The American Wisdom Series 
 http://www.americanwisdomseries.com

Presents 

Isaiah
Chapter 37

Caution to students of God's Word - Please remember two things when using our studies: #1. Our commentary is not God's Word. It is only our interpretation or understanding of "His Word" and even though we try our best to be accurate we may or may not be correct. #2. The King James translation, or any other translation, of the original Hebrew text has some words which were given different translations at different places probably because of the interpreters preconceived ideas of what they think God meant to say. For example: According to the notes in the "Dake's Annotated Reference Bible" the Hebrew word hayah in the KJV is Trans. (became) 67 times, (becamest or came to pass) 505 times, (become) 66 times, and (come to pass) 131 times, but for some reason in Genesis 1:2 it is translated (was)! That sure changes the way a person perceives the original creation of the earth, doesn't it?  Gen. 1:2 And the earth was (became) without form, ... Having said that, let us continue with our "Key Knowledge" lessons. These are pamphlets containing knowledge, we believe, you must have to fully and accurately unlock and understand the Word of God.

John 15:26
But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

John 16:13-14
[13] Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. [14] He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

This Bible Study was originally written by Roger Christopherson,
 published at http://www.theseason.org/ 

You can view it at the season`s web site (address above) as originally published
or here, as now edited by people at .
The American Wisdom Series  

Without the leading by the Holy Spirit, there is no understanding of the truths, for all the truth of the Scriptures are revealed to us by God's Spirit.

 Now here is our revised study of

Isaiah

Chapter 37

"Hezekiah's Reception and Action to Message."

In the prior chapter the king of Assyria had sent his chief cup bearer, along with his mighty army down to the city of Jerusalem to give king Hezekieh of Judah a message. Remember the "the king of Assyria" is always a type of what the false messiah shall be like. This message given was that "if you do business with us, you will eat and live well. However, if you don't accept our offer, you and your people will starve. This offer is like the offer that will be given also to those living in this latter day, as recorded in Revelation 13:16, 17.

Revelation 13:16 "And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:"

Revelation 13:17 "And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name."

This is to show us a parallel between these two times. It was God Himself that sent the Assyrian, Sennacherib against Hezekiah, and it is also God that shall cast Satan on to the earth, to come against God's people in the "time of the end". Remember it was also this same Assyrian king that took the House of Israel, the northern ten tribes captive and scattered them many years prior.

So as it appears that the battle is all but over, with the massive army surrounding Jerusalem, and all the other forty two walled cities of defence defeated (Assyria took them also, so those forty two cities in Judah will be of no help to Jerosalem). Hezekiah is now going to stop running down to Egypt, and turn back to the Living God for help. Hezekiah has just received the message to surrender from Rabshakeh, and he went into great despair. So let's see what Hezekiah does under this great pressure.

Isaiah 37:1 "And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the Lord."

This is a continuation of the last verse of Isaiah 36. At least king Hezekiah knew where to go to seek help in this time of despair. This is exactly what God was seeking from the very beginning of Judah's problems. God does not like it when you go to other people and systems when you get into trouble, He wants you to come to Him.

Isaiah 37:2 "And he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe , and the elders of the priests covered with sackcloth, unto Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz."

Not only the king, but all those in positions of leadership finally see the trouble they are in, and come humbly to Isaiah to seek the help of God.

Isaiah 37:3 "And they said unto him, "Thus saith Hezekiah, `This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth."

With over one hundred and eighty five thousand troops of the enemy outside the gate, ready to pounce on them, they certainly are in trouble. This Scripture is written in this way to let us know that it is a type of the birth of a new age. It is written to apply in the prophetic sense, as well as the historical.

If the multitudes are not very careful in our generation, they are not going to have the strength to overcome in that day coming either. As Jesus said in Mark 13, they will not wait on their true husband, and be taken by the false christ. They will stand in spiritual pregnancy by their acceptance of the first christ, who is Satan the instead of Christ.

Isaiah 37:4 "It may be the Lord thy God will hear the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God, and will reprove the words which the Lord thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that is left."

It may be that the Lord God will hear the words of this Assyrian and change His mind as to what He would allow the Assyrian to do. It appears that at this time it is too late to pray for forgiveness from the Father, the nation has been conquered by the Assyrians, and all but Jerusalem has fallen. They outnumber Judah's army many times over, and the House of Judah still have their idols in their homes, churches and street corners that insult our Heavenly Father, just as we do in this 21st. century, and now it is time to turn back to the God. It seems that it is very late in time to seek repentance, However that is exactly how our people act before they will seek help from God.

Isaiah 37:5 "So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah."

It is time to do some serious searching out of the Lord. It is like those fox-hole prayers when the heat of the battle is upon you and it looks like there is no conceivable way out for your life.

In the The mind set for many, or better be for many, is that it is finally time to prophetic sense, get not only saved, but to crack the book (BIBLE) and learn to tell the difference between what is holy (Jesus) and what is profane (Satan).

Isaiah 37:6 "And Isaiah said unto them, "Thus shall ye say unto your master, 'Thus saith the Lord, `Be not afraid of the words that thou hast heard, wherewith the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me."

Isaiah is telling these religious leaders that came to him scared and disillusioned, go back to your master and tell him this. Don't be afraid of the words that you have heard by the Assyrians. The king of Assyria has lost sight that it was God that is in charge of them and what they were to do, and it is He that built their empire. By saying that it was his Assyrian army that would destroy Judah, and the strength was the Assyrian arm, was blasphemous to God. It is time to wake up that God is in control, both of the enemy, and of His own people.

Isaiah 37:7 "Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land."

We know from the end of this chapter that this did come to pass. This blast that came upon the him was the "Ruach", the Holy Spirit of God. God brought a Spirit upon him that changed the mind of the Sennacherib. This can happen for the good and for the bad. Sometimes when it looks like nothing could go wrong, something happens to change the mindset of the proud, and the sure victory ends in a loss.

It can also go the other way and when it looks like there is no way out, God allows certain things to happen that changes the minds of those that are a barrier to you. God opens a path that allows you to breeze right through the problem. When this happens, don't forget to give God the prase for the victory He has given you. When you open your heart, your soul and mind to God, He can send that winning spirit upon you.

Isaiah 37:8 "So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah: for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish."

While Rabshakeh was outside the gate of Jerusalem giving the warning message to Hezekiah, God was working on the mind of king Sennacherib. Upon the arrival of Rabshakeh back at Lachish to give his message back to king Sennacherib, the Assyrian king had already heard the rumor that his home land was under attack, and had departed for home. Here we have the witness that the Spirit of God had hit him instantly.

God is always in control, we need to be reminded of that fact. A wise person would never mess around trying to find safety in places that just don't matter, but would take the problem directly to the Lord. God knows the problem before it developed, and he knows the minds of all those connected to the problem. He can send His Spirit to change the minds of those that would harm you in any way, so the problem just never developes.

We are to go to our Heavenly Father in Jesus name right from the beginning, and not wait till we reach the place of crisis. This miserable lot in Jerusalem had allowed themselves to come to a point of complete destruction, before they finally woke up. In our generation, most of the people will do the same thing as these men of Judah did. They will allow themselves to follow many forms of idolatry and tradition that will open the way for their accepting the offer that Satan will give them, and they will take his name and number to receive his protection, so that they may buy and sell in Satan's one world system.

Editor's Note: Speaking of buying and selling, what did the rich man in Matthew 19:16 have to sell? We are going to take a little side trip here to  talk about buying and selling!

 We will find that this man is "rich and increased with goods and has need of nothing". Does that remind you of anyone? (see Rev. 3:14-22)

Matthew 19:16 
And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
What kind of question is that? Can you earn salvation by doing "good things"! If that were the case then why would Christ have needed to come to this earth and suffer and die on the cross? Who needs Him or even needs to know Him if one can do good things using His name and be granted eternal life? This is a serious matter, so take heed and consider carefully what Messiah has to say. Remember too what we learned in chapter 7 concerning doing Father's will, not our own, and it will help in understanding what's going on with this rich man. Let's do a quick review:
Matthew 7:21-23 
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
[22 ]Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
There are multitudes of Christian's right now who say "Lord, Lord", "Jesus is Lord", "Praise the Lord" and they do all kinds of "good things", many wonderful works in Jesus' name. They are led to do so by the many false preachers Christ warned us about in Mat. 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 who have come in His name claiming to be His representatives and yet deceive the multitudes by teaching the traditions of men instead of His Word chapter by chapter and line by line. Consequently the people remain Biblically illiterate and thus never get to know Jesus Christ, the Word of God, to even know what Father's will is. 


Editor's note: Do you know any denominations like that? 

[23] And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Iniquity is following the traditions of men who teach that if you are a good church-going Christian and a good steward who serves on this committee and does this and that and gives of your tithes and offerings, etc., etc., then you will be in good standing with Christ for all the good things you have done!  Really? Better listen to what the Word of God has to say instead of men's ideas. Proverbs 14:12 "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."

Here is Christ's first response to the rich man.

Matthew 19:17 
And He said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
Christ told the young man to keep Father's Word which in doing so shows that a person truly loves Him. The reality is that this young man was in love with another god, the god of gold and silver. Think about the fact that he was standing right there in the presence of Emmanuel, God with us, and he could not "see" Him!

Maybe Christ's words in John 14 will help clarify this:

John 14:15-17 
If ye love me, keep my commandments.
You keep the things you love most nearest and dearest to your heart. This young man kept earthly possessions closest to his heart.
[16] And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever;
[17] Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Does the Word of God dwell in you? Good thing if He does for His goodness, i.e. His righteousness, is all that is good in you and me for as it is written, "all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Isa. 64:6)". That's right, there is none good, but One, that is God!

This young rich man was blinded to the Spirit of truth by his worldly treasures, his heart's desire, and consequently could not "see" and did not "know" Jesus Christ, the Word of God, though he was standing there beholding Him. He thought of Christ as just a good man, just as many think that the Word of God is just a "Good Book" telling them how to be a "good person"! In fact they usually refer to it as the Good Book instead of the Word of God. Think about it!

So the man asked Christ "What good thing he must do", i.e. to be a good person and receive eternal life, to which Christ replied that there is "none good but One, that is, God.,"but IF you truly desire to enter into life then "keep the commandments". Now the man asks "Which?"

Matthew 19:18 
He saith unto Him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder*, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,

[19] Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 


* Note: Just for the record since we are discussing the inability of some people to see clearly and understand the Word of God, we often see the 6th Commandment which reads "Thou shalt not kill" in Ex. 20:13 displayed on posters and banners by "do gooder" demonstrators outside a facility that is about to carry out the death penalty of a convicted murderer. Here in Matthew 19:18 we see the 6th Commandment correctly stated "Thou shalt do no murder". If one takes the time to check out the Hebrew word for "kill" in the 6th Commandment he will find that it is "ratsach" which means to murder just like the Greek word Christ used, "phoneus", which also means to murder, as in premeditated (lie in wait) criminal homicide. Here are the Hebrew and Greek words used in the 6th Commandment in the two occasions above:
kill, (Hebrew) ratsach, raw-tsakh', Hebrew 7523; a primitive root; properly to dash in pieces, i.e. kill (a human being), especially to murder :- put to death, kill, (man-) slay (-er), murder (-er).

murder, (Greek) phoneus, fon-yooce', Greek 5406; from Greek 5408 (phonos); a murderer (always of criminal [or at least intentional] homicide; which Greek 443 (anthropoktonos) does not necessarily imply; while Greek 4607 (sikarios) is a special term for a public bandit) :- murderer.

The penalty according to God's law for committing premeditated (lie in wait) "murder" is the death penalty, i.e. to be executed and sent home to the Father, and it is found in the very next chapter following the 10 Commandments:
Exodus 21:12-13 
He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.
The Hebrew word for "put to death" is "muwth", not "ratsach".
muwth, mooth, Hebrew 4191; a primitive root; to die (literal or figurative); causative to kill :- × at all, × crying, (be) dead (body, man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy (-er), (cause to, be like to, must) die, kill, necro [-mancer], × must needs, slay, × surely, × very suddenly, × in [no] wise.
If the death is accidental then the death penalty is not called for.
[13] And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.
Now you know the law of God regarding the sentence to be carried out on one who commits criminal homicide. 


Let us now return to the young rich man who just heard Christ quote the commandments with the notable exception of the 10th one! Hmm, that ought to tell him something wouldn't you think?
[20] The young man saith unto Him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
This is an interesting question by the young man who claims he has kept all the commandments of God from His youth up. And for the most part he probably is a fairly "good" person, but he has his priorities upside down and has a big problem seeing himself as he really is, like most Christians of the church of Laodicea.
Rev. 3:17-22 
Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
The young man didn't think he needed anything, like the forgiveness of an indebted servant who owes 10,000 talents of silver (i.e. has fallen short of the law [10] and short of the glory of God [x 1000]). He just wanted to know what "good thing" he could do to enter into the kingdom of God. Here is Christ's counsel to those who are rich and increased with goods, which coincides with what He is about to tell the young rich man.
[18] I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyeswith eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
The "fire" is the Holy Spirit, even the Word of God, for as it is written in Heb. 12:29 "For our God is a consuming fire." You better sell all you have and buy of Him that precious truth from His Word. Remember what we learned in Mat. 13 concerning the true wealth?
[19] As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Well, true to His Word, Christ is now going to tell the young rich man what to do about what he "lacks", which is "perfection" which means maturity in the Word of God. Take note of the word "IF" used again in this verse for it is a matter of choice... your choice!
Matthew 19:21 
Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
Unfortunately, this statement went right over the head of the rich man, as it does with most Christians who are blinded by the traditions of men. At this point, even the disciples did not think this out on the spiritual level Christ was explaining, which is simply the same thing He stated before which was IF the man truly wanted to be "perfect", complete and mature, then he needed to keep the commandments, which is to do God's will. All Christ is doing now is expounding upon the will of God, which is to do the work His servants were sent here to do...which is what?

Remember Mat. 13? Go "sell all you have" and purchase the field full of spiritual riches and that pearl of great price. Matthew 13:44 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereofgoeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field." Then, once he or she "is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven" that servant becomes as an householder and is to take of that precious treasure and bring it forth to their household! Matthew 13:52 "Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old."

Again, what does a true servant of God do? Does a servant of God spend most of his or her time going to church and helping out with all sorts of good charities like raising money and canned goods to feed the poor? Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with helping people who are down and out, as long as those who are down and out are intent on raising themselves back up to the level of self-sufficiency. And it goes without saying that the handicapped and those who are unable to provide for themselves are another matter.

However, just giving money to the poor does not help the poor beyond the moment. The old adage "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, but teach a man how to fish and you feed for a lifetime" is true indeed. Do-gooder liberals like to feel good (and righteous) by giving of their possessions, or better yet giving of your possessions (like your tax dollars or charitable donations) to those who are willing to play the roles of victims and accept freebies and handouts. Many there are who are infected with the social disease "Itsnotmyfaultism". True Christians accept responsibility and pay their own way.

Now let's go back and reread what Christ said to the rich man.

Matthew 19:21 
Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
What is it that the man was to "give to the poor"? It was not All his material goods that he possessed?Again, will giving material goods to the poor "lay up treasure in heaven" for you?No, it will not!

The poor are to have the precious pearls of wisdom and truth given to them by those who possess the keys to the kingdom.Because you see, Christ is not talking about the materially poor but rather the spiritually poor, the poor in spirit!  Hello!What is it that makes one rich and gives one life?  It is the Living Word of God, the gospel of truth!

Matthew 11:5 
The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
What has the subject been all along here? Salvation to the poor, to the blind, to the lame, to those LOST children of the house of Israel who wander blindly to and fro in the wilderness. Christ came to save the lost!
Isaiah 61:1 
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
Jesus Christ paid the price on the cross to make all of this possible. Let us continue the good news and the giving to the poor the precious pearls of His truth that they may come to know Him and be set free. The "meek" to whom the "good tidings", i.e. the gospel, are preached are the "poor" in spirit, not the materially poor.

Remember we read of those materially rich people of Laodicea who "art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked" indeed! 



Read Revelation chapter 2 & 3 
#1834 There are only two churches Christ finds no fault with. 
#1835 Let's pay close attention to what Jesus says to the church in Smyrna, for there are only two churches that Christ will find no fault with, this one and the church in Philadelphia. Hey, go with a winner! 
#1836   If someone left you a fortune, and recorded it in his last will and testament, but the will laid on the coffee table and no one read it, then you wouldn't know about the fortune and consequently you couldn't claim it. 
#1837 Learn the simplicity of the use of symbology. 
#1838 Do you have any idea what a grove is?If you're like many people you're probably thinking Ahab planted a bunch of trees. 
#1839 If you don't know when the day of the Lord comes, you'll worship the false messiah, guaranteed! 
#1840    I will write upon him my new name! 
#1841   As a Christian, how important do you believe it is to study the Bible? 


In contrast, those of the church of Smyrna who are one of the only two churches out the seven found pleasing to Christ for the works they do in keeping His Word, are just the opposite. In other words, they may not be materially rich but they are spiritually rich! Rev. 2:9 "I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich)..."

We could go on and on covering again what the "kingdom of God is like unto" but the fact is that one cannot have his or her heart set on studying and teaching Father's Word and still be consumed with coveting the material things of this world. Remember we learned that one cannot serve both God and mammon. One or the other as a matter of priority has to go.

Matthew 6:24 
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Which will it be for you? You see, what the rich man served was the god of gold and silver, so what he really needed to "sell" was the idol,the golden image in his head, and "buy of Him gold tried in the fire"that he might become rich spiritually! Then he could give to the poor of those riches and lay up store for himself in heaven.
Matthew 6:19-21 
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
The young rich man was consumed (as in coveted) with laying up treasures on earth.
[20] But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
If your heart is in giving the true spiritual riches of His Word to the poor, then you shall lay up treasures for yourself in heaven. The ironic part is, that those who love bringing forth out of their treasure the new and old riches to their household, do not do so for the purpose of laying up treasure in heaven. They do it because they love the Lord and they love their brothers and sisters who are held in bondage by man's traditions.The question for all to ask, "Where's your own heart?" This is the generation wherein Jeshurun waxes fat (Deut. 32:15), meaning that it is a time of peace and prosperity. Many do not realize that peace and prosperity brings about a greater spiritual testing (a greater tribulation) than do times of war and conflict. In other words, people are real quick to turn to God when they find themselves frightened in a foxhole or in danger from hanging upside-down in a well. But when they are safe and warm and fat and happy with money in the bank and a fancy car in the driveway, they are quick to turn from God!That is the story of this generation as outlined in the Song of Moses which the overcomers sing in Rev. 15. Here's how the sad story goes: Deut. 32:15 "But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of His salvation." And so it is our people in times of peace and prosperity are drawn away from the Word of God and do lightly esteem the Rock of His salvation, Jesus Christ. Again, where is your heart? What is foremost on your mind everyday when you wake up?
[21] For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Here is what happened when the young rich man heard what Christ said about selling all that he had... and to come and "follow Him"!
Matthew 19:22 
But when the young man heard that saying, he went awaysorrowful: for he had great possessions.
The kingdom of heaven will just have to wait until this man "wakes up" and finds that he is spiritually "poor and wretched and miserable". His earthly treasures are where his heart is, though now, even with all his great possessions he has not found the peace of mind that comes from knowing Him, but has rather found distress and unhappiness and conflict in not being able to serve two masters.

So now that we have the sad story laid out before us, let us see what we are to learn from all this as Christ teaches His disciples... that would be you if are a student of His Word and one of His followers.

[23] Then said Jesus unto His disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
That a rich man shall "hardly" enter into the kingdom of heaven means that it will be very hard or difficult for one who "trusts in riches" (see Mark 10:24) to sell all that he has, unload his idolatrous spiritual baggage, to become as a little child and turn and follow Him....
[24] And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
"Again"  He says to restate the point and make clear by illustration what He is saying. Many who read this verse picture in their mind's eye a camel trying to squeeze through the eye of a sewing needle which is not what the "eye of a needle" was. It was a small gate in the surrounding wall of the city that one had to go through during the night when the main gate was closed for homeland security purposes.

For a camel to actually go through the eye of a needle, that gate, it had to be completely unloaded of its "burden" and had to physically get down on its knees in order to pass through.

[25] When His disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
The disciples were totally shocked by this! With their eyes focused on the physical impossibilities of all the things Christ has just taught them regarding adultery, eunuchism, and "honey I shrank the camel", they are thinking that becoming saved is almost an impossible task.

But... Jesus BEHELD them!

[26] But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
"Beheld them" in Greek is to "em-blepo" which means "to look at intently", to look them in the eyes as if to cause them to spiritually sharpen up and get with the program to "see" and "hear" what He is saying to them. There is nothing man can do to save himself or herself and enter into the kingdom... because there is none good! We are all fall short of the law and the glory of God. He alone is "good"!You may think you are a pretty good Christian because of all the wonderful things you do, but when it comes right down to where the rubber meets the road... unless you unload whatever it is you have on your camel's back and humbly turn to Him in repentance, you'll never get through the gate.

The good news is that He has provided a way and made it possible through the blood of the Lamb for ALL to come to Him in repentance and be forgiven and enter into eternal life. And that is His desire (2 Pet. 3:9). Jesus Christ is the "door" through which you can enter into the kingdom and have peace of mind and serenity for ever more.

John 10:9 
I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
There's that big little word "If" again. Jesus Christ, the Word of God, is that door. It is your choice to enter in through that door or struggle with your camel and hope you can make it through the eye of a needle!Forsake all the traditions of men and the temporary riches this world has to offer and turn to His Word and hear His Voice this day. Psalm 95:7-8 "...To day if ye will hear his voice, [8] Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness."
Matthew 19:27 
Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we haveforsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?
Good ol' Peter! What an inspired "straight man" he is! Seems he always comes up with just the right questions at just the right moment for just the right teaching to take place. And you've got to love this question which paraphrased reads "What's in it for us?" In other words, what is in store for us who have forsaken all and followed Christ? The point is, however, that Peter is only asking this question because the subject of riches and forsaking all is being discussed because this was not on his mind nor the minds of the other disciples when they were called to follow Him. Remember the account in Matthew 4:18-20, "And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. [19] And He saith unto them,Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. [20] And they straightway left their nets, and followed him."
[28] And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
The regeneration is when the kingdom of God is restored on earth at the second advent when the King of kings and Lord of lords returns with the saints of the Most High. Rev. 5:10 "And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth."
[29] And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
Though they do not desire riches and wealth above the richness and precious wisdom of His Word, servants of God do NOT labor in vain. Our Father pays, as in compensates or rewards, all those who serve Him. To that end, you have an account in heaven, a treasure chest where your store is laid up, and your heavenly Father keeps good track of your eternal annuity... which far outperforms any investment Wall Street ever dreamed of. Besides, it's spiritual wealth and includes the inheritance of ETERNAL LIFE!

Wow! By the way, have you ever looked up in the sky at night and checked out the vastness of our Father's real estate holdings?

Nevertheless, the point is that our Father is just and right, meaning that He is totally fair, andIF you have the desire to enter into the kingdom of God and are willing to be true to His Word and forsake all others... then you shall receive blessings an hundredfold. "100" in Biblical numerics is "Election of Grace" and "Children of Promise". A word to the wise.

That's all we will have that's of any importance in these end times because when Satan arrives claiming he is God it will be only five more months until the end, when the real Christ returns, and we are all changed back into spirit beings anyway. Of what good would physical wealth do you then? No need to buy a chicken if you no longer need to eat chicken to live! Or a house for shelter if you can now walk through walls!

Sorry about the long side trip. Now back to our Isaial 37 study.

Isaiah 37:9 "And he heard say concerning Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, "He is come forth to make war with thee." And when he heard it, he sent word messengers to Hezekiah, saying,"

Rabshakeh, Sennacherib's cup bearer is sending a message back to king Hezekiah with a last moment shallow warning.

Isaiah 37:10 "Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, `Let not thy God, in Whom thou trustest, deceive thee, saying, `Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand of  the king of Assyria.' "

This is a bold thing to say, for it is speaking against the living God. Remember in the last chapter, it was this same God that Rabshakeh used for giving the reason for the Assyrian army for being there in the first place. However Rabshakeh lost sight of why he was there and just who he was representing. Now Rabshakeh is telling Jerusalem, "Don't let God deceive you." Do you see the twist in this man's words?

Do you realize that this is the exact same thing that Satan will do, once he is cast out of heaven? Though Satan's spirit is here now, he will be here in person, plainly visable to all the people on earth. God put Sennacherib on the throne and built him an empire to do a task for Him, and once he was upon the throne and doing that mission, he placed himself over God. Satan will be sent to earth and given a one world system, just as Sennacherib had, and just as that power went to Sennacherib's head, so also will Satan elevate himself to the position of God.

II Thessalonians 2:4 "Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God, shewing himself that he is God."

Satan knows that it is God that has sent him to earth, and he will also know that it was God that placed the supernatural powers within his fingertips. He will see that the entire world will be amazed at the supernatural thing that he can do, and that they will even believe his lies. Satan will acturally come to believe that he is God, and when he declares that as fact and the world believes him, this is what is called the "abomination of desolation" by Jesus in Matthew 24:15. 

Can you see how the historical events of the Old Testament are "ensamples" or examples of the things that we will face in this final generation?

Isaiah 37:11 "Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands by destroying them utterly; and shalt thou be delivered?"

Just as the Assyrian cup bearer had said to king Hezekiah that Assyria had completely destroyed all the nations of the earth, so also will Satan's fallen angels, and false preachers of today use this same message to bring you into Satan's camp. Notice how when Rabshakeh first gave the message to the men on the wall, it was acting on behalf of their God, however in due time, they lost sight of the fact as to who the real power came from, and invested the power within their own might and wisdom.

Are you going to let some men talk to you that way? If someone comes to you and tells you that their system, or leader is the only salvation that there is, are you going to believe him? When that person comes to you and makes such a statement, know that this person -- and their system's days are numbered. In the case of the Antichrist making his statement, God has told us of the exact number of days of his reign. It is five months, and the number of days following Satan's declaration of being God to be three and one half days [eighty four hours].

Revelation 9:10 "And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months."

The smiting of the two witness and Satan's declaring himself to be God is when Satan went against the powers and authority that God had given to him, in the role of Antichrist. When Satan killed the two witnesses, he left their bodies in the streets of Jerusalem for a witness to his power, and declared himself to be God.

Revelation 11:11 "And after three days and an half the spirit of life from God entered into them [the two witnesses], and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them."

Revelation 11:12 "And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, "Come up hither." and they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and there enemies beheld them."

Revelation 11:13 "And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven."

This is the end of Satan's reign and the end of this earth age of the flesh, for it ends the five month reign of Satan's world kingdom. You want to be careful who you listen to, and what you believe about what they say.

Isaiah 37:12 "Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed, as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were in Telassar?"

Rabshakeh continued to ask Hezekiah in his letter to him; did any of those nations that Assyria had conquered receive any help from their gods?

Isaiah 37:13 "Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arphad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah?"

Rabshakeh is even asking about the Kenite's king, the king of Hamath. Assyria had conquered them all, because God was setting up this kingdom of Assyria to use them against Judah, to bring them back to Him. Assyria was God's whip to bring the House of Judah into line, as well as scatter the "House of Israel" many years prior to this time of trouble with Judah.

Isaiah 37:14 "And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up unto the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord."

Hezekiah is finally getting his act together, and doing things the way that God would have it done. Again, it is important to understand that we should not wait until it becomes too late to do anything about it, but bring our troubles to God early. Learn to lean on the Lord and trust in His instruction in the matters of our daily life. When we bring our troubles to Him early in prayer, things won't get out of hand.

Our prayer and walk with the Lord will not keep the false messiah from coming to earth, but it will keep you from being deceived by him when he arrives. It doesn't matter how close you come to Satan when he is here on earth, for you can be right next to him, Satan can not harm you. Christ gave us the victory over Him and his entire system, and he knows that you are forbidden, to him. The only thing that can harm you, is your own ignorance, and your chosing to listen to him that the words of his fallen angels, and those that have chosen to follow him.

Remember that Satan's approach is the same as Sennacherib's approach to Hezekiah and the House of Judah. The promises that he comes with is peace and prosperity, if you will just turn your protection over to me. He will try to convert you to his religion, which is the worshipping of him.

Daniel 8:23 "And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up."

This is why we were told by both Jesus and Paul to put on our whole gospel armor in Ephesians 6:10-20, because we were about to go into a fierce spiritual battle when Satan arrives on this earth. We were told that "we do not war against the power of the arm, but against the power of dark sentences." Our spiritual fight is against the "king of fierce countenances", and that king is Satan in the role of Antichrist. The battle will be fought with words and ideas, and the battlefield will be the minds of people living on the earth.

Daniel 8:24 "And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy People."

"Destroy" as used here is in reference to your soul and spiritual being, and that destruction comes by the deception of the supernatural acts that Satan can do. This is why Jesus warned us in Matthew 24:4; "Take heed that no man shall deceive you", as He foretold of the events concerning the time just before His second coming, at the seventh trumpet. When Satan returns to earth even those church systems will run to follow him and worship him as the messiah.

Though Satan's power will be mighty, he gets his power through the craftiness of the one world governmental system. This one world system is part of God's plan for the ages for testing His children to see if they love Him enough to study His Word. This is not a new thing today, for even the youngest of this generation have been taught to give respect to this filthy system, with all it's attributes of ungodliness. It is however through that one world system and their international trade, banking, and commerce agreements that trade and crafts are prospering today. Today it is the hands of those that know not God that are getting the production work to be peddled to Christian nations. However as the Christian nations give over their respect to the beliefs of that system, worldly prosperity will return.

Satan is coming to rule over this one world system after the political head of this beast with its four hidden dynasties has fallen, and the religious order is set into place. It shall come to pass in the latter days, and we are living in the latter days. This final generation started May 1948 when the Jews returned to establish that tiny nation in Palestine. Most all religious leaders of today, and their church systems are part of this new order controlling all the religions of the world.

Daniel 8:25 "And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand."

The "policy" of any company, or organization is what sets the limits of operation of that body. Nothing is allowed to occur outside the policy. Satan's policy is to promise you whatever your price is to worship him. To most Christians living today, their price is so low and cheap it simply doesn't exist. Why? The Kenites, and their religious leaders will lead them right into Satan's camp. Their traditions and false doctrines will have taught them to do so with gladness. These religious leaders are bought, also with a price, it may be with a government wage, or a pension, or for some, even as low as to sell their soul out for a medical plan. Have you thought over what your price will be for the selling of your soul?

When you enter Satan's one world system, and if one bows to him as the messiah, whatever posperity you receive will end in just five months. That is the time that Satan will try to stand against the Prince of princes, the Lord Jesus Christ, for that is the time of the sounding of the seventh trumpet. Then shall Christ return, who is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. All the false peace, and evil that went to make up Satan's one world system, will be gone, destroyed in the wink of an eye.

Isaiah 37:15 "And Hezekiah prayed unto the Lord, saying,"

Finally Hezekiah is getting around to praying for himself.

Isaiah 37:16 "O Lord of Hosts, God of Israel, That dwellest between the cherubims, Thou art the God, even Thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: Thou hast made heaven and earth."

Hezekiah is getting some serious religion, and he is trying to say everything just right. It is interesting that Hezekiah is calling reference to the seat that dwellest between the cherubims, and Moses made a pattern of it. It was a type of what would come in the future to them, and it was the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ that would shed his blood on the cross, the mercy seat of God.

Isaiah 37:17 "Incline Thine ear, O Lord, and hear; open Thine eyes, O Lord, and see: and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent to reproach the living God."

Hezekiah has overlooked here that he has allow his people to become a reproach to God, but he is calling attention to Sennacherib's reproach to God. Here he is being very near-sighted when it comes to finding fault with another; yet he is so able to overlook the faults that he has within himself, sound familiar? Hezekiah is not examining himself to find his own short-comings, but is trying to draw attention away from himself. God does not like it when  we are unfaithful to Him.

Isaiah 37:18 "Of a truth, Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations, and their countries,"

Hezekiah is telling God the news of this letter from the king of Assyria, like it is some thing new to God. Hezekiah has no idea in the world that God warned them years before, that He was going to make Assyria to become this powerful one world nation? God did warn them that Assyria would become a servant to God. But Hezekiah is reminding God that the gods of those other nations could not prevent it from happening. In a way it seems like Hezekiah is starting to compare the true God, with the other idols, and things men bow down to which were made of by their own hands.

Isaiah 37:19 "And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them."

At least Hezekiah is starting to see how worthless all the other gods are. Hezekkiah is stating that it is the Assyrian that has destroyed both the nations and their heathen gods, made of wood and stone. He still hasn't caught on to the fact that Assyria was acting as a servant of God in doing those acts.

Isaiah 37:20 "Now therefore, O Lord our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the Lord even thou only."

Hezekiah is starting to understand how to get to our Heavenly Father's heart. He know's better than to ask, "do it for our sake", for the House of Judah had been doing exactly what those heathen nations that fell had been doing; worshipping idols, and many forms of idolatry and traditions that went against God's Word by the prophets. Hezekiah asked God to do it so that all the world will know that you are God.

Tthis is the same reason that God destroys His enemies in the battles of Armageddon and Hammon-gog, to end this world age of the flesh. It is to bring Glory to Himself.

Ezekiel 39:21 "And I will set My glory among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see My judgment that I have executed, and My hand that I have laid upon them."

Ezekiel 39:22 "So the house of Israel shall know that I am the Lord their God from that day and forward."

Ezekiel 39:23 "And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity: because they trespassed against Me, therefore hid I My face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies: so fell they all by the sword.

Then in Ezekial 39:25; "Therefore' thus saith the Lord God; `Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for My holy name;"

God allowed those ten tribes to be scattered; "because they trespassed against Me", God said. That is why the House of Israel fell to them, and why God would have allowed the House of Judah to fall, if Hezekiah had not come to his senses, and repented before God. The reason is to stress the fact that our Heavenly Father is God. It will not be until the Millennium age, the coming of our true Lord Jesus Christ that the whole House of Israel, the House of Israel and the House of Judah are finally joined together as one people.

Isaiah 37:21 "Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent unto Hezekiah, saying, "Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, `Whereas thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria:"

This is the Lord's answer to Hezekiah, in response to his prayer.

Isaiah 37:22 "This is the word which the Lord hath spoken concerning him; `The virgin, the daughter of Zion, hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee."

This is God's warning concerning Sennacherib, the king of Assyria. God is telling Hezekiah to tell this king of Assyria that the God of Jerusalem, the God of Zion has turned His back on you.

Isaiah 37:23 "Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on High? even against the Holy One of Israel."

This is what Hezekiah is to tell Sennacherib, word for word.

Isaiah 37:24 "By thy servants hast thou reproached the Lord, and hast said, `By the multitude of my chariots am I come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon; and I will cut down the tall cedars thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the height of his border, and the forest of his Carmel."

By your troops and warriors has God used those men to punish His own people, and you have gone overboard. God just did not like it when Sennacherib started to attribute all that Assyria had done to his own work and power. God just doesn't like it when you use the word "I", to attribute the work that God has done through you. It is God that does the work through the gifts that He has placed with you, and it is God who is to get all the credit. When you step forward to get the praise, God is going to cut you off where it hurts.

King Sennacherib knew at the beginning that the Assyrians were sucessful in their victories because the prophets of Israel's God. Isaiah had told them that they would be the servants of God, to do a work for God. However after the work was done, he forgot how it all come to pass and revealed in his own glory. God is telling Sennacherib that He is going to take over all those places that He gave to him in victory, and God is even going to take over his Carmel, his garden of pleasent places. This old boy is about to lose his kingdom, and his life.

It was real easy for the cup bearer Rabshakeh to stand there outside the gates of Jerusalem and spout out the victories that God had done for Sennacherib and the Assyrians. However after witnessing the power of his troops in battle, it is hard for this heathen to respect the power of God and take the credit for himself. He will degrade himself back to his lowest position and leave God out of it, and take the pride, that it was they that had the victory. God was giving the heathen along with His people, a lesson, but these Assyrian heathen were blinded to the lessons of God. At the time of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, all the heathen shall know that He is God.

Isaiah 37:25 "I have digged, and drunk water; and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of the besieged places."

This is God telling us as to what they are saying to themselves. As those nations fell, and the waters were being dried up for their victories to happen, it was God that was causing it to happen, yet they were thinking that it was because of their own might. They were doing it with the help of God.

Isaiah 37:26 "Hast thou not heard long ago, how I have done it; and of ancient times, that Ihave formed it? now have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest be to lay waste defenced cities into ruinous heaps."

God is now speaking to Sennacherib and the Assyrians. God is saying that He formed those rivers and mountains even from the first earth age, and it is He that can bring down the defences of cities into ruinous heaps. God is telling Sennacherib not to get a big head over what has happened, for it was I that caused it all to happen.

Isaiah 37:27 "Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded: they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb, as the grass of the housetops, and as corn blasted before it could be grown."

God is reminding Sennacherib that those small nations that you conquered did not have an army. God is saying that He made them as the grass of the field, to where you could just walk right over them. You didn't do any great battle, for I allowed them all to place their hope in their false gods, where there is no power. The analogy that God is giving to Sennacherib is that God made Sennacherib as the hot blast of the east wind, that caused the corn to blast in the field. God is the one that caused these nations not to mature into a real strength, but to die in the field before the harvest time.

God is telling Sennacherib that He was being used as this blast to bring down these people, because I already had it set up for My sake.  God is trying to show us that He will do this also in our life if you will let Him. He knows what problems are ahead of you that you can't see, and God is forewarning us of those things that will take place. When you are forewarned it is to be armed for the battle to come. God will cause things to take place exactly as it is written in His Word, and He can also cause your crops and business to be more successful, when you turn them over to Him. God can make things better for you, or He can bring great problems into your life. Don't wait for a calamity to enter your life to seek Him out, but enjoy the good life everyday.

Isaiah 37:28 "But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against Me."

God is telling Sennacherib that I know where you live, son; I know where you are going and when you are coming back. I even know what your very thoughts are when you set your rage against Me. Our Heavenly Father is in complete control.

Isaiah 37:29 "Because thy rage against Me, and thy tumult, is come up into Mine ears, therefore will I put My hook in thy nose, and My bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.' "

This should remind us immediately of the Scripture in Ezekiel 38, 39 concerning how God will do the same thing at the time of the end to the enemies of God. Then God will also put his hooks into "the chief prince", "Rosh" in the Hebrew, which in the vulgate is "Rush" and as a nation became know as "Russia", and drag him and his allies to a point where they will all be destroyed. It is not their people that shall all be destroyed, but their system that still exists and is against God. It is the same communistic system that is trying to inch into our govenment today. It is a system that brings about genocide for those that oppose it, they kill off the minds that are able to think and know the truth, and keep the dregs that are left.

Ezekiel 38:3 "And say, `Thus saith the Lord God; `Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:"

Ezekiel 38:4 "And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:"

So in Isaiah 37:29 God has spoken to the Assyrian king, and now He is going to speak directly to king Hezekiah.

Isaiah 37:30 "And this shall be a sign unto thee, `Ye shall eat this year such as groweth of itself; and the second year that which springeth of the same: and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruit thereof."

A sign is something that is given ahead of time to give a warning of trouble ahead. God is the same in all ages and at all times, and this sign is given to us as much as it is for Hezekiah. In the first two years you will reap what is known as a volunteer crop, in agriculture.

So what is the sign that is given here? We know what the type of this indicates, for it is the hour of the Assyrian and when we were told back in Isaiah 14 we were told that it was the type of the Antichrist. What is important here is the number of years that were involved, and what we were to be doing in those years. The famine that would be coming in the end times, Amos tells us that is was not for bread to eat nor water to drink.

Amos 8:11 "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord:"

We are talking about the three and one half years that Antichrist would be on earth, ruling over His kingdom. It was the time of the sowing, the maturing of the crop and the harvest of that crop. It was the full time until the full birth of the new age could actually come forth. We know from Revelation 9:5, 10 that this period has been shordened to a five month period of time for the elect's sake. Jesus spoke of this time in Matthew 24:21, 22.

Matthew 24:21 "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be."

Matthew 34:22 "And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened."

We make such an issue of this matter because God has told us that this period is a sign to us, that we had better become sealed in our minds of this period ahead of time. In that it is a sign, we should be aware of this time as a type and what shall happen during this period. God is in control at this time, and He will take care of those that took the time to understand the signs in advance of the trouble. God will continue to provide for you as long as you use common sense which is given in His Word. Every detail of what is written concerning these days in His Word shall come to pass exactly as it is written.

Remember from Isaiah 10, God fore-warned the House of Judah that the Assyrian would come against them if they did not come back to Him.

Isaiah 10:5 "O, Assyrian! the rod of Mine anger, and the staff in their hand is Mine indignation,"

Isaiah 10:6 "I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the People of My wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets."

This was over fourteen years before the fact of the coming of the Assyrian, to prepare themselves for the coming, and to allow themselves to change the heathen ways, and go to God to intercede on their behalf. But No, they kept doing what they were doing until all the kingdom had fallen, and the enemy was at the gates of Jerusalem, their capital. When there was no one else to turn to, and Sennacherib's army had them on the wall, these religious leaders were still trying to cover up the truth with their lies; and as Rabshakeh said back in Isaiah 36:12:

Isaiah 36:12 "But Rabshakeh said, "Hath my master sent me to thy master and to thee to speak these words? Hath he not sent me to the men that sit upon the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?"

The people were finished, and they knew it, yet they kept listening to these leaders that gave them a false hope. It was at the very end, that final day of their lives that they turned to God's prophet and listened to what he had to say. They waited until there was tragedy in their family, and then the ran to God and cried out, "O God help me!"

What do you think God thinks of a spoiled child like that? Do you think that they deserve His help, when the only time they turn to Him is when there is tragedy in their lives? Our Heavenly Father looked over them in this case and instead of punishing them, he told them how to survive this time.

The point to this verse is don't wait until after you have passed the signs, and are moving upon that dangerous place to seek His help. Pay attention to all the signs, to every part of His Word, for they will all help you through that troubled time when the Antichrist is coming to bring his evil upon the earth. Just as Sennacherib and his army came upon the walls of Jerusalem, so also will Satan come upon this earth with his army of fallen angels, only if you wait until that time to pay attention to the signs of the times, it will be too late. On that date God will allow you to be turned over to Satan if you do not have the seal, or knowledge of these signs in your mind [forehead] in advance.

Revelation 9:4 "And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, either any tree but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads."

Satan and his fallen angels are not coming to earth to harm any animal, plant or part of nature. They are coming to do battle spiritually with all the people on the face of this earth. The seal of God is knowing what are the signs and warnings of His coming so that we will be warned in advance and prepare for that time. Our minds are "in our foreheads", and God is going to turn over to Satan all those that do not have that seal in their minds. If you are looking to rapture out of here, you have already taken the name and number of the Antichrist, for there is no rapture, 666 and those that teach it are taking away the seal from your mind. You will be like those sitting on the wall in Hezekiah's day that were about to eat their own dung and drink their own piss, because those religious leaders would rather the truth be kept from you, and have you go down with them. Wake up brother and sister, the time is coming real soon.

You can know what the future brings, by reading it in our Father's Word. Ask Him for the help to understand all of it. God not only changes other people's minds, but he can change your mind by enlarging its understanding a bit. Remember three and one half years is a sign from the Lord to us living in the time of the end.

Isaiah 37:31 "And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward:"

"The remnant" is the "elect" of our generation. In that day there will be some action by the elect of God, are you prepared to be a part of that action?

Isaiah 37:32 "For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: The zeal of the Lord of hosts shall do this.' "

"Zeal" is what drives a person to do what he or she does. It is caused by the emotions of that person, and on that day when the remnant or elect of God make their stand, the Holy Spirit of God will be there, to place His words in their mouth. It will be God speaking through them by the Holy Spirit, with a willing elect making the stand at the time.

Mark 13:11 "But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought before-hand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not he that speak, but the Holy Ghost [Spirit]."

The Zeal of the Living God will cause all the signs of the end times to come to pass exactly as it is written. Spiritually speaking, most people, even most Christians are starving to death today. There are so few teachers qualified to teach God's Word today, that the people are starving from the lack of spiritual instruction for the times coming upon us. It seems today the most of those charged with teaching the Word of God could care less of the signs that God has given that apply to us.

I love the zeal of my Heavenly Father, and he brings to pass every last event that is written in His Word, for it shows me that God does have complete control of all men and events, even those that deal with the devil himself. Don't be deceived but pay attention to all the signs and know the times that you are living in. The only way to safety is through the blood of Jesus Christ unto salvation, through repentance, and then to follow all the signs that He has given in His Word.

When someone asks you; "Are you saved?" you had better know that there are two messiahs, and that only one is genuine, and that the other one comes as an imposter. You had better know the one that you are saved by, and you had better be waiting patiently for Him. He (Christ our Lord and savior) is the last and genuine one. When a pet is claimed by two different people, the pet knows which one is his true owner. The pet has been taught to by his owner to love and give obedience to him only. If you are taught to love and respect the first messiah that comes, and that this imposter supposedly cares for you, and plans to fly you out of here when the trouble comes; THEN when this supernatural false savior shows up to claim you and fly you out of here, you will gladly run to him upon his arrival in error.

The instant you run to this false christ, you will have chosen your messiah, and the salvation by faith in Jesus Christ is not offered to you any more. Many eyes are closed to the truth in this generation, but our Father controls the amount of their visibility for their own protection.

Editor's Note: I once met a pro-claiming Christian who insisted that when you accept Christ (as they say in church; come to know Jesus) as your personal savior (go forth during an alter call) you are sealed onto salvation and can't loose it thereafter. I say this is true, God will not take salvation away from you, if you truly love Him and obey His commandments; But, if you don't love Him enough to get into His Word, to learn to tell the difference between 'WHAT IS HOLY" and "WHAT IS PROFANE" you will worship Satan when he arrives here on earth first, claiming he is God! THEN YOU ARE THE ONE WHO HAS BROKEN THAT SEAL!

Isaiah 37:33 "Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the king of Assyria, "He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shields, nor cast a bank against it."

God had used king Sennacherib as his servant, only this servant had over-stepped his bounds. God is telling Hezekiah that He will prevent Sennacherib's army from even shooting an arrow into the city, or even building a bank to march over the wall. This is how it was done when a place was too hard to take.

Isaiah 37:34 "By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city," saith the Lord."

Hezekiah has already poured out his heart to the Lord, and in that this city of Jerusalem is God favorite spot on earth, God will protect the city from harm. We can see God's emotions for this place and for His people, once they have turned back to Him.

Isaiah 37:35 "For I will defend this city to save it for Mine own sake, and for My servant David's sake."

God is telling Hezekiah that the reason that He is going to save the city of Jerusalem is not for their sake, for they simply don't deserve it, but for the sake of His own name and His servant David. Remember that it would be out of the roots of Jesse, that would come David, and would also come the true Messiah, Jesus Christ. This is the place where Jesus would be crucified by the Kenite Jews, and raise from the dead after the third day. It is also from Jerusalem that Christ would ascend back into heaven after the resurrection, to be our advocate at the right hand of the Father. It was also from Jerusalem that on the day of Pentecost, the hundred and twenty believers that waited, were filled with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and went forth to tell the good news of the salvation of Jesus Christ.

What God did for these people of Jerusalem, He did because of the zeal that was within Him to keep His Word. Not for those rebellious souls that have sunk to heathen worship, in their idolatry. They deserved worse, only God chose to save them. Our God is a jealous God.

Isaiah 37:36 "Then the angel of the Lord went forth, and smote the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses."

My fellow Christian, while Hezekiah is on his knees in the temple before God, outside the gates of Jerusalem the angel of the Lord swept down on that Assyrian camp that night and killed one hundred and eighty five thousand men [185.000] men. When the rest of the army saw those dead corpses laying around the camp, they were all ready to pack up, and get out of there. Our Heavenly Father can handle any situation that can arise, and with these dead corpses in sight I'm sure it didn't take long to break camp. The sure victory in the minds of the Assyrians from the night before, was just a dream and God would see that it would never come true.

Isaiah 37:37 "So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh."

Jonah went to this same city of Nineveh some ninety years earlier to preach the salvation of God and save the city. Though Jonah knew the prophecy concerning Nineveh, and the Assyrians, concerning the house of Israel, he tried every way possible to not go to Nineveh, but in the end, God spared the city. When Jonah was caughed up by the great fish in the sight of the Assyrians, they believed Jonah was sent from their fish god, dagon, and believed everything that Jonah said. It was these same people that conquered the House of Israel, the ten tribes to the north, plus all of the two tribes of the House of Judah to the south who lived outside of the walled city of Jerusalem, and scattered them from their home land. This House of Israel and those taken from the House of Judah were taken to a place in northern Iraq where they migrated through the Caucasus mountains, to settle throughout Western Europe, and later on to the Americas, and today these people are known as "Caucasians" after the event of their migrations.

Isaiah 37:38 "And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Armenia: and Esar-haddon his son reigned in his stead."

This god "Nisroch" is the great eagle, and in the book of Obediah there is another great eagle which is a symbol of God's conquering force in the end times. However this god Nisroch was only of type of the one that wanted to be the great eagle.

Sennacherib's own sons smote him with the sword and then these two sons fled into the area of Armenia, and in the Hebrew text the place is "Ararat". Sennacherib's other son Esar-haddon took Sennacherib's throne to rule. This verse is recorded also in II Kings 19:36, 37.

II Kings 19:36-37 "So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh. And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword: and they escaped into the land of Armenia. And Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead."

There is a record of Sennabcherib's "will", or "deed of gift" And it is recorded on a cylinder and stored in the British museum. That "will" states that Sennacherib gives all to Esarhaddon. This "will" probably led to the fight recorded there between him and his two brothers, which caused Sennacherib's murder.

Remember that God spoke exactly what was to happen through Isaiah in verse seven, and what happened was the fulfillment of that prophecy. This should be a witness to each of us that what God has spoken of our generation, and the things that will come to pass shall also be fulfilled. We are living in a very exciting time to live, for when you come to know the events of the end times, we also can see each of them being fulfilled before our eyes.

Just as Jerusalem was saved here at the death of Sennacherib, the Jerusalem of God's holy city will be saved on that first day of the Millennium age. The temple will be built and the throne of God shall be established there. The true Son of God shall return and rule from that Jerusalem. This then is the close of the prophecies concerning the Assyrians. The next chapter takes a look at the type of person that Hezekiah becomes, with a closer look at his inner-self.

To study the Bible is the noblest of all pursuits; to understand it, the highest of all goals.  We pray that with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you accomplish both.

The American Wisdom Series

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Here at the American Wisdom Series our goal is to make you think about and question the wisdom of the current:
doctrine of many of our Christian churches, (The Man on a White Horse)
political direction of our country, (The Man on a Red Horse)
economic direction our country has taken, (The Man on a Black Horse)
 and teaching of our schools and media, (The Man on a Pale Horse)

The Four Hidden Dynasties of the New World Order Revelation 6:1-8