Isaiah 20: Prophesying in the Nude

The most shocking think in the book of Isaiah, I think, is God commanded him to go about naked to prophesy. Isaiah's nakedness was a sign of the humility and shame that was to come. Nonetheless, it's not what you expect to come next when reading the Bible!

Introduction

Isaiah 20 is a very short chapter. Once again, God is pronouncing judgment on Egypt, but this time there's something else to focus on: Isaiah being commanded to make this proclamation in the nude! Isaiah's action was symbolic of what was to come for Egypt, but history is known to repeat itself, and I can see similar trends here in the United States (U.S.).

Command to be Naked

Can you imagine if your preacher showed up to preach a sermon wearing nothing? Most people can't even imagine a preacher in sweat pants and a t-shirt! On the one hand, it would be pretty awkward and strange, but on the other hand, it would definitely draw attention. When Isaiah, known to be a prophet of God, suddenly took to the street naked and barefoot, what do you think people said?

Today's society is probably a little more comfortable with nudity than the Israelite society Isaiah belonged to, and we would still find it strange to see someone simply walking about without clothes, even with clothes but without shoes. There's a man at my job who often walks around sock-footed at work and numerous people have mentioned how odd it is. So we know Isaiah made a statement.

The Prophecy

Today, celebrities pull stunts like this for shock value to get publicity and "stay relevant," but that wasn't God's intention for Isaiah. This act was a sign for the people. God warned that when the Assyrians turned on Egypt and Ethiopia, they would carry the people away naked and barefoot (just as Isaiah had been). Isaiah's testimony was a prophesy and symbol of the humility that was to come.

A Personal Experience

Have you ever gone through something and realized it helped you understand the people around you better? Maybe it makes you more compassionate or less judgmental, or maybe it just makes you thankful for what you've been blessed with. I feel like this particular act would have had the same effect on Isaiah. He would have felt the shame and humility that he was prophesying to come, and that must have touched him in a way that mere words couldn't. Although the Bible doesn't say so specifically, I have a feeling that the experience was not just a sign for God's people, but a learning experience for Isaiah.

Fulfilled

Isaiah was given this prophecy roughly between 713 and 711bc. During this time, Sargon, the king of Assyria attacked Ashdod due to a rebellion started by the Philistines. The Philistines had an alliance with Egypt, which they likely thought would protect them from the might of Assyria. However, Egypt was powerless to defend the Philistines and allowed them to fall to Sargon.[1] At that time, everyone would have been shocked that Egypt did not help Philistine, so Isaiah's message would have been an answer to this shock. Although he was proclaiming a tragedy to befall Egypt, Isaiah was also reminding Israel not to depend on these foreign nations for protection. Only God can provide us with reliable protection.

Several commentaries mention the fulfillment of this prophecy many years after Isaiah's sign. Modern scholars have found depictions of naked and barefoot slaves among the records left by the Egyptians, as well.[2] Esarhaddon, a descendant of Sargon, successfully defeated Egypt in 671bc.[3]

Photocredit: Unsplash.com/Jason Leung

In Modern Times

This is very similar to what is happening in the world today. Back then, Egypt was the most powerful and most advanced nation in the world; other nations looked to them for protection and in awe. Since our victories in World War I and World War II (especially after the use of the a bomb), the U.S. has been in the same position. Like Egypt, the U.S. has fallen away from God and often doesn't actually help those in need. From turning away Jews during the Holocaust to turning away refugees today, the U.S. has proven that it isn't a nation to be depended on.[4][5][6] No Earthly nation can provide protection, comfort, or security. Only God can provide these things.

References

1. Holman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible, pg. ?. 2014
2. "Isaiah 20:4 Commentary". Bible Hub; visited October 2018
3. "Esarhaddon". Encyclopædia Britannica. October 23, 2013
4. Halimah Abdullah and Phil McCausland. "Trump Signs Order Suspending Admission of Syrian Refugees". NBC. January 27, 2017
5. A. Naomi Paik. "US turned away thousands of Haitian asylum-seekers and detained hundreds more in the 90s". The Conversation. June 28, 2018
6. "The Jewish refugees the US turned away". BBC. May 10, 2017

Isaiah 14: Satan's Origin Story?

In this post we'll continue to look at the fall of Babylon, and we'll also look at the passage that many site as the origin story for Satan.

Introduction

Isaiah 14 continues Isaiah's prophecy about the fall of Babylon that was started in Isaiah 13. It also contains the segment that leads majority of the Christian world to believe Satan's name is Lucifer. The chapter concludes with a brief prophecy about the fall of the Philistines.

The most involved part of this section is definitely the passage concerning Lucifer. There are actually quite a few perspectives concerning the passage: some believe Lucifer is a name, other believe it is a title; some believe it refers to the earthly king of Babylon, other believe it refers to Satan. You can find various articles discussing these points of view online, if you want more details than what I provide below.

The Return Home

Photocredit: Unsplash.com/Dan Grinwis

Isaiah prophesies that when the Medes take over Babylon, Israel will be allowed to return home (and they were, by Cyrus' decree). When they returned home, non-Israelites would accompany them, just as it was when they left Egypt. Some of these people would be the same Babylonians who had previously been their captors; now Israel would be the master and Babylon the servant.

Before we move on, however, I want to make an important point about servants or slaves. We all know that the words translated to servant in the Bible could also be translated as slave. What most people don't know is how servitude and slavery in Biblical time was different (and the same) as modern slavery. As an American, specifically as a black person in the U.S., "slave" and "slavery" is defined, by default, as the transatlantic slave trade and the chattel slavery that occurred in the U.S. In this form of slavery, people were bought and sold as property; families were separated without thought and slaves really weren't looked at as human. A major difference in American slavery was that slave status wasn't based on being too poor to care for yourself (remember government assistance, soup kitchens, thrift stores, etc. did not exist until recently) or having lost a war, but solely on the color of a person's skin.

Is this the type of slavery God was dooming the Babylonians to? People often read passages like Isaiah 14:2 and bemoan the fact that God accepted and allowed slavery. The problem is, you have to set aside modern connotations and put each verse in context with all the other verses. When Isaiah penned this verse, it was on top of everything Moses had already written—Moses' writings were the law for Israel and had been created either by or with the assistance of God. There are two important things about Moses' (and many after Moses) writings that clue us in to how God viewed slavery: attention to the poor and the commandment to remember they (the Israelites) were slaves in Egypt. Too many passages to name are in favor of protecting the poor, the orphans, and the widowed. These are the people who would have become slaves. Exodus 22:21 tells the Israelites not to vex or mistreat strangers in their land and compels them to remember how they were treated in Egypt. These laws were to be remembered when Israel began taking Babylonians as servants or slaves. The type of horrific treatment of people we associate with slavery was not condoned by God. Does that mean the Israelites were better masters than the rest of the world? Probably not; they weren't known for actually following God's word. However, it does say something about how God intended for us to behave.

A Reprieve

God promised to give the Israelites rest; a reprieve from the sorrow that came with bondage. God's creation week is a reminder to us that rest will always come. He knew that we would tire and need time for resting, whether it is from work or a situation. Sometimes we are pushed to the limits, beyond what we'd like or what we think we can handle, but God knows that we need rest, and when we absolutely need this rest, He will always provide it.

Celebration

God gives Israel a proverb to chant in the wake of their victory. It appears to be a song expressing the magnificent defeat of such a powerful kingdom. The proverb contains a reminder that though the king was powerful and rich, when he died, he died like everyone else—possibly worse since worms (maggots, maybe?) would be on his dead body.

Also, the statement that the Earth was at rest and elements of it, such as the trees, rejoiced is a powerful reminder of how the Earth suffers when we engage in war.

Lucifer

Isaiah 14:12 begins the part of the chapter in which God is speaking to someone known as Lucifer. There are two main, but opposing, schools of thought on the passage. The common belief is that the person being spoken to is Satan. However, some people believe this passage is talking about the human king who was disgraced. In either case, people debate whether Lucifer is actually a name, title, or description.

Who is Lucifer?

Meaning of the Word

Lucifer actually means "light bearer" or "light bringer." It stems from the Latin root for light—luce or lux. The original Hebrew word is helel, which likely is derived from a Hebrew word meaning to shine or radiate. It is also possible that helel means "day star" or "morning star."[5][6] Despite the common perception that Lucifer is a proper name, both words are more like titles, and the context of the passage supports that usage. So, while we've turned it into a name, Lucifer probably isn't the devil's name. Given the belief that it is, and the association, it's obviously not a popular name.[2][3][4] As of 2016, 91 babies in the United States had been named Lucifer since 1980.[1]

Is Lucifer Satan?

Photocredit: Unspalsh.com/Pro Church Media

Let's talk about whether Lucifer is or isn't Satan. Most people agree that it is, but some believe God is talking to the king of Babylon, given the context of the passage. So, which is it?

First, I want to point out two other examples of God speaking to an earthly human, but really speaking to Satan. In Matthew 16:23, Mark 8:33, and Luke 4:8, Jesus is talking to Peter, but He addresses Satan, because it was Satan who placed such a thought in Peter's mind. In Ezekiel 28, a similar revelation about Satan's past is addressed when God is addressing the king of Tyre. We know God can't be talking to the literal king of Tyre after a certain point in the passage because He places the person in the garden of Eden and refers to them as an anointed cherub. In both of these cases, God is speaking past the physical human and to the entity (Satan) that is controlling the human like a puppet.

Second, let's address the issue of lucifer being a title rather than a name. Just because it isn't a name, doesn't mean it isn't in reference to Satan. Similarly, God is not God's name, it's a title. Because most of us in the U.S. are Christian, when we see God with a capital g, we assume the God of Abraham, but "god" is a generic title that people from various cultures and religions apply to any deity (real or not). God's name is actually YHWH, but we rarely use this; instead we refer to Him as God, Lord, and Father. To me it actually makes the most sense that in light of his behavior, Satan's name is never revealed, since that would only increase his fame.

Third, I think the address God makes applies to both Satan and the king of Babylon. The reason I say this is because the king has succumbed to Satan's madness. Babylon's king probably did think he could do all of things listed in the passage (we'll get to those in just a few), and probably denied God the way many leaders, entertainers, businessmen, and scholars of today do. However, the reason he believed this was because of Satan whispering in his ear. The king's situation is not so different from Eve's; Satan put the idea in the human's mind, but the human acted on the idea. Just as God addresses both Eve and Satan in Genesis 3, in Isaiah 14, God is addressing both Satan and the king.

Light & the Morning Star

This passage tightly couples "lucifer" and light, which causes much confusion considering Jesus is also highly associated with light (John 8:12). As mentioned earlier, the title, plus the reference to the son of the morning, essentially refers to this person or entity as the morning star. Yet, in Revelation 22:16, Jesus says He is the morning star. It's a bit confusing that so many of Jesus' attributes or titles have been applied to whomever is being spoken to, whether it is the literal king or Satan.

Do not forget that Satan specializes in confusion; he wants you to be unable to recognize him, so he's taken great pains to confuse your perception of him so that God's Word can be manipulated to confuse you more. People often think of him as being the opposite of God, since he is in opposition to God, but Satan's goal is to be like God. 2 Corinthians 11:14 tells us that even as a fallen angel, Satan can transform himself into an angel of light, proving that the verse in Isaiah 14 is justified in associating the devil with light. Furthermore, when we are in submission to God, we are supposed to emulate His light. As one of God's created beings, Satan would have done this all the time before his fall.

The Fall of an Angel

God doesn't rebuke people without cause, and so far every example I've seen in the Bible, He tells us why He's rebuking the person. Throwing people in jail without reason, punishing them without informing citizens why, and other similar behaviors are telltale signs of a corrupt system. God doesn't operate that way; instead He lays it all out on the table for us to see. This way, we know that God is a just God and we learn from others' mistakes.

Satan and the king's crimes are listed as being boastful and exalting himself to the throne of God. Truthfully, this is possibly the most important passage in the Bible to read concerning our enemy, because it tells us exactly what he is attempting. All of Satan's temptations lead back to this very concept. His goal is to undermine God's authority so that it is him we are bowing to instead of God. The very first record of Satan speaking to a human (Eve in Genesis 3), this is essentially the same thought process he puts in her head. By convincing her that she could be like God if she ate the fruit, Satan became her leader because it was his ideology she chose to follow. Satan does the same when he tempts Jesus; in fact, Satan explicitly asks Jesus to bow down to him (Matthew 4:11). Another example of this mentality is that of the people in Babel; they thought they could make themselves more powerful than God, as well (which was probably inspired by the devil).

Something to really take into account when reading the charges against Satan is the usage of I. Over the course of 2 verses, the word I is used 5 times. Satan is extremely self focused. When our speech begins to imitate this pattern and everything starts with I, we should stop to re-evaluate who we're serving.

Aftermath of the Fall

Satan may get most of the world on his side, and kings like the king of Babylon may wreak havoc on the world in their conquest for power and wealth, but in the end, these people will not prosper. In the New Testament, Jesus tells us that people who seek to save their life will lose it and those who lose their life will save it. It seems just as likely that those who seek power and riches on earth will lose them, while those who build their treasures in Heaven will reap their reward. Satan and the king will not be able to keep anything they achieve. God says the fall of the king will be so great that everyone will marvel at how someone so powerful could be brought so low.

The Coup of Babylon

Sometimes when there's a coup, the country survives, but in most cases there's either a collapse of the government or a serious loss of power. The same is true with the fall of Babylon. The collapse of Babylon, though described as a thorough punishment ridding the region of any and all who participated in their evildoings, was actually a fantastic event for the nations that had been taken captive. These nations were now free to rebuild their homelands. It was only after Cyrus conquered Babylon that the Israelites were permitted to return to Jerusalem and begin reconstructing the Temple, after all. The same will be true of spiritual Babylon. The pains of God's wrath that pour out on the earth during those final days will be tremendous, but after spiritual Babylon is defeated and Jesus is seated on the throne, we will finally be able to return to our perfect paradise.

Another thing that's typical of a coup is killing anyone that could pose a threat to the newly established throne. Since leadership was passed on by blood, descendants of the royal family could always stake their claim to the throne. Since this claim would be valid, it was always possible that they could rally men behind them, regroup, and become a threat to the newly established power. To avoid this, usually the entire lineage was killed. The Israelites fell victim to this when Athaliah takes the throne of Judah upon the death of her husband, she attempted to have everyone with a claim to the throne killed (2 Kings 11). A more recent example would be the murder of the entire Romanov royal family in Russia, when the Bolsheviks overthrew Tsar Nicholas II.[7] Isaiah 14:21 prophecies that this action would be taken upon the king of Babylon.

We can also find a second, spiritual meaning in Isaiah 14:21. Just as we are children of God, those who follow and worship Satan will be like children of Satan when the final judgement comes, in that they will share the fate of Satan. All of those who worshipped the beast and took his mark, as well as those who rejected Christ—basically anyone who would have claim to Satan's "throne"—will be eliminated to avoid another war in Heaven.

Rejected From the Grave

Isaiah 14:19-20 is quite interesting because it talks about the king of Babylon being cast out of the grave. Upon reading that, I was quite confused. It seemed unlikely that the grave would reject a human, and honestly sounded zombie/vampire-ish. After looking at a few commentaries and digging deeper into the passage, I realized this is more about honorable burials than literally being rejected from the grave.[8] To put this in perspective, think of ancient Egypt. The kings were given extravagant pyramids upon their deaths and while these tombs had religious significance for them, they were also lasting markers of their reign—they're still there to this day. The king of Babylon would not be celebrated when he died.

The same can be said of the antichrist and spiritual Babylon. When God renders judgement at the end of the world. All traces of sin and evil will be removed from the universe and the world will be restored to it's perfect state. Despite all the effort Satan will have put in to destroy things, his work will be completely erased.

God's Will Will Stand

If God speaks something, it is true. If God says something will happen, it will happen. In this particular passage, God is speaking a pronouncement on Babylon and Assyria (later in the chapter He mentions Palestine, as well). While this particular example is rife with bad news for God's enemies, we have to remember that all the great news He's proclaimed for His people is just as true and just as concrete. We will have enteral life, we will be blessed, and we will have a more abundant life.

Palestine

I don't know why the person who split the books into chapters decided to put the breaks where they did, but it seems to me the end of Isaiah 14 should have been verse 27 and Isaiah 14:28 would actually start the new chapter. Here, Isaiah begins a new vision that he was given in the same year that king Ahaz died. This new vision was for the people of Palestina.

Palestina would be the region we call Palestine today. The people God was referencing were likely the Philistines who lived there at the time. Surprisingly, the Palestinians of today probably aren't related to the Philistines; it's supposed that they simply inherited the name by living in the region. In fact, at one point, Jews were known as Palestinians.[9] This also explains why Isaiah is prophesying that they will be wiped out. In the end, God would set His judgement on them through famine and extinction of their culture.

Something interesting about this passage is that the serpent begets another serpent. Throughout the New Testament, Jesus and the apostles make it clear that our words and actions are our fruit; these fruit identify whom we're serving. Evil can only produce more evil and the fruits of evil are evil.

Fulfillment of the prophecy may be seen in 2 Kings 18:8, when Ahaz's son Hezekiah defeats the Philistines.

References

1. "Lucifer". Names.org; visited July 2018
2. Mike Campbell. "Lucifer". Behind the Name; visited July 2018
3. "Lucifer meaning". Abarim Publications. September, 10, 2014
4. Douglas Harper. "Lucifer". Online Etymology Dictionary; visited July 2018
5. "“Lucifer” or “Day Star” in Isaiah 14:12?". KJV Today; visited July 2018
6. "Why are both Jesus and Satan referred to as the morning star?". GotQuestions.org; visited July 2018
7. "Execution of the Romanov family". Wikipedia; visited July 2018
8. "Isaiah 14:19 Commentary". Bible Hub; visited July 2018
9. American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise. "Israel: Origins of the Name “Palestine”". Jewish Virtual Library; visited July 2018

Isaiah 10: Woe Unto Those Who Oppress the Poor

Isaiah 10 contains condemnation of those who target the poor, a battle plan, and a prophecy ties the beginning of the world to the end.

Helping the Poor

Photocredit: Unspalsh.com/Andy Feliciotti

Evangelicals flock to the Republican party, many citing religious beliefs. This leads people to think the Republican party exudes Christian beliefs, but it's platform is just as secular as that of the Democrats. After all, politicians from this party have just as many scandals, which should tell you something. The most obvious reason the Republican party is not a Godly party, is summed up in Isaiah 10:1-4.

The condemnation of anyone who would write into law policies designed to hurt the poor in this passage is powerful; it even leads off with a woe. God isn't calling this a minor infraction, He is calling this out as a heinous crime! The Republican party supposedly supports lower taxes, something I think we all would want, however, in order to achieve this, they usually want to cut funds from programs that help the poor, disabled, etc. Dr. Ben Carson, who ran in the 2016 election and was appointed United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development by Republican president Donald Trump, has made numerous comments disparaging the poor. Not only does he think poverty is a state of mind, but he thinks they should have to pay more for housing.[2][3] Donald Trump refers to poorer countries as "s***hole" countries, and doesn't want people from those countries immigrating to the country.[1] If that wasn't enough to see a trend of discrimination against the poor, the fact that the party wants to take away healthy and subsidized lunches from schools should say it all.[4][5][6] For some of those kids, it might be the only meal they get each day.

The United States isn't the only country that struggles with treating the poor properly. Israel had difficulties in this area as well. The further we drift away from God, the easier it is to become selfish and greedy. Suddenly you are justifying making people's lives harder for your own benefit. God says that those who create policies to disenfranchise the poor are going to pay the price.

Assyria

God uses the Assyrian army to inflict His angry upon Israel. The Assyrians dismantled the northern kingdom, taking them into captivity and repopulating the area with the Samaritans. Even though this was exactly what God wanted to occur, the Assyrians knew nothing of God and His plan. Their desire is simply to destroy and to conquer. This was interesting, because it reminds us that God's hand is always in the events of life, even for those who don't worship Him. Personally, I think this happens both for punishment and reward. Some people, even those without faith, are put in our lives to create challenges meant to strengthen our relationship with God or to punish us for straying from God (which sometimes might also bring us closer to Him).

Assyria's lack of relationship with God causes them to be boastful, however. They believe that they are a strong nation of their own accord. As they defeated each nation listed in Isaiah 10:9, they believed they had defeated the gods of those nations. Defeating Israel, in their mind, meant they had defeated the God of Abraham in their minds. God couldn't let that be the final statement. So, once Assyria carried out the task God intended for them, He would then punish Assyria as a show that they had not defeated the God of Israel—He is undefeatable.

Prophecy

¹⁶Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of hosts,
send among his fat ones leanness;
and under his glory he shall kindle a burning
like the burning of a fire.
¹⁷And the light of Israel shall be for a fire,
and his Holy One for a flame:
and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day;
¹⁸And shall consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body:
and they shall be as when a standardbearer fainteth.
¹⁹And the rest of the trees of his forest shall be few,
that a child may write them.Isaiah 10:16-19 KJV

In the next section (Isaiah 10:16-19), God talks about the judgement that will come upon the people. Those who were well off (fat) would begin to struggle (become lean). This probably applies to wealth and prosperity in addition to literal loss of weight from famine. Back then, people's livelihood came from farms and livestock. If the livestock died, or the crops didn't produce a good harvest they had nothing to eat and nothing to sell.

What I find most interesting about this passage however, is what follows God's proclamation to make the fat lean. God starts talking about light and fire coming out of Israel, both of which represent God symbolically throughout the Bible. God appears as a pillar of fire to the Israelites during the Exodus (Exodus 13:21) and as the burning bush to Moses (Exodus 3). In the New Testament, we find out that Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12). When you apply that to this passage, it sounds a lot like the final battle between God and Satan. Perhaps this is a double prophecy, having a short term fulfillment in the destruction of Assyria, and an ultimate fulfillment in the final battle.

One the first things God says this fire does is destroy thorns and briars. Where else are thorns mentioned? In Genesis 3, as part of Adam's punishment after the fall, God says that the ground will yield thorns and thistles, making it difficult for people to manage. To defeat the thorns and thistles of the ground would be to return us to the original state. The other obvious mentioning of thorns in during the crucifixion of Jesus. They put a crown of thorns on His head to mock Him (Matthew 27:29). Jesus overcame those thorns by rising from the dead, but He will also overcome their mocking by taking His rightful place as king.

Another hint that this passage is talking about God is the fact that the fire consumes both soul and body. Matthew 10:28 tells us to only fear He who can kill both the body and the soul; God is the only one capable of that. It is at judgment day that everyone will either experience eternal life or the final death. Those who are condemned to the final death will lose both their soul and their body forever. They will be eternally dead.

The prophecy is concluded by telling us that what is left will be so few in number a child can count them. These could be literal trees, and a reference to the destruction of the land. Or these could be the trees that bore good fruit, as in the fruits of the Spirit, which would make them the saved (Matthew 7:17-19). Out of a vast multitude of people (forest) very few people (trees) will be saved. We see in the very next set of verse, God promises a remnant of the people will survive and turn back to Him.

Who is Oreb?

Isaiah 10:26 is appointing a punishment based on a slaughter of the Israelites by the Midianites, led by someone named Oreb. When I first started the blog, I tried to keep a catalogue of all the people mentioned, but that became extremely difficult. So by the time I got to Oreb, I wasn't as diligent about taking note of who Oreb was or his significance. There are many people in the Bible we read about once and never hear about again, but many times there's a connection somewhere else in the Bible. This is one of those times. Thankfully, I have a study Bible with references to related chapters.

If you revisit Judges 7, you'll find Gideon (one of Israel's judges) battling the Midianites who had been oppressing the Israelites for 7 years. Judges 7:25 identifies one of the Midianite princes as Oreb, who apparently has a rock named after him. He was killed upon this rock. Isaiah 10:26 is invoking this image to say that Israel will triumph over it's enemies because God is fighting the battle, just as He led Gideon and as He parted the Red Sea.

Burden Released

Photocredit: Unsplash.com/
These horses are technically yoked together.

When you read Isaiah 10:27, you might wonder what it means for a yoke to be taken off your neck. Putting context clues together, you probably gathered a yoke was a bad thing, but the average person (in the U.S. at least), probably has never seen an actual yoke. A yoke is what connects two oxen (or any animal, really) for the purpose of pulling something.[8] The yoke binds the two animals to each other. They must move in the same direction, at the same speed, at the same time; this is why God tells us not to be unequally yoked with people. However, it happens more than we'd like to admit. We allow ourselves to become yoked with ungodly people or even inanimate things (like drugs, a job, fame, etc.). When we are tethered to this baggage, it's hard for us to fulfill the purpose God has for us.

In Isaiah 10:27, God is promising to release the yokes that bind us and trap us in ungodliness. This is the equivalent of breaking chains and freeing slaves. This passage reminded me of a popular hymn we sung at the church I grew up in: "Burdens Are Lifted At Calvary."[7]

Battle Path

When God tells Isaiah this information, He doesn't hold back any details. We are even given the path Assyria will take to attack the people. It's pretty hard to win a war when the opposing side knows all of your strategies, don't you think? If we know you're going to attack a particular city, won't we fortify it? If we know a bomb is going to drop on a specific location, wouldn't we try to stop the bomb [9] or evacuate the city?

Many times, people wonder why prophecy in the Bible is so difficult to understand, particularly the book of Revelation. Prophecy is God's battle plan. God knows every move the devil will make; He knows every move mankind will make—He's insured the victory. On the other hand, the devil has no idea what God is doing. While the devil may understand some of what is in Revelation, he feels bold enough to continue his path under the assumption that we won't figure it out. If the Bible was straight forward and told us literal names, places, times, etc. the devil would have changed his whole strategy. In fact, during the dark ages, even during the adoption of Christianity by Rome, the book would have been destroyed or heavily altered. We would have lost the battle plan and no one would have a chance to out smart the devil...

Earthly countries follow this same protocol. During World War II, the allies were in a frenzy to crack the secrets of the Enigma, a machine used by the Germans to transmit coded messages. An entire group was created to decipher the messages that were transmitted on the machine, and the information was used to give the allies an edge. This group remained a secret because if Germany knew their machines had been decoded, they would have developed a new code.[10]

Remember this as you study prophecy. God is giving His people a coded message meant to help us survive the devastation that lies ahead.

References

1. Ali Vitali, Kasie Hunt and Frank Thorp V. "Trump referred to Haiti and African nations as 'shithole' countries". NBC News. January 11, 2018
2. Willa Frej. "Ben Carson Thinks Poor People Should Pay Higher Rent If They Want Government Help". Huffington Post. April 26, 2018
3. Pam Fessler. "Housing Secretary Ben Carson Says Poverty Is A 'State Of Mind'". NPR. May 25, 2017
4. Jay Newton-Small. "Michelle Obama Bites Back at Critics of Her Healthy School Lunch Standards. Time. May 27, 2014
5. Ezra Rosser. "The Republican party is a threat to school lunches for hungry kids". The Hill. August 25, 17
6. Judy Keen. "Republicans take aim at school nutrition standards, opening bigger debate". Star Tribune. May 6, 2017
7. John M. Moore. "Burdens Are Lifted At Calvary". Adventist Hymns. 1952
8. "yoke". Merriam Webster; visited May 2018
9. "United States National Missile Defense". Wikipedia; visited May 2018
10. "Enigma: German Code Device". Encyclopædia Britannica. February 14, 2018

Isaiah 7: A Prophecy for Ahaz

In Isaiah 7, we see Isaiah presenting Ahaz, king of Judah with a message from God. This takes place at a crucial time when the northern kingdom and Syria began forming an alliance.

Introduction

Imagine if North Korea and Russia suddenly became best buddies. Would you be worried for the safety of the United States? In Isaiah's day, they didn't have to worry about bombs (let alone nuclear weapons), submarines, or planes, so countries that far away probably weren't even on their radar. However, they still had to worry about armies and invasions from the nations nearby. The relationship between Judah (the southern kingdom of Israel) and Israel (the northern kingdom) was very rocky. When Israel formed an alliance with Syria, their northern neighbor, it was cause for concern. This issue is also discussed in 2 Kings 16.

Distance

Photocredit: Unsplash.com/Cédric Dhaenens

Out of curiosity, I used Google Maps to determine exactly how far the kingdom of Judah was from Syria; I used Jeruslaem, which would have been the captial of Judah and Damascus, the capital of Syria, even then, to estimate the distance. In our modern society, we could drive from one city to the other in about 5.5 hours. This is about the same time it takes to drive from the coast of South Carolina to the tip of South Carolina that borders Tennessee. That's pretty close, right?

Of course, back then they didn't have cars so the army would have had to march or ride horses to get to their destination. Google Maps doesn't have a horse riding option and the bicycle option was unavailable so I looked to see how long it would take to walk. The estimate was 59 hours, about 2.5 days, and that's if you were to walk continuously. Since the army would have to stop to eat and rest, I imagine it would probably take them about a week to reach Jerusalem.

I imagine that once Ahaz heard the two nations had formed an alliance, he expected an attack within the week.

Trusting In God

Ahaz and the Israelites were full of distress and worry at the turn of events, but God sent Isaiah to correct Ahaz's doubt. God had promised to protect his people so why was Ahaz sweating the small stuff? God had already defeated so many nations—including the very powerful Egypt—for the Israelites so why did they think this would be any different?

Although we aren't kings waiting on nations to come attack our nation in a literal sense, we deal with Ahaz's struggle every day. Satan is constantly attacking the Kingdom of God by attacking us. Just as God tells Ahaz that he will succeed as long as he believes, the same holds for us today.

Isaiah's Son Shearjashub

In Isaiah 7:3, God commands Isaiah and "Shearjashub, thy son" to meet Ahaz and deliver this message. This is the only place in the Bible in which Shearjashub is mentioned. No hints are given as to how old Isaiah's son is or why he was to go with Isaiah to deliver the message.

65 Years

In Isaiah 7:8, God explains that "Ephraim", which refers to the Northern Kingdom of Israel, would fall within 65 years. This gives us reason to date the time of the prophecy. It is estimated that the siege in which Pekah and Rezin joined forces against Judah occurred in 742bc.[2] If this is the correct date, the message to Ahaz would have been around that time as well and 65 years later would be approximately 677bc. Most scholars agree that the northern kingdom fell to Assyria in 722 bc.[3] That's well within 65 years, but often ask why such a wide time frame. It seems as though God would have said 20 years where he speaking of the defeat of Israel in 722. My study Bible suggests that another event occurred closer to the date of prophecy, which they give as 670.[4]

Remember the exact dates are merely approximations; back then, each nation had their own calendar and kings altered their calendars at will. Today's scholars try their best to assign dates to the events in the Bible, but a quick search will show that there is disagreement among these dates. Given this, many references site different dates for the time in which Isaiah gives this prophecy and thus find a different endpoint for when it should be fulfilled. As I searched for events near the end of the 65 year time frame, my goal was to figure out if there was another event further out that could have been the object of this prophecy, not to verify the exact dates.

Many scholars suggest the event that was being foretold was actually the final deportation of Israelites into the Assyrian kingdom, since Isaiah 8:4 confirms that Isaiah knew the northern empire would be powerless soon. Like with the Babylonian captivity, the transferral of people from their homeland into captivity was gradual and came in phases. They suggest that even though the kingdom fell in 722, it wasn't until much later that the process was complete.[5] A personal thought is that it could reference the end of their Israelite identity. In the Old Testament, 40 years represent a generation (roughly), so in 20 years, the nation fell, and 40 years later, it was a generation that knew nothing of Israel. Unlike the southern kingdom of Judah, the tribes from the north were never recovered; this was literally the end of those tribes.

Asking for a Sign

There are times when God tells us not to ask for signs (see Exodus 17 and Deuteronomy 6:16), but here, God commands Ahaz to ask for a sign proving the prophesy would come true. Ahaz, actually refuses, but God proclaims a sign anyway!

Refusing the Sign

Many interpret Ahaz's refusal to ask for a sign as him mocking God. I think this comes from God's response to Ahaz's refusal. God tells Ahaz that it's one thing to "weary" or frustrate men, but something entirely different to frustrate God. Because of this, I take it as a show of false modesty.

Have you ever been in a situation where you try to help someone or compliment them and they act like they can't accept your help (or compliment). Instead they make you beg them or pay them compliments on top of the original compliment? It seems like modesty at first, but you quickly become frustrated when you realize they're jerking your chain. I think this is how Ahaz approached the situation with God.

Nonetheless, there is a major difference between Ahaz's situation and the events of Exodus 17. The Israelites were questioning whether God is God; they were saying "if you're really God, then perform this miracle." Ahaz on the other hand was being told by God to ask for a sign. This was more like asking for a confirmation or a deposit. The request, had it it been carried out the way God instructed, would not have been to question if God was who He said He was. Instead it would have been a sign to look out for God's coming miracle. By refusing the sign Ahaz was actually expressing the same disbelief the Israelites had during the Exodus. He was rejecting the sign because he didn't believe any of this would happen.

The Actual Sign

Isaiah 7:14 describes the actual sign, the birth a son to a virgin. This is widely considered to be a Messianic prophecy, foretelling the virgin birth of Jesus. However, the translation of this verse is also fiercely debated. As I began writing about the controversy and fulfillment of this prophecy, I realized it should be a post all to itself. You can read "Isaiah 7: Born of a Virgin" for more on this prophecy.

The Prophecy

Verses 17-25 discuss the destruction upon Judah. There would be desolation and a complete destruction of the agriculture in Judah. Something that stands out to me in this passage is the revelation that God will "hiss for the fly" in Egypt and "for the bee" in Assyria. This is clearly figurative language, which made me curious as to the meaning behind God's words. Egypt was infested with flies—Isaiah points this out again in Isaiah 18:1. Assyria, on the other had was known for it's bees; further, bees re used to describe dangerous nations in Deuteronomy 1:44 and Psalm 118:12. In many cases, God uses animals to symbolize nations (one of the first examples to come to mind is Daniel 7), so its no surprise that He likens these nations to animals as well.

God also informs Ahaz that embarrassment will fall upon them. By mentioning a razor and the consumption of a beard, He is alluding to the act of shaving off one's hair, which was humiliating in Israelite culture. We see this in 2 Samuel 10:4-5 when David's men can't return to the city due to their shaved condition.

So, although Judah would escape demise at the hands of Syria and Israel, they would not be spared from Assyria and Egypt. This is a poetic situation because it is Assyria that Ahaz turns to when He doesn't trust God. We often turn to mankind because we don't trust God to handle things and it always backfires because mankind is fallible. Instead, we should always turn to God to solve our problems. While God may send humans to assist us after we have called upon Him, I believe they will offer to help us as opposed to us seeking their help instead of God's.

Related Posts

• "2 Kings 16&17: The Northern Kingdom Captured"
• "Isaiah 7: Born of a Virgin"

References

1. "Damascus, Syria to Jerusalem, Isreal". Google Maps; visited March 2018
2. "Rezin". Bible Hub; visited March 2018
3. "When and how was Israel conquered by the Assyrians?". GotQuestions.org; visited March 2018
4. Holman Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible, pg. 1139. 2014
5. "Isaiah 7:8 Commentaries". Bible Hub; visited March 2018

2 Chronicles 33: Manasseh & Amon

Judah's best king was followed by it's worst: Manasseh.

Introduction

After experiencing a power revival in Judah from the leadership of King Hezekiah, Judah plummeted back into idolatry under the reign of his son, Manasseh. Manasseh is described as one of the worst kings in the history of Judah.
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Manasseh

Photocredit: Unsplash.com/Frantzou Fleurine

Manasseh takes the throne at 12 years old, which is still a bit young by modern standards but not the youngest Judah had seen. His reign lasted for 55 years but was the complete opposite of Hezekiah's. Where Hezekiah inspired Judah to return to God, Manasseh drove them to idols. He turns the people against their covenant with God and takes part in pagan practices, including witchcraft and child sacrifice. Manasseh re-erects the false altars Hezekiah had destroyed, going so far as to place on inside the Temple of God.

As we would expect, God is not pleased with Manasseh's behavior. However, God never acts without giving us a chance to repent, so He sends a warning to the people. Unfortunately, the Israelites (and ourselves) don't usually heed is warnings because we are so preoccupied with our own interests. When the people refuse to listen, God allows Assyria to attack.
During the attack, Manasseh is taken captive into Babylon. It is only in this time of need that Manasseh repents. Nonetheless, God hears Manasseh's repentance and delivers him back to Judah safely. The key take away from God's mercy, however, is that Manasseh's repentance was sincere. When Manasseh returns to Judah, he doesn't return to pagan practices or forget that God has spared his life; he come back a changed man and we are given evidence of this. He has repairs made to the Temple and gets rid of the false altars he construction within God's Temple.

As with many things in life, however, our bad behavior may speak louder than the good we do and become our legacy and greatest influence. Manasseh's sudden change of heart was too late in terms of his influence over the people of Judah. The were now accustomed to worshipping at the false altars and continued to practice sinful traditions Manasseh had introduced earlier in his reign.
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Relating to Today

African American's are well acquainted with this unfortunate cat and mouse game of good and evil. Just when the Union won the war and freed the slaves, Jim Crow became the law of the South. Similarly, the US went from electing its first Black president to elected Donald Trump, who ran a campaign that did nothing but incite racial hatred. In the Bible we see this same tug of war with Manasseh taking the throne after Hezekiah. Are we just destined for evil?

It's not that we're destined for evil, so much as the devil trying to trick us down that path. The last thing the devil wants to see is God's people worshipping God and behaving the way God wants us to behave. Once a revival begins, the devil is going to seek to squelch interest. He's going to do everything in his power to find a weak link and bring that progress to a halt. Anytime there is a shift in focus to maintaining a serious relationship with God, you can bet the devil is going to try to throw a monkey wrench in the plan. That could be on a large scale, like with the kingdom of Judah, or on a personal scale, like when we make changes in our personal lives. The only way to guard against such attacks is to expect them.
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Amon

When Manasseh dies, his son Amon takes the throne. Amon is 22 when he becomes king and only reigns for 2 years. He, too, does much bad while reigning as king. Possibly responding to Manasseh's change of heart, the people do not appreciate Amon's step back toward paganism and ungodliness. This leads them to conspire against him and have him assassinated. Upon his death, his son Josiah takes over as king.
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References

2 Chronicles 29-32: Hezekiah

Hezekiah, son of Ahaz, takes the throne at the age of 25 and reigns for 29 years. He was one of the best, possibly the best, kings of Judah. It is during Hezekiah's reign that the Israelites experience a major revival in their relationship with God.

Introduction

Hezekiah, son of Ahaz, takes the throne at the age of 25 and reigns for 29 years. He was one of the best, possibly the best, kings of Judah. It is during Hezekiah's reign that the Israelites experience a major revival in their relationship with God.
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Back to Basics

Within the first month of his rule, Hezekiah started making repairs to the Temple; this was a sign that he was dedicated to serving God. Hezekiah tells the people that they have trespassed against God and must now sanctify the Temple and themselves (specifically the Levites). Like with most things, the first step is always admitting that there is a problem. Before we can fix our relationship with God, we have to admit its broken, and that it's our fault there's a problem. Once we realize that, we can start repairing the relationship.

It took the people 8 days to sanctify themselves and another 8 days to sanctify the Temple. Once everything was sanctified, Hezekiah brought leaders from each city with him before the Lord and they sacrificed bullocks, rams, goats, and lambs (7 each) for a sin offering. All of Judah came to rejoice and praise before God. Hezekiah even reinstated musicians to play the trumpet and sing, just as David had ordained.
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Passover

The sanctification process began on the first day of the first month. Since it took a total of 16 days to complete, the Temple was not clean in time for the Passover. As such, Hezekiah followed the law from Numbers 9:9-11, which stated an unclean man was to postpone the Passover celebration until the 2nd month. This Passover was not just celebrated by the kingdom of Judah, but for the northern kingdom as well.

The Passover had not been kept in a long while (2 Chronicles 30:5). This could be in reference simply to Ahaz's reign as king, but it could also include a longer period of time. Nonetheless, the conclusion is that God's people had not been obeying His law. This is another example of how merciful He is; when we stop upholding His law and drift away from following Him, He will wait for us to return.

Some of the northern tribes mocked Hezekiah's invitation, just as people will mock us when we are trying to do right by God. However, a few people from the northern tribe joined him for worship, just as a few will join us in our walk toward God.

Because it had been so long since the Israelites had followed God's law, things were a bit out of sorts. There were a apparently still Levites who had not sanctified themselves but were shamed into doing so after witnessing the Passover sacrifice. Those who were sanctified were in charge of the sacrifice, however many of the northern tribes were unaware that they could not participate in the feast if they were unclean. Anxious to reunite with God, these people partook of the feast despite there unclean state. Hezekiah prays that God will be merciful and forgive them, particularly because they were unaware of their sin. As you can expect, God understood and was well aware of what was in His people's hearts. Instead of punishing them, He heals their uncleanness and accepts their worship.

After the Passover, the people celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The celebration was so great, it was extended another 7 days! It makes sense that people enjoy feasts, however, the Feast of Unleavened Bread requires that only unleavened bread be eaten. This reminds us that praising God can be joyous even when restrictions are placed on our normal lives. Also, since leaven symbolizes sin in the Bible, this reminds us that life with out sin is a joyous experience we want to prolong.
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The Levites

During Hezekiah's reign, the Levites get more organized. Previously, duties had been assigned based on family so it was important for the Levites to iron out their genealogy so that they could return to their duties. Once they resumed worship per God's law, abundance swept over the nation. Revivals like this are powerful and occur even today. I believe such a revival will also come about just before the end.
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Assyria

Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, begins attacking Judah city by city during Hezekiah's reign. Knowing that Assyria will eventually come for Jerusalem, Hezekiah beefs up security in the city. He cuts off the water supply, such that only is own people can access the water and reinforces the wall around the city. As the city braces for a battle, Hezekiah tells the people to have faith because he knows that God will take care of them.

Sennacherib, however, stirs up trouble by questioning the faith of the people. Like many who do not truly understand Christianity today, Sennacherib tries to poke holes in the Israelites' faith with that he does know. This is why God wants us to study His word, so that we do not fall into such traps. Sennacherib questions Hezekiah's faithfulness because he has torn down the high places. From Sennacherib's point of view, Hezekiah had desecrated the cities and rendered the god of the city useless.^[1] However, the truth was that God required His sacrifices in a central location (the Temple) and can be in all places. Sennacherib believed that every nation's god or gods were real, but that some were stronger than others. Thus, he reminds the Israelites that no other nation has prevailed against Assyria's gods, who have defeated all of the other gods. The people hear truth in Sennacherib's words and fear because they lacked faith, not only in the strength of God but in the fact that He is the only God. Sennacherib's army defeated the other gods because they didn't exist. We must remember this when we are faced with such an enemy.

When Hezekiah learns of the people's despair, he turns to Isaiah the prophet and the two men pray to God. Hezekiah and Isaiah realized that as men, they could not give the people faith. Instead, they hand the problem over to God, who hears this prayer and protects the kingdom of Judah. An angel sent from God turns the Assyrian army away such that Hezekiah and his men don't have to fight. Seeing this, the people of Jerusalem bring gift to God at the Temple. This likely helped to restore faith in God and probably helped fan the flames of the revival.
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Death

Hezekiah was deathly ill during this time, but he prayed to God to heal him. Remember, not long a ago king Asa had come down with an illness and sought out help from doctors to heal him; he died. Hezekiah, on the other hand, went straight to God and was spared. God grants Hezekiah 15 more years of life (2 Kings 20)! During this time, God blesses Hezekiah with many riches. From monetary riches to spices and livestock, Hezekiah was blessed with abundance. When he dies, he is buried in the chief sepulchre of the kings, which means he was given a great honor.
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References

1. Holman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible, pg. 778-779. 2014

2 Kings 18-20: Hezekiah

King Hezekiah was on of the Souther Kingdom of Israel's God-fearing kings. Although he is not perfect, he takes great strides to turn Israel back to the Lord.

Introduction

Hezekiah takes over as king of Judah during the 3rd year of Hoshea. During his reign, Judah watches Samaria and the northern kingdom be taken captive by Assyria. Meanwhile, Assyria was clamoring to conquer Judah next. I imagine the atmosphere was much like that of countries across Europe during World War II. The question for the citizens would not have been if Assyria attacked, but when would Assyria attack. With God on their side, Judah would have been able to defeat any enemy that came it's way, but Judah wasn't immune to the idolatry that had plagued the northern kingdom. Luckily, Hezekiah was one of the kings who trusted in God and led the people toward righteousness. Unlike the kings before him—including those who had followed God—Hezekiah destroyed the pagan and illegal altars that were being used in the kingdom.
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A Peace Treaty

Hezekiah's obedience to God may have earned him a pass in giving much of the Temple's wealth to Assyria in exchange for peace. Hezekiah is neither praised nor condemned for this action, so it is unclear if God accepted this or expected Hezekiah to coalesce an army to fight for their land. God would have known that Judah would eventually fall to Babylon, but it isn't obvious whether Hezekiah's actions contributed, if only even the tiniest bit, to God's anger toward Judah. A sign that God may not have been pleased with the way the matter was handled is the fact that the treaty doesn't last.
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Taunting God

The king of Assyria shows up at Jerusalem's gates to taunt the Israelites. He sends a message to Hezekiah attempting to derail the Israelites' faith in the walls of Jerusalem. Assyria's argument was that Hezekiah had angered God by tearing down the illegal places of worship. He also claims that God cannot save the people, but the messengers do not respond to this disrespect.

This is much like the actions of today. Many people don't actually understand the true relationship with God we are to have so participate in pagan practices. When those practices are threatened, they side against God to protect the pagan tradition. Every day people fall for the enemy's claim that God will be angry at us for turning back to His law. If we are not strong in our relationship with God, we would fall for Assyria's claim that God sent them to punish Hezekiah for doing what was actually the right thing. God often sent armies from other nations to attack the Israelites due to his anger towards the Israelites, so it's easy to see how the Israelites would be quick to believe their king was in the wrong when their peace shattered. When the Israelites take the message they've been given back to Hezekiah they rent their clothes, proving that despite their stoic lack of response to the king of Assyria, his words had brought them despair.
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Consulting God

When Hezekiah hears the despair of his people, he is saddened and seeks counsel from God. The prophet of Hezekiah's time was Isaiah, and Hezekiah wisely trusted his counsel. In this situation, Isaiah tells Hezekiah not to be afraid of the Assyrian king's blasphemous threats. God has promised that not only will He take care of Judah, but the Assyrians will fall on their own sword.
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A Powerful Prayer

Hezekiah's prayer to God is quite powerful. I think it is a beautiful example of true faith; it states all of the basics about how we should view ourselves and God. First, Hezekiah acknowledges that God is the Creator of all things and the only God. Second, he asks God to intercede in the situation. Hezekiah admits that Assyria is powerful and has defeated the gods of the surrounding nations, but Hezekiah also proclaims that those gods were not real. This is a reiteration of Hezekiah's statement that God is the only God. Hezekiah ends the prayer with his request for God to defeat Assyria. Even though this is beneficial to Judah, Hezekiah actually asks for God to show Assyria what the true God of the world is capable of and give testimony to the world that the God of Israel is the supreme God. Essentially, Hezekiah is asking God to take advantage of the situation to spread His glory and remind the world who is in charge. This may be part of the blessings Israel was provide the rest of the world.

Naturally, God agrees to use this moment to showcase His power and protect the city of Jerusalem. God also sets forth a task for the people to stir their faith. God instructs them to eat only that which grows voluntarily for the next two years. On the third year they could sow the land again. This is similar to the Year of Jubilee, which was commanded by God and written in the Books of Law. Whether it was actually the Year of Jubilee, or not, was irrelevant; God assured them that these uncultivated fruits and herbs would be enough for the people (and it was).
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The Battle

When Sennacherib, king of Assyria, camps outside of Judah to prepare for the attack, God springs into action. That night, God smites their army such that they are forced to return to Assyria. Some time after their retreat Senacherib is killed by two of his sons while praying to a pagan god. A third son of his presumes the throne.

Sennacherib was king of Assyria from 705 - 619 bc
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Sickness

Possibly during this whole ordeal, Hezekiah falls ill. Isaiah tells Hezekiah that God has confirmed his death. Given this information, Isaiah also instructs Hezekiah to get his house in order (i.e. choose a successor). Hezekiah pleads with God for a cure. In his plea, Hezekiah reminds God that he has walked in perfect faith and he weeps at his fate. God, being the merciful God He is, hears Hezekiah's plea and chooses to extend Hezekiah's life by 15 years.

God instructs them to place a fig on Hezekiah's boil, which was likely what was endangering his life, and the boil is miraculously healed. A quick search over the internet confirms that figs are often considered a home remedy for healing or soothing boils.^[2] This knowledge likely stems from God's revelation of the cure to Isaiah for Hezekiah's benefit. In addition to these instructions, God gives Hezekiah a sign, at Hezekiah's request, that he will be healed.
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Downfall

Photocredit: FreeImages.com/Manuel De La Pena

Some time after Hezekiah is healed, a prince of Babylon visits seeking an alliance. Hezekiah shows off all of his wealth to this prince. Although we are not told that pride is what motivated Hezekiah's actions, Hezekiah is condemned by God for this action, which implies pride was involved.

Most of us are taught at an early age that it is not a good idea to show off wealth. If we are showing off our wealth to those who are less fortunate, it comes across as bragging. Furthermore, it places you as a target for theft. If people don't know what you have, there's more of a risk in attempting to steal from you—imagine getting caught after breaking in to an apartment that was completely empty. In Hezekiah's case, he was showing off the wealth of the nation. The U.S. is currently interested in the middle east because that's where most of the oil in the world is; the land itself is of value to us. However, we don't see the US entangled in what's happening in 3rd world countries such as Haiti. Why? Because in the U.S.'s mind, there is nothing there for us. If we tried to conquer a country like Haiti, we would only take on a financial burden. Similarly, when Hezekiah showed this Babylonian prince the wealth that was found in Israel, he tipped Babylon off that Israel was a country worth conquering.

This proves true in God's punishment decree. God declares that the Babylonians will take all that Hezekiah has shown them and that his sons would be eunuchs in Babylon instead of kings of Judah. Strangely, Hezekiah accepts this news as "good. " It is unclear whether he accepts this punishment because he knows he was in the wrong, or if he is merely happy that the effects will occur after his death.^[3]
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The Name Hezekiah

Used almost exclusively in the Black community, Hezekiah is a popular name today. The name itself means "YHWH strengthens." The name ranked 678th in US popularity in 2015.^[4] One famous Hezekiah of our day is gospel singer Hezekiah Walker.^[5]
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References

1. Henry W.F. Saggs. "Sennacherib". Encyclopæpdia Britannica. October 24, 2007
2. Joe Willis and Elsa Willis. "Wounds and External Ailments". Amazing Health. August 27, 2009
3. Holman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible, pg. 672. 2014
4. Mike Campbell. "Hezekiah". Behind the Name. 1996
5. "Hezekiah Walker". Wikipedia; visited February 2017

2 Kings 16&17: The Northern Kingdom Captured

The fall of the northern kingdom to Assyria, and the dependency of the southern kingdom on the same Assyria is covered in 2 Kings 16 and 17. The struggles of both kingdoms are direct results of their abandoning of the covenant they made with God.

Introduction

The fall of the northern kingdom to Assyria, and the dependency of the southern kingdom on the same Assyria is covered in 2 Kings 16 and 17. The struggles of both kingdoms are direct results of their abandoning of the covenant they made with God. Kings Ahaz and Hoshea of Judah and Israel respectively mark a tragic low in the history of the Israelites.
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Ahaz

Ahaz becomes king of Judah during the 17th year of Pekah. Ahaz begins his reign at 20 years old. He reigns for 16 years. Unlike many of Judah's kings, Ahaz does not follow God's word and is a sinful king. He even commits the crime of child sacrifice. Without God's support, Ahaz looses major battles with both Syria and Israel. The Syrians are able to take over the city of Elath. 2 Kings 16:6 gives us the first mentioning of the word Jew, which is the name given to the Israelites living in the southern kingdom of Judah (later Judea).
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Pact with Assyria

When Ahaz is in danger of losing to Syria and Israel, he sends wealth from the Temple to the king of Assyria to buy their alliance. Interestingly, when these kings use foreign aid, they always pay with God's money instead of calling on God. The king of Assyria obliges and defeats Judah's enemies. While meeting with the king of Assyria in Damascus, Ahaz takes a liking to a pagan altar and requests the priests to mimic it back home. God always makes it clear that we are to be set apart from the world, so you can bet He didn't want His altar to be like the pagan one.
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Defiling the Temple

Ahaz places this pagan altar in the house of God and moves God's altar, giving reverence to the pagan Assyrian god. Ahaz also removed the Sabbath canopy and closed the kings entry because the king of Assyria did not like them. While my study Bible suggests it is unknown why he was offended by these two things, I think it is quite obvious. Both are reminders who the true king of Judah is. The Sabbath is a reminder of who created the Earth (Exodus 20:10-11) and who delivered the Israelites from Egypt (Deuteronomy 5:14-15). The king's entry was a reminder that God appointed David's lineage, including Ahaz, to be king. The king of Assyria wanted that power and reverence for himself.
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Interesting Thought

I find it interesting that on the verge of the northern kingdom being taken captive by Assyria, the king of the southern kingdom was essentially selling his soul to the Assyrians. When people who don't have faith become fearful, they will do anything to preserve their own well being. While Jehoshaphat had been adamant that the Israelites of the north were the same people as those of the south and thus was determined to fight with them, Ahaz completely abandoned his brothers in the north. Ahaz even abandons God because he thinks Assyria is a better option. This may have worked in his favor in the short term, but long term, God is always the best option.
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Hoshea

Hoshea becomes king of Israel during Ahaz's 12th year. Evidenced by his coup, he is an evil king, though he is not considered as bad as the other kings. His rule lasts for 9 years.

During Shalmaneser's reign as king of Assyria, Hoshea bows to him, becoming his servant and giving him presents. Just as Ahaz was buying his time as a "free" king, Hoshea was doing the same. It was the illusion of keeping the throne as opposed to outright defeat that inspired kings to take this option.

At some point, Hoshea rebels against this tradition, however. Shalmaneser decides that Hoshea is conspiring against him when Hoshea sends messengers to Egypt as though to form an alliance and does not send tribute to Assyria. This is the reason Assyria attacks Israel. After he defeats Israel, Shalmaneser binds Hoshea in prison.

The siege Shalmaneser unleashes on Israel lasts 3 years. At the end of the siege, the king of Assyria takes the people of Israel into Assyria fulfilling God's curse to displace the Israelites. These 10 tribes are never truly recovered; they assimilated into the Gentile population. God gave the Israelites plenty of warnings and sent his prophets to testify to Israel, but the Israelites continued to do evil and would not repent. When the northern kingdom crumbles, all that is left is the tribe of Judah.

Shalmaneser of the Bible is likely Shalmanese V, the son of Tiglath-pileser III.^[1]
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Samaria

Photocredit: By Deror_avi, via Wikimedia Commons

The king of Assyria replaces the Israelites with his own people in the city of Samaria. These are the people who will eventually become known as the Samaritans. Initially they do not fear God, but He send lions to attack them. When they report this to the king, he allows one of the priests to return and teach the new inhabitants the ways of the Lord. The Samaritans didn't give up their gods, though they claimed to fear God; instead they created a blended religion just like Israel had before. Archeologists have found a Samaritan Pentateuch (the first 5 books of the Bible, which deal with the law).^[2] Scholars believe it to be authentic.^[3] This book was likely created with the help of the priest sent to teach them the ways of God.
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References

1. Editors of the Encyclopædia Britannica. "Shalmaneser V: King of Assyria and Babylon". Encyclopædia Britannica. July 20, 1998
2. Ben Outhwaite. "Samaritan Pentateuch (MS Add.1846)". University of Cambridge Digital Libray; visited February 2017
3. "Samaritan Pentateuch". Wikipedia; visited February 2017

2 Kings 13-15: Elisha's Death & 8 Kings of Israel

A consequence of this disloyalty to God is the instability of their throne. There is a constant struggle for the throne as worldly ideas pollute the people of Israel. Instead of being content to appoint God's heir to the throne, they vie for power and kill for what they desire.

Introduction

2 Kings 13-15 details the succession of many kings in the northern kingdom. Although Judah also struggled to be faithful to God, Israel remained in sin without God-fearing kings for majority of it's existence. A consequence of this disloyalty to God is the instability of their throne. There is a constant struggle for the throne as worldly ideas pollute the people of Israel. Instead of being content to appoint God's heir to the throne, they vie for power and kill for what they desire.
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Jehoahaz

Jehu's son, Jehoahaz, becomes king of Israel during the 23rd year of Judah's king Ahaziah. He continued to lead Israel down evil paths during his 17 year reign. Because of this, God allows Syria to over take Israel. Eventually Jehoahaz calls on God for aid. Per God's covenant that He would never completely abandon them, He sends a savior, but Israel does not repent or return to God.

God's decision to rescue Jehoahaz and the northern kingdom when they called on Him, despite knowing that they would not truly repent should remind us that we are never wrong to seek out God. God wants us to come back to Him and will always give us that chance, no matter what we have done. Of course, when we choose to seek out God, we should also choose to repent and follow God from then on out (unlike Jehoahaz).
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Jehoash

Once again, we find a king that shares his name with another king. This makes it crucial that when reading Kings and Chronicles, we pay close attention to determine who is being discussed. Jehoash of Israel not only shares a name with Jehoash of Judah, but their reigns overlap. Jehoash of Israel reigns for 26 years and is caught up in the re-ignition of the war with the southern kingdom. He is challenged by Jehoash of Judah's son Amaziah, and although he is reluctant to go to battle, eventually Jehoash delivers a crushing blow to Judah.

It is sad to read that while Syria and Assyria were battering the people of God, they were battling themselves. This problem occurs throughout the world on so many levels it's impossible not to see how this problem relates to today. A house divided cannot stand, but in almost every case you can think of, the house is divided. The U.S. allows division between race or political affiliation to incite violence and dictate possibly the worst election in the history of the United States. Our churches split because of in house fighting. This is not the way to build a strong body for Christ. While sometimes these divisions may be unavoidable because those we are divided with are truly against God, we have to remember that these divisions will inevitably leave us vulnerable to attack, so we should prepare for the worst.
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Elisha's Death

Photocredit: FreeImages.com/Iddo Tal

The second of the 2 major prophets discussed throughout Kings, Elisha dies of an illness during Jehoash of Israel's reign. Fortunately Jehoash is able to consult with him about the fate of the northern kingdom before he dies.

Elisha uses a bow and arrow to prophesy that Israel will conquer Syria in Aphek. Elisha instructs the king to smite the ground with the arrows. When the king only does so 3 times, Elisha is upset. Elisha says that now they will only smite Syria 3 times, whereas if he had smote the ground more times, they would have utterly defeated them.

As Elisha has prophesied, Jehoash smites Syria 3 times. During this time Syria's king, Hazael, dies and his son Benhadad becomes king. Something tells me he named his son Benhadad before he killed the previous king Benhadad—though it is possible he did so after out of guilt.

After Elisha dies, Moabites also begin attacking Israel. During this battle a deceased soldier is dumped with Elisha's bones. When the body touches Elisha's bone, the soldier is revived. This last miracle is performed in death and a testament to how truly miraculous God is.
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Jeroboam II

After Jehoash, Jeroboam II takes over as king. Although he is not a direct descendant of Jeroboam I, nor referred to as Jeroboam II, many people refer to him as such to differentiate bettwen the two king's of the northern kingdom.

Jeroboam reigns for 41 years, possibly the longest reign for a king in the northern kingdom, despite his evil ways. Jonah, the famous prophet, served during this era. One accomplishment of Jeroboam II is the expansion of the kingdom, though he does not reclaim all of what Solomon had. His son Zachariah takes over after he dies.
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Zachariah

During the 38th year of Azariah's reign, Zachariah is made king of Israel; however, his reign only lasts 6 months. He is killed by Shallum, the son of Jabesh, and Shallum takes over as king. Like most kings of Israel, Zachriah does evil in the sight of the Lord.
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Shallum

By using the information given, we know that Shallum begins his reign during Azariah's 38th or 39th year, depending on when during Azariah's 38th year Zachariah becomes king. The text, however, tells us that Shallum began reigning during Uzziah's 39th year. The name Uzziah is used interchangeably for Azariah in both 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles, implying that they are the same person.^[2] Reading verses like 2 Chronicles 26:1 confirms this. Although it seems odd that the authors used different names for the same king, I think this is cultural. Imagine if someone 3000 years from now, who had no knowledge of Latin based languages, and particularly not English, heard the names Charles and Chuck. They would assume these were distinct names with no relation to each other. However, as native speakers of the language, we know that Chuck is a nickname for Charles, thus if you introduce us to a Charles then begin referring to him as Chuck, we will know you are still referring to Charles. The audience of the writers of 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles would have known these names were referring to the same person and may have even called the king by both names (think P. Diddy vs. Puff Daddy).
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Menahem

Menahem enters into power by killing people in a city called Tiphsah. Apparently they did not welcome him, and his temper got the best of him. We know he was a ruthless person because he even killed the pregnant women of the city in his anger. Menahem sets up a power base in Israel's old capital of Tirzah, which probably made the people of Tirzah quite happy. Once the capital moved from their city to Samaria, they probably felt abandoned and possibly suffered economic losses. Their rallying power was enough to gain Menahem the crown to rule over all Israel from Samaria. Menahem reigns in Samaria for 10 years. Although it is not stated, I'm sure the people of Tirzah were disappointed Menahem didn't bring the capital back to them. In the same way Donald Trump has abanndoned his rallying cry for middle America, Menahem probably just used the people at Tirzah to gain power.

During Menahem's reign a king of Assyria named Pul invaded. Menahem gives Pul 1000 talents of silver, which allows him to keep his throne. Menahem taxes the people of Israel 50 shekels of silver each to give to Pul so that Pul will not attack them. This is further proof that the people were not in tune with God. God promised a self-sufficient nation, not one that had to buy their freedom.

Pul is the same as the historical Tiglath-pileser III who ruled Assyria from 745 to 727bc. It is thought that Pul or Pulu was either his personal name or a Babylonian name, as he uses this name when he takes over the throne of Babylon in about 729bc.^[1]
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Pekahiah

In Azariah's 50th year, Menahem's son Pekahiah becomes king of Israel. Pekiah only reigns for 2 years and continues in the sins of Israel's previous kings. The son of one of Pekahiah's captains conspires against him and kills him in the palace. We are given the name of the lead conspirator (Pekah), as well as 2 of his followers—Argob and Arieh. Together, they take 50 Gileadites to overwhelm the king. After his death, this rebel is crowned king.

Pekah

Pekah takes the throne during the 52nd year of Azariah.

Notice that at least 4 different kings have come and gone during Azariah's reign. When we follow God, we inherit longevity in all things. Many people abandon God for power, money, or fame, but whatever they accomplish is short lived. Think of all the celebrities that die young and athletes who file for bankruptcy. Meanwhile, there are local singers in your churches and coaches at your high school who are just as great in these roles. However these people are enjoying long happy lives because they followed God's path. That's not to say you can't be in a high position of power, because clearly Azariah was also a king. However, it is to say you must be following God's Will and God's Way to hang on to any power you receive. In our world today, it is less likely that the position of power you want and God's Will will be compatible.

Pekah reigns for 20 years and continues the trends of the other kings of the northern kingdom, leading Israel further into sin. During Pekah's reign Pul comes back, this time identified as Tiglath-pileser. He begins to carry away people as captives of Assyria. This is the beginning of the coming exile that caused the tribes of the northern kingdom to be lost "forever." This may also be the source of dissatisfaction in Israel that causes Hoshea, the son of Elah, to rise up and kill Pekah. As expected, Hoshea takes the throne of Israel in his stead.
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References

1. Donald John Wiseman. "Tiglath-pileser III: King of Assyria". Encyclopædia Britannica. December 1, 2000
2. W. Shaw Caldecott. "Uzziah (Azariah)". International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Online; visited February 2017