Day 231: Isaiah 39- Pride Comes Before The Fall

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.”