Hezekiah’s Pride Revealed in the Place of Grace

This passage covers the scene in which Hezekiah, after experiencing the remarkable grace of being healed of a fatal illness and having his life extended by fifteen years, receives envoys from Babylon. While enjoying the great blessing and peace God had given him, he shows the envoys, at their request, all the treasures and wealth in his palace, holding nothing back. On the surface this looks like a gracious welcome, but in reality it was an act that put human calculation ahead of God.

The sermon points out that this was the beginning of Hezekiah's pride. He had shown an attitude of testing God by demanding visible signs and sure proof, and once he had received great grace, he cared more about showing off his wealth and power than about giving thanks. God allowed this situation in order to test what was in his heart, and Hezekiah fell into the temptation of holding on to what can be seen rather than to God's unseen work. As a result, even after hearing the prophecy of judgment, he complacently assumed that there would be peace in his own lifetime, and did not repent.

Though his life had been extended, Hezekiah ended it leaving evil fruit behind. The sermon stresses that long life in itself is not a blessing; the true blessing is a life lived with God and full of faith. Through Hezekiah's failure we come to see that in the place of blessing we must not grow proud, but must rely on God alone to the end. The sermon challenges us to treat this very moment as the last chance God has given us, and to reflect on what fruit we are leaving behind.