2 Chronicles 32:24-33 - Pride, Humility, and Release from Wrath

2 Chronicles 32:24-33

Hezekiah Humbles Himself (2 Kings 20:1–11; Isaiah 38:1–8)

24 In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death, and he prayed to the LORD; and He spoke to him and gave him a sign. 25 But Hezekiah did not repay according to the favor shown him, for his heart was lifted up; therefore wrath was looming over him and over Judah and Jerusalem. 26 Then Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah.

Hezekiah’s Wealth and Honor (2 Kings 20:12–21; Isaiah 39:1–8)

27 Hezekiah had very great riches and honor. And he made himself treasuries for silver, for gold, for precious stones, for spices, for shields, and for all kinds of desirable items; 28 storehouses for the harvest of grain, wine, and oil; and stalls for all kinds of livestock, and folds for flocks. 29 Moreover he provided cities for himself, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance; for God had given him very much property. 30 This same Hezekiah also stopped the water outlet of Upper Gihon, and brought the water by tunnel to the west side of the City of David. Hezekiah prospered in all his works.

31 However, regarding the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, whom they sent to him to inquire about the wonder that was done in the land, God withdrew from him, in order to test him, that He might know all that was in his heart.

Death of Hezekiah

32 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his goodness, indeed they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 33 So Hezekiah rested with his fathers, and they buried him in the upper tombs of the sons of David; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem honored him at his death. Then Manasseh his son reigned in his place.

Hezekiah had done great things as he followed the LORD until pride of his accomplishments overtook him.  But he was convicted of his sin and repented, humbling himself in the sight of the LORD and the people humbled themselves by his example so that he and they were released from God’s wrath on their sinful pride.  This is the pattern for our salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ; we are born in the pride of sin to know better then Him until we are convicted and repent, turning away from our sins which we all are born with (Romans 3:23) and continue to commit unless we turn to trust in Him and His righteousness alone to find deliverance (Romans 6:23) from the wrath due to us all.  Like king Hezekiah, we pray and change our direction to receive (John 1:12) Christ as we believe His work like Hezekiah believed the work he did was God’s work and battle and not his own.  Only then can we prosper in what we do for him in this life as the king discovered when he humbled himself before His Deliverer.  Then will we be honored in death as in life with heavenly rewards (1 Corinthians 3:8, 14, 2 Timothy 4:8, Hebrews 11:6), recognizing our faith in all we say and do as we have trusted in the Lord’s work of His substitutionary sacrifice to deliver us (2 Corinthians 1:9-10) from so great a death as we learn from God (John 6:45, Hebrews 5:14, 1 John 2:27) to humble ourselves and follow Him.  May also learn from Hezekiah so that we do not brag in what we have either as he did to the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, that our rewards may not be forfeited in recurring pride, even though (1 Corinthians 3:14-15) our souls remain in Christ because His work in and for us to enter His kingdom cannot be forfeited or taken (John 6:37, 10:28-29, Ephesians 1:13, 14) away.  This then is the eternal pattern of the pride we are born with, the humility that the gospel’s conviction brings, and the resulting release from God’s eternal wrath on sin which we are all born in as inherited (Romans 5:12-13, 14, 15, 18-19) from the first Adam and delivered from by the second Adam, Jesus Christ, our eternally effectual Savior.