Isaiah 37:26

Hast thou not heard long agoe, how I haue done it, and of ancient times, that I haue formed it? now haue I brought it to passe, that thou shouldest be to lay waste defenced cities into ruinous heapes. Isaiah 37:26 (KJV)

how I have done it;

and

of ancient times, that I have formed it? now have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest be to lay waste defenced cities into ruinous heaps. Isaiah 37:26 (KJV)

The book of Isaiah is a prophetic work of the Old Testament, written by the prophet Isaiah during the reigns of several kings of Judah. Isaiah 37 records the crisis when King Hezekiah faced the threat of the Assyrian king Sennacherib, who had invaded Judah and threatened to destroy Jerusalem.

These words remind the people of Judah that God is not only aware of their present danger but also possesses a long record of accomplishing His purposes. The verse calls attention to God’s past acts of deliverance and judgment—such as the rescue from Egyptian bondage, the conquest of the Promised Land, and the establishment of the Davidic kingdom—events that would have been familiar to the audience.

The phrase “of ancient times, that I have formed it” underscores God’s sovereign authority to shape history. It points to His role as Creator, the One who formed the world and ordered its events, and it affirms that even the Assyrian conquests were part of His divine plan.

The passage concludes that the current situation—Assyrian forces poised to lay waste to fortified cities—is the fulfillment of that plan. The invasion was permitted as judgment on Judah for idolatry, yet God also promises deliverance. Ultimately He brings about the downfall of the Assyrian army without allowing them to breach Jerusalem.

Application for today: this passage calls believers to trust in God’s overarching sovereignty. He knows our present circumstances and is working out a long‑term purpose. As He delivered Judah from an apparently insurmountable threat, He remains able to deliver us from our own troubles. Our confidence rests in His faithfulness, power, and the assurance that He governs history for His good purposes.