Sometimes within the “big stories” of redemption you can notice small details that seem to be noteworthy. Though they are not the “main event” they seem to be important and can provide some insight into the dynamics of interacting within the context of the kingdom of God. Such is the case this morning as I’m reading in Isaiah 36 through 39.

The King of Assyria has sent his messenger to Jerusalem to confront King Hezekiah of Judah and to mock the God of heaven and earth. The Assyrian army has been running roughshod over the fortified cities of Judah and now amasses before Jerusalem essentially declaring that resistance is futile.

Would you trust in Egypt to help you, the envoy asks . . . it’s like trusting in a broken reed to be your staff. Or, more foolish yet, would you trust in the LORD your God? Come, and I will bet you that even if I gave you an army’s worth of horses and chariots, He couldn’t even help you then. No other god has withstood the mighty Assyrian army . . . and your God, King Hezekiah and people of Jerusalem, is just as impotent.

To say the least, King Hezekiah, along with all who had heard the mocking taunts of the Assyrian war machine, are filled with fear and distress. So, what do you do when the odds are greatly against you? Give you hint . . . starts with “p” and ends with “ray!” You pray! And here’s where the “small details” dynamic comes into play. Maybe I’ll call it the Isaiah dynamic.

King Hezekiah, knowing that prayer is their only weapon left, doesn’t feel like he can wield it himself. And so he sends some of his officials to the prophet Isaiah and they ask him to intercede to God on behalf of “the remnant that is left.” They go to someone they know to be a man of God and ask him to stand in the breach and cry out to heaven. And he does. And the Lord gives Isaiah a word to relay to the king’s servants concerning the king of Assyria, “Do not be afraid . . . Behold, I will put a spirit in him, so that he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land, and I will make him fall by the sword in his own land” (37:5-7).

Sure enough, the Assyrian king needs to put his conquering plans on hold as he attends to other matters. But before he does he sends a letter to Hezekiah . . . reinforcing his intent to crush Jerusalem . . . repeating his mockery of the living God. And this time, rather than sending the letter to Isaiah and asking him to pray once more, Hezekiah, himself approaches the throne of heaven.

Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD. And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD . . .   (Isaiah 37:14-15 ESV)

Isaiah prays on behalf of Hezekiah . . . then Hezekiah prays himself. Small detail . . . but I think there’s something there. Something about how we can be encouraged to walk the walk by seeing others walk it with us. Something about faith growing as we rub shoulders with those of faith. Something about co-discipleship . . . imitating others . . . being emboldened to step out on our own by having people in our lives who model what it is to fellowship with the living God.

Something that stirs my soul. To be around such people who encourage me to “spread it out” before the LORD. And, to be available to be an Isaiah (I’m NO Isaiah!) to someone who I might be an encouragement to. It’s what fellowship with each other is about . . . it’s what discipling others is about . .. it’s what being discipled is about. It’s the Isaiah dynamic.

By God’s grace . . . for God’s glory . . .