2 Chronicles 32:31 - Homilies By T. Whitelaw

Hezekiah's mistake.

I. ITS OCCASION . "In connection with the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon."

1 . The senders of this embassy. "The princes of Babylon;" more particularly Berodach-Baladan, the son of Baladan, King of Babylon ( 2 Kings 20:12 ); or Merodach-Baladan ( Isaiah 39:1 )—undoubtedly the correct form, "Merodach has given a son." Three bearers of this name in the cuneiform inscriptions. The first, a king of South Chaldea and son of Jakin, with whom Tiglath-Pileser II . had warlike dealings; the second, also a son or' Jakin and King of the Chaldeans, whom Sargon defeated, dethroning him and burning his city of Dur-jakin, B.C. 710-9 ('Records,' etc; 7:46-49); and the third, a King of Babylonia, whom Sennacherib overthrew in the vicinity of Kish. The Merodach-Baladan who sent ambassadors to Hezekiah was not the first, unless all three were the same person, but the son and successor of the first (Schrader). The sole question is whether the second and the third were the same, and, if not, which of them it was that despatched envoys to Hezekiah. Sehrader distinguishes the two because the Bible describes Hezekiah's Merodach-Baladan as the son of Baladan; while the monuments designate Sargon's as the son of Jakin; but Sayce identifies the two, and explains "the son of Baladan" ( 2 Kings 20:12 ; Isaiah 39:1 ) as due to the error of a copyist, like "Berodach" for "Merodach." An absolute decision is meanwhile impossible.

2 . The date of the embassy.

3 . The pretext of this embassy.

4 . The object of this embassy. Political. Perhaps

II. ITS NATURE . The discovery to Sargon's (or Sennacherib's) envoys of all the treasures in his palace and in his kingdom ( 2 Kings 20:13 ; Isaiah 39:1-8 :21). A twofold indiscretion.

1 . A political blunder. So Isaiah warned Hezekiah. The days would come when these very treasures which Hezekiah had so good-naturedly exhibited to the ambassadors of the Babylonian king, or others in their room, would be carried into Babylon ( Isaiah 39:3-8 ). The prophet saw that "from Babylon especially Judah had nothing good to hope for, inasmuch as that state, though often in dispute with Nineveh, was yet by its peculiar position too closely entwined with Assyria; and it was really only a question whether Nineveh or Babylon should be the seat of universal dominion Accordingly, it flashed like lightning across Isaiah's mind that Babylon, attracted by those very treasures which Hezekiah, not without a certain complacency, had displayed to the ambassadors, might in the future become dangerous to that same kingdom of Judah it was now flattering" (Ewald, 'The History of Israel,' 4.188). "Even political sharp-sightedness might have foreseen that some such disastrous consequences would follow Hezekiah's imprudent course" (Delitzsch on 'Isaiah,' 2.126).

2 . A personal transgression. That Hezekiah's indiscreet conduct was the outcome of mingled motives is hardly doubtful. Amongst these were

III. ITS CAUSE . "Jehovah left Hezekiah to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart."

1 . The fact stated. "Jehovah left Hezekiah."

2 . The reason given. "That he might know all that was in his [Hezekiah's] heart." The heart the proper seat of religion ( Deuteronomy 30:6 ; 1 Kings 8:58 ; Jeremiah 32:39 ; Ezekiel 11:19 ). The character of the heart in every instance known to God ( 2 Chronicles 6:30 ; 1 Kings 8:39 ; Psalms 7:9 ; Psalms 139:1-24 ; Psalms 50:4 ; Jeremiah 17:10 ; Luke 16:15 ). Yet this character not always visible to others or even to one's self ( Jeremiah 17:9 ). Hence God is wont, when his wisdom deems it necessary, to withhold reinforcements of grace from the individual, that this discovery—the unsuspected character of the heart—may be thereby brought to the light. So Christ dealt with Peter ( Luke 22:31 , Luke 22:32 ).

LESSONS .

1 . The danger of flattery.

2 . The sin of ostentation.

3 . The feebleness of good men when left by God.

4 . The necessity of having the heart right in religion.

5 . The certainty that God tries all.—W.