John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 37

And it came to pass. The Prophet declares that the only hope of safety left to the pious king was to bring his complaints before God as a righteous judge. As it is said in the Psalm, in the same manner as servants or handmaids, when they are injured, look to the protection of their master or mistress, so the eyes of believers are fixed on the assistance of God (Psalms 123:2).

Thus, when Jerusalem appeared to be completely ruined, Hezekiah, being deprived of earthly assistance, turned to the protection of God, and in this way acknowledged that there is no other remedy for heavy distresses. As a result, the grace of God also shone more brightly, so that it was evidently miraculous when the pious king was rescued from the jaws of that lion.

Therefore, we ought toobserve this circumstance, so that we may better understand the great excellence of the work of God. Here we are also taught what we ought to do in the most desperate circumstances: not to be idle or sluggish in supplicating the assistance of God, who Himself invites us to come to Him.

We must not tremble or despair. On the contrary, we ought to be stimulated by the necessity that presses upon us to seek His aid, as we see what Hezekiah did. He immediately went to the temple as to a place of safety, so that he and all his people might take refuge under the shadow of God.

That King Hezekiah rent his clothes. He also adds the outward expressions of repentance: rending clothes, wearing sackcloth, sprinkling ashes, and other similar things. For these were the ordinary signs of repentance when, under the weight of any calamity by which they were afflicted, they confessed their guilt before God and implored pardon from Him.

Wonderful is the modesty of the holy king, who, after having performed so many illustrious works and having been adorned by the excellence of so many virtues, does not hesitate to prostrate himself humbly before God. On the other hand, wonderful is his courage and the steadfastness of his faith, in not being hindered by the weight of so heavy a temptation from freely seeking God, by whom he was so severely smitten.

Scarcely do we find one person in a hundred who does not murmur if God treats him with any degree of severity, who does not bring forward his good deeds as a ground of complaint, and remonstrate that he has been unjustly rewarded. Other people, when God does not comply with their wishes, complain that their worship of God has served no good purpose.

We perceive nothing of this kind in Hezekiah, who, though he is conscious of possessing uncommon piety, does not shrink from a confession of guilt. Therefore, if we desire to turn away God’s anger and to experience His favor in adversity, we must testify to our repentance and sincerely acknowledge our guilt. For adversity does not befall us by chance, but is the method by which God arouses us to repentance.

True, indeed, sackcloth and ashes will be of little avail if they are not preceded by the inward feelings of the heart. For we know that hypocrites are abundantly liberal in the use of ceremonies. But as we have said previously, the Holy Spirit justly commends those exercises when they are directed to their proper object.

And indeed, it was a proof of uncommon piety and modesty that the pious king and the whole nation roused themselves in this manner to fear God, and that he made a voluntary acknowledgment of guilt in a form accompanied by wretched filthiness. For we know how unwilling kings are to lower themselves from their rank.

And he sent Eliakim. This message was not intended merely to invite Isaiah to join him in lamentation, but to request some consolation from his doctrine. And indeed, prayers shall be poured into the air to no purpose if they do not rest on the word of God. Thus we see that unbelievers are exceedingly noisy in their prayers, and yet they flee from God by despising or disregarding his promises. It was therefore a proof of sincere piety in Hezekiah that, while he was earnestly engaged in prayer, he at the same time sought confirmation of his hope, so that he might not yield to temptation.

To Isaiah, the son of Amos the Prophet. He follows the method appointed by God when he wishes to hear God speaking by the mouth of the Prophet (Deuteronomy 18:15; Malachi 2:7). Though he relies on God alone, he does not reject the testimony of a mortal man; and therefore not without reason does he expressly add the designation Prophet; for he sends to Isaiah so that he might be confirmed by some new prediction, and names him not as a private individual, but as the servant of God, whose duty it was to soothe the pious king with some consolation.

There are therefore two remedies that deserve our attention, by which we are soothed in affliction. First, we ought to call on God to deliver us; and, secondly, we ought to consult the prophets—at least, if we can obtain them—so that they may bring us some comfort from the word of God. For it is their duty to encourage and comfort the afflicted with promises, and if they fail to do so, still abundant consolation is communicated to us from the word.

And we ought to consult the prophets, who were appointed not only for their own age but also for posterity and for every age. For although the men are dead, yet their books survive; their doctrine lives and shall never die. We shall never, therefore, be destitute of true remedies if we do not reject them; but, in short, we ought always to consult God.

It may be asked, “Was not Hezekiah abundantly supplied and fortified by the promises of God? Was it not a sign of distrust to seek new promises from the Prophet?” I reply, it ought not to be ascribed to unbelief or distrust that he seeks a new promise; for, being conscious of his weakness, he does not hesitate to ask for new confirmations.

The flesh always tempts us to distrust, and therefore we ought not to despise additional help. On the contrary, we ought always to seek every kind of assistance by which we may resist various temptations. For on all sides Satan attacks and besieges us in such a way that, if we are not strongly fortified, we will scarcely be able to escape his snares and devices until the end.

Although, therefore, we have been taught by the word of God that he will assist us in adversity, yet when we are engaged in any arduous contest, it is proper that we should again and again ask at the mouth of the Lord, and seek new confirmations for the purpose of strengthening our faith. There are indeed no prophecies of the same kind given to us today; but we ought to apply to our use the general prophecies, which were also written for our benefit (Romans 15:4).

As to the reason why Hezekiah sent ambassadors and did not himself go to Isaiah, it was obviously because he was praying in the Temple. For the circumstance that all the elders and counsellors were clothed with sackcloth shows clearly that the mourning was general, and it is probable that prayers were publicly offered by the command of the king. Yet it ought to be observed that the Prophet did not remain at home for his own ease or pleasure, but by his absence God intended to test the faith of the pious king.

If perhaps Jehovah your God will hear. Hezekiah appears to doubt whether or not the Lord is willing to hear him, for the particle אולי (ulai) is translated perhaps, and this is the meaning which it frequently has in Scripture. But it should be observed that believers, even though they know with certainty that the Lord will assist them, yet, because they are perplexed by the difficulty of the case, often speak in this manner. Hezekiah had reasons for hesitating, if we look at the matter itself; but when he turns his eyes to the word, he is made certain about the will of God, so that he ceases to tremble. But since it is impossible for the flesh not to hinder believers, causing them to walk in a halting and staggering manner, they sometimes adapt their language to the present appearances of things.

It may also be observed, in other passages of Scripture, that the saints, even while speaking of what was certain, spoke in this manner. For example, Peter, in exhorting Simon, says, If perhaps this thought of your heart may be forgiven you (Acts 8:22).

He does not advise Simon to tremble and hesitate in prayer, for such a supplication would have been futile. Instead, he points out the heinousness of the offense, so that he might strike Simon's mind more forcibly and eventually constrain him to rouse himself to approach God with true repentance.

This word perhaps, therefore, does not imply doubt, but is equivalent to an expression we commonly use, if it is possible, when we venture to hope and promise ourselves something.

Hezekiah did not speak as if God were deaf to the words of the ungodly, or as if anything escaped His notice. Rather, because it was a fixed principle in his heart that God is near to all that truly call upon Him (Psalms 145:18), he determines to strive against despondency and arms himself by prayer. And because he does not expect to gain the victory without difficulty, he says, If perhaps. Furthermore, he mentions two kinds of hearing, which to some extent removes the difficulty.

If perhaps Jehovah, your God shall hear the words which Jehovah your God has heard. At first sight, there is some apparent contradiction in these words. However, the manner of speaking is highly appropriate, because Hezekiah was assuredly and beyond all controversy convinced that nothing is hidden from God.

He only argues with himself on this point: whether or not God determines to call into question the blasphemy of this filthy dog. This is because God frequently delays and conceals vengeance for a time, and thus seems to shut His eyes and overlook it. In short, taking for granted that all things are open and manifest to God (Hebrews 4:13), Hezekiah earnestly asks only whether or not God will actually show that He is so highly offended by Rabshakeh's blasphemies that He determines not to allow them to remain unpunished.

In a word, he wishes God to hear effectually—that is, by restoring those things that were scattered and confused, and by showing Himself to be a judge, for then we know that He actually sees and observes all things. In this manner, Hezekiah asks, “Has not the Lord heard Rabshakeh’s blasphemies, to take vengeance on them and to show that He has regard for the glory of His name?”

Jehovah your God. By calling Him “the God of Isaiah,” Hezekiah does not mean that only one man worships God, nor does he exclude himself from the number of the godly. Rather, because prayers flowed from doctrine, the pious king wished to speak in commendation of the Prophet’s ministry and to testify that Isaiah was a true servant of God.

That relationship is somewhat broader, for all believers call on God, and, on the other hand, God counts them among His people. However, God is considered in a special way to be the God of Isaiah and Paul, because they have a special calling. In summary, these words expressly contain praise and commendation of Isaiah’s calling.

You will therefore lift up a prayer. This is the second reason why Hezekiah sent messengers to Isaiah: namely, that Isaiah also would pray along with others. From this we learn that it is the duty of a prophet not only to comfort the afflicted by the word of the Lord, but also to offer his prayers for their salvation.

Pastors and ministers of the word, therefore, should not think that they have fully discharged their duty when they have exhorted and taught, if they do not also add prayer. This indeed is what all should do; but Hezekiah sent to Isaiah specifically, because Isaiah ought to lead the way for others by his example.

Besides, “to lift up a prayer” is nothing other than “to pray,” but the mode of expression deserves attention, for it shows how our feelings should be regulated when we pray. Scripture everywhere commands us to lift up our hearts to heaven (Lamentations 3:41), for otherwise we would have no fear of God.

Moreover, our foolishness is so great that we are immediately seized by base imaginations of God, so that if He did not bid us look to heaven, we would prefer to seek Him at our feet. Therefore, “to lift up a prayer” is to pray in such a manner that our hearts do not grovel on the earth or think anything earthly or base about God, but ascribe to Him what is suitable to His majesty, and that our warm and earnest affections may take a lofty flight. In this sense it is said in the Psalm:

Let my prayer come up before You as incense,
and as the evening sacrifice (Psalms 141:2).

For the remnant that is still left. When Hezekiah desires that prayer should be offered “for the remnant of the people that was left,” this circumstance was powerfully suited to move the Lord—not that He is moved in the manner of men, but He acts towards us in this way and adapts Himself to our weakness.

Thus, when our affairs are brought to such an extreme that we are not far from destruction, we should spread our misery before God so that our minds may receive some consolation. For God declares that He has regard for the poor and afflicted (Psalms 22:24).

And the nearer we appear to be to destruction, the more warmly and earnestly we should implore that He would provide assistance to us, as we see here that Hezekiah did when matters were desperate.

And the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah. As the Prophet previously related that the pious king had no other refuge than to consult the mouth of the Lord, so he now shows that he did not consult in vain; for he received the consolation which he desired.

Instructed by this example, if we seek relief from him by pouring our cares and anxieties into the bosom of God, our hope shall never be disappointed; and although there will not always be prophets in the world, such as Isaiah was, yet he will come forth in a timely manner to provide assistance in an appropriate manner.

Thus says Jehovah. Isaiah begins by saying that he gives the reply in the name of God, and expressly declares that the oracle comes from God, both because prophets should always beware of bringing forward anything of their own, and because in so difficult a matter the authority of God was necessary. In this manner also, the Prophet showed that he met the prayers of the pious king. Even false prophets, indeed, boast of the name of God, but falsely. Isaiah was truly the organ of the Holy Spirit, and therefore he has a right to mention the holy name of Him that sent him.

Fear not. When he tells him “not fear,” he exhorts Hezekiah to be of a courageous or, at least, a calm disposition. Whenever we hear this word, let us be reminded that we are instructed to cultivate that peace which faith produces in our hearts.

For all who trust in God, and expect from him deliverance from their distresses, rise superior to all fears by the exercise of patience, so that even in the midst of affliction they have peace.

Besides, so that the pious king may continue cheerfully to expect a joyful outcome, he plainly declares that God conducts his own cause which he has undertaken to defend. This is because he cannot permit wicked men to dishonor his name with impunity, without eventually making it clear that he is a righteous judge.

The servants of the king of Assyria. By calling them servants, he presents in a stronger light the baseness of the action; for although the king himself had spoken in this manner, still it would have been intolerable that the Lord should be despised and so shamefully attacked by a mortal man. Therefore, it might easily be concluded that he would much less endure to be so highly insulted by “servants,” and therefore the rank of the person increases the heinousness of the attack.