Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Isaiah chapter 36 - Zephaniah

Let’s begin at the beginning and recognize that this is an account that concerns the cities of Judah indirectly, but which concerns the city of Jerusalem directly. The first verses tell us:

“ Now it came to pass in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, that Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the defenced cities of Judah, and took them. And the king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem unto king Hezekiah with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field.” (Isaiah 36:1-2)

There is one overarching theme in this true story, and it is broken into two concepts. The first is trust, and the second is deliverance. The word ‘trust’ or some form of that word is used seven times in the twenty-two verses of this chapter. The word ‘deliver’ or some form thereof is used eight times in this chapter. Over and over again the leaders and citizens are told to not trust in their LORD because He cannot deliver them from the army of the Assyrian king. They hear ‘trust not’.

“What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?” (v4c)

“now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?” (v5b)

“But if thou say to me, We trust in the LORD our God: is it not he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and said to Judah and to Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar?” (v7)

Then they hear ‘your God cannot deliver you’.

“Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you.
Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD will surely deliver us: this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.” (v14-15)

“Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, The LORD will deliver us. Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath and Arphad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim? and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand? Who are they among all the gods of these lands, that have delivered their land out of my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?” (v18-22)

Early in the book of Zephaniah, the LORD God begins His prophecy.

“I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests; And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the LORD, and that swear by Malcham; And them that are turned back from the LORD; and those that have not sought the LORD, nor enquired for him.” (Zephaniah 1:4-6)

These verses also give us God’s reason for the prophesied judgment of Jerusalem; their idolatry; their trusting of other God’s; their trusting of something/someone other than Himself. Their true God is going to judge them because of their ‘misplaced trust’. Chapters two and three have this same theme of deliverance/salvation for those who trust the LORD. (Zephaniah 3:7-8a is directed to Israel’s enemies rather than to Israel.)

“Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD's anger.” (Zephaniah 2:3)

“Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city! She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the LORD; she drew not near to her God.” (Zephaniah 3:1)

“I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction; so their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them: but they rose early, and corrupted all their doings. Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD,”
(Zephaniah 3:7-8a)

“I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the LORD.” (Zephaniah 3:12)

In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack. The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden. Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame. At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the LORD.”(Zephaniah 3:16-20)

What is the message of the thirty-sixth book of the Bible, Zephaniah? Salvation is by trust in the LORD. Trust in anything/anyone else is misplaced trust. Only the LORD can save, and He does so when we trust. That message is as true today as it was in the days of these authors.

We have examined the thirty-sixth chapter of Isaiah and, Zephaniah is the thirty-sixth book of the Bible. The two are connected.

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