Isaiah 38 & 39 - Hezekiah's Healing and Pride

LINK: Isaiah 38 & 39
Parallel Passages: 2 Kings 20, 2 Chronicles 32

In Isaiah 36-37, we saw King Hezekiah as a man of faith. In Isaiah 38-39, we see him as a man of pride. It is obvious from Isaiah 38:6 that the events in Isaiah 38 happened before the events in 36-37 because Isaiah prophesied Judah’s deliverance from Assyria.

Here is a review of what I wrote about these chapters in the post for 2 Kings 20:

Isaiah prophesied that Hezekiah would die, but Hezekiah's faith-filled intercession caused God to hear his prayer and see his tears and heal him, giving him fifteen more years of life (701-686 B.C.). He showed this through the sign of the shadow on the "stairway of Ahaz." Some commentators say this was an Egyptian sundial in the form of a miniature staircase with shadows moving up and down the staircase. Other commentators say it was a literal staircase built by King Ahaz. 

Merodach-Baladan reigned Babylon during two time periods: 721-710 and 703-702 B.C. He sent an envoy to Judah to seek King Hezekiah's support as an ally in the anti-Assyrian effort but also to find out how strong Judah was. Hezekiah made a foolish mistake in showing the envoy all of his wealth and armaments and revealed his proud heart (2 Chronicles 32:25). This led to Isaiah's sad prophecy regarding the end of Judah at the hands of the Babylonians. 

Despite his pride, Hezekiah was still considered Israel's best king. In fact, only a handful of people are given 10 or more chapters in the Bible: Moses, David, Paul, and Hezekiah are a few. Of course, those chapters are scattered between three books: 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles, and Isaiah!

One thing that the account in Isaiah has that the other two accounts do not have is the song Hezekiah wrote to express his thanks to God for his healing. Hezekiah said that he would walk “humbly all his years,” but we know that he walked in pride by showing his treasures to Babylon!

REFLECTION (written in 2009)

Oh PRIDE! I have been reminded of this area of my life over the past couple of days, and this passage could not be more perfectly timed.

Pride gets the best of us. It ensnared even a good King like Hezekiah. Pride is one of Satan’s greatest tools:

Pride is one of Satan’s chief weapons in his battle against the Lord and His people. Satan himself committed the sin of pride when he rebelled against God and sought the worship and obedience that God alone deserves (Isa. 14:12–15). Pride makes us rob God of the glory that belongs to Him alone. Pride gives us a feeling of false security and this leads us into sin and defeat. Charles Spurgeon said to his London congregation, “Be not proud of race, face, place, or grace.” Good advice! William Barclay wrote, “Pride is the ground in which all the other sins grow, and the parent from which all the other sins come. (Wiersbe, W. W. Be Distinct, p. 135)

Be aware! No one is immune to pride.

APPLICATION

There are many verses on pride, pray through some of them:

Leviticus 26:19 
Psalm 36:11 
Proverbs 8:13 
Proverbs 11:2 
Proverbs 16:18 
Proverbs 21:24 
Proverbs 29:23 
Isaiah 2:17 
Micah 6:8

Also, the book Praying God's Word by Beth Moore has an excellent chapter called "Overcoming Pride." I heartily recommend this book. It is fantastic for your prayer life! 

"Pride is the deification of self." 

Oswald Chambers, 

My Utmost for His Highest

PRAYER

Lord, You bring down rulers from their thrones, but You exalt the humble (Luke 1:52). Please show us the areas of pride in our life and root them out so that we might give ONLY YOU the glory and honor. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.