Isaiah 39 A SHORT-SIGHTED VIEW Assyria controlled Babylon in the time of Hezekiah, so perhaps that was the reason the prince from Babylon was willing to take a somewhat rebellious action against the Assyrians and make a connection with the king of Judah. The gift he brought, and the sympathetic words regarding Hezekiah’s sickness seems quite innocent on the surface. Behind that gesture was likely the desire to form an alliance with the king of Judah. The fact that the Assyrian army of 185,000 men died, and that Sennacherib returned to Nineveh without taking Jerusalem, would have been headline news across the Middle East and maybe made those under Assyrian rule think their domination was now vulnerable.
When the worldly power of flattery and persuasion are shown, especially to a leader who appears successful, that person is in serious danger. The treachery of the human heart can quickly move us to take credit for that which seems like our action, but inwardly we know it is way beyond our ability to accomplish. Hezekiah never once mentioned the Lord acting in power and strength in the defeat of Assyria. The fact of a whole army dying overnight, was so far removed from human capability, that maybe Hezekiah didn’t think it needed to be brought up. Perhaps there was underlying pride as he showed the Babylonian emissaries all the treasures of his house, the house of the Lord and the whole kingdom. They likely saw all of this treasure as a future benefit to themselves, which actually happened when they later turned on Judah and took everything of value including both the treasure and the best people.
Sympathy and a gift, or help from family and friends are one thing. It is quite different when such things come from people you do not know nor are you sure as to why they do what they do. Often there is the expectation of a reciprocal response of a different kind, or some strings attached that brings with the gift an unspoken obligation. When something is done that is out of character by those who are potential enemies, caution is needed because there may be a motive behind the action that is not good. Open enemies are one thing. You know where you stand with them. Potential enemies may be approachable with a measure of friendship and good-will. If a person is like Hezekiah: good-hearted, sensitive and tries to think the best about everyone in every situation no matter who they are, that lack of discernment of people and motives can very well be their own downfall.
Hezekiah apparently didn’t see the Babylonian prince and emissaries as a threat like the Assyrians were. We need to remember that believers are “in the world” but are “not of the world.” “This world is not my home; I’m just a’ passing through. My treasures are laid up, somewhere beyond the blue.” Hezekiah was not the only one who wanted to parade the trappings of his own power and success. That happens to many people – even children. It may not always be wrong, but it has dangerous potential. If a person recognizes, and makes sure that those who flatter and praise them knows what we have is only loaned to us by God to use temporarily, then in some cases it is okay to graciously accept some honor.
Divine favor and assistance given to us by the Lord to meet certain circumstances when we do not deserve “the least of His mercies,” is reason for us to acknowledge God’s grace with our gratefulness. It is essential that we make sure people know our God is the source of our blessings, and the One who maintains all the good things He has allowed us to use. It is not possible to over-emphasize the importance of GIVING GOD ALL THE GLORY for any successful deed done, any benefit received, and anything of lasting value that will reflect on our blessed Lord. An honest and deliberate point must be made. “To God be the glory, great things He hath done… Praise the Lord!!”
The warning from Isaiah that Babylon would conquer Judah must have been amazing to Hezekiah, because the Assyrians controlled Babylon and were the present threat to all the Jews. Babylon was a more or less insignificant colony under the control of the iron boot of the Assyrians at that time. Hezekiah was a faithful king who did a lot of good for his people and for the Lord. He eliminated outward idol worship and established the worship of the Lord in the temple in a purified way. But like any leader who keeps his hand on the pulse of those who follow him, he would have known the nation was going through the motions, but it was only outward. There were undercurrents that didn’t break out until Manasseh his son led the nation back into idolatry.
When Hezekiah said the word of the Lord through Isaiah was “good,” it may have been he was referring to him admitting that he and those who followed him deserved the judgment that would come according to the prophecy. Or it may have been a personal selfish relief that it wouldn’t happen to him in his lifetime. Self-satisfaction because of our success and accomplishments bring serious consequences. A short-sighted view of life and the future, may seem on the surface like we are expressing gratitude. Temporary peace in this lifetime is one thing. But we do have a responsibility to those who come behind us. We need to be ready to help them understand who they are and why they are here. Also, they need to know that everything they do is important when it is done for the Lord and His glory.
A lesson for all of God’s children in every age is that all we have and claim as our own, is temporarily on loan from God as a trust to be used for His purposes. When such a trust is given, it is usually a training method to see how we will handle things that are really important in the future. Treasures, money and success are not of lasting importance. People and their future; the glory of God and furtherance of His kingdom; the honor of our Lord Jesus Christ – and the eternal future ahead of us is what is really important.