Isaiah 37 reports a very intense, heart-throbbing situation. The king of the strongest empire of that day (Assyria), Sennacherib, first sent threats to Hezekiah, the king of Judah. He then surrounded Jerusalem, preparing to conquer all who were within it. This contrast was like Goliath, facing off with the boy David.
Previously, Hezekiah had presumptuously rebelled against Assyria. However, when Sennacherib’s first threat came in real time, Hezekiah then presumptuously took off all the gold on the temple doors, hoping to soothe Sennacherib’s anger. But that was too little, too late. Now, he was in a desperately hopeless condition. With no more appeasement resources to offer or any hope of physical help available, he humbly came in prayer to God. God sent His prophet Isaiah to encourage make promises to Hezekiah. As soon as Isaiah had finished sharing his latest prophetic words, the Bible says in Isaiah 37:36, Then the angel of the LORD went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning—there were all the dead bodies! Isaiah 37:36 (NIV). Only God knew why He needed to wait this long to bring judgment on the Assyrians.
It is fascinating to consider how often in scripture when God used a specific time in His scheme of things, to take an action to fulfill His promise. It was in the fullness of time God sent His Son (Jesus) to earth. (Gal. 4:4) Revelation 14:15 tells us God waited until a specific time after evil had ripened to use a sickle to harvest the sins of the world. What might this suggest to us about God Himself, His ways, plans, purpose, strategizing, orchestrating the context and action? What kind of God could or would be that kind of specific and strategic to plan for not just one incident or intervention but for billions of humans, hundreds of nations in the world, millions of family units or individuals—all at the same time!!! It would require a very personal God to know when to and when not to act on our behalf. And then to have that action trigger a domino effect or send a person or nation into a new trajectory of life itself. How might this relate to the fact He holds the world together by His presence? (Col. 1:17, 2:19, Heb 1:3) I’m in awe just trying to get my mind around such a God. In the natural it would require an indescribable energy force to do such a thing.
The people suffered (in Egypt for 400 years), were shown incredible miracles, taken captive, etc., etc. and prophets continue to tell the people the Messiah would come and save them from their sin. God obviously had a reason for waiting for the fullness of time to come before sending His redemption. The same type of thing is going to happen in Revelation (14:15) when God finally tells the angel to take the sickle and reap the harvest of sin on earth. There must be some incredible dynamics involved in God’s timetable for all the necessary components to align themselves for just the right time for God’s next acts to take place. That is one of God’s many ways. I can’t help but think that is also one of His ways He uses when working miracles in our life. This leaves me in AWE of God, His ways, His wisdom, His character, His self-control, His perfection and more.
You very well may be in a situation as desperate as Hezekiah when there is zero hope from the natural perspective. As for Connie and me, with her very poor health, given our options, we feel hopeless. There is nothing we can make happen that will restore her health. Without God’s intervention, her death is only a matter of time. It is in this context the word then gives us hope. I’m not sure why, but there is an uncanny confidence our omniscient and omnipotent God will intervene at just the right time. Until that time comes, we will be content to wait upon His time. How have you been responding to your dark situation?