No Concern For The Future

God moved heaven and earth to show a sign to Hezekiah that he would have a 15 year extension of life. He recovered from his illness, then the king of Assyria died after returning home from a failed seige of Jerusalem where 185000 of his army died. News spread far and wide concerning the moving of heaven and earth as a sign to Hezekiah to save his life and Jerusalem from Assyria. Life got back to normal, but Hezekiah did not humble himself as he ought. 

The writer of 2 Chronicles declares, ‘But Hezekiah gave no return for the benefit he received, because his heart was proud;  therefore wrath came on him and on Judah and Jerusalem. However, Hezekiah humbled the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD did not come on them in the days of Hezekiah.’

Here is how that happened. News spread of Hezekiah’s illness and subsequent victory and extended life. Nations brought gifts to congrats him and to celebrate with him, and perhaps to seek favor from him. He gained wealth and fame, to the point that he became extremely wealthy. He had immense riches and honor. He rebuilt cities and acquired flocks and herds in abundance. Life was good.

Then envoys came from Babylon just as they had from other places. And in his pride, he did not give glory to God for what happened. He showed them all of his immense wealth. The envoys brought their gifts from Merodach-Baladan, king of Babylon. Hezekiah thought he had made the big leagues of kings, since these had come from such a far distance. They saw it all - his treasure house, the silver and gold, spices and oil, his entire armory and all that was found in the treasury. There was nothing in his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them. And they were taking notes to bring back to their own king, for not all gifts as truly gifts. 

Isaiah heard of the many envoys and gifts. The Word of the LORD prompted Isaiah to ask him specifically about this envoy. ‘What did they men say, and from where have they come to you?’ Hezekiah told him, ‘They have come from a far country, from Babylon.’ Isaiah asked what all they were shown in Hezekiah’s house. Hezekiah boasted, ‘They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasuries that I have not shown them.’ His pride did not stop him from his boasting. He did not humble himself and give glory to God for his extension of life or the wealth he had acquired. 

The Word of the LORD had a message for King Hezekiah for this. ‘Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house and all that your fathers have laid up in store to this day will be carried to Babylon; nothing will be left. And some of your sons who will issue from you, whom you will beget, will be taken away, and they will become officials in the palace of the king of Babylon.’ Hezekiah was told that Jerusalem would fall and his own house would fall. And that he was the reason it would fall. 

He responded in a way that defies understanding. His immediate response was, ‘The Word of the LORD which you have spoken is good.’ What was good about what Isaiah had told him? It was good that none of that would happen in his own days! He was still only thinking about himself. He thought, ‘There will be peace and truth in my days.’ It did not matter to Hezekiah what would happen after his death. His children and grandchildren could figure that out for themselves.

His extension of life was going to be lived to the max by himself, he was not at all concerned about the future. And now he had this knowledge - no kings would come against him as long as he was alive. It did not matter to him that Jerusalem would fall or that his wealth would be taken or that his descendants would have no kingdom to rule from since they would be taken to a far off land. He was only concerned about himself. No wonder his son Manasseh would become the worst and vilest and most evil king of Judah or Israel after he died.