mh_parser/vol_split/23 - Isaiah/Chapter 39.xml

<div2 id="Is.xl" n="xl" next="Is.xli" prev="Is.xxxix" progress="14.32%" title="Chapter XXXIX">
<h2 id="Is.xl-p0.1">I S A I A H.</h2>
<h3 id="Is.xl-p0.2">CHAP. XXXIX.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Is.xl-p1" shownumber="no">The story of this chapter likewise we had before,
<scripRef id="Is.xl-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.20.12" parsed="|2Kgs|20|12|0|0" passage="2Ki 20:12">2 Kings xx. 12</scripRef>, &amp;c. It
is here repeated, not only as a very memorable and improvable
passage, but because it concludes with a prophecy of the captivity
in Babylon; and as the former part of the prophecy of this book
frequently referred to Sennacherib's invasion and the defeat of
that, to which therefore the history of that was very fitly
subjoined, so the latter part of this book speaks much of the Jews'
captivity in Babylon and their deliverance out of that, to which
therefore the first prediction of it, with the occasion thereof, is
very fitly prefixed. We have here, I. The pride and folly of
Hezekiah, in showing his treasures to the king of Babylon's
ambassadors that were sent to congratulate him on his recovery,
<scripRef id="Is.xl-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Isa.39.1-Isa.39.2" parsed="|Isa|39|1|39|2" passage="Isa 39:1,2">ver. 1, 2</scripRef>. II. Isaiah's
examination of him concerning it, in God's name, and his confession
of it, <scripRef id="Is.xl-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Isa.39.3-Isa.39.4" parsed="|Isa|39|3|39|4" passage="Isa 39:3,4">ver. 3, 4</scripRef>. III.
The sentence passed upon him for it, that all his treasures should,
in process of time, be carried to Babylon, <scripRef id="Is.xl-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Isa.39.5-Isa.39.7" parsed="|Isa|39|5|39|7" passage="Isa 39:5-7">ver. 5-7</scripRef>. IV. Hezekiah's penitent and
patient submission to this sentence, <scripRef id="Is.xl-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Isa.39.8" parsed="|Isa|39|8|0|0" passage="Isa 39:8">ver. 8</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom id="Is.xl-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:Isa.39" parsed="|Isa|39|0|0|0" passage="Isa 39" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Is.xl-p1.7" osisRef="Bible:Isa.39.1-Isa.39.4" parsed="|Isa|39|1|39|4" passage="Isa 39:1-4" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Is.xl-p1.8">
<h4 id="Is.xl-p1.9">Hezekiah's Vanity. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Is.xl-p1.10">b. c.</span> 712.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Is.xl-p2" shownumber="no">1 At that time Merodach-baladan, the son of
Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah:
for he had heard that he had been sick, and was recovered.   2
And Hezekiah was glad of them, and showed them the house of his
precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the
precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that
was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in
all his dominion, that Hezekiah showed them not.   3 Then came
Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said
these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said,
They are come from a far country unto me, <i>even</i> from Babylon.
  4 Then said he, What have they seen in thine house? And
Hezekiah answered, All that <i>is</i> in mine house have they seen:
there is nothing among my treasures that I have not showed
them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Is.xl-p3" shownumber="no">Hence we may learn these lessons:—1. That
humanity and common civility teach us to rejoice with our friends
and neighbours when they rejoice, and to congratulate them on their
deliverances, and particularly their recoveries from sickness. The
king of Babylon, having heard that Hezekiah had been sick, and had
recovered, sent to compliment him upon the occasion. If Christians
be unneighbourly, heathens will shame them. 2. It becomes us to
give honour to those whom our God puts honour upon. The sun was the
Babylonians' god; and when they understood that it was with a
respect to Hezekiah that the sun, to their great surprise, went
back ten degrees, on such a day, they thought themselves obliged to
do Hezekiah all the honour they could. Will all people thus walk in
the name of their God, and shall not we? 3. Those that do not value
good men for their goodness may yet be brought to pay them great
respect by other inducements, and for the sake of their secular
interests. The king of Babylon made his court to Hezekiah, not
because he was pious, but because he was prosperous, as the
Philistines coveted an alliance with Isaac because they saw the
Lord was with him, <scripRef id="Is.xl-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.28" parsed="|Gen|26|28|0|0" passage="Ge 26:28">Gen. xxvi.
28</scripRef>. The king of Babylon was an enemy to the king of
Assyria, and therefore was fond of Hezekiah, because the Assyrians
were so much weakened by the power of his God. 4. It is a hard
matter to keep the spirit low in the midst of great advancements.
Hezekiah is an instance of it: he was a wise and good man, but,
when one miracle after another was wrought in his favour, he found
it hard to keep his heart from being lifted up, nay, a little thing
then drew him into the snare of pride. Blessed Paul himself needed
a thorn in the flesh, to keep him from being <i>lifted up with the
abundance of revelations.</i> 5. We have need to watch over our own
spirits when we are showing our friends our possessions, what we
have done and what we have got, that we be not proud of them, as if
our might or our merit had purchased and procured us this wealth.
When we look upon our enjoyments, and have occasion to speak of
them, it must be with humble acknowledgments of our own
unworthiness and thankful acknowledgments of God's goodness, with a
just value for the achievements of others and with an expectation
of losses and changes, not dreaming that our mountain stands so
strong but that it may soon be moved. 6. It is a great weakness for
good men to value themselves much upon the civil respects that are
paid them (yea, though there be something particular and uncommon
in them) by the children of this world, and to be fond of their
acquaintance. What a poor thing was it for Hezekiah, whom God has
so dignified, to be thus over proud of the respect paid him by a
heathen prince as if that added any thing to him! We ought to
return the courtesies of such with interest, but not to be proud of
them. 7. We must expect to be called to an account for the workings
of our pride, though they are secret, and in such instances as we
thought there was no harm in; and therefore we ought to call
ourselves to an account for them; and when we have had company with
us that have paid us respect, and been pleased with their
entertainment, and commended every thing, we ought to be jealous
over ourselves with a godly jealousy lest our hearts have been
lifted up. As far as we see cause to suspect that this sly and
subtle sin of pride has insinuated itself into our breasts, and
mingled itself with our conversation, let us be ashamed of it, and,
as Hezekiah here, ingenuously confess it and take shame to
ourselves for it.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Is.xl-p3.2" osisRef="Bible:Isa.39.5-Isa.39.8" parsed="|Isa|39|5|39|8" passage="Isa 39:5-8" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Is.xl-p3.3">
<h4 id="Is.xl-p3.4">Hezekiah's Vanity Punished. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Is.xl-p3.5">b. c.</span> 712.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Is.xl-p4" shownumber="no">5 Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, Hear the word of
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Is.xl-p4.1">Lord</span> of hosts:   6 Behold,
the days come, that all that <i>is</i> in thine house, and
<i>that</i> which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day,
shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the <span class="smallcaps" id="Is.xl-p4.2">Lord</span>.   7 And of thy sons that shall
issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and
they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.  
8 Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, Good <i>is</i> the word of the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Is.xl-p4.3">Lord</span> which thou hast spoken. He said
moreover, For there shall be peace and truth in my days.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Is.xl-p5" shownumber="no">Hence let us observe, 1. That, if God love
us, he will humble us, and will find some way or other to pull down
our spirits when they are lifted up above measure. A mortifying
message is sent to Hezekiah, that he might be humbled for the pride
of his heart, and be convinced of the folly of it; for though God
may suffer his people to fall into sin, as he did Hezekiah here, to
<i>prove him, that he might know all that was in his heart,</i> yet
he will not suffer them to lie still in it. 2. It is just with God
to take that from us which we make the matter of our pride, and on
which we build a carnal confidence. When David was proud of the
numbers of his people God took a course to make them fewer; and
when Hezekiah boasts of his treasures, and looks upon them with too
great a complacency, he is told that he acts like the foolish
traveller who shows his money and gold to one that proves a thief
and is thereby tempted to rob him. 3. If we could but see things
that will be, we should be ashamed of our thoughts of things that
are. If Hezekiah had known that the seed and successors of this
king of Babylon would hereafter be the ruin of his family and
kingdom, he would not have complimented his ambassadors as he did;
and, when the prophet told him that it would be so, we may well
imagine how he was vexed at himself for what he had done. We cannot
certainly foresee what will be, but are told, in general, <i>All is
vanity,</i> and therefore it is vanity for us to take complacency
and put confidence in any thing that goes under that character. 4.
Those that are fond of an acquaintance or alliance with irreligious
men will first or last have enough of it, and will have cause to
repent it. Hezekiah thought himself very happy in the friendship of
Babylon, though it was the mother of harlots and idolatries; but
Babylon, who now courted Jerusalem, in process of time conquered
her and carried her captive. Leagues with sinners, and leagues with
sin too, will end thus; it is therefore our wisdom to keep at a
distance from them. 5. Those that truly repent of their sins will
take it well to be reproved for them and will be willing to be told
of their faults. Hezekiah reckoned <i>that</i> word of the Lord
good which discovered sin to him, and made him sensible that he had
done amiss, which before he was not aware of. The language of true
penitents is, <i>Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a
kindness;</i> and the law is <i>therefore</i> good, because, being
spiritual, in it sin appears sin, and exceedingly sinful. 6. True
penitents will quietly submit, not only to the reproofs of the
word, but to the rebukes of Providence for their sins. When
Hezekiah was told of the punishment of his iniquity he said,
<i>Good is the word of the Lord,</i> not only the mitigation of the
sentence, but the sentence itself; he has nothing to object against
the equity of it, but says <i>Amen</i> to the threatening. Those
that see the evil of sin, and what it deserves, will justify God in
all that is brought upon them for it, and own that he punishes them
less than their iniquities deserve. 7. Though we must not be
regardless of those that come after us, yet we must reckon
ourselves well done by if there be <i>peace and truth in our
days,</i> and better than we had reason to expect. If a storm be
coming, we must reckon it a favour to get into the harbour before
it comes, and be gathered to the grave in peace; yet we can never
be secure of this, but must prepare for changes in our own time,
that we may stand complete in all the will of God, and bid it
welcome whatever it is.</p>
</div></div2>