Isaiah 39

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Dave Burnette's Commentary

Isaiah Chapter 39

Written By: God through Inspiration

Penned By: Isaiah

Date Penned: (700-681 BC)

Overview: To Tell of God's Salvation through the Messiah (c 1-66)

Theme: Words of Judgment (c 1-39)

Message: Messengers from Babylon (v 1-8)

Isaiah 39 Commentary

(39:1-8) Ungodly Alliances - Merodach-baladan, a Babylonian prince, was planning a revolt against Assyria and was forming an alliance. He probably hoped to convince Hezekiah to join this alliance against Assyria. Hezekiah, feeling honored by this attention and perhaps feeling some sympathy for the proposal, showed the Babylonian envoys his treasures. But Isaiah warned the king not to trust Babylon. Someday they would turn on Judah and devour Jerusalem's wealth. Hezekiah was being shortsighted, enjoying the elation he felt in the moment. His showing off led to his downfall. If God grants you special favor, like he did for Hezekiah, that gift is not for you to squander. Always keep the future of the next generation in mind.

(39:4-7) Hezekiah's Pride - What was so wrong about showing these Babylonians around? Hezekiah failed to see that the Babylonians would become his next threat and that they, not the Assyrians, would conquer his city. When Isaiah told him that Babylon would someday carry everything away, this was an amazing prophecy because Babylon was struggling for independence under Assyria. Hezekiah's self-satisfied display of his earthly treasures brought its own consequences (2 Kings 25; Daniel 1:1-2). His response (Isaiah 39:8) may seem a bit selfish, but he may have been simply expressing gratitude for the blessing from God that peace would reign during his lifetime and that God's judgment would not be more severe.

(39:8) Undercurrents - Hezekiah, one of Judah's most faithful kings, worked hard throughout his reign to stamp out idol worship and to purify the worship of the true God at the Jerusalem temple. Nevertheless, he knew his kingdom was not pure. Powerful undercurrents of evil invited destruction, and only God's miraculous interventions preserved Judah from its enemies. Here Hezekiah was grateful that God would preserve peace during his reign. As soon as Hezekiah died, the nation rushed back to its sinful ways under the leadership of Manasseh, Hezekiah's son, who rebuilt the centers of idolatry that his father had destroyed.

Dave Burnette's Life Application
A Testimony of Victory

Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today, we continue in the Book of Isaiah with Chapter 39. In our text today, we see Hezekiah's life come to an end. His life was a testimony of a life dedicated to God that would make a difference as Judah turned from their idol worship due to His dedication to the Lord. In making an application, we see that a life dedicated to God will make a difference to others we have contact with. Today, you touch many lives, and if you dedicate your life to the Lord, you, too, will have a life of influence. How about you? Will your life have the testimony of Hezekiah? Let us learn from our text today, the words of Isaiah, and realize that a life dedicated to the Lord will influence others, and you, too, will have the testimony of Victory like that of Hezekiah.

Isaiah 39

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Isaiah 39

¹At that time Merodachbaladan, 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.

²And Hezekiah was glad of them, and shewed 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 shewed them not.

³Then 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, even from Babylon.

⁴Then said he, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All that is in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them.

⁵Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD of hosts:

⁶Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD.

⁷And 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.

⁸Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. He said moreover, For there shall be peace and truth in my days.

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