Peace and Truth In My Days

The news of Hezekiah’s illness spread far and wide. Way off in the kingdom of Babylon, Baradoch-baladan prepared an envoy to bring a personal letter and a present to Hezekiah. Now that Sennachrib was out of the way permanently, the city state of Babylon was rising in power. The intentions of the king of Babylon were less than wholesome.

As for Hezekiah, he was relieved that he would not die at 39. The rest of his days were numbered, but at least he would have another good 15 years, promised by the LORD. He would live them out being faithful to God and God would bless him and his kingdom. Perhaps God would bless him with a son to reign in his stead after him, a son who would also love and serve the LORD faithfully. In Hezekiah’s mind, the rest of his life would be easy street, full of God’s blessings. He had nothing to fear.

The envoy came. The present was received. Hezekiah listened to the message and showed the men from Babylon everything that was in his house. All of his treasures, his silver and gold, his spices, the precious oil, his armory - Hezekiah showed them all of the many ways that the LORD had blessed him. He boast of how God moved the heavens and changed time itself as a sign he would recover. There was nothing in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show these men from Babylon. They saw it all. And then they left, cataloging everything in an official report, unbeknownst to the king of Judah.

Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah and asked him what the men said and where they came from. Hezekiah informed him they were from a far country, from Babylon. He asked what Hezekiah had shown them. He answered, ‘They have seen all that is in my house; There is nothing among my treasuries that I have not shown them.’ Isaiah was stunned. For a guy that had just been spared from death by the LORD, one would think Hezekiah would have been more wise. Maybe he should have asked for wisdom instead of more years of life.

In that moment,  the Word of the LORD came to Isaiah and he spoke what he heard to say. ‘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 shall be left. Some of your sons who shall 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 responded, ‘The word of the LORD which you have spoken is good.’ What he heard was, ‘You will have sons.’ And he thought, ‘There will be peace and truth in my days.’

Hezekiah was thinking short term. He could not see that devastation that would come of this. So he went on with the rest of his days. He built a pool and conduit from the Gihon spring to the pool of Siloam to bring water into Jerusalem, an engineering marvel. He had a son, Manasseh, who would become king after him. He grew wealthy and prosperous in all of his dealings. He built cities, acquired flocks and herds in abundance. He lived out his days fully devoted to God. Then he died after his promised 15 years extension of life was completed. He lived in the present and filled those days given to him by God with good things, seeking always to honor God and bless his nation. And they were blessed indeed, for the time being.