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Humility and Humanity

2Kings 20

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Parallel text in Isaiah 38-39, 2 Chronicles 32. Adds Hezekiah's lament and song of thanksgiving to God. The events of chapter 20 actually probably occurred prior to chapters 18-19. As is the case many times in the Bible, the authors organized their materials thematically, rather than strictly chronologically.

What we see in this chapter is the humanity or Hezekiah, and the mercy of God, who works with us imperfect humans in a very gentle and loving way.

Hezekiah apparently had some kind of boil that had ulcerated and perhaps had led to sepsis or another life threatening condition. Isaiah comes and tells him he is going to die. I don't know about you, but I think I'd be pretty shocked with that news-and Hezekiah has reason for it-he has yet no male heir for the throne of David. So look at his response.

2 - 3

Hezekiah's dismisses Isaiah, and perhaps because he is so laid up, can only turn away-but instead of wallowing in self pity, he cries out to God. He's basically saying "remember that I have a relationship with you ("walked before you in faithfulness"). His great reforms of the nation have barely begun, so perhaps he is also worried about what will become of Judah if he dies. God hears, and apparently, Isaiah didn't know of the real plan until then.

4 - 7

God reminds Hezekiah that it is for his covenant with David that He is showing mercy. He promises deliverance from Assyria (which we saw in 18-19) and healing. The cake of figs poultice was acceptable medical practice in the day, but God used it miraculously to heal him. Does God work with and through medicine? Yes. But the real healing belongs to God. Notice that the healing was not guaranteed. We have no power to force God to heal. When you are sick, you should pray for healing, but leave the answer to God. He may choose to let you suffer (like Job) for His purposes, heal you, or take you home. When you are a bond-servant of God, the choices about what happens to you belong to your master. It doesn't mean we either lay down and give up or demand a better deal from God-it means we focus on learning and doing what God wants in every situation.

8 - 11

The "steps" are steps of Ahaz's sundial that he apparently had set up. We don't know if the sun literally went backwards or if there is some other thing going on here. Never the less, it is a miraculous sign. Hezekiah indicates that his healing includes a continued relationship with God as he will go up to the temple and celebrate and thank God. Was the sign a bad thing? God had offered his father, Ahaz, a sign-something Ahaz refused because he didn't really want to be held accountable for walking away from what he knew was the truth (Isaiah 7:12).

At this time, Hezekiah also wrote a song. We find it in Isaiah 38. He ends it by saying "The Lord will save me, and we will play my music on stringed instruments all the days of our lives, at the house of the Lord." (vs 20).

So here is where the humility of Hezekiah gives way to the humanity. I think sometimes when God performs a miracle for us we get just a little bit cocky, like God did it because we were so special. It leads to some serious consequence.

12 - 15

The miracle healing and sundial moving thing got around. Hezekiah is apparently pretty pleased to be so famous and really shows off to the emissaries from Babylon. 2 Chronicles 32:25 says: "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." It goes on to say that Hezekiah was very rich, for "God had given him very great possessions." (2 Chron 32:29). Part of the testing of Hezekiah was to heal him and prosper him. Then "God left him to himself, in order to test him and to know all that was in his heart."

As Isaiah pays him another visit, Hezekiah learns about the flesh operating in him, in the guise of success.

16 - 19

Hezekiah's pride ended up being a part of the discipline of God against Judah. The king of Babylon ostensibly comes to congratulate Hezekiah, but in all likelihood he is looking for an ally against Assyria. In the end, his attempt to impress makes it so Sennacherib, king of Assyria, comes down to claim all that wealth (2 Kings 18). It's not that having stuff is wrong, but when it uses us instead of using it to glorify God, the stuff we have becomes a stumbling block for us and can go away in the wink of an eye. Hezekiah should have known that.

Luke 12:19-21 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.' 20 But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' 21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God."

Hezekiah got the message, at least partially. 2 Chronicles 32:26 says "But Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem." That's why the wrath did not come in Hezekiah's day. I do think we should be concerned about how our behavior sets up consequences for our children and those who come after us. Just because we don't see the effects now doesn't make it all right.

20 - 21

Here is where we get the story of Hezekiah's Tunnel. He was honored greatly in his burial. 2 Chronicles tells us that he was buried "in the upper part of the tombs of the sons of David." (33).

The problems of Hezekiah:

He didn't accept God's ultimate direction for his life (2)
He asked God to relent based on what he had done (3)
He demanded a sign (8) - is this bad or good?
He showed off (12-13), wanting to impress others, he put the nation at risk.
He didn't care for those who came after (19)

On the other hand:

He wanted God's work to continue (no heir)
He plead for God's mercy, not justification
He wanted confirmation as his father had been offered
He was genuinely overjoyed at the prosperity the Lord had given him
He was pleased for a period of continued blessing and did repent for his pride and God molded his character so that they were successful against the Assyrians.

What is God's character towards Hezekiah?

Mercy based on his covenant
Discipline based on our behavior
Accountability based on our relationship with God
God works with imperfect humans, gently nudging us towards trust and transformation.

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2Kings 20:1-21 (ESV)

Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery

20:1 In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die; you shall not recover.’” 2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, saying, 3 “Now, O Lord, please remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4 And before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, the word of the Lord came to him: 5 “Turn back, and say to Hezekiah the leader of my people, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord, 6 and I will add fifteen years to your life. I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city for my own sake and for my servant David's sake.” 7 And Isaiah said, “Bring a cake of figs. And let them take and lay it on the boil, that he may recover.”

8 And Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What shall be the sign that the Lord will heal me, and that I shall go up to the house of the Lord on the third day?” 9 And Isaiah said, “This shall be the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do the thing that he has promised: shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or go back ten steps?” 10 And Hezekiah answered, “It is an easy thing for the shadow to lengthen ten steps. Rather let the shadow go back ten steps.” 11 And Isaiah the prophet called to the Lord, and he brought the shadow back ten steps, by which it had gone down on the steps of Ahaz.

Hezekiah and the Babylonian Envoys

12 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. 14 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.”

16 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 shall be born to you, shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.” 19 Then said Hezekiah 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?”

20 The rest of the deeds of Hezekiah and all his might and how he made the pool and the conduit and brought water into the city, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 21 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and Manasseh his son reigned in his place. (ESV)

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