Isaiah continues comforting the people of Judah in chapter 41, foretelling God’s restoration of their nation. He presents God as transcending time, with power over the past, present, and future. He encourages the people of Judah to give up their dumb idols and give their hearts back to the powerful God of Heaven.

Shifting back to the prophetic, Isaiah promises comfort for the people of God. They would be punished for their sins, but afterwards, God would make His glory known among them. Isaiah rebukes the people of Judah for trading in the great God of heaven for stupid idols. He encouraged the people to wait on the Lord and trust His promises.

In Isaiah 39, Isaiah documents a mistake made by King Hezekiah. Hezekiah gave a tour of his entire armory, treasure house, and palace to envoys from the nation of Babylon. Isaiah and God were angry with Hezekiah for this foolish move. Isaiah prophesied that in the days of Hezekiah’s children, the Babylonians would conquer Jerusalem and take its people and treasures captive.

Isaiah 38 contains a short record about King Hezekiah of Judah. Hezekiah became very sick, and the prophet Isaiah told him to prepare for death. Distraught and saddened, Hezekiah reached out to the Lord in prayer. God showed Hezekiah grace and agreed to let him live for 15 more years.

After the Rabshakeh threatened Jerusalem in the last chapter, the king of Assyria sent another message to Hezekiah mocking him and his God. Hezekiah took the king’s letter and presented it to the Lord in prayer. God promised Hezekiah that He would defend Jerusalem. God sent an angel who killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in one night.

The king of Assyria had already conquered the northern kingdom of Israel, and now he turned his attention towards Judah. Isaiah 36 records the visit of the Rabshakeh to Jerusalem. He was the messenger of the king of Assyria, and he mocked Judah’s king, their strength, and their God in attempt to get Jerusalem to surrender without a fight.  

In chapter 35, Isaiah prophesied that God would turn the spiritual desert in Judah into an oasis of righteousness. God would make a highway for His redeemed people. They would walk in His ways, He would protect them, and they would make their way to Zion with joy and singing.

Isaiah prophesied that the day of the Lord’s vengeance was in store, when He would judge all evil nations of the earth and throw their haughty men down from the pedestals of pride. Edom specifically is called out in this chapter. God promised to humble them to nothing, to leave their land filled with the corpses of their warriors, and to empty their cities until they were homes for wild animals.

In Isaiah 33, Isaiah prophesies that the “destroyer” (the Assyrian army) will be destroyed. God will rise up against them and exult Himself before all the nations by taking down Sennecherib and his powerful fighting force. Isaiah tells the people of Judah that those who will live righteous and upright lives will enjoy God as their king and will see their land established.

Isaiah 32 is full of promises and warnings. Isaiah warns the complacent women of Jerusalem that their lives of ease are about to be over. On the flip side, he prophesies that God will send a king of righteousness to rule in Judah and restore the land when He pours out His Spirit on His people.

Isaiah 31 is a short chapter that continues the theme of chapter 30. The men of Judah were looking to Egypt for a military alliance to protect them from the Assyrians, but God warned them it was a futile pursuit. The people of Judah needed to return their trust to the Holy One of Israel, the lion of Judah, who was their only hope of protection.

God condemned the people of Judah for attempting to make an alliance with the Egyptians to save them from the Assyrians. His people were supposed to trust Him and His promises to take care of them, but they were tired of listening to God and His prophets.

Isaiah prophesies for and against Ariel in chapter 29. Ariel, another name for Jerusalem, was asleep with apathy for the Lord’s commands. God was going to humble them through foreign enemies, but He was not ready to bring total destruction on them. The end of Isaiah 29 prophesies of a time when God’s people would return their devotion to Him and receive fresh mercies of blessing from Him.