1. A letter from the king of Babylon (vs. 1)

This was seemingly a gesture of kindness from the king of Babylon, showing concern to Hezekiah as fellow royalty. The presence of Merodach-Baladan shows this was more than a courtesy call. This was an attempt to bring the kingdom of Judah on to the side of the Babylonians against the Assyrians. We can imagine that this was flattering for King Hezekiah. After all, Judah was a lowly nation with little power, and Babylon as a junior superpower. To receive this notice and recognition from the king of Babylon must have really made Hezekiah feel he was important.

2. Hezekiah entertains the envoys from the king of Babylon (vs. 2)

Feeling honoured by the embassy, he gladly welcomed the envoys of this archenemy of Assyria. Without consulting either the Lord or Isaiah, he showed them his vast treasures, his abundant supplies of food, and his military armaments. God had given Hezekiah great wealth, so the visitors were duly impressed. (See also 2 Chron. 32:27-29).

This was nothing but proud foolishness on Hezekiah’s part. He is in the dangerous place of wanting to please and impress man, especially ungodly men.

3. Isaiah confronts Hezekiah (vs. 3-7)

Hezekiah’s pride and inflated ego have made him blind. He thought that this display of wealth would impress the Babylonians. All it did was show them what the kings of Judah had, and what they could get from them. It would be more than a hundred years before Babylon carried away the royal treasures of Judah, but they did come, just as Isaiah prophesied. This prophecy is so remarkably accurate that many sceptics insist – without grounds other than unbelief – a later “Isaiah” must have written it after the fact.

Worse than taking the material riches of the kings of Judah, the king of Babylon would take the sons of the king of Judah – his true riches! One fulfilment of this was the taking of Daniel and his companions into captivity. Daniel was one of the king’s descendants taken into the palace of the king of Babylon (Daniel 1:1-4).

4. Hezekiah accepts his punishment (vs. 8)

This is a sad state of heart in the king of Judah. God announces coming judgment, and all he can respond with is relief that it will not happen in his lifetime. There is no doubt that Hezekiah started out as a godly king, and overall his reign was one of outstanding godliness (2 Kings 18:3-7). Yet his beginning was much better than his end; Hezekiah did not finish well. God gave Hezekiah the gift of 15 more years of life, but the added years did not make him a better or godlier man.

Time or age doesn’t necessarily make us any better. Consider that time does nothing but pass away. We sometimes say, “Time will tell”, “time will heal”, or “time will bring out the potential”. But time will do nothing of the sort! Time will only come and go. It is only how we use time that matters. Hezekiah didn’t make good use of the extra time the Lord gave him.

Categories: Isaiah