Today’s passage: Isaiah 39
Helpful thoughts:
- We saw the good in Hezekiah in the last few days…now we see the bad.
- When the Babylonians came to rejoice in his recovery (Which God brought about), Hezekiah flaunted his own wealth (Which God brought about as well).
- He had desired to live to tell others of God, but instead used his breath to entice a treaty with Babylon for added security against the Assyrians (Which God alone can truly provide).
- After having been told that Judah would fall and a number of his sons would be made eunuchs in the service of a foreign pagan king, Hezekiah rested in the fact that nothing bad would happen while he was still king…at least he wouldn’t have to see it or be around to deal with it.
Questions to consider:
- In showing Babylon the wealth and armory of Judah, what did Hezekiah show he was trusting in for his security? Where had Judah’s security come from?
- What kinds of things are people turning to today for provision and protection? How are people treating one another in order to try to get what the security they want? How does this compare to Matthew 6:33?
- What opportunity did Hezekiah miss? What did the Babylonian officials need to hear from him? How can you show the people you know where you turn for security?