2 Kings 20:12-21
12 At that time Berodach-Baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been sick. 13 And Hezekiah was attentive to them, and showed them all the house of his treasures—the silver and gold, the spices and precious ointment, and all his armory—all that was found among his treasures. There was nothing in his house or in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them.
14 Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah, and said to him, "What did these men say, and from where did they come to you?" So Hezekiah said, "They came from a far country, from Babylon." 15 And he said, "What have they seen in your house?" So Hezekiah answered, "They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them."
16 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Hear the word of the LORD: 17 'Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and what your fathers have accumulated until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,' says the LORD. 18 'And they shall take away some of your sons who will descend from you, whom you will beget; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.'"
19 So Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "The word of the LORD which you have spoken is good!" For he said, "Will there not be peace and truth at least in my days?" 20 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah—all his might, and how he made a pool and a tunnel and brought water into the city—are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 21 So Hezekiah rested with his fathers. Then Manasseh his son reigned in his place.
The foolish pride of Hezekiah allowed him to be taken in by the Babylonian plot to conquer Jerusalem. His pride in the midst of God-given peace and grace for a longer life led him to not only answer the letter of the foreign king, but also accept presents and invite the representatives to a tour of all the riches and defense of Judah in the armory and treasury! He opened the door wide to the spy for future conquest because of his blindness in the present peace. When the prophet Isaiah heard the story from the king’s own mouth, he brought God’s message of defeat for the nation to come as a result. The price would be the loss of all Judah had built up to date, a complete loss for a foolish pride and boasting without regard for protection from spying and reconnaissance of a godless enemy. Even when Hezekiah found out that the captivity would be after his prolonged life ended, he still was not remorseful, but only relieved that he would not have to suffer that fate personally. Though he was remembered for doing good such as tunneling to bring water into Jerusalem, his bad decisions and actions outweighed that good by losing the whole nation and the very house of the LORD in which to worship and sacrifice. How foolish pride can topple leaders who do good, overwhelming the impact with loss instead of gain! This continues even today when power goes to the head of leaders both without and within the church. May our checks and balances under Christ as head lead us to do better and not give entry for a breach of the enemy. We should not desire a legacy of betrayal.
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