Isaiah’s Prophecy

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Crisis
Warren Wiersbe says that “a crisis does not make a person; it shows what a person is made of."  Hezekiah faced three crises during his reign as king. There was an international crisis, which was the invasion of the Assyrian army. There was a personal crisis, which was a sickness where he almost died.  Then there was a national crisis, which we see in today’s passage, where there is what appears to be an innocent visit from a Babylonian envoy. Hezekiah came through the first two victoriously, but the third one tripped him up.

The fact that Merodak-Baladan, a Babylonian prince, heard about Hezekiah’s sickness and recovery indicates the swiftness in which news traveled even in those ancient times (v. 1). Undoubtedly his friendly visit after Hezekiah’s illness was intended to persuade the king to bring Judah into an alliance against Syria. This visit was also a test of Hezekiah’s heart (2 Chron. 32:31). In pride, he showed the prince everything of value in his storehouse (v. 2).

When Isaiah heard about this, he gave Hezekiah a two party prophecy of judgment. First, he said the king’s wealth would be carried off to Babylon. Second, he prophesied that some of the king’s descendants would be forced to serve in the royal court of Babylon (vv 5-7). At that time Babylon was not a great world power, and few people would have thought that Assyria would one day collapse and be replaced by them.

Application

Isaiah reminded Hezekiah that, as king, he was only the steward of Judah’s wealth and not the owner. I need to be reminded that I am a mere steward of what God has given to me, and I have no right to boast about anything I may possess.

Isaiah 39:1-8 (English Standard Version)


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