One day, while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer put him to the sword and escaped to the land of Ararat. And his son Esar-haddon reigned in his place. One dayThis phrase sets the scene for a specific, divinely appointed moment in time. In the Hebrew context, "one day" often signifies a pivotal event orchestrated by God. It reminds us of the sovereignty of God over the affairs of men, where significant changes can occur in a single day, reflecting the suddenness of divine intervention. while he was worshiping
The act of worship here is significant, as it highlights the religious practices of the Assyrian king. Worship, in the ancient Near Eastern context, was a central part of life, often involving rituals and sacrifices. This moment of worship becomes the setting for divine justice, illustrating that no place is beyond God's reach. in the temple of his god Nisroch
Nisroch is believed to be an Assyrian deity, though little is known about this god from historical records. The mention of a specific temple underscores the idolatrous practices of the Assyrians, contrasting with the worship of Yahweh, the one true God. This setting emphasizes the futility of idol worship and the ultimate triumph of God's will over false gods. his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer
The names of these sons are significant. Adrammelech means "Majestic King," and Sharezer means "Prince of Fire." Their actions fulfill a prophecy and demonstrate the internal strife and moral decay within the Assyrian royal family. This fratricide reflects the instability and treachery that often accompany godless leadership. struck him down with the sword
The use of the sword as the instrument of assassination is symbolic of violence and judgment. In biblical terms, the sword often represents divine retribution. This act of violence within the temple of a false god underscores the theme of divine justice being meted out, even through human actions. and escaped to the land of Ararat
Ararat, known today as part of modern Turkey, is historically significant as the resting place of Noah's Ark. The escape to Ararat symbolizes a retreat to a place of refuge and new beginnings, yet it also highlights the consequences of sin and betrayal, as the sons flee from the scene of their crime. And his son Esarhaddon reigned in his place
Esarhaddon's ascension to the throne marks a new chapter in Assyrian history. His reign is noted for rebuilding and consolidating the empire. This transition of power, despite the violent circumstances, reflects God's overarching plan and the continuation of His purposes through the rise and fall of earthly kingdoms. Persons / Places / Events 1. SennacheribThe Assyrian king who invaded Judah and besieged Jerusalem. His downfall is a significant event in the account of God's deliverance of His people. 2. Adrammelech and SharezerSons of Sennacherib who assassinated their father. Their actions fulfilled the prophecy of Sennacherib's demise. 3. NisrochThe Assyrian god in whose temple Sennacherib was worshiping when he was killed. This highlights the futility of false gods. 4. AraratThe region to which Adrammelech and Sharezer fled after assassinating their father. It is historically associated with the mountains where Noah's Ark came to rest. 5. EsarhaddonAnother son of Sennacherib who succeeded him as king. His reign marked a continuation of Assyrian power, albeit under divine sovereignty. Teaching Points God's Sovereignty Over NationsThe assassination of Sennacherib demonstrates God's ultimate control over the rise and fall of leaders and nations. Believers can trust in God's sovereignty in world affairs today. The Futility of IdolatrySennacherib's death in the temple of Nisroch underscores the impotence of false gods. Christians are reminded to place their trust solely in the living God. Fulfillment of ProphecyThe events fulfill Isaiah's prophecies, reinforcing the reliability of God's word. Believers are encouraged to study and trust the Scriptures. Consequences of PrideSennacherib's pride led to his downfall, serving as a warning against arrogance. Humility before God is essential for believers. God's Protection and JusticeThe deliverance of Jerusalem from Assyria illustrates God's protection over His people and His justice against oppressors. Christians can find comfort in God's protective care. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the assassination of Sennacherib illustrate the theme of divine justice in the Bible? 2. In what ways does the account of Sennacherib's downfall encourage believers to trust in God's sovereignty over current world events? 3. How can the futility of idolatry, as seen in Sennacherib's worship of Nisroch, be applied to modern-day "idols" in our lives? 4. What lessons can we learn from the fulfillment of prophecy in Isaiah 37:38 about the reliability of God's word? 5. How does the account of Sennacherib's demise challenge us to examine areas of pride in our own lives and seek humility before God? Connections to Other Scriptures 2 Kings 19:37This parallel account provides additional context to the assassination of Sennacherib, emphasizing the fulfillment of God's word. Isaiah 10:12-19These verses prophesy the downfall of Assyria, illustrating God's control over nations and His judgment against pride. Genesis 8:4The mention of Ararat connects back to the account of Noah, symbolizing a place of refuge and new beginnings. People Adrammelech, Amoz, Assyrians, David, Eliakim, Esarhaddon, Haran, Hezekiah, Isaiah, Rabshakeh, Sennacherib, Sharezer, Shebna, TirhakahPlaces Ararat, Arpad, Assyria, Cush, Egypt, Gozan, Hamath, Haran, Hena, Ivvah, Jerusalem, Lachish, Lebanon, Libnah, Mount Zion, Nineveh, Rezeph, Sepharvaim, Telassar, Tigris-Euphrates Region, ZionTopics Adrammelech, Adram'melech, Ararat, Ar'arat, Armenia, Bowing, Cut, Death, Esar, Esarhaddon, Esar-haddon, E'sar-had'don, Escaped, Flight, Haddon, Killed, Nisroch, Pass, Reigned, Reigneth, Sarezer, Sharezer, Share'zer, Slew, Smitten, Smote, Sons, Stead, Struck, Succeeded, Sword, Temple, Worshiping, WorshippingDictionary of Bible Themes Isaiah 37:38 8142 religion
8769 idolatry, in OT Isaiah 37:21-38 5800 blasphemy Library Where to Carry Troubles
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.'--ISAIAH xxxvii. 14. When Hezekiah heard the threatenings of Sennacherib's servants, he rent his clothes and went into the house of the Lord, and sent to Isaiah entreating his prayers. When he received the menacing letter, his faith was greater, having been heartened by Isaiah's assurances. So he then himself appealed to Jehovah, spreading …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureThe Triumph of Faith
'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. 15. And Hezekiah prayed unto the Lord, saying, 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. 17. Incline Thine ear, O Lord, and hear; open Thine eyes, O Lord, and see: and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture The First Trumpet.
The first trumpet of the seventh seal begins from the final disturbance and overthrow of the Roman idolarchy at the close of the sixth seal; and as it was to bring the first plague on the empire, now beginning to fall, it lays waste the third part of the earth, with a horrible storm of hail mingled with fire and blood; that is, it depopulates the territory and people of the Roman world, (viz. the basis and ground of its universal polity) with a terrible and bloody irruption of the northern nations, …
Joseph Mede—A Key to the Apocalypse The Power of Assyria at Its Zenith; Esarhaddon and Assur-Bani-Pal
The Medes and Cimmerians: Lydia--The conquest of Egypt, of Arabia, and of Elam. As we have already seen, Sennacherib reigned for eight years after his triumph; eight years of tranquillity at home, and of peace with all his neighbours abroad. If we examine the contemporary monuments or the documents of a later period, and attempt to glean from them some details concerning the close of his career, we find that there is a complete absence of any record of national movement on the part of either Elam, …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 8 The Golden Eagle is Cut to Pieces. Herod's Barbarity when He was Ready to Die. He Attempts to Kill Himself. He Commands Antipater to be Slain.
1. Now Herod's distemper became more and more severe to him, and this because these his disorders fell upon him in his old age, and when he was in a melancholy condition; for he was already seventy years of age, and had been brought by the calamities that happened to him about his children, whereby he had no pleasure in life, even when he was in health; the grief also that Antipater was still alive aggravated his disease, whom he resolved to put to death now not at random, but as soon as he should …
Flavius Josephus—The Wars of the Jews or History of the Destruction of Jerusalem Christ Rightly and Properly Said to have Merited Grace and Salvation for Us.
1. Christ not only the minister, but also the author and prince of salvation. Divine grace not obscured by this mode of expression. The merit of Christ not opposed to the mercy of God, but depends upon it. 2. The compatibility of the two proved by various passages of Scripture. 3. Christ by his obedience truly merited divine grace for us. 4. This grace obtained by the shedding of Christ's blood, and his obedience even unto death. 5. In this way he paid our ransom. 6. The presumptuous manner in which …
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion The Harbinger
The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD , make straight in the desert a high-way for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain. And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. T he general style of the prophecies is poetical. The inimitable simplicity which characterizes every …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1 A Discourse of the House and Forest of Lebanon
OF THE HOUSE OF THE FOREST OF LEBANON. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. That part of Palestine in which the celebrated mountains of Lebanon are situated, is the border country adjoining Syria, having Sidon for its seaport, and Land, nearly adjoining the city of Damascus, on the north. This metropolitan city of Syria, and capital of the kingdom of Damascus, was strongly fortified; and during the border conflicts it served as a cover to the Assyrian army. Bunyan, with great reason, supposes that, to keep …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 The Holy City; Or, the New Jerusalem:
WHEREIN ITS GOODLY LIGHT, WALLS, GATES, ANGELS, AND THE MANNER OF THEIR STANDING, ARE EXPOUNDED: ALSO HER LENGTH AND BREADTH, TOGETHER WITH THE GOLDEN MEASURING-REED EXPLAINED: AND THE GLORY OF ALL UNFOLDED. AS ALSO THE NUMEROUSNESS OF ITS INHABITANTS; AND WHAT THE TREE AND WATER OF LIFE ARE, BY WHICH THEY ARE SUSTAINED. 'Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God.'-Psalm 87:3 'And the name of the city from that day shall be, THE LORD IS THERE.'-Ezekiel 48:35 London: Printed in the year 1665 …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 The Prophet Amos.
GENERAL PRELIMINARY REMARKS. It will not be necessary to extend our preliminary remarks on the prophet Amos, since on the main point--viz., the circumstances under which he appeared as a prophet--the introduction to the prophecies of Hosea may be regarded as having been written for those of Amos also. For, according to the inscription, they belong to the same period at which Hosea's prophetic ministry began, viz., the latter part of the reign of Jeroboam II., and after Uzziah had ascended the …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament Concerning the Lord's Supper
There are two passages which treat in the clearest manner of this subject, and at which we shall look,--the statements in the Gospels respecting the Lord's Supper, and the words of Paul. (1 Cor. xi.) Matthew, Mark, and Luke agree that Christ gave the whole sacrament to all His disciples; and that Paul taught both parts of it is so certain, that no one has yet been shameless enough to assert the contrary. Add to this, that according to the relation of Matthew, Christ did not say concerning the bread, …
Martin Luther—First Principles of the Reformation Divine Support and Protection
[What shall we say then to these things?] If God be for us, who can be against us? T he passions of joy or grief, of admiration or gratitude, are moderate when we are able to find words which fully describe their emotions. When they rise very high, language is too faint to express them; and the person is either lost in silence, or feels something which, after his most laboured efforts, is too big for utterance. We may often observe the Apostle Paul under this difficulty, when attempting to excite …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2 Isaiah
CHAPTERS I-XXXIX Isaiah is the most regal of the prophets. His words and thoughts are those of a man whose eyes had seen the King, vi. 5. The times in which he lived were big with political problems, which he met as a statesman who saw the large meaning of events, and as a prophet who read a divine purpose in history. Unlike his younger contemporary Micah, he was, in all probability, an aristocrat; and during his long ministry (740-701 B.C., possibly, but not probably later) he bore testimony, as …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Isaiah 37:38 NIVIsaiah 37:38 NLTIsaiah 37:38 ESVIsaiah 37:38 NASBIsaiah 37:38 KJV
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