Study Desk

One day Sennacherib was in the temple of his god Nisroch, worshiping him. His sons Adrammelech and Sharezer killed him with a sword and ran away to Ararat. So Sennacherib's son Esarhaddon became the new king of Assyria.

At that time Hezekiah became sick and almost died. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to see him and told him, "The Lord told me to tell you this: ‘You will die soon. So you should tell your family what they should do when you die. You will not get well.'"

So I said, "I will not see the Lord Yah in the land of the living again. I will not see the people living on earth.

I cried like a bird and moaned like a dove. My eyes became tired, but I continued looking to the heavens. Lord, I am so depressed. Promise to help me."

What can I say? He told me what would happen, and he will make it happen. I have had these troubles in my soul, so now I will be humble all my life.

So I say, "The Lord saved me. So we will sing and play songs in the Lord 's Temple all our lives."

Hezekiah asked Isaiah, "What is the sign that proves I will get well and go to the Lord 's Temple?" This is the sign from the Lord to show you that he will do what he says: "Look, I am causing the shadow that is on the steps of Ahaz to move back ten steps. The sun's shadow will go back up the ten steps that it has already been on." This is the letter from Hezekiah when he became well: I thought I would live a full life. But now, in the middle of my life, the time has come for me to die. So I said, "I will not see the Lord Yah in the land of the living again. I will not see the people living on earth. My home, my shepherd's tent, is being pulled down and taken from me. I am finished like the cloth someone rolls up and cuts from the loom. You ended my life in such a short time. All night I cried as loud as a lion, but my hopes were crushed like a lion eating bones. You finished my life in such a short time. I cried like a bird and moaned like a dove. My eyes became tired, but I continued looking to the heavens. Lord, I am so depressed. Promise to help me." What can I say? He told me what would happen, and he will make it happen. I have had these troubles in my soul, so now I will be humble all my life. Lord, use this hard time to make my spirit live again. Help my spirit become strong and healthy. Help me become well! Help me live again! Look, my troubles are gone! I now have peace. You love me very much. You did not let me rot in the grave. You took my sins and threw them away. The dead cannot praise you. People in Sheol cannot sing praises to you. Those who have died and gone below are not trusting in your faithfulness. People who are alive, people like me, are the ones who will praise you. Fathers should tell their children about how faithful you are. So I say, "The Lord saved me. So we will sing and play songs in the Lord 's Temple all our lives."

This made Hezekiah very happy, so he showed them all the valuable things in his storehouses. He showed them the silver, the gold, the spices, and the expensive perfumes. He showed them the building where he stored the weapons. He showed them everything in his treasuries and everything in his house and throughout his kingdom.

So Isaiah asked him, "What did they see in your house?" Hezekiah said, "They saw everything in my palace. I showed them all my wealth."

A voice said, "Speak!" So the man said, "What should I say?" The voice said, "People are like grass. Any glory they enjoy is like a wildflower.

Look up to the skies. Who created all those stars? Who created all those "armies" in the sky? Who knows every star by name? He is very strong and powerful, so not one of these stars is lost.

People of Jacob, this is true. Israel, you should believe it. So why do you say, "The Lord cannot see the way I live; he will not find me and punish me"?

One worker cuts wood to make a statue. He encourages the man who works with gold. Another worker uses a hammer and makes the metal smooth. Then he encourages the man at the anvil. This last worker says, ‘This work is good; the metal will not come off.' Then he nails the statue to a base so that it will not fall over. And it never moves!"

I will do this so that people will see it and know who did it. They will notice what happened. Then they will understand that the Lord 's hand made it happen, that the Holy One of Israel created it all."

Let your idols come in and tell us what will happen. Idols, tell us what happened in the beginning. We will listen closely so that we can make a decision. Tell us what will happen in the future.

What signs did you give in the past to prove that you really are gods? Do something! Do anything, good or bad, so that we can see that you are alive. Then we might fear and respect you.

"Who told us about this before it happened so that we could say he was right? None of your idols told us anything. They didn't say a word, and they cannot hear anything you say.

Who let Jacob be defeated? Who let others take what belonged to Israel? The Lord allowed them to do this. We sinned against him, so he let people take away our wealth. The people did not want to live the way he wanted. They refused to listen to his teaching.

So he poured out his anger on them and brought wars against them. It was as if there were fires all around them, but they didn't know what was happening. It was as if they were burning, but they didn't try to understand.

"So don't be afraid, because I am with you. I will gather your children and bring them to you. I will gather them from the east and from the west.