II Chronicles 32:31 - "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."

I started to call this lesson The Calamities of Hezekiah but changed my mind when I discovered that Hezekiah did not ask for additional years. According to the reading in Isaiah 38, Hezekiah had a boil that was infected and would soon kill him with a slow, anguishing, and painful death.

Actually, nothing is said about the 15 additional years of Hezekiah’s life, except in the matter of the visit from the Babylon king and Hezekiah’s continuing work to help Israel economically. Hezekiah continued to build the infrastructure of Israel by constructing waterways to bring precious water into the city.

All of my life, I have been taught that Hezekiah asked for additional years, and God granted the years, and this was a terrible time for all Israel and Hezekiah. This is not what I find in the scriptures. I have no doubt that Hezekiah should not have entertained the king of Babylon the way he did, but there is also no doubt in my mind that God used the incident to reveal even more than ever how grand and glorious he is. God reveals his foreknowledge by stating that Jehoiachin would be a eunuch in the house of Babylon, but would also be turned out of prison, to sit at the king’s table. I believe in that two-year interval when Evil-Merodock ruled that Jehoiachin sired a child that would never sit on the throne of Judah. Marvelous indeed!

We have studied two lessons about Hezekiah.

The Blessings of Hezekiah. This lesson concerned the good things Hezekiah did in Judah.

The prayer of Hezekiah. This lesson concerned the prayer of Hezekiah when Assyria came to take Judah and Jerusalem captive. God gave a great victory, as he always does when his people call on him, and depend on him.

Tonight’s lessons will be on the calamity of Hezekiah. This lesson will be concerning how God blessed Hezekiah with 15 additional years to his life and reign, and how Hezekiah turned away from God during that time.

Points:

I. Hezekiah got sick right after the episode with Assyria when God answered his prayer concerning Israel.

A. It is often after great victories that we suffer our worse defeats.

B. Victories, especially victories in prayer and things we can see, boost our courage, and we begin to think we do not need Christ as bad as we did.

C. Be very careful to continue to trust God, and never trust ourselves.

II. Be careful when you ask for a sign - An evil and adulterous generation seeketh for a sign. The word of the Lord should be sufficient. Matthew 12:39 states, "But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:"

A. Hezekiah was given an option concerning the sign. Shall the shadow go forward or backward 10 degrees.

B. The difference is not whether it is easier or hard for the Lord to do anything.

C. The difference is in whether or not Hezekiah would believe without a sign.

D. It is much better to simply believe God rather than see a sign, therefore you will believe.

III. It is bad to start out good, but wind up doing bad.

IV. Just because you have done good in the past does not mean you will do good in the future.

V. II Kings 20:12,13 - Almost immediately, I suppose, Hezekiah received greeting from the king of Babylon, whom he received and showed him all the house of his precious things, so forth.

A. What is wrong with Hezekiah doing this?

B. I think, from the answer in verse 14 that Hezekiah was impressed that the men had traveled from such a great distance away to see him.

a. Our text, II Chronicles 32:31 states that God let this happen so Hezekiah would know what was in his heart.

b. Sometimes God lets things happen to us so we will know and understand how far we will go if we are left to ourselves.

C. I think God will also show his great power in foreknowledge and predestination by the fulfillment of this prophecy.

1. Note: there is no great lamb blasting of Hezekiah because of his actions.

2. I do not think God approved, but like so may sins, while there is not great judgment, there is great need to reflect on the power of God.

D. The prophecy of II Kings 20:18 will be fulfilled in some of Hezekiah’s sons being made eunuchs and taken to Babylon.

1. This prophecy declares there will be no descendant from this man.

2. Not only will there not be a descendant, the individual will serve the king of Babylon.

E. II Kings 24:12 declares that the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, took Jehoiachin captive and took him to Babylon in the 8^th year of his reign.

1. I do not believe Jehoiachin was made a eunuch in the house of Babylon.

2. Matthew 1:12 declares, "And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel;"

3. II Kings 25:27-30 states, " And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, that Evilmerodach king of Babylon in the year that he began to reign did lift up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison; 28 And he spake kindly to him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon; 29 And changed his prison garments: and he did eat bread continually before him all the days of his life. 30 And his allowance was a continual allowance given him of the king, a daily rate for every day, all the days of his life."

Jechonias begat Salathiel—So #1Ch 3:17. Nor does this contradict Jeremiah 22:30, "Thus saith the Lord, Write ye this man (Coniah, or Jeconiah) childless"; for what follows explains in what sense this was meant—"for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David." He was to have seed, but no reigning child.