Isaiah 37:1-13 The Power of God’s Word

 

There was no denying the seriousness of the situation, and Hezekiah’s torn clothes and sackcloth showed that he had no intention of pretending that things were other than they were. But he had three great resources: the Lord (v. 1), The Lord’s prophet (v. 2), and prayer (v. 4, 15). And Hezekiah resolved at once to use them all. He resorted to the temple of the Lord, he informed Isaiah of the desperate situation, and he both asked for prayer and prayed himself. This was perhaps Hezekiah’s finest hour. He was not perfect. In fact, the mess he was in was largely of his own making. But in the last analysis, he knew that the Lord reigned, and therefore nothing was impossible or hopeless. The pressure of circumstances had stripped him back to basics.

Isaiah’s response was immediate (v. 5). Isaiah is the channel by which God’s Word enters the situation and begins to transform it. It’s not just Hezekiah or the people that Sennacherib has demeaned, but the living God (vv. 4 & 6), and in doing so he over-reached himself. Isaiah saw very clearly that pride is the worst of all sins. It is the purest form of defiance possible; it is ousting God from the throne of our lives and putting ourselves in His place. It is the primal sin which all others grow. And it was especially, in this case, the sin of the king of Assyria. Now that threat is flushed out and confirmed: He will return to his own country, and there I will have him cut down with the sword (v. 7). In the last analysis, it is the Word of the Lord that will prevail, not the word of Sennacherib.

The Word which has entered the situation like yeast gradually begins to have its effect. Isaiah had spoken about God unsettling Sennacherib and of him hearing a report (v. 7). Unease is suggested by the fact that when the envoy returns, he finds that Sennacherib has temporarily broken off siege of Lachish and is fighting against Libnah (v. 8). He is perhaps expecting an attack from Egypt. If so, his suspicions are soon confirmed; he receives a report that an Egyptian force has indeed begun to move against him (v. 9). What happened next is unclear; neither the Bible nor Sennacherib’s annals throw any light on it. But since he continued to threaten Jerusalem, it is unlikely that the Egyptians had much success. In short, despite his successes, it was clearly in his own best interests to wind up proceedings in Palestine as quickly as possible. But what was to be done about Jerusalem? If it could not be frightened into surrender, the Assyrians could either mount a full-scale siege (which might last eighteen months or more) or decide that Hezekiah had already been taught a salutary lesson and leave him to lick his wounds. Sennacherib may well have been considering these options as Hezekiah went to prayer (v. 14).

Isaiah 37:1-13 Reflection Questions:

Have you ever found yourself in a big mess similar to Hezekiah’s? What was your first response, to turn to the world or to the Lord?

Do you have the same faith and trust as Hezekiah did?

What did the Lord strip Hezekiah from by allowing him to go this far in his troubles?

What is a primary lesson you learn from today’s study?

Hebrews 4:12-13 Double-Edged Sword

 

In comparing the Word of God to a sword, the writer is not suggesting that God uses His Word to slaughter the saints! It is true that the Word cuts the heart of sinners with conviction (Acts 5:33; 7:54), and that the Word defeats Satan (Eph. 6:17). The Greek word translated “sword” means “a short sword or dagger.” The emphasis is on the power of the Word to penetrate and expose the inner heart of man. The mention of a double-edged sword in our text is a sober warning not to disregard God’s Word as Israel did in the wilderness. The writer therefore gives us four reasons we must not disregard God’s Word. The Word of God is: living, penetrating, discerning and reckoning. Taken positively, these are four immense reasons to celebrate God’s Word.

As the writer begins, he directly warns that God’s Word is alive (v. 12a). It lives because it endures forever (Ps. 119:89). Even more, it lives because it has life in itself. God is “living” (3:12), and the Word, as God’s breath (2 Tim. 3:16), partakes of God’s living character. It is alive! The character of the Word’s aliveness is that it is “active,” or as that word is sometimes rendered, “effective.” God’s Word vibrates with active, effectual power as it rushes to fulfill the purpose for which it was spoken. As Isaiah 55:11 so beautifully says: “so shall My Word be that goes out from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” Indeed, the Word of God is alive and effectual! God’s Word does what it promises to do. It regards neither age nor education. It can change you if you are 12 or 112.

God’s Word is not only living but penetrating, as verse 12b clearly states. God’s Word cleaves through our hard-shelled souls like a hot knife through warm butter. Certainly we Christians find this to be true in our lives. There are sections of God’s Word that cut through all the pretensions and religious façade, leaving us convicted. When God wills it, His Word will pierce anyone. Tragically, many of these are regular church attendees. The true hearer wittingly or unwittingly invites the divine Surgeon to do His gracious cutting.

Having established that God’s Word is living and penetrating, the writer adds: “discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (v. 12c). The root word for “discerning” is the word kritikos, which we derive critic. So the emphasis here is on the discerning judgment of “the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” The heart is the seat of human personality. It is hidden from all. Yet God’s Word sifts through its thoughts and attitudes with unerring discrimination. “The sword of the Spirit” (Eph. 6:17) will tell us what is in our hearts. Fellow-believers, if we really want to understand ourselves, we must fill our souls with God’s Word. God’s Word – read, meditated upon, and prayerfully applied – will give us brilliant discernment and profound self-knowledge. This gift of self-knowledge is no small grace because when we grasp something of the serpentine ways of our hearts, we are disposed to cast ourselves even more on God’s grace; and that is no small grace! We will also be judged by God’s Word. And herein lays the warning to those who in disobedience are falling away. His judgment will be perfectly discerning. The wise Christian invites the penetrating, discerning work of God’s Word in his life.

Now in verse 13 the discussion continues, but the focus switches from God’s Word to God as a knowing and reckoning God. Verse 13 gives us one of Scriptures great descriptions of Gods knowing. God sees everything. This can be discomforting if we have something to hide. The divine gaze is in light and darkness; He sees all (see Prov. 15:3; Ps. 90:8)! “All” – everything – everyone – is stark naked before Him. There is nothing to hide in or behind. The language here forces us to imagine ourselves naked, held helpless, exposed, in God’s grip, close to His omniscient eyes, and so we must give account. He cannot be fooled. Duplicity and hypocrisy will not work. Happily this means He will miss no good thing. But to the sinning, self-righteous heart, apart from the grace of God this brings nothing but unmitigated terror.

Of course, the author means all of this to be sanctifying instruction for the tiny house-church in the welling seas of persecution. He is calling for them not to rebel against God’s Word in disobedience, but to submit to it and find rest in the storms.

How does this double-edged sword work? First, it is the sword of judgment. Because it is “living,” it is effectually active. It accomplishes what God purposes for it to do. It is so sharp that it penetrates – “piercing” through everything. And then it discerns everything in the core of our being – leaving us “naked” and bare before our God with whom we must reckon. All of this is a gracious cutting. We see ourselves, and we see God, and we long to fly to Him and be healed. Second, for the believer it is the sword of sanctification. God’s two-edged sword, His Word, is alive and effectual in our lives. Again it penetrates and discerns our hearts, exposing them to us – leaving us uncovered and laid bare, so that “naked” we flee to God for dress. Blessed be the double-edged sword of judgment and sanctification. God cuts us deeply that we might die. God cuts us again with His Word so that we might live!

Hebrews 4:12-13 Reflection Questions:

Are you reading, meditating upon, and prayerfully applying God’s Word?

Do you invite the penetrating, discerning work of God’s Word in your life?

How does it make you feel that God’s Word leaves you “naked” and bare with whom you must reckon?