Isaiah 39:1-4, “4 …And he said, “What have they seen in your house?” So Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them.”
Hezekiah in the previous chapters totally depended on God anytime there was a crisis even one that would take his life. His story is also recorded in 2Kings 20. God had sent prophet Isaiah to bring him a message to put his house in order when he was sick and would not recover. We see him humble himself before the Lord, Isaiah 38:2-3, “2 Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the Lord, 3 and said, “Remember now, O Lord, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly”. At this point, the Lord sends a message back to Hezekiah through Isaiah saying Isaiah 38:5-6, “5 …I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will add to your days fifteen years. 6 I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city.” What a great testimony, however even with a great testimony there is danger of pride. The next chapter shows what can happen even in the midst of victory.
In this chapter, the ambassadors from Babylon heard of Hezekiah’s sickness and miraculous healing. So they came to visit with him, Isaiah 39:2, “And Hezekiah was pleased with them, and showed them the house of his treasures—the silver and gold, the spices and precious ointment, and all his armory—all that was found among his treasures. There was nothing in his house or in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them”. Instead of giving God all the glory, testifying of God’s goodness and mercy to a people who worshiped idolatry, he uses this opportunity that presented itself to be prideful to display his wealth.
How easy it is when we have cried to the Lord to rescue us many times, we come to a place where we forget the one who rescued us and pride comes in to cripple us. You remember those days you spent time praying in humility trusting God to meet your needs. Now that blessings have flooded your life, yes you still pray but you come to realize that you dependence on God for healing, finances, protections have somehow taken a back sit. This was the effect of pride in Hezekiah’s life, departing from simple reliance on God.
Based on what he had done, the prophet told him that all he had shown the Babylonians will be taken by them. Not only that, he told him that they would take some of his sons into captivity. His response?, vs. 8, “So Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good!” For he said, “At least there will be peace and truth in my days.” In my judgment, he is not showing the fervency of intense prayer he had for his sons like he did when he and his people were in trouble. He was glad that at least it will not happen in his lifetime. He may have acknowledged his sin and repented of it, and owned that the sentence pronounced was but just and right; and that there was a mixture of mercy and goodness in it, however where is the cry to God to spare his sons? His other pride I conclude in this verse was that at least what was going to come escape would escape him; and not deal with them in his time was comforting to him and made him glad.
Pride is a hindrance, pride is a snare. When you think you have mastered everything, watch out, pride is crouching at your door. It’s mission is to take you off your reliance on God and make you confident in what you have (self-reliance). It’s other mission is make you comfortable in what you may be pardoned for without the regards of those who are to come so as to have a concern for them too. May we walk in humility relying on God. Blessings Ev
He Has Magnified His Word 