Isaiah 37:3 – “And they said to him, Thus says Hezekiah: This is a day of distress and of rebuke and of anger; for the children have come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.”

As I read, prayed, and pondered the Word of God today, “three” kept surfacing. I contemplated that, wondering how it related to me, you, and this hour.

In Isaiah 37:3, we find King Hezekiah filled with inner turmoil over the potential destruction of his nation. Babylon was threatening. The top General of Babylon had sent a threat that could not be ignored. Babylon was sweeping through the land, devouring every nation it confronted.   Hezekiah sent an entourage to Isaiah and said, “This is a day of DISTRESS and of REBUKE and of ANGER; for the children have come to birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.”

He was in Distress because Israel’s annihilation seemed imminent. The Rebuke could be viewed as twofold.   Babylon was rebuking him for not surrendering, and this could be viewed as a rebuke from God for disobedience.

Anger flowed from Babylon toward them, but possibly ANGER at themselves for not following God or anger at God for allowing this to happen.   This is a threefold or three-layered issue. Their utter helplessness is embraced: “The children have come forth, and there is no strength to bring forth.”

Isaiah gave the king assurance, but Babylon would use the devil’s age-old tactic of intimidation.   They sent Hezekiah threatening letters. In verse 14, Hezekiah received the letters, read them, took them to the altar, and spread them before God.

He prayed a threefold prayer in verse 17.    Incline Your ear, open Your eyes, and hear their words.   Then, in verse 18, Hezekiah reminds God that there is truth in their threats.   Babylon has done what the letters claim.

Isaiah responded with God’s promise of deliverance with a threefold sign in verse 30.   You will eat the harvest of this year and the next, and then, in the third year, you will return to normal life.

In Isaiah 44:2, we see the threefold again. “Thus says the LORD that MADE you and FORMED you from the womb and HELPED you: Fear Not…”   Hezekiah met the threefold problem with a threefold prayer, and God responded with a threefold promise and provision.

We are facing difficult times today.   We plant, we water, but God gives the increase.   We must plant for the other two elements of that equation to transpire or be possible.

Examine your heart, search your memory banks, and address what His instruction was for 2024. If you have not completed the assignment for last year, in the words of Larry the Cable Guy, ‘Get ‘er Done!’ It is essential to take steps to prepare the place for God’s blessings.

May your day be filled with the God of all creation and stand in the victory He has provided!