Pride
This week is on the whole chapter of Isaiah 39:
I've taught on these verses before, I think. It's just an interesting illustration of what bad perspectives look like. Hezekiah was a great king, ruling over Israel when they were under attack from a huge Assyrian army. He sought God through his reign, and even saw miracles take place. But something happened between then and incidents described in these verses. And so Hezekiah ended up destroying Israel and cursing his descendants.
The irony is terrible. Hezekiah went through great lengths to protect Israel. He cried out to God when the Assyrians came, debasing himself in order to beg for mercy for his people. When they were delivered, he praised God publicly. When he was sick and certain to die, he even bargained with God, and was not only healed but shown a miracle involving the sun's path through the sky. Again, he praised God.
Hezekiah must have been so high on his God experience. He'd seen miracles, led his country out of danger, amassed great treasures, even cheated death! Moreover, he was famous for it, even in distant kingdoms like Babylon! I think it was hubris, like the legend of Icarus and Daedalus, where he flew too high and crashed to earth. He became consumed with his own glory, finally satisfied with God's approval of him, and began to think only of himself.
Look at what he did. He invited the enemy into the kingdom's treasure houses. There's a reason why people keep their money hidden away. Even the most noble of men will be tempted by a bowl of diamonds left unattended. In essence, because of his desire to be praised by the Babylonian envoys, he was telling them "Look at all the stuff we have to steal. And here's where we store it!" He put self before his kingdom and his family.
When Isaiah speaks the curse that Hezekiah's brought on the kingdom, and on his family, there's no remorse. It doesn't affect him. Israel doesn't matter. His children don't matter. What matters to him is his legacy, his personal wellbeing, and his reputation. Compare that with God's selfless sacrifice. Hezekiah had missed the mark!
The interesting question is "How could Hezekiah have known?" Right up until the moment he welcomed the Babylonian envoys, everything seemed perfect. He was successful, had a relationship with God, at least according to Isaiah, and had some very personal and very powerful encounters with divine power. What could go wrong? Haven't we ourselves found ourselves in the same situation?
Things are going well, and we forget ourselves. We drift on the legacy of our past. Eventually we invite the enemy into our territory and our treasure houses. And we don't care, because we have what we want. Why call daddy if the bills are getting paid? And so, we miss the warning signs. And we slowly change. Until eventually we're someone different, with different values than God has. And we lose.
That disconnection is pride. We believe we can exist on our own, or that God's blessing is somehow because of our awesomeness. We don't seek his counsel on things because we believe we have it figured out on our own. We look in the mirror for our devotions. Be on guard against that.
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. 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.
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.”
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.”
Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord Almighty: 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. 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.”
“The word of the Lord you have spoken is good,” Hezekiah replied. For he thought, “There will be peace and security in my lifetime.”
I've taught on these verses before, I think. It's just an interesting illustration of what bad perspectives look like. Hezekiah was a great king, ruling over Israel when they were under attack from a huge Assyrian army. He sought God through his reign, and even saw miracles take place. But something happened between then and incidents described in these verses. And so Hezekiah ended up destroying Israel and cursing his descendants.
The irony is terrible. Hezekiah went through great lengths to protect Israel. He cried out to God when the Assyrians came, debasing himself in order to beg for mercy for his people. When they were delivered, he praised God publicly. When he was sick and certain to die, he even bargained with God, and was not only healed but shown a miracle involving the sun's path through the sky. Again, he praised God.
Hezekiah must have been so high on his God experience. He'd seen miracles, led his country out of danger, amassed great treasures, even cheated death! Moreover, he was famous for it, even in distant kingdoms like Babylon! I think it was hubris, like the legend of Icarus and Daedalus, where he flew too high and crashed to earth. He became consumed with his own glory, finally satisfied with God's approval of him, and began to think only of himself.
Look at what he did. He invited the enemy into the kingdom's treasure houses. There's a reason why people keep their money hidden away. Even the most noble of men will be tempted by a bowl of diamonds left unattended. In essence, because of his desire to be praised by the Babylonian envoys, he was telling them "Look at all the stuff we have to steal. And here's where we store it!" He put self before his kingdom and his family.
When Isaiah speaks the curse that Hezekiah's brought on the kingdom, and on his family, there's no remorse. It doesn't affect him. Israel doesn't matter. His children don't matter. What matters to him is his legacy, his personal wellbeing, and his reputation. Compare that with God's selfless sacrifice. Hezekiah had missed the mark!
The interesting question is "How could Hezekiah have known?" Right up until the moment he welcomed the Babylonian envoys, everything seemed perfect. He was successful, had a relationship with God, at least according to Isaiah, and had some very personal and very powerful encounters with divine power. What could go wrong? Haven't we ourselves found ourselves in the same situation?
Things are going well, and we forget ourselves. We drift on the legacy of our past. Eventually we invite the enemy into our territory and our treasure houses. And we don't care, because we have what we want. Why call daddy if the bills are getting paid? And so, we miss the warning signs. And we slowly change. Until eventually we're someone different, with different values than God has. And we lose.
That disconnection is pride. We believe we can exist on our own, or that God's blessing is somehow because of our awesomeness. We don't seek his counsel on things because we believe we have it figured out on our own. We look in the mirror for our devotions. Be on guard against that.
Comments
Post a Comment