Isaiah 37 … Consider Him Who Saves for His Own Sake

Originally posted: 3/30/2021

“For I will defend this city to save it for My own sake and for My servant David’s sake,” (37:35).

As we pick up from yesterday, we recall that the people answered not a word to the threats hurled against their God. And although there was outward silence, no doubt there was a lot of internal noise beneath the hush; surely there was an uproar of uncertainty, a clamor of consternation, a pandemonium of panic.

And when confronted with the reality of the numerous kingdoms that the Assyrians had toppled, the inner question surely made itself heard; would Jerusalem be next? And what would stop Sennacherib? The king of Assyria was certainly convinced there was no one who could stay his hand.

“Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you, saying, “Jerusalem will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” ¹¹ Behold, you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the lands, destroying them completely. So will you be spared? ¹² Did the gods of those nations which my fathers have destroyed deliver them, even Gozan and Haran and Rezeph and the sons of Eden who were in Telassar? ¹³ Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of the city of Sepharvaim, and of Hena and Ivvah?’” (37:10-13).

But God sent word through His servant, Isaiah, words of peace and comfort, words to silence the voice of the enemy and their own turmoil within, words to let His people know exactly what He would do.

So the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah. ⁶ Isaiah said to them, “Thus you shall say to your master, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me. ⁷ Behold, I will put a spirit in him so that he will hear a rumor and return to his own land. And I will make him fall by the sword in his own land,”’” (37:5-7).

But the Lord not only revealed what He would do, He unearthed His purpose. He Would Save for His Own Sake, for the Sake of Who He Is and the Sake of His Promise, that the throne of David would be established forever.

“For I will defend this city to save it for My own sake and for My servant David’s sake,” (37:35).

“‘And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’” ¹⁷ In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David, (2 Samuel 7:16-17).

What comfort those words must have brought to the frightened remnant. For if they depended on Him to act for their sakes, their confidence would have surely toppled with the disheartening awareness of their unworthiness that had so often reared its ugly head in deep-seated rebellion.

And as time progressed, God’s people would see that yes, He Saves, and He strikes, for His Own Sake.

Then the angel of the Lord went out and struck 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians; and when men arose early in the morning, behold, all of these were dead, (37:36).

“The Lord often sent His angel as His agent to bring plagues…The Greek historian Herodotus attributed this destruction to a bubonic plague. The death of these soldiers fulfills the prophecies of 10:33-34,” NIV Study Bible.

And it would take twenty more years, but the proud and boastful Sennacherib would be brought to his end by the hands of his own sons, revealing that both he and his gods were utterly without power in the hands of Him Who Saves for His Own Sake.

So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and returned home and lived at Nineveh. ³⁸ It came about as he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons killed him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son became king in his place, (37:37-38).

“Hezekiah had gone to the Lord’s temple and gained strength (vv. 1,14). Twenty years later, Sennacherib went to the temple of his god and was killed,” NIV Study Bible.

And as we consider Him Who Saves for His Own Sake, of course, we will once again see His Truth fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

Consider Him Who Saves for His Own Sake

God will Save for the Sake of Who He Is; He will Save for the Sake of His Love, His Faithfulness, His Promises, His Grace, and His Mercy; all perfectly revealed in His Son, Who would come to Save for His Own Sake.

• He Saves for the Sake of His Love.
  • “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life,” (John 3:16).

• He Saves for the Sake of His Faithfulness.
  • God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, (1 Corinthians 1:9).

• He Saves for the Sake of His Promises.
  • For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us. ²¹ Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, ²² who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge, (2 Corinthians 1:20-22).

• He Saves for the Sake of His Grace.
  • For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, (Titus 2:11).

• He Saves for the Sake of His Mercy.
  • But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, ⁵ He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, ⁶ whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, (Titus 3:4-6).

How do we respond to Him Who Saves for His Own Sake?

Once again, we have much we can learn from King Hezekiah. Hezekiah knew he was helpless, and he also knew he was unworthy. Before he dared to approach the Creator of all kingdoms, the Holy One of Israel, he prepared his heart in humility and dependence.

And when King Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth and entered the house of the Lord, (37:1).

Tearing his clothes and covering himself in sackcloth was an outer illustration of his inner reality. It is a good reminder that even as born-again children of Holy God through faith in His Son, we too must prepare ourselves in humility before we approach Him in our need.

• Let us prepare ourselves to come into His Presence through confession and repentance, that we may find His compassion.
  • He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper,
    But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion, (Proverbs 28:13).

• Let us come into His Presence as we acknowledge Him in His rightful place; He Is the Creator Who is enthroned above every kingdom and situation.
  • Then Hezekiah took the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it, and he went up to the house of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord. ¹⁵ Hezekiah prayed to the Lord saying, ¹⁶ “O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, who is enthroned above the cherubim, You are the God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth, (37:14-16).

• Let us come into His Presence trusting that He always hears and sees what is happening in every circumstance of our life.
  • “Incline Your ear, O Lord, and hear; open Your eyes, O Lord, and see; and listen to all the words of Sennacherib, who sent them to reproach the living God, (37:17).

• Let us come into His Presence recognizing and believing that the truth of our situation does not undo the Truth of God.
  • “Truly, O Lord, the kings of Assyria have devastated all the countries and their lands, ¹⁹ and have cast their gods into the fire, for they were not gods but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone. So they have destroyed them, (37:18-19).

• Let us come into His Presence in complete dependence on God’s deliverance alone, seeking always to exalt Him and make Him known.
  • “Now, O Lord our God, deliver us from his hand that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone, Lord, are God,” (37:20).

• Let us find all comfort and confidence in His Truth: He Saves for His Own Sake, and because of that, we can rest securely in the gift of His Salvation granted for the Sake of His Love, His Faithfulness, His Promises, His Grace, and His Mercy in Christ Jesus, that brings salvation to us and glory to His Name.
  • Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name;
    And deliver us and forgive our sins for Your name’s sake, (Psalm 79:9).

No matter how loud the enemy, how overwhelming the army we face, no matter the truth of our circumstances, let us be assured that all of that will never undo the Truth of our God. Let us daily choose humility, that whatever we are enduring we would endure for the Sake of our Savior as we depend upon His all-sufficient grace to live by faith in Him Who Saves for His Own Sake.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ¹⁰ For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong, (1 Corinthians 12:9 ESV).

Let’s Grow Together!