When a leader put self first

Isaiah 39

You have been very sick and it is reported far and wide your days are numbered, but like king Hezekiah, God has heard your cry for life, for health, and He has blessed you with more time on planet earth.  Your close friends and family members are excited and thankful so they come to your home to share in your joy and blessing.  One day an envoy from a nation far away shows up at your door, he hands you a letter from his king that states he has heard of your sickness, your recovery, and wants to share in your joy.

When the close friends and the family came they had the run of the house, why, they are 

people you love, people you trust, but now someone is in your home you do not know; they 

are important because of who sent them, but do you give them the run of the house?  We are 

told in chapter 39 that Hezekiah did so; let’s read the account in verse 2, “And Hezekiah 

welcomed them gladly. And he showed them his treasure house, the silver, the gold, the 

spices, the precious oil, his whole armory, all that was found in his storehouses. There was 

nothing in his house or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them.”  

He did what?  Yes, he revealed it all and they took notes. Today they would have had their 

I Phone out taking pictures, and this is going to come back on him, but he is excited that a 

king from a far off land was concerned about his health.  Where were the kings wise men, 

where were his councilors, the Bible is silent on this, maybe some tried to tell him to be 

careful, we do not know, but this we do know, Isaiah heard about them coming and had a 

few questions for the king.

Picking up the story in verse three, “Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah, and 

said to him, “What did these men say? And from where did they come to you?” Hezekiah 

said, “They have come to me from a far country, from Babylon.” He said, “What have they 

seen in your house?” Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house. There 

is nothing in my storehouses that I did not show them.”  (Isaiah 39:3-4 ESV)  We must 

remember the king has the say on life and death, so Isaiah does not call him a jug head, 

what Isaiah does is tell the king what God has said: “Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear 

the word of the LORD of hosts: Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, 

and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing 

shall be left, says the LORD. And some of your own sons, who will come from you, whom 

you will father, shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king 

of Babylon.”  (Isaiah 39:5-7 ESV)

If you’re wondering how the king responded, you’re going to be surprised, you or I would 

have been blown away by our irresponsible actions, but not the king, verse eight gives the 

rest of the story.  “Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the LORD that you have 

spoken is good.” For he thought, “There will be peace and security in my days.”   

(Isaiah 39:8 ESV)

We must ask what has happened to this good king, has he lost his mind?  And the answer 

is no, he is acting like a selfish child, like a man full of pride, but not like a man who humbled 

himself before God, and lead his people to do the same, when the king of Assyria is coming 

with a mighty army.  He forgot the prayer of King Jehoshaphat who prayed, Lord, “We do not 

know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”  You and I must learn the dangers of taking our 

eyes off of Jesus, for it is common to man to put self first and others last.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice