intended by God to take something away from us, but to give us something in addition: a greater view of His power.

When Hezekiah had poured out his grief to the LORD, Isaiah received a new message for Hezekiah. When the word of the LORD came to Isaiah, he was not even completely out of the door. As a result, he quickly returned to Hezekiah with the answer to his prayer.

Hezekiah received a wonderful answer from the LORD. Isaiah was to give him the answer on behalf of “the LORD, the God of your father David”. In this way the gaze was again focused on David as the picture of the Messiah. We notice seven blessings in the answer from the LORD.

1. The LORD had heard his prayer. We may also know that the Lord hears all our prayers.

2. The LORD had seen his tears. The Lord also knows our anguish and repentance for our sins.

3. The LORD told him that he would recover. God would take care of him and recover his health by letting him experience the power of the resurrection, as the following sentence shows. For us, every prayer that fits into His plan is answered by Him. It is not an incentive for anyone who is ill to claim recovery from the disease. Hezekiah had not claimed any health. He had revealed his need, and this was God’s answer for him.

4. After the promise that he would recover, the LORD said that on the third day he would go to the house of the LORD. The power of the resurrection would make him go to the house of the LORD. For us it means that if we are aware that we have new life, we will take our place in the church.

5. The LORD promised him an extension of his life of fifteen years.

6. The LORD promised that he will be saved from the hand of the king of Assyria.

7. The LORD promised protection of the city. Hezekiah gained this protection because of Who the LORD is and because of the Messiah.

The answer to Hezekiah’s prayer was not by a sensational miracle. A common, every day and tangible medicine was used for his healing that others had to apply for him. That medicine was a cake of figs. The result was that “he recovered”.

In a spiritual sense figs are a picture of righteousness. Nathanael sat under the fig tree (John 1:48). The Lord Jesus said of him that he was an Israelite “in whom there is no deceit” (John 1:47). Nathanael and the fig tree give a picture of the faithful remnant that acts justly. A cake of figs is sweet. Knowing the sweetness of righteousness by behaving righteously brings recovery.

Hezekiah also asked for a sign. There seemed to be a certain lack of faith in what the LORD had said. That lack of faith was not ‘punished’ by leaving him in his illness with the accusation that he should have believed. This is often done by contemporary so-called faith healers. Instead, Isaiah gave him a choice of two kinds of signs. In this way God met Hezekiah’s small faith.

In choosing one of the two signs we see that Hezekiah did have faith. He didn’t question whether the signs Isaiah proposed to him were able to be given. He considered in faith which sign would be most obvious. In that consideration, he chose the least obvious sign. The accelerated progression of time is not as impressive as putting time back. This was not about the time on a clock, where you can turn back the hands, but about the sun in the sky, that no man can reach, but only God.

When Hezekiah had made his choice, Isaiah cried to the LORD. Isaiah as well, did not doubt the outcome. Through his prayer God intervened with nature. All of nature was set back by the God of nature, to a position of ten steps back to help a believer believe in Him. The whole course and the whole order are in His hand. He can stop the sun and the moon (Joshua 10:12-13) and also set them back, as He did here.

1 Chronicles 5:26

Illness and Recovery of Hezekiah

“In those days” (2 Kings 20:1), that is, in the days of his distress because of the enemy from outside, Hezekiah became ill. He even got so ill that he was to die. Hezekiah therefore had a trial from outside, that is the enemy who had surrounded Jerusalem, and a trial from within, within himself. This second test cane on top of the first and was even greater, because it concerned himself.

What happened to Hezekiah is a picture of the trials of the faithful remnant in the end time that also has an enemy from the outside and an enemy from inside. Both enemies are death threatening, but the enemy inside is the worst. The enemy from within is someone from the people themselves, the antichrist.

Isaiah came to Hezekiah with the announcement that he would die and needed to arrange the affairs of his house for that purpose. For us, we must have our affairs arranged in view of the coming of the Lord. This can happen at any moment and that is why we must always be ready for it.

The announcement that he must die caused enormous sadness in Hezekiah. For an Old Testament believer, dying was very sad, especially while still relatively young, like Hezekiah, who was about forty years old at the time. For the promise of the LORD is a long life for being faithful to Him. That was what Hezekiah reminded the LORD. If he were to be taken away then, it would seem as if God were removing him because of his bad spiritual condition.

The LORD wanted Hezekiah to discover the power of death through what happened to him here. He also wanted him to discover the power of the resurrection. We see that the Lord always gives richer lessons than we perceive at first sight. Events that we think put an end to certain things are often not intended by God to take something away from us, but to give us something in addition: a greater view of His power.

When Hezekiah had poured out his grief to the LORD, Isaiah received a new message for Hezekiah. When the word of the LORD came to Isaiah, he was not even completely out of the door. As a result, he quickly returned to Hezekiah with the answer to his prayer.

Hezekiah received a wonderful answer from the LORD. Isaiah was to give him the answer on behalf of “the LORD, the God of your father David”. In this way the gaze was again focused on David as the picture of the Messiah. We notice seven blessings in the answer from the LORD.

1. The LORD had heard his prayer. We may also know that the Lord hears all our prayers.

2. The LORD had seen his tears. The Lord also knows our anguish and repentance for our sins.

3. The LORD told him that he would recover. God would take care of him and recover his health by letting him experience the power of the resurrection, as the following sentence shows. For us, every prayer that fits into His plan is answered by Him. It is not an incentive for anyone who is ill to claim recovery from the disease. Hezekiah had not claimed any health. He had revealed his need, and this was God’s answer for him.

4. After the promise that he would recover, the LORD said that on the third day he would go to the house of the LORD. The power of the resurrection would make him go to the house of the LORD. For us it means that if we are aware that we have new life, we will take our place in the church.

5. The LORD promised him an extension of his life of fifteen years.

6. The LORD promised that he will be saved from the hand of the king of Assyria.

7. The LORD promised protection of the city. Hezekiah gained this protection because of Who the LORD is and because of the Messiah.

The answer to Hezekiah’s prayer was not by a sensational miracle. A common, every day and tangible medicine was used for his healing that others had to apply for him. That medicine was a cake of figs. The result was that “he recovered”.

In a spiritual sense figs are a picture of righteousness. Nathanael sat under the fig tree (John 1:48). The Lord Jesus said of him that he was an Israelite “in whom there is no deceit” (John 1:47). Nathanael and the fig tree give a picture of the faithful remnant that acts justly. A cake of figs is sweet. Knowing the sweetness of righteousness by behaving righteously brings recovery.

Hezekiah also asked for a sign. There seemed to be a certain lack of faith in what the LORD had said. That lack of faith was not ‘punished’ by leaving him in his illness with the accusation that he should have believed. This is often done by contemporary so-called faith healers. Instead, Isaiah gave him a choice of two kinds of signs. In this way God met Hezekiah’s small faith.

In choosing one of the two signs we see that Hezekiah did have faith. He didn’t question whether the signs Isaiah proposed to him were able to be given. He considered in faith which sign would be most obvious. In that consideration, he chose the least obvious sign. The accelerated progression of time is not as impressive as putting time back. This was not about the time on a clock, where you can turn back the hands, but about the sun in the sky, that no man can reach, but only God.

When Hezekiah had made his choice, Isaiah cried to the LORD. Isaiah as well, did not doubt the outcome. Through his prayer God intervened with nature. All of nature was set back by the God of nature, to a position of ten steps back to help a believer believe in Him. The whole course and the whole order are in His hand. He can stop the sun and the moon (Joshua 10:12-13) and also set them back, as He did here.