“Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah saying, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, “Because you have prayed to Me about Sennacherib king of Assyria, I have heard you…. The surviving remnant of the house of Judah will again take root downward and bear fruit upward. For out of Jerusalem will go forth a remnant, and out of Mount Zion survivors. The zeal of the LORD will perform this”’” (2 Kings 19:20, 30–31).
For the biblical authors, the past serves as a palette of colors to paint the future. In this passage, Isaiah promises Hezekiah that a remnant from Judah will take root and sprout (2 Kings 19:30), regardless of the arrogant threats of the messenger of the Assyrian king (see 2 Kings 18:19–35). For despite his boasting, the “zeal of the LORD will perform this” (2 Kings 19:31).
The prophet Isaiah then uses this same story in his book as a sign for the coming Messiah. For after the boasting of an Assyrian-like king (Isa 10:8–11, 32), whose army brings terrible destruction (Isa 10:25), Isaiah promises that a remnant will return (Isa 10:21–23) after God “lops off the boughs with a terrible crash” (Isa 10:33–34). Then a shoot from Jesse will sprout up, who is none other than the Davidic Messiah (Isa 11:1). And just as God swore to accomplish His purposes concerning Hezekiah (2 Kings 19:31), so too the “zeal of the LORD” will bring salvation through Hezekiah’s greatest Son, who is the Mighty God and our Messiah.
“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. THE ZEAL OF THE LORD OF HOSTS WILL PERFORM THIS” (Isa 9:6–7).
