The King With a Heart Only for Himself

Fresh off his healing, Hezekiah makes a huge mistake that will cost the nation of Judah its existence. Envoys from Babylon, the second up and coming nation of the age, are sent to examine the doings of Israel. When they meet Hezekiah he is more than willing to open the entire treasure to them. 

2 Kings 20:12–13 (ESV) 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 Hezekiah had been sick. 13 And Hezekiah welcomed them, and he showed them all his treasure house, the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his 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.

This moment is so exhausting. Hezekiah should know better than to let a foreign nation know what Israel has in their storehouse. He invites disaster. But his mistake illustrates a condition of the human heart to which we are all susceptible. When we experience times of great victory and rest, we can lose our edge, find ourselves "self-satisfied" and open the door to the enemy. 

We note that the king of Babylon sent this envoy because he heard Hezekiah was sick. Perhaps Hezekiah wanted to prove himself to Babylon that he was not weak but rather impressively strong in spirit and in substance. We read further about Hezekiah's response to God's healing in 2 Chronicles.

2 Chronicles 32:25 (ESV) But Hezekiah did not make return according to the benefit done to him, for his heart was proud. Therefore wrath came upon him and Judah and Jerusalem.

Hezekiah let the healing God miraculously provided go straight to his head and he lived in arrogance. As the Proverb states, this is the recipe for a quick disaster. 

2 Kings 20:14–15 (ESV) 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?” And Hezekiah said, “They have come from a far country, from Babylon.” 15 He said, “What have they seen in your house?” And Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing in my storehouses that I did not show them.”

Hezekiah is completely oblivious to what he's done wrong. That is how it works in the heart of the proud. Their pride blinds them to their own self-deception. 

2 Kings 20:16–18 (ESV) Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the LORD: 17 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. 18 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.”

Hezekiah's treasure will soon be gone. His sons will be taken away and serve as eunuchs. What a terrible thing to hear as a father. But notice Hezekiah's response:

2 Kings 20:19 (ESV) Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the LORD that you have spoken is good.” For he thought, “Why not, if there will be peace and security in my days?”

Mind you, this is the same man who wept bitterly and cried out to the Lord for healing when his life was at stake. But since the harm will only come upon those after him, he's fine with it. Yikes. Hezekiah suffers from a nuanced form of Chronological Snobbery. It's that sense of entitlement that your generation and life is all that matters. A lot of people exhibit this behavior. In many ways, the American nation lives like this every day. They drive their future generations into poverty and destruction by living only for themselves and their glory. Hezekiah had only himself in mind and it cost his lineage and his nation dearly. 

Hezekiah's anti-type is Christ. He surrendered his riches in heaven to become poor FOR US (2 Corinthians 8:9). He gave up His future life on this Earth (dying at 33) so that we could live and long and blessed life. He considered those who came after Him by shedding His blood that they might know and love Him. When it comes to Kings you should follow, the risen Lord Jesus is the one who did not just have a solitary heart for the Father and His will, He had a heart for you.