Isaiah 39:1-8 Click here for the reading
Nothing. That is what will be left. Nothing.
There is a good kind of nothing (which King Hezekiah alludes to) like when Paul asks us what can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus? Nothing. THAT is a good kind of nothing.
THIS? This is far different. Isaiah foretells of the great exile that will happen. The first 38 chapters of Isaiah have told of the other exiles that have happened in the Northern Kingdoms of Israel and of the Assyrian pressure that is happening upon Judah. And now the king has allowed this envoy to see everything in his kingdom. There is transparency and then there is espionage.
As wise and as strong in faith as Hezekiah is, the Lord is speaking. And the Lord has told that NOTHING will be left. Babylon will be the one who produces the end of this kingdom. The Babylonian exile (597 BCE-538BCE) will effectively end the kingdom of Judah and Jerusalem its capital. The deportations of Jews would be massive but not the entire kingdom is deported....only its prominent citizens (tradesmen, wealthy, priests, professionals etc.).
These Jewish exiles will be relocated to Babylon and take up residence in that city. they will now be residence and strangers in a foreign land.
The Exile produced the truth of God's promise through the mouth of Isaiah. NOTHING will remain.
Is this bad news? Or Good news?
If you had to start over in proclaiming your faith, heritage, culture, identity.....where would you start? What would be the most important thing?
There is a good kind of nothing (which King Hezekiah alludes to) like when Paul asks us what can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus? Nothing. THAT is a good kind of nothing.
THIS? This is far different. Isaiah foretells of the great exile that will happen. The first 38 chapters of Isaiah have told of the other exiles that have happened in the Northern Kingdoms of Israel and of the Assyrian pressure that is happening upon Judah. And now the king has allowed this envoy to see everything in his kingdom. There is transparency and then there is espionage.
As wise and as strong in faith as Hezekiah is, the Lord is speaking. And the Lord has told that NOTHING will be left. Babylon will be the one who produces the end of this kingdom. The Babylonian exile (597 BCE-538BCE) will effectively end the kingdom of Judah and Jerusalem its capital. The deportations of Jews would be massive but not the entire kingdom is deported....only its prominent citizens (tradesmen, wealthy, priests, professionals etc.).
These Jewish exiles will be relocated to Babylon and take up residence in that city. they will now be residence and strangers in a foreign land.
The Exile produced the truth of God's promise through the mouth of Isaiah. NOTHING will remain.
Is this bad news? Or Good news?
If you had to start over in proclaiming your faith, heritage, culture, identity.....where would you start? What would be the most important thing?
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