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CALVARY PANDAN part of . His "blunder" would bring about the demise of -PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH because the king of was given a glimpse of the wealth of Judah. DHW BIBLE CLASS Today many people, including LESSON 39 teenagers, are experts at showing off. They have mastered the art through years of practice. For example, they CHAPTER 39 may start with a subtle query of the other party’s welfare and that of his loved ones. The hope is that the other Theme: “The Painful Price for party will ask the same question in Showing Off!” return. This will give them the opportunity to blow their trumpet as THEME VERSE loud as possible so that all can hear. Isaiah 39:6 (KJV) "Behold, the days The desire to show-off is a come, that all that is in thine house, common failing among the successful. and that which thy fathers have laid up Those who do not do well (for example in store until this day, shall be carried bankrupts, convicts and the to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith unemployed) have little to boast. In the LORD." fact, they want to hide their inadequacies so as to retain whatever little dignity they have. INTRODUCTION What are the biblical teachings What makes a man want to show on the subject of "showing off"? Is it a off? It is his pride. Hezekiah was such sin? If it is a sin, how serious is it? a man. It is sad that the extension of 15 years of his life resulted in a grievous act that brought about the OUTLINE destruction of Judah and . 1. The Visit (vv.1-2); Many Jews were placed in captivity 2. The Consequence (vv. 3-8). because of this incident. Isaiah 39 is an example of the severe consequences that can result from COMMENTARY one's action. The Visit – 39:1-2 This incident occurred soon after The visit originated from the son king Hezekiah was healed. The king of of the king of Babylon. His name was Babylon heard of his recovery and Me-ro'dach-bal'a-dan. He was the son sent an envoy bearing gifts. The show of Bal'a-dan, the king of Babylon at the of "concern" from a foreign king time. Who was Me-ro'dach-bal'a-dan? resulted in a serious blunder on the ISBE describes him as, ". . . a king of DHW LESSON 39 ISAIAH 39 the Chaldeans of the house of Yakin, Nebuchadnezzar. ISBE describes the and was the most dangerous and conflict and history between the inveterate foe of Sargon and his son Assyrians up to the time of the rise of Sennacherib, kings of , with the neo-Babylon Empire, "During the whom he long and bitterly contested time of Sennacherib, Merodach- the possession of Babylon and the baladan the Chaldean became a great surrounding provinces. Merodach- obstacle to Assyria maintaining its Baladan seemed to have seized supremacy over Babylonia. Three Babylon immediately after the death of times he gained possession of Shalmaneser in 721 BC; and it was not Babylon, and twice had himself till the 12th year of his reign that proclaimed king. For thirty years he Sargon succeeded in ousting him. plotted against Assyria. What is From that time down to the 8th learned from the inscriptions campaign of Sennacherib, Sargon and concerning him furnishes an his son pursued with relentless interesting commentary on the sending animosity Merodach-Baladan and his of the embassy, in 704 BC, to family until at last his son Hezekiah (2Kings 20:12; Isaiah 39:1) Nabushumishkun was captured and in order to induce him to revolt against the whole family of Merodach-Baladan Assyria, which he knew would help his was apparently destroyed. According own cause. Finally Sennacherib, in to the monuments, therefore, it was 690 BC, after he had experienced from a worldly point of view good much trouble by the repeated uprisings politics for Hezekiah and his western of the Babylonians, and the aspirations allies to come to an understanding with of Merodach-baladan, endeavored to Merodach-Baladan and the Arameans, obliterate Babylon from the map. His Elamites, and others, who were son and successor Esarhaddon, confederated with him. From a however, tried to make Babylon again strategical point of view, the weakness happy and prosperous. One of his first of the allied powers consisted in the acts was to send back to Babylon the fact that the Arabian desert lay statue of Bel-Merodach. He rebuilt the between the eastern and western city, and also restored other members of the confederacy, so that Babylonian temples, for instance, that the Assyrian kings were able to attack of Enlil at Nippur. The Babylonians their enemies when they pleased and solemnly declared him king. to defeat them in detail." Ashurbanipal, his son and successor, The superpower in that region followed his policy. The evidence of his was still the Assyrians. Their power operations at Nippur is everywhere might have waned after the deaths of seen in the shape of stamped, kiln- 185,000 troops but they had not lost dried bricks. their superpower status. The Neo- "Before Esarhaddon died, he Babylonia came into power around had planned that Babylonia should 625 BC. The Babylonian king was become independent and be ruled by called Nabopolassar, the father of his son, Shamash-shum-ukin, while Assyria he handed down to

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Ashurbanipal. But when the latter would present a good pincer came to the throne, Assyria permitted movement against the Assyrians if the former only to be appointed viceroy they were to try and attack either of Babylon. It seems also that even nation. some portions of Babylonia were ruled It was understandable for directly by Ashurbanipal. Babylon to make such a calculated "After 15 years Shamash-shum- military move but for king Hezekiah to ukin rebelled and attempted to accept and agree to it was sin. He was establish his independence, but not like other gentile kings. He was the Sennacherib besieged Babylon and king of Judah, the people of God. Such took it, when Shamash-shum-ukin a worldly alliance was an insult to the destroyed himself. Kadalanu was then LORD. Joining forces with a heathen appointed viceroy, and ruled over part nation to protect her borders was as of the country. Nabopolassar was the good as slapping God in the face. By last viceroy appointed by Assyria. At such a move, king Hezekiah had last the time had arrived for the declared implicitly that the LORD was Babylonians to come again unto their not able or strong enough to protect own. Nabopolassar who perhaps was Judah. Thus he needed to ask the a Chaldean by origin, made an alliance followers of idolatrous gods to help the with the Urnman Manda. This he LORD! This was the message strengthened by the marriage of his received even though this might not be son Nebuchadrezzar to the daughter the message intended by king of Astyages, the king. Nineveh finally Hezekiah! fell before the Umman Manda hordes, What Hezekiah did was a let and was razed to the ground. This down. It was sad to see him commit people took possession of Northern such a grievous sin just after the Assyria. The Armenian vassal states, LORD had extended his life. and Southern Assyria, as well as the Hezekiah was glad to see his title to Palestine, Syria and , fell visitors. The word "glad" means "to to Babylonia." brighten up." Hezekiah was more than The reason given was that they just happy. He brightened up! The visit had heard of king Hezekiah's illness of the Babylonian envoy filled him with and recovery. If king Hezekiah had importance. Just as the Queen of already recovered, was there a need Sheba came to visit king Solomon, to send an envoy and a present? It here a foreign king came to visit a was not for altruistic reasons. The Jewish king! To go to the home of Babylonians needed the help of the another king is to show respect and Jews and the Jews needed the help of honour to him. the Babylonians to keep the Assyrians The Bible recorded, "And at bay. This was a strategic move that Hezekiah was glad of them, and made very good military sense. shewed them the house of his Babylon was north of Assyria and precious things, the silver, and the Judah was South of Assyria. Together, gold, and the spices, and the precious the alliance of Babylon and Judah ointment, and all the house of his

3 DHW LESSON 39 ISAIAH 39 armour, and all that was found in his Babylon visitors. He answered, "All treasures: there was nothing in his that is in mine house have they seen: house, nor in all his dominion, that there is nothing among my treasures Hezekiah shewed them not." Why did that I have not shewed them." Hezekiah show these Babylonian men Hezekiah was truthful for he confessed all the wealth of the kingdom of to what he had done. To show your Judah? The sense of importance he riches to a foreign king, who might be felt made him lightheaded. He wanted a superpower later, would only invite to show them that he was worthy to trouble. It is like showing your receive the honour bestowed on him. treasures to a thief. He will bide his He opened all his treasuries to the time and wait for the right time to rob eyes of the king of Babylon to tell him your wealth! that he did the right thing in sending The judgment declared by the envoy to see him! Isaiah was to the point, "Then said Hezekiah’s attempts to impress Isaiah to Hezekiah, Hear the word of the king of Judah were sinful. As a the LORD of hosts: 6 Behold, the days spiritual king, he ought not to measure himself based upon carnal criteria. He come, that all that is in thine house, should be measured in terms of and that which thy fathers have laid up faithfulness rather than the size of his in store until this day, shall be carried treasuries. Hezekiah had changed for to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the worse within a short time of his the LORD. 7 And of thy sons that shall recovery. issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they The Consequence – 39:3-8 shall be eunuchs in the palace of the The LORD sent Isaiah, His king of Babylon." These words were prophet, to rebuke king Hezekiah. from the LORD who had delivered him Before Isaiah did so, he ascertained out of the hand of the Assyrians. the truthfulness of the matter by using The day would surely come king Hezekiah's own words. Isaiah when all that were in king Hezekiah's asked him what the men said and house including all his wealth where they had come from. King accumulated by his forefathers would Hezekiah replied to only the second be taken. His sons would be taken into question, "They are come from a far captivity and made eunuchs. The word country unto me, even from Babylon." "eunuchs" does not necessarily mean Why did king Hezekiah not divulge castration in the service of the king. It what the men had said? When may mean a minister of the state. someone is evasive, it is not a good Daniel and his three friends were part sign. He usually has something to of the first group to be taken into hide. . They were The third question was pointed selected because of their perfection and condemning. Isaiah asked king and good looks. It does not make Hezekiah what he had showed to his sense that they would be castrated if

4 DHW LESSON 39 ISAIAH 39 they were chosen for their perfection. DAILY READINGS & DISCUSSION Also Daniel was not placed in charge QUESTIONS of the concubines of the king. He functioned as a counsellor to the king, Daily Readings giving him advice and interpreting his dreams. MONDAY: Isaiah 39:1-8 The emphasis was that they TUESDAY: Isaiah 39:1-8 would lose their freedom and become WEDNESDAY: Isaiah 39:1-8 slaves in a foreign land. The action of THURSDAY: Isaiah 39:1-8 king Hezekiah would seal the fate of the future generations. This did not FRIDAY: Isaiah 39:1-8. mean that when the time come for the Jews to be exiled, the Jews of that Discussion Questions generation did not commit sins worthy of exile. They did! The responsibility of 1. Should CPBPC join hands with the man is not vitiated when the Neo-evangelicals to stand against sovereignty of God comes into play. the homosexuals? What about joining hands with the Roman Hezekiah's reply was one of Catholics against the resignation and also acceptance. He homosexuals? said in reply, "Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. He ______said moreover, For there shall be ______peace and truth in my days." He ______declared that the Word of the LORD ______was good. The KJV translated the ______structure of the Hebrew sentence ______exactly. The emphasis is on the word ______"good" for it is placed in front of the ______verb. Hezekiah admitted that the punishment was right and therefore he said that it was good. 2. Is it all right for Singapore to join forces with USA to secure her However he also thanked God rights and sovereignty? Please for his mercies. He acknowledged that elaborate. this life of exile would not happen in his lifetime. This was good because ______the LORD was merciful. It could very ______well be during his lifetime for he was ______the one who made the mistake. What ______a sad commentary. Nothing but this ______tragic sinful deed was recorded on ______king Hezekiah's last 15 years. ______

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______3. Is it wrong for a believer to be ______brightened up by the visits of worldly men to his home or hospital when 6. Do you think that the punishment he is sick? Please elaborate. was too harsh? Please explain. ______

4. Was it right for the LORD to punish 7. What lessons have you learnt from future generations when it was king this chapter about God’s Word and Hezekiah who sinned? In your about yourself? opinion, what would have been a fairer punishment on king ______Hezekiah? Please elaborate. ______

5. Was the acceptance of king Hezekiah of God's punishment upon his descendants a true reflection of repentance and humility? Please elaborate. ______

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