Day 49: Isaiah 28-40

Isaiah (and most of the prophets) is a very depressing book. Israel won't stop sinning, so God continues to punish and punish and punish them.

Even when Israel/Judah does something right, they end up screwing it up and taking the glory for themselves.

Chapters 28-35 are prophecies and then (for the first time since Job) Isaiah 36 starts with a narrative.

Don't get me wrong. Poetry is much "faster" to read (only because it's not in paragraphs which makes it less words per page). But, narrative has a flow to it. And I like flow.

So, King Hezekiah (one of the few good kings after Solomon) and Judah are being attacked by the Assyrian empire.

Assyria is just wiping out everybody... kind of like Israel back in Joshua/David/Solomon's reigns. Nobody can stand up against Assyria or their king, Sennacherib. (I just wanted to use his name because its long)

Assyria walks up to Jerusalem and gets ready to attack them. Everyone in Jerusalem and all of Judah are scared.

Everyone except Isaiah and Hezekiah. For once (or so it seems), they choose to trust God. And possibly the biggest Godly massacre in the Bible happens.

185,000 Assyrians die in their sleep from the angel of God. God once again delivers His people.

This passage is a clear "Prodigal Son" story. His people run away from Him. His people don't trust Him. The natural punishment of sin comes to their doorstep, and they turn to God and He saves them.

And we see this over and over and over again in the Bible. God is there waiting for me to return to Him. God is waiting for you to return to Him.

And I think where most of us get this wrong is that God is not somewhere else waiting. He is right behind us begging us to turn around.

He is putting stop signs in front of us. He is throwing guard rails in front of us. He has His lights flashing. He is honking His horn trying to get our attention.

But we keep walking the other way. Eventually (hopefully), we repent. We turn around. We look back at God.

We change our direction.

I think the one part of the Prodigal Son parable that we get wrong is that we think the Son has to "get back home."

We have all heard the phrase "God helps those who help themselves." This is the idea that we have to take the first step towards God.

But this is COMPLETELY WRONG!!!

God helps those who ask for it. And God sometimes helps those who don't.

The most accurate picture is that we are falling in a pit and God is holding out His hand waiting for you to grab it. You grab His hand and He is there.

All Hezekiah had to do was trust God's promises and God protected Judah. All I have to do is grab His hand and He is with me.