God will fight your battles and comfort you

The timing is circa 701 B.C. Hezekiah was the King of Judah and Isaiah was the prophet in Jerusalem. Judah was a small nation, sandwiched between the two powers, Assyria to the north and Egypt to the south. Assyria was the Empire of the day, conquering nations, and Egypt was by then a weakened nation. Judah faced an impending threat from Assyria. By that time the Northern Kingdom (Israel) had fallen in 722 BC. In the face of this impending invasion, Judah sent envoys to Egypt for help. The Lord upbraids them for working in the flesh (seeking help from Egypt) and not seeking counsel of the Holy Spirit. How often we work in the flesh and lose the inheritance that could be ours in Jesus Christ.

Isaiah then prays and the Holy Spirit shows him Christ, how if only they trusted in the Messiah, they would be safe. In returning and rest you would be saved, in quietness and confidence shall be your strength. There are 5-6 references to Jesus Christ in this chapter.

Jesus is the solution for every age, He is our safety even now. Holy Spirit shows Isaiah glimpses of the Kingdom age, how when Jesus comes to rule in Jerusalem, he will bind up the wounds of his people. And such comfort will flow from the Lord, that in that day the moon will shine as bright as the sun, and the Peace and Comfort and Kindness of God will so overflow the believers, that the sun will shine 7x brighter. (This is poetry, an allegory). Such overflowing love of God in Christ Jesus.

God will be gracious, people in Zion (Church) will weep no more. Jesus will be very gracious to us at the sound of our cry, he will hear your prayer and answer you. (v19). What a loving Saviour, Shepherd and King.

And finally, Jesus will also fight your battles against Assyria. (v22-33). As a devouring fire, He will come and vanquish his adversaries.

Bible tells us that Hezekiah prepared for battle, by bringing the waters of Gihon spring into the city through a tunnel(now called Hezekiah's tunnel). The resultant water supply is called the Pool of Siloam (2 Chron 32:30). So Sennacherib came, and his threats are recorded in Isaiah 36,37 also 2 Kings 18, his armies encircled Jerusalem. They were one night away from total defeat and death. But Judah prayed, helpless as they were and God overturned the army of the Assyrians that night. 185,000 Assyrian soldiers died in a single night and Sennacherib went back without throwing a stone or an arrow at Jerusalem. Judah was saved and comforted. If the Holy Spirit is calling you to go alongside a troubled friend and comfort him/her, Go Now.