BBI II-C #4 Hezekiah’s Deliverer & the Messiah

Isaiah and Micah were contemporary prophets, both prophesying in Judah during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. Both prophets prophesied concerning the deliverance of king Hezekiah’s kingdom from the siege of Jerusalem by Sennacherib, king of Assyria. The deliverance was because of Hezekiah’s prayer to Yahweh and was accomplished by Yahweh’s Messenger killing 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in one night. Isaiah 36-39 tells the story of this siege and miraculous deliverance.

But the fascinating detail, which most Christians miss, is that in prophesying this deliverance, both prophets interweave a prophecy of the Messiah. Isaiah 9 begins with the Assyrian siege and Hezekiah’s deliverance, but then rejoices that “Unto us a Youth was born, unto us a Son was given,” using past tense verbs both in the Hebrew text and the LXX. In context, it seems to point to Yahweh’s Messenger who defeated the entire Assyrian army. Yet, this one will rule on David’s throne as Messiah.

In Micah 5, again the chapter begins with the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem by Sennacherib, then blesses Bethlehem (which was part of the siege), claiming that the one who is to be ruler over all Israel (the Messiah) will go forth from this town. Micah then claims that His “goings forth” (excursions) have been from ancient times, from days of the age. This is followed by his prophesying that this one from Bethlehem will tend His flock as a Shepherd. But verse 5 states plainly that THIS ONE will deliver Judah “when the Assyrian comes into our land.” This is a clear connection to Yahweh’s Messenger who killed 185,000 soldiers of the Assyrian army besieging Jerusalem.

Go to: BBI-2C #5 Yahweh’s Mighty Hand & Outstretched-Arm