And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?”2 Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.” 3 And the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.” 4 The king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “He is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.” 5 Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar. 6 And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, “Mephibosheth!” And he answered, “Behold, I am your servant.” 7 And David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.” 8 And he paid homage and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?”
 
9 Then the king called Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master's grandson. 10 And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master's grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master's grandson shall always eat at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. 11 Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do.” So Mephibosheth ate at David's table, like one of the king's sons. 12 And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. And all who lived in Ziba's house became Mephibosheth's servants. 13 So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate always at the king's table. Now he was lame in both his feet.
 
Meditation
The covenant love of God has a special place at the table for every unique person He calls His beloved. God’s people must look to show God’s love to unlikely people in unlikely places.
 
David had united the kingdom, established the capital, and defeated his enemies. What is his next best step? Looking to show “kindness,” or steadfast love, to the house of Jonathan (1).
 
David seeks to intentionally show “kindness” (1, 3, 7), the covenant love of God (Exodus 34:4-6). Mephibosheth had been injured in his feet when fleeing with his nurse after the death of his father and grandfather (2 Samuel 4:4, 10).  David could have overlooked the house of Jonathan and forgotten Mephibosheth. Kindness welcomes the forgotten and marginalized to the king’s table.
 
David’s desire to show kindness is centered on his table (7, 10, 11, 13). The hospitality of king David points to the Lord’s kindness, His steadfast love for His people. Our Shepherd sets a table in the presence of our enemies. His kindness, or steadfast love, will follow us all the days of our lives (Psalm 23). The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases- Great is His faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23)!
 
God’s kindness does not overlook us in our need but welcomes us to His table. We must show the same kindness to others. The love of the Lord will never let us go (Romans 8:28-30). We respond by showing that same love to everyone that God puts in our path.
 
Richly Dwelling
-How do you describe your care or concern for people the world has overlooked or forgotten?
 
-God has not overlooked or forgotten you. He shows you His steadfast love in the person and work of Christ, inviting you to His table. How does God’s love for you challenge how you love your neighbor? See Luke 10:30-37 or 1 John 4:20 for some direction in this application.
 
-Who do you need to show kindness to? How can you show kindness, the Lord’s steadfast love, to those the Lord puts in your path?
 
Key Verse
 7 And David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.”

Some time after this, the cupbearer of the king of Egypt and his baker committed an offense against their lord the king of Egypt. 2 And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, 3 and he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison where Joseph was confined. 4 The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be with them, and he attended them. They continued for some time in custody.
 
5 And one night they both dreamed—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison—each his own dream, and each dream with its own interpretation. 6 When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were troubled. 7 So he asked Pharaoh's officers who were with him in custody in his master's house, “Why are your faces downcast today?” 8 They said to him, “We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them.” And Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me.”
 
9 So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph and said to him, “In my dream there was a vine before me, 10 and on the vine there were three branches. As soon as it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and the clusters ripened into grapes.11 Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup and placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand.” 12 Then Joseph said to him, “This is its interpretation: the three branches are three days. 13 In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office, and you shall place Pharaoh's cup in his hand as formerly, when you were his cupbearer. 14 Only remember me, when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house. 15 For I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the pit.”
 
16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Joseph, “I also had a dream: there were three cake baskets on my head, 17 and in the uppermost basket there were all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating it out of the basket on my head.” 18 And Joseph answered and said, “This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days. 19 In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head—from you!—and hang you on a tree. And the birds will eat the flesh from you.”
 
20 On the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, he made a feast for all his servants and lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. 21 He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand. 22 But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. 23 Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.
 
Meditation
I know someone that loves orange juice so much that he bought his wife a juicer attachment for her KitchenAid Mixer for Christmas (his wife gets terrible indigestion from orange juice).   Although mislead by his stomach in gift giving, he is correct that the best form of orange juice is fresh squeezed… for an orange to truly bless someone’s soul it must be picked and crushed.
 
Joseph was picked from Canaan, a Hebrew sold into slavery by his family, and crushed in the pit by God’s providence. Only after crushing in the pit is Joseph prepared to bless the nations from the palace of Pharaoh.
 
Joseph was an innocent man thrown into a pit of a prison (15). Joseph’s faith remained steadfast, knowing the interpretations of dreams were only in the hands of God (8). People forgot Joseph in the pit (23). God did not forget Joseph. God was preparing Joseph to lead the most powerful nation in the world.
 
God’s providence often crushes people He is preparing to use in powerful ways. Abraham and Sarah were crushed by infertility and time. Moses was crushed by his sin of murder and exile. David was crushed through his fugitive years in the wilderness.
 
Jesus was crushed for our transgressions (Isaiah 53:5), resurrected to bless the nations with an invitation to return to the Father’s love. Jesus conquered the pit so we can have hope in the pits of God’s providence in our lives. God often picks us and crushes us to prepare us for His purposes of blessing our neighbors, neighborhoods, and the nations.
 
Richly Dwelling
-Do you find yourself in a pit from God’s providence? What is your perspective? Do you have peace?
 
-Do you have trouble serving God, having faith in Him in the midst of crushing circumstances? How does knowing the pit has no power give you peace?
 
-What are the purposes God is working in you through this difficult providence? How is He making you more like Him? How is He revealing your great need and His great provision in the gospel?
 
Key Verse
15 For I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the pit.”

And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. 2 And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John's baptism.” 4 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.6 And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. 7 There were about twelve men in all.
 
8 And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. 9 But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus.10 This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.
 
The Sons of Sceva
11 And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them. 13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” 14 Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. 15 But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” 16 And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. 18 Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. 19 And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver.20 So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.
 
A Riot at Ephesus
21 Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” 22 And having sent into Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.
 
23 About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way. 24 For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen. 25 These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. 26 And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods. 27 And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.”
 
28 When they heard this they were enraged and were crying out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29 So the city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed together into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul's companions in travel. 30 But when Paul wished to go in among the crowd, the disciples would not let him. 31 And even some of the Asiarchs, who were friends of his, sent to him and were urging him not to venture into the theater. 32 Now some cried out one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together. 33 Some of the crowd prompted Alexander, whom the Jews had put forward. And Alexander, motioning with his hand, wanted to make a defense to the crowd. 34 But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours they all cried out with one voice, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
 
35 And when the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, who is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great Artemis, and of the sacred stone that fell from the sky?[f] 36 Seeing then that these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash. 37 For you have brought these men here who are neither sacrilegious nor blasphemers of our goddess. 38 If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another. 39 But if you seek anything further,[g] it shall be settled in the regular assembly. 40 For we really are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion.” 41 And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.
 
Meditation
The Word of God is the most powerful agent of transformation in all the world. The potency of proclamation is found in the pleasure of God’s Spirit to use His Word. Nothing compares with or is worthy of our hope.
 
City transformation in Ephesus came through proclamation of God’s Word. Paul preached for two years (10) and the Word of God increased mightily (20). Paul’s daily proclamation was anchored in an authentic encounter with the Holy Spirit (1-7). Ephesus was a port city, a logistics hub for the region, so “all the residents of Asia” heard the Word of the Lord. Dark strongholds oppressing Ephesus resisted. The Word of God prevailed.
 
Paul’s message was rooted in OT prophets and Psalms- “god’s made by hands are no gods at all” (26). The spirit of God used the Word of God to change hearts, transform families, and alter economic and social demands.  Demons driving personal disorder and familial dysfunction were cast out (11-20). Witches burned their books. The community quit buying idols of Artemis, the goddess of fertility and the idols manufacturers revolted, led by Demetrius (21-41).
 
The Word of God and the Spirit of God can transform the world of God for the glory of God. The light of the Word dispels darkness. The power of the Spirit uses the Word to transform hearts, heal families, and restore society. The enemy will not give up strongholds without a fight! But the Word does the work by the Spirit’s power.
 
Richly Dwelling
-Where do you look for personal, familial, and societal transformation? Do you believe the Word of God is used by the Spirit of God as His means to transform the world for the glory of God?
 
-Which narrative portion stands out to you most: Rootedness of Paul’s teaching in the Spirit, sunk deep into the Word (1-10), the transformation of dark to light in families and neighborhoods (11-20), or the economic and social transformation of a city and region (21-41)?  Why?
 
-Ask the Lord to wreck you with His Spirit and His Word. Pray for the Church to have an authentic Holy Spirit encounter and for families, neighborhoods, your city, and region to be transformed with the Word and Spirit of God. Do you believe God can bring this transformation? He has! And He will again.
 
Key Verse
20 So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.

These are the heads of their fathers' houses, and this is the genealogy of those who went up with me from Babylonia, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king: 2 Of the sons of Phinehas, Gershom. Of the sons of Ithamar, Daniel. Of the sons of David, Hattush. 3 Of the sons of Shecaniah, who was of the sons of Parosh, Zechariah, with whom were registered 150 men. 4 Of the sons of Pahath-moab, Eliehoenai the son of Zerahiah, and with him 200 men. 5 Of the sons of Zattu,[a] Shecaniah the son of Jahaziel, and with him 300 men. 6 Of the sons of Adin, Ebed the son of Jonathan, and with him 50 men. 7 Of the sons of Elam, Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah, and with him 70 men. 8 Of the sons of Shephatiah, Zebadiah the son of Michael, and with him 80 men. 9 Of the sons of Joab, Obadiah the son of Jehiel, and with him 218 men. 10 Of the sons of Bani,[b] Shelomith the son of Josiphiah, and with him 160 men. 11 Of the sons of Bebai, Zechariah, the son of Bebai, and with him 28 men. 12 Of the sons of Azgad, Johanan the son of Hakkatan, and with him 110 men. 13 Of the sons of Adonikam, those who came later, their names being Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah, and with them 60 men. 14 Of the sons of Bigvai, Uthai and Zaccur, and with them 70 men.
 
Ezra Sends for Levites
15 I gathered them to the river that runs to Ahava, and there we camped three days. As I reviewed the people and the priests, I found there none of the sons of Levi. 16 Then I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, leading men, and for Joiarib and Elnathan, who were men of insight, 17 and sent them to Iddo, the leading man at the place Casiphia, telling them what to say to Iddo and his brothers and[c] the temple servants at the place Casiphia, namely, to send us ministers for the house of our God. 18 And by the good hand of our God on us, they brought us a man of discretion, of the sons of Mahli the son of Levi, son of Israel, namely Sherebiah with his sons and kinsmen, 18; 19 also Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, with his kinsmen and their sons, 20;20 besides 220 of the temple servants, whom David and his officials had set apart to attend the Levites. These were all mentioned by name.
 
Fasting and Prayer for Protection
21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods. 22 For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, “The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.” 23 So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.
 
Priests to Guard Offerings
24 Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests: Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their kinsmen with them. 25 And I weighed out to them the silver and the gold and the vessels, the offering for the house of our God that the king and his counselors and his lords and all Israel there present had offered. 26 I weighed out into their hand 650 talents of silver, and silver vessels worth 200 talents,[e] and 100 talents of gold, 27 20 bowls of gold worth 1,000 darics,[f] and two vessels of fine bright bronze as precious as gold. 28 And I said to them, “You are holy to the Lord, and the vessels are holy, and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering to the Lord, the God of your fathers. 29 Guard them and keep them until you weigh them before the chief priests and the Levites and the heads of fathers' houses in Israel at Jerusalem, within the chambers of the house of the Lord.” 30 So the priests and the Levites took over the weight of the silver and the gold and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem, to the house of our God.
 
31 Then we departed from the river Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and from ambushes by the way. 32 We came to Jerusalem, and there we remained three days. 33 On the fourth day, within the house of our God, the silver and the gold and the vessels were weighed into the hands of Meremoth the priest, son of Uriah, and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas, and with them were the Levites, Jozabad the son of Jeshua and Noadiah the son of Binnui. 34 The whole was counted and weighed, and the weight of everything was recorded.
 
35 At that time those who had come from captivity, the returned exiles, offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel, twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs, and as a sin offering twelve male goats. All this was a burnt offering to the Lord. 36 They also delivered the king's commissions to the king's satraps[g] and to the governors of the province Beyond the River, and they aided the people and the house of God.
 
Meditation
If you were going on a dangerous journey with loads of people, wealth, and resources what or whom would you take with you for security? On our perilous pilgrim journey through life we have security in the person and promises of God, more powerful than any other protection.
 
Ezra recounts his journey from Babylon to Jerusalem. He gathered the congregation of returning exiles (1-14) and the temple treasury (24-30) on the banks of the river running to Ahava (15). Ezra chose to trust God for security on the journey over and above a military or government envoy (22-23). Do you trust God alone for protection?
 
The book of Ezra has been dominated by imperial decrees directing the steps of restoration. Ezra’s first steps toward Jerusalem trusted the Lord alone. The bounty he bore was rich and the journey long, potentially perilous from vigilantes and bandits. How would these vulnerable pilgrims be protected in their journey? Ezra and his congregation fasted for three days and prayed for God’s mercy (21, 23). The good hand of the Lord was upon them and delivered them (22, 31).
 
Ezra prayed for a “safe journey,” (21) literally a “straight way,” the same language of Proverbs 3:5-6. The Lord will give a “straight way,” protection and provision on our pilgrim journey, when we trust Him with all our heart. He is our Good Shepherd. Faith reaches beyond understanding to trust the Lord to provide all the security, protection, and provision we will need.  
 
Richly Dwelling
-Where do you place your trust for security in your pilgrim journey? Nehemiah would have an imperial escort in his return (Nehemiah 2:9). Government protection is not bad in and of itself. The question really is what, or who; do you trust with all your heart?
 
-What do you have that you are afraid to lose? How are you vulnerable on your pilgrim journey?
 
-God promises to be our shepherd, to make our path straight. How can you hear His voice and more faithfully follow Him, trusting His promises?
 
Key Verse
21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods. 

I said, “I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle, so long as the wicked are in my presence.” 2 I was mute and silent; I held my peace to no avail, and my distress grew worse. 3 My heart became hot within me. As I mused, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue:
 
4 “O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am! 5 Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah


6  Surely a man goes about as a shadow! Surely for nothing they are in turmoil; man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather! 7 “And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you. 8 Deliver me from all my transgressions. Do not make me the scorn of the fool! 9 I am mute; I do not open my mouth, for it is you who have done it. 10 Remove your stroke from me; I am spent by the hostility of your hand. 11 When you discipline a man with rebukes for sin, you consume like a moth what is dear to him; surely all mankind is a mere breath! Selah
 
12 “Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry; hold not your peace at my tears!
For I am a sojourner with you, a guest, like all my fathers. 13 Look away from me, that I may smile again, before I depart and am no more!”
 
 
Meditation
Where do you turn in moments of desperation? God wants you to take your desperate prayers to Him. Our Father welcomes your most difficult emotions, questions, fears, and frustrations.
 
Do you feel freedom to engage God with your whole heart? Psalm 39 displays the personal development coming from engaging God with desperate prayers. Desperate prayers develop self-awareness and honest self- evaluation (1-3). Divine dialog in desperation fosters healthy situational awareness, a better perspective on life and history (4-6), and it increases dependency and felt need for deliverance (7-11).  
 
The depth of desperation is portrayed in verse 12- Hold not your peace with my tears!  Have you cried out to God with this level of intensity? If you have then you are in good company. Job (Job 7:16-17), Jeremiah, (Jeremiah 20:18), and Jesus (Luke 19:41-44) all cried out to our Father with intense prayers of desperation.
 
Often we do not participate in a Divine dialog of desperation because we either do not trust God or we are afraid to be vulnerable with God. The Lord saves those crushed in spirit and is near the broken hearted (Psalm 34:18).
 
You need not be afraid. You have a Father who hears your cries of desperation. Divine development in self-awareness, situational awareness, and an increase of Divine dependency will meet you when you desperately reach out to Him. You can trust God! Open your heart to Him in your places of desperation.
 
Richly Dwelling
-Where do you find yourself in desperate situations? Personally, relationally, socially? Will you dialog with the Divine in your desperation?
 
-Which area of development is most desirous to you- Self-awareness, situational awareness, or dependency? Why?
 
-Go to the Lord in prayer. Ask his Spirit to free you to trust Him and be not afraid. Increase your dependency on Him, especially in your most desperate situations.
 
Key Verse
12 “Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry; hold not your peace at my tears!
For I am a sojourner with you, a guest, like all my fathers.

At that time Merodach-baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent envoys with letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered. 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. 3 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.” 4 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.”
5 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord of hosts: 6 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. 7 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.” 8 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.”
 
Meditation
Do you think of yourself more highly than you ought? Self-promotion and self-sufficiency are fruit of a haughty heart and a warning sign that you will fall.
 
Hezekiah’s faith had been soaring (38:9-20) but the big win over Assyria, his sickness, and recovery, got to his head. Babylon was seeking to overthrow Assyria, a task simplified with defeat of the army and slaughter of the emperor (37:36-38). Merodach-baladan was the leader of the resistance for Babylon and wanted to meet the new kid on the block who catalyzed the downfall of Assyria. He came with gifts and Hezekiah accepted the glory.
 
King Hezekiah allowed success to go to his head and sought to curate his reputation among the nations. Hezekiah gladly welcomed the envoy and showed them all the treasures of his kingdom (3-4). Hezekiah boasted in the treasure of Judah and never consulted the Lord, shared his faith in the Lord, or gave glory to the Lord.
 
Pride makes our heart callous and leads us to be self-focused and short sighted. Isaiah rebukes Hezekiah, condemning his actions and promising exile for his offspring. Hezekiah’s pride is exposed and his callousness over the consequences for his children is lamentable (8).  Pride comes before the fall.
 
How do we remedy a proud heart? Jesus Christ humbled Himself for you (Philippians 2:6-8), the greatest king took defeat to make you His treasure. The steadfast love of God humbles us to receive God’s grace (James 4:6), avoiding the fall resulting from a prideful heart (Proverbs 16:18). 
 
Richly Dwelling
-Do you think of yourself more highly than you ought?
 
-How does recognizing the humble love of Jesus for you convict you of your pride and promote humility in your heart?
 
-Practice humility by celebrating the greatness of God, giving God all the glory for your life, and serving others.  Consider two specific steps you can take to begin walking in humility.
 
Key Verse
8 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.”