THE TWO KINGS

The Revelation

The greater our appreciation and apprehension of the majestic God whom we say we worship, the greater will be our reverence, adoration, and service. This is the effect that we find in the biblical records whenever people received fuller revelations of the God of glory. One primary example of this is in the account of the calling of Isaiah, which tells how the prophet saw a vision of the glorious, holy Lord that transformed him into a devout and dedicated servant. Isaiah saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. (Isa. 6:1b–4)

Isaiah 36:1 THE TWO KINGS - This chapter is recognized as a Hebrew poem of rare and superb beauty, one of the most glorious chapters in the Bible. It is a picture of the last-days church rising up out of the wilderness to shine in all the radiance of its glory. It is a picture of Eden restored as the kingdom-realm of God brings hope to the weak and struggling. “The Sacred Way” is the way of life in Christ as we live in heaven’s power and virtue.

This would be approximately 701 BC. Hezekiah means “strengthened of Yah, captured by Yah, Yah has made firm, power of Yah.” The prophets who lived during his reign included Isaiah, Micah, and Nahum. He ascended Judah’s throne at the age of twenty-five and reigned a total of twenty-nine years. He was considered to be a godly king and released the greatest period of restoration in Israel’s history. He repaired the doors of the temple, cleansed it, and made atonement for the altar. He consecrated the priesthood, ordered the observance of the Feast of Passover, and removed idolatry from the land. He supported the priesthood through tithes and offerings, and the nation prospered. He was buried with great honor in the sepul-chers of the sons of David. See 2 Kings 18-20; 2 Chron. 29–32.

Isaiah 36:1 Sennacherib means “the thorn laid waste.”

Isaiah 36:2-3. Schrader (p199) remarks on Rabshakeh that there occurs no mention on the monuments of the chief cup-bearer, as a high dignitary and officer of state. But rab-sak is mentioned. That however is not the chief cup-bearer. For sak means chief, captain, collective chiefs. Therefore rab-sak is the chief of the captains (comp. rab sarisim, rab tabbachim), perhaps the chief of the general’s staff. Then the form רַבְשָׁקֵה is a Hebraizing occasioned by accordance of sound with מִשְׁקֶה, Genesis 40:1 sqq. Chald. מַשְׁקֵי or שָׁקֵי which means pincerna, pocillator. The names Tartan and Rabsaris 2 Kings 18:17 are omitted here. Lacish, whence this detachment of troops came, is the modern Umm-Lâkhis, in the S. W, of Judea near the border of Philistia, on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza. This was the extreme southern point to which Sennacherib penetrated at that time. On the approach of the Egyptian army he retired to Altaku (Eltekeh) that lay N. E. of Lacish. There is a bas-relief (Schrader, p170) with the inscription: “Sennacherib, the king of the nations, the king of the land of Assyria, sits on an exalted throne and receives the spoil of the city Lacish.”

And he stood,etc. The locality is described by exactly the same words that Isaiah 7:3 describe the place where Isaiah was to meet Ahaz. That now the Assyrians stand in such threatening attitude by the conduit of the upper pool is the fruit of Ahaz having so insolently rejected the promise given him at that time, and in the same place, and having preferred to call Assyria to his aid. We do not err, therefore, in understanding by this literal agreement of the naming of the place in both passages, that an intimation of the divine nemesis is intended. On Eliakim the chamberlain and Shebna the scribe see Isaiah 22:15; Isaiah 22:20 sqq. The סֹפֵר “scribe” appears as a state officer first under David, 2 Samuel 8:17, where he is distinguished from several other officers. He was the king’s secretary, who wrote all that the king’s service demanded. Thus his office would lead him to meddle with every branch of government, and we find him expressly mentioned in matters of finance ( 2 Kings 22:3 sqq.), and of war ( 2 Kings 25:19; Jeremiah 52:25). The מַזְכִּיר (LXX. ὑπομνηματογράφος, ἐπὶ τῶν ὑπομνημάτων, Vulg,a commentariis), is certainly not the monitor (Thenius), but the one that was charged with recording the res gestas of the king, and of the kingdom, and preserving them for posterity (comp. 2 Samuel 8:16; 2 Samuel 20:24; 2 Kings 4:3; 2 Chronicles 34:8). As is well-known, national archives are found not only among civilized but also among uncivilized people. Of Joah, Asaph’s Song of Solomon, nothing more is known. Both the names are Levitical, comp. 1 Chronicles 6:6; 1 Chronicles 29:12; 1 Chronicles 26:4. In 2 Chronicles 34:8 is mentioned a Joah son of Joahaz, who was recorder to king Josiah.

Isaiah 36:2 Or “Rabshakeh,” a possible title of a military official.

Isaiah 36:2 Or “Fuller’s Field,” where cloth was washed and bleached. In Mark 9:3, the Greek text uses the phrase “whiter than any fuller can make them.” See also Isa. 7:3; Mal. 3:1-3.

Isaiah 36:2 This was possibly Hezekiah’s “tunnel.”

Isaiah 36:19 This is modern Hama, a city of west central Syria.

Isaiah 36:19 Or “Arpad,” an ancient city of northwestern Syria.

Parable of the Growing Seed

26 Jesus also told them this parable: “God’s kingdom realm is like someone spreading seed on the ground. 27 He goes to bed and gets up, day after day, and the seed sprouts and grows tall, though he knows not how.  Mark 4:26-27 

The Passion Translation (TPT)