Isaiah 40:18-31, Another Mixed Bag

Isaiah 36:7. Hezekiah’s reputation as a “purist” in worship had spread outside Judah.  The official of the Assyrian king referred to the fact that Hezekiah had destroyed the high places, requiring worship only at Jerusalem.  How do you suppose the official knew about this?  I suppose some disgruntled citizen of Judea had complained about it and, as part of his verbal arsenal, meant to discourage the people from defending Jerusalem against the Assyrians.  The official picked up on the story hoping to divide the people and weaken Hezekiah.  In Assyria you were permitted to worship many gods, as long as you had the right ones at the top.  And you could worship at any number of temples.

There is an abundance of evidence that Hezekiah did, in fact, do this.  We have seen both at Tel Arad and Tel Beersheba references to the destruction of high places that date to Hezekiah’s time.  Hezekiah did this because this is what God intended, as Deut. 12 indicates.  God promised, at some point, to designate a specific place where He would place His name.  That would be, from that point on, the only place to worship. 

What there is no evidence of is that the priestly bunch in Hezekiah’s time put in writing the things recorded in Deuteronomy.  That is a supposition many have made, that Deuteronomy was not written or dictated by Moses in his own time.  Instead, they claim it was part of a campaign by the priests to eliminate all worship outside the temple.  As I said, there is no evidence for this.

So what you have is double criticism against Hezekiah.  First, the Assyrian king assumed this was unnecessary use of dictatorial powers by Hezekiah, forcing people to worship one place and one way.  Second, many current historians criticize Hezekiah for destroying the high places, saying he was in league with the religious leadership.  What does the Bible say?  It says, of course, that Hezekiah was a great and honorable king.  It says this in 2 Chronicles (the history written by a priest), 2 Kings (the official record of the kings of Israel and Judah), and also in Isaiah, the great prophet in Hezekiah’s day. 

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Isaiah 40 is a magnificent and powerful description of the God of Israel.  It is worth memorization.  In reading Zechariah, his prophecy syncs with Isa. 40.

·       Zechariah interweaves the 1^st advent with the 2^nd.  In Ch. 9-11, he prophesies the triumphal entry and betrayal, and says “the LORD of hosts shall come” (10:4).  So Isaiah begins with comfort for Israel (v1-2), speaks of the ministry of John the Baptist (v3-5), and then reminds the cities of Judah that are being decimated by the Assyrian army that God will keep His word … the Messiah is coming (v10-11).  God knows what He is doing (v12-14 >>> Rom. 11:34).

·       Zechariah 12:1 speaks of God the creator who stretches out the heavens (Isa. 40:21-23).  He is the Creator (Isa. 40:25-26,27-28)!

In our studies of the “Names of God” we noted that one important distinction between the God of Israel and all other “gods” is that He is the Creator of all things.  Like the Hubble telescope, the new “James Webb Space Telescope” (JWST) is stretching our understanding of “creation.”  What we cannot let it do is lead us to think that this is too much for anyone to create.  Instead, it must increase our concept of the Creator.  We must see Him as greater and greater.  Let me post a picture that is “awesome” (a term I believe should only be used of God and His works) and interesting, in that it is called “the pillars of creation,” so-called by many who would deny creation by a personal Creator.  Hubble photo on the left and JWST on the right.