The Investigation Crisis (Pride of Hezekiah) (Isaiah 39:1-8)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/5/2013 8:52 AM

My Worship Time                                                                          Focus:  The Investigation Crisis

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  Isaiah 39:1-8

            Message of the verses:  We will, at least, begin looking at this last crisis that is found in Isaiah chapter thirty-nine.

            The Investigation Crisis (Isaiah 39:1-8):  “1 At that time Merodach-baladan son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered. 2 Hezekiah was pleased, and showed them all his treasure house, the silver and the gold and the spices and the precious oil and his whole armory and all that was found in his treasuries. There was nothing in his house nor in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them. 3 Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah and said to him, "What did these men say, and from where have they come to you?" And Hezekiah said, "They have come to me from a far country, from Babylon." 4 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 treasuries that I have not shown them."

    “5 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Hear the word of the LORD of hosts, 6  ’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,’ says the LORD. 7 ’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.’" 8 Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "The word of the LORD which you have spoken is good." For he thought, "For there will be peace and truth in my days.’”

            What we are looking at in this section is the pride of Hezekiah who falls to the flattery of the officials of Babylon.  It is believed that Hezekiah was showing all of these riches to those who came from Babylon in order to receive help from the to fight against the Assyrians, but pride was still a large part of his motive in showing his treasures to them.  ““Charles Spurgeon said to his London congregation, ‘Be not proud of race, face, place, or grace.’”  “William Barclay wrote, ‘Pride is the ground in which all the other sins grow, and the parent from which all the other sins come.’”  Both of these statements are true and good statements to memorize, for pride is something that when one uses it robs glory from God, and that is something that one should not do.  The very first sin that was committed against God was pride, and covetousness was also involved too when Lucifer tried to rob God of His glory by making five “I will” statements that are recorded in Isaiah 14:12-15.  Satan is seen as a serpent and also as a roaring lion and when the Babylonian envoys sent letters and then came to see Hezekiah it was like a serpent, but when Babylon came to attack Judah from 606 to 586 it was like a roaring lion, and the beginning of this came with their visit to Hezekiah in this section of Scriptures.”  (06/10/2011 SD)

            “Isaiah comes to Hezekiah after the envoys from Babylon had left Jerusalem to find out who they were and what Hezekiah said to them, and also what Hezekiah showed to them.  Now I believe that Isaiah actually new the answers to these questions and Hezekiah actually only told Isaiah what it was that he had shown them.  It would have been far better for Hezekiah to send for Isaiah when he received word that these envoys were coming to see Hezekiah because he would have probably not shown them everything that was in his storehouse of treasures nor answered their questions that they asked him whatever they were. Hezekiah was again dealing with pride even after facing death because of his pride, but I believe that this was all in the providence of God, preparing Hezekiah for what would come next in his life.  Dr. Wiersbe has some wonderful things to say along this line:  “How gracious it is of the Lord to prepare us for what He has prepared for us!” 

            “Dr. Wiersbe clears up a question that I have had for a while, as mentioned above, about the thoughts that went through Hezekiah’s mind when Isaiah told him that the Lord was going to bring Babylon down to take Judah into captivity and would take some of his offspring there where they become officials in the palace of Babylon. “Hezekiah’s response wasn’t a sigh of relief that his generation had escaped judgment, but rather was an expression of his acceptance of the will of God.  Hezekiah’s pride had been broken once again (2Chronicles 32:26), but for the sake of the nation and the throne of David, he was grateful there would be peace.’”  (06/11/2011 SD).
            It was good to look back to when I wrote these things in June of 2011 as there are similar things that are going on in my life at this time.  I wrote the following for my “Spiritual meaning for my life today”:  ““How gracious it is of the Lord to prepare us for what He has prepared for us!”  These were very comforting words for me to read this morning because of what is going on in my life at this time.”  They were then and they are now, and God is gracious in causing me to look at these words of comfort today.  There are many people praying for what I and my family will be involved in today, and for that I am truly grateful.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  I trust that the Lord will works things out for His glory on what is going on in my life today.

Memory verses for the week:  2 Peter 1:1-6

            1 Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:  2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; 3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.  4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.  5 Now for this reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 6 and in your knowledge self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance godliness,

Answer to yesterday’s Bible Question:  “Mary the mother of Jesus” (Luke 1:38).

Today’s Bible Question:  “What is the theme of the four Gospels?”

Answer in our next SD.

10/5/2013 10:10 AM