1 At that time Marduk-Baladan son of Baladan king of Babylon sent Hezekiah letters and a gift, because he had heard of his illness and recovery. 2 Hezekiah received the envoys gladly and showed them what was in his storehouses—the silver, the gold, the spices, the fine olive oil—his entire armory and everything found among his treasures. There was nothing in his palace or in all his kingdom that Hezekiah did not show them.
3 Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah and asked, “What did those men say, and where did they come from?”
“From a distant land,” Hezekiah replied. “They came to me from Babylon.”
4 The prophet asked, “What did they see in your palace?”
“They saw everything in my palace,” Hezekiah said. “There is nothing among my treasures that I did not show them.”
5 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the LORD Almighty: 6 The time will surely come when everything in your palace, and all that your predecessors have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the LORD. 7 And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood who will be born to you, will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”
8 “The word of the LORD you have spoken is good,” Hezekiah replied. For he thought, “There will be peace and security in my lifetime.”
King Hezekiah experienced the miraculous healing of his life while he faced the imminent death. Nevertheless, this miraculous experience could not stop him from his spiritual downfall. Facing the impending attack from Assyria (701 B.C.), Hezekiah had not consulted God but rather sought for an allegiance with Babylon (712 B.C.). Spiritual leaders fall or slip away from God so easily while facing external pressures that come from works or people. Hezekiah fell and slipped away from reliance of God who delivered him from death but rather chose to rely on Babylon to resist against the invasion from Assyria. Isaiah brought the words of discipline from the Lord to the king but Hezekiah failed again to immediately repent and to pray for his nation. He failed again in his promise to teach his children the faithfulness of the Lord after he was delivered from death by the Lord.
Dear Master Lord, deliver me as well from any self-reliance or dependence on people rather than on Your mercy and power. Spiritual leaders also failed unexpectedly while facing fear, burdens or stresses. Preserve my purity in trusting You no matter what crises I will face in the future. Not the army or gods of Babylon, military armies of any nation, or my own strength is to be relied on but only You Lord is the mighty One whom I trust each day.
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