The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth
“Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to enquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that He might know all that was in his heart.” (2Chron. 32:31).
King Hezekiah had been a wonderful tool in God’s hands to bring about a revival in Judah and to offer it to the ten northern tribes as well. This revival was accomplished through a Passover, the greatest of which that had ever been known. It lasted a whole week, and the visiting Israelites from the north had been so many generations without witnessing the heart-wrenching sacrifice of a little lamb, with all the historical significance that attended it, that the new-comers asked for another week of ceremonies and fellowship.
Those were glorious days. God in His great mercy inspired Hezekiah to provide this opportunity of repentance to Israel because He foresaw the soon destruction of the corrupted ten northern tribes by the Assyrian empire.
When Sennacharib arrived with his armies to destroy Israel and to conquer the southern kingdom of Judah, Hezekiah’s faith was put to an extreme test. At that time he took the written threats of the Assyrian king and laid them out before the Lord. His heart rent, he beseeched his God for protection from the innumerable hosts of his powerful enemy.
But, once the danger had passed, Hezekiah lapsed into a Laodicean state of lukewarmness with the God who had so summarily been his help. For many years he reigned riding on the successes of the past, and without seeking to renew the faith he had known during those difficult times. God blessed Hezekiah tremendously in an effort to bring him to repentance. But after these volumous blessings would not awaken him to his precarious stance of self-sufficiency, the Lord allowed disease to begin a terrible work on his body.
A boil appeared which no doctor could cure. It is likely that the physicians of Egypt were looked to for their professional knowledge of science mixed with sorcery. But when nothing else worked to heal him, the ailing king received a call from his most trusted servant and proven prophet, Isaiah.
The message from the prophet was for the king to put his things in order because he was going to die. At this word, the king wept to the Lord. Repentance finally came to him and he was accepted by God again. Not far from the king’s room, the word of the Lord came to Isaiah to turn around and go back to the king with a new message. King Hezekiah would live another 15 years, as evidenced by the miracle of the sundial’s shadow retrogressing. A simple lump of figs brought the needed relief, reproving the king and his counselors for inquiring of the Egyptians instead of to the Creator God of heaven which they professed to serve.
The word got around that Hezekiah had been healed miraculously. Over in Babylon was a well developed organization of astronomy and astrology mixed together. Long had they followed the heavens for wisdom and foreknowledge. Very surprised were they when they saw the shadow cast by the sun move in the opposite direction on their sundial. Impossible! Yet it happened.
When they also heard of the miracle of the king of Judah, and the word that this sundial occurrence was associated with it, the king of Babylon immediately dispatched an embassage of high ranking men to see this Hezekiah.
The spirit of Christ had long remonstrated with the Jewish king evoking little response from him. During his dire condition close to death, he had promised “I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul… Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but Thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for Thou hast cast all my sins behind Thy back.”
Yet, once on the way to recovery, he forgot his God who had redeemed his life from destruction. And thus it was that when the official visitors of Babylon arrived, instead of declaring the power of the true God of heaven, the Creator of the ends of heaven and the earth; instead of giving those carnal men what they needed to hear, Hezekiah told them what their unconverted hearts wanted to hear.
The perfect host, he showed them all his treasure—his—treasure, and let them feast their eyes on a museum of golden and silver objects, precious gems, highly valued spices and ointments in his palace and throughout the land.
Loyalty to God was shaken from him as he was awed by the obvious prominence which these men had in their country. Their rich robes and the costly gifts they brought him to show their condolences revealed their own personal wealth and that of the government which they represented. Desirous to make an alliance with them, the ruler of Israel lost his already weak hold on God and groveled in their presence.
And Satan created those circumstances, calculating just such results. Those proud men basked in the control they had over the weakling who was outnumbered before them. “Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children.” (2Pet. 2:13,14).
“My Spirit shall not always strive with man.” (Gen. 6:3). Hezekiah had this failure coming to him. God, “who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will,” left this ruler over Judah and example to the world. He separated Himself from him to test him and to see all that was in his heart. And it also was for Hezekiah to see the condition of his heart.
The king failed the test because he failed the connection with his God. He had been failing to cultivate piety and the union and communion which had made his father David strong to resist temptation, brave to face danger, and to daily live in the very atmosphere of heaven. And he didn’t recognize this characteristic in one of the greatest prophets to ever live, his own counselor, Isaiah.
And thus, Christ sent this king’s counselor back to the king with another pronouncement—that all of the gold which he had displayed would be carried away into Babylon, along with all the people under his direction and protection. Nothing would be left in the land.
Is the Son of God, Yahweh of the Old Testament, mean and overbearing, “an hard man, reaping where Thou hast not sown, and gathering where Thou hast not strawed”? (Matt. 25:24). Why can He assume the right to be “the Judge of all the earth…?” (Gen. 18:25).
“The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son.” (Jn. 5:22). Why is this? Is it simply due to His divine status as Son of the Highest? No, although it could be!
But, no, He doesn’t accept His Judgeship simply due to His Sonship; because, notwithstanding that His divine place in the Godhead should suffice His claim to the office of Judge, yet He went further to prove His authority by putting Himself in our circumstances. Each failure of ours, He passed through and overcame. “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” (Phil. 2:6-8). “The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” (Is. 53:6).
As the Lord God left Hezekiah, so God the Father left His only beloved Son to try Him and to see all that was in His heart. Did He truly love this world of revolting sinners? Would He remain numbered among them, at all cost? Was His resolve to save them all that He claimed? Did His faith in them withstand their murderous hatred of Him? Would He reveal God’s love for sinful man and show the universe how God deals with sin? His only help left Him, to tread the winepress alone.
Thus, “it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief: when Thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied: by His knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong; because He hath poured out His soul unto death: and He was numbered with the transgressors; and He bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” (vs. 10-12).
King Hezekiah had been a wonderful tool in God’s hands to bring about a revival in Judah and to offer it to the ten northern tribes as well. This revival was accomplished through a Passover, the greatest of which that had ever been known. It lasted a whole week, and the visiting Israelites from the north had been so many generations without witnessing the heart-wrenching sacrifice of a little lamb, with all the historical significance that attended it, that the new-comers asked for another week of ceremonies and fellowship.
Those were glorious days. God in His great mercy inspired Hezekiah to provide this opportunity of repentance to Israel because He foresaw the soon destruction of the corrupted ten northern tribes by the Assyrian empire.
When Sennacharib arrived with his armies to destroy Israel and to conquer the southern kingdom of Judah, Hezekiah’s faith was put to an extreme test. At that time he took the written threats of the Assyrian king and laid them out before the Lord. His heart rent, he beseeched his God for protection from the innumerable hosts of his powerful enemy.
But, once the danger had passed, Hezekiah lapsed into a Laodicean state of lukewarmness with the God who had so summarily been his help. For many years he reigned riding on the successes of the past, and without seeking to renew the faith he had known during those difficult times. God blessed Hezekiah tremendously in an effort to bring him to repentance. But after these volumous blessings would not awaken him to his precarious stance of self-sufficiency, the Lord allowed disease to begin a terrible work on his body.
A boil appeared which no doctor could cure. It is likely that the physicians of Egypt were looked to for their professional knowledge of science mixed with sorcery. But when nothing else worked to heal him, the ailing king received a call from his most trusted servant and proven prophet, Isaiah.
The message from the prophet was for the king to put his things in order because he was going to die. At this word, the king wept to the Lord. Repentance finally came to him and he was accepted by God again. Not far from the king’s room, the word of the Lord came to Isaiah to turn around and go back to the king with a new message. King Hezekiah would live another 15 years, as evidenced by the miracle of the sundial’s shadow retrogressing. A simple lump of figs brought the needed relief, reproving the king and his counselors for inquiring of the Egyptians instead of to the Creator God of heaven which they professed to serve.
The word got around that Hezekiah had been healed miraculously. Over in Babylon was a well developed organization of astronomy and astrology mixed together. Long had they followed the heavens for wisdom and foreknowledge. Very surprised were they when they saw the shadow cast by the sun move in the opposite direction on their sundial. Impossible! Yet it happened.
When they also heard of the miracle of the king of Judah, and the word that this sundial occurrence was associated with it, the king of Babylon immediately dispatched an embassage of high ranking men to see this Hezekiah.
The spirit of Christ had long remonstrated with the Jewish king evoking little response from him. During his dire condition close to death, he had promised “I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul… Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but Thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for Thou hast cast all my sins behind Thy back.”
Yet, once on the way to recovery, he forgot his God who had redeemed his life from destruction. And thus it was that when the official visitors of Babylon arrived, instead of declaring the power of the true God of heaven, the Creator of the ends of heaven and the earth; instead of giving those carnal men what they needed to hear, Hezekiah told them what their unconverted hearts wanted to hear.
The perfect host, he showed them all his treasure—his—treasure, and let them feast their eyes on a museum of golden and silver objects, precious gems, highly valued spices and ointments in his palace and throughout the land.
Loyalty to God was shaken from him as he was awed by the obvious prominence which these men had in their country. Their rich robes and the costly gifts they brought him to show their condolences revealed their own personal wealth and that of the government which they represented. Desirous to make an alliance with them, the ruler of Israel lost his already weak hold on God and groveled in their presence.
And Satan created those circumstances, calculating just such results. Those proud men basked in the control they had over the weakling who was outnumbered before them. “Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children.” (2Pet. 2:13,14).
“My Spirit shall not always strive with man.” (Gen. 6:3). Hezekiah had this failure coming to him. God, “who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will,” left this ruler over Judah and example to the world. He separated Himself from him to test him and to see all that was in his heart. And it also was for Hezekiah to see the condition of his heart.
The king failed the test because he failed the connection with his God. He had been failing to cultivate piety and the union and communion which had made his father David strong to resist temptation, brave to face danger, and to daily live in the very atmosphere of heaven. And he didn’t recognize this characteristic in one of the greatest prophets to ever live, his own counselor, Isaiah.
And thus, Christ sent this king’s counselor back to the king with another pronouncement—that all of the gold which he had displayed would be carried away into Babylon, along with all the people under his direction and protection. Nothing would be left in the land.
Is the Son of God, Yahweh of the Old Testament, mean and overbearing, “an hard man, reaping where Thou hast not sown, and gathering where Thou hast not strawed”? (Matt. 25:24). Why can He assume the right to be “the Judge of all the earth…?” (Gen. 18:25).
“The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son.” (Jn. 5:22). Why is this? Is it simply due to His divine status as Son of the Highest? No, although it could be!
But, no, He doesn’t accept His Judgeship simply due to His Sonship; because, notwithstanding that His divine place in the Godhead should suffice His claim to the office of Judge, yet He went further to prove His authority by putting Himself in our circumstances. Each failure of ours, He passed through and overcame. “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” (Phil. 2:6-8). “The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” (Is. 53:6).
As the Lord God left Hezekiah, so God the Father left His only beloved Son to try Him and to see all that was in His heart. Did He truly love this world of revolting sinners? Would He remain numbered among them, at all cost? Was His resolve to save them all that He claimed? Did His faith in them withstand their murderous hatred of Him? Would He reveal God’s love for sinful man and show the universe how God deals with sin? His only help left Him, to tread the winepress alone.
Thus, “it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief: when Thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied: by His knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong; because He hath poured out His soul unto death: and He was numbered with the transgressors; and He bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” (vs. 10-12).
posted by David | 9:12 PM
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