Jo’s Place

Isaiah Predicts Judah’s Deliverance and Assyria’s Demise Isaiah, the prophet, the son of Amoz, sent this message, to King Hezekiah:  “Here is the proof that what I say about Assyria is true:  “This year, you will eat only, what grows up, by itself, …and next year, you will eat, what springs up, …from  that .  But, in the third year, you will plant crops, and harvest them; …you will tend vineyards, and eat their fruit.  And you, who are left, in Judah,  who have escaped, the ravages, of the siege, …will put roots down, in your own soil …and will grow-up, and flourish.  For a remnant, of My people, will spread out, from Jerusalem,  …a group of survivors,  …from Mount Zion.  The passionate commitment,  …of the Lord, of Heaven’s Armies,  will make this happen!  “And this is, what the Lord says, about the king, of Assyria:  “His armies …will not enter Jerusalem.  They will not even shoot an arrow …at it.  They will not march… outside its gates, with their shields,  …nor will they build bank

Isaiah Prophesies the Lord’s Anger Against Assyria Isaiah, the prophet, the son of Amoz, sent this message, to King Hezekiah:  “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says:  I have heard your prayer, about King Sennacherib, of Assyria.  And the Lord has spoken this word, against him:  “The virgin daughter, of Zion,  despises you, and laughs at you.  The daughter, of Jerusalem,  shakes her head, in derision, as you flee.  “Whom have you been defying …and ridiculing?  Against whom, did you raise your voice?  At whom, did you look… with such haughty eyes?  It was the Holy One, of Israel!  By your messengers, you have defied the Lord.  You have said,  ‘With my many chariots, I have conquered the highest mountains— the remotest peaks, of Lebanon.  I have cut down its tallest cedars,  …and its finest cypress trees.  I have reached its farthest corners, and explored its deepest forests.  I have dug wells, in many foreign lands …and refreshed myself, with their water.  With the sole, of my

Hezekiah prays again for Jerusalem Before leaving, to meet the attack from Ethiopia, the king of Assyria sent messengers… back, to Hezekiah, in Jerusalem, with this message:  “This message is for King Hezekiah, of Judah.  Don’t let your God, in whom you trust, deceive you, with promises, that Jerusalem will not be captured, by the king, of Assyria.  You know perfectly well, what the kings, of Assyria, have done, wherever they have gone.  They have completely destroyed everyone, who stood, in their way!  Why should you be any different?  Have the gods of other nations rescued them—such nations, as Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden, who were in Tel-assar?  My predecessors destroyed them … all !  What happened, to the king of Hamath, and the king of Arpad?  What happened, to the kings, of Sepharvaim, …Hena, and Ivvah?”  After Hezekiah received the letter, from the messengers, and read it, he went up, to the Lord’s Temple, and spread it out, before the Lord.  And Hezekiah prayed

Hezekiah Seeks the Lord’s Help When King Hezekiah heard the report ( of the messengers he had sent to the Assyrians ), he tore his clothes, and put on burlap… and went, into the Temple, of the Lord.  And he sent Eliakim the palace administrator, Shebna the court secretary, and the leading priests, all dressed in burlap, to the prophet Isaiah, the son of Amoz.  They told him,  “This is what King Hezekiah says:  Today is a day of trouble, insults, and disgrace.  It is like, when a child is ready, to be born, but the mother has no strength, to deliver the baby.  But perhaps, the Lord,  your  God, has heard the Assyrian chief-of-staff, sent by the king, to defy the living God, and  He  will punish the Assyrian, for his words.  Oh, pray, for those of us, who are left!”  After King Hezekiah’s officials delivered the king’s message, to Isaiah,… the prophet replied,  “Say to your master,  ‘This is what the Lord says:  Do not be disturbed, by this blasphemous speech, against  Me , the Lord, you