Saturday, September 23, 2023

FOOLISHNESS INVITES GOD'S JUDGMENT

Isaiah 39:1-8 / Keywords 39:6

The time will surely come when everything in your palace, and all that your fathers have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the LORD.

 

39:1 At that time Marduk-Baladan son of Baladan king of Babylon sent Hezekiah letters and a gift, because he had heard of his illness and recovery. 2 Hezekiah received the envoys gladly and showed them what was in his storehouses—the silver, the gold, the spices, the fine olive oil—his entire armory and everything found among his treasures. There was nothing in his palace or in all his kingdom that Hezekiah did not show them.

3 Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah and asked, “What did those men say, and where did they come from?”

“From a distant land,” Hezekiah replied. “They came to me from Babylon.”

4 The prophet asked, “What did they see in your palace?”

“They saw everything in my palace,” Hezekiah said. “There is nothing among my treasures that I did not show them.”

5 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord Almighty: 6 The time will surely come when everything in your palace, and all that your predecessors have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the Lord. 7 And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood who will be born to you, will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”

8 “The word of the Lord you have spoken is good,” Hezekiah replied. For he thought, “There will be peace and security in my lifetime.”

 

1. Hezekiah's foolishness (1-4). Upon hearing of Hezekiah's recovery, Babylon sent representatives and a gift. This was likely a political ploy as Babylon was a vassal state of Assyria at that time. Hezekiah was flattered. He neither prayed to God nor consulted Isaiah. Rather he gladly and proudly showed the envoys all the treasures of his kingdom. It was a foolish act for it encouraged the Babylonians to attack in the future. But Isaiah knew the danger. Our actions should not be motivated by pride or vanity.

 

2. God's judgment (5-8). Isaiah warned Hezekiah of a future judgment. One day God would allow the Babylonians to carry away all the treasures of his palace and kingdom. Some of Hezekiah's own descendants would become eunuchs in the palace of the Babylonian king. This referred to Judah's exile to Babylon around 587 BC. Hezekiah's own generation would not see the judgment but it was certain. Instead of praying for the future generations though, Hezekiah was selfish and short-sighted. He was happy as long as he enjoyed peace and prosperity.

 

Prayer Lord, guard my heart against pride and flattery from others. Help me to leave a legacy of faithfulness and devotion to you.

One Word Hear the word of the Lord

No comments:

Post a Comment

GIDEON’S PUSUIT Judges 8:1-21 / Keywords 8:4 Gideon and his three hundred men, exhausted yet keeping up the pursuit, came to the Jordan and ...