Isaiah 39:8 So Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good!” For he said, ” At least there will be peace and truth in my days.”
Here we find the story of Hezekiah receiving well wishes and gifts from the Babylonian King. At this time Hezekiah’s pride got the best of him and he showed Babylon all his treasures in Jerusalem. Isaiah came with word that Babylon would one day carry it all away, even to carry some of his sons away. In this moment Hezekiah’s response seems odd and out of place.

At first glance, it’s as though Hezekiah takes the same stance as Eli in 1 Samuel 3:18 Then Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And he said. “It is the Lord. Let Him do what seems good to Him.”
This could be seen as a moment of acceptance and submission to the authority and truth of the word of God. Yet if we continue reading the afterthought “At least there will be peace and truth in my days.” We can see that Hezekiah’s thoughts and concerns were not on the future but only for that present moment. As Esau did when he traded his birthright for soup.

In life we often opt for present comfort over long term consequences. We only see what is in front of us and make decisions that bring us immediate comfort and never look at how our choices may affect others and even ourselves in the future. How much discomfort came to the people of Jerusalem for Hezekiah’s pride? We must always yield to the directions of God and never choose our instant gratifications over long term consequences that could have lasting effects on those around us and future generations. Hezekiah was a good king who trusted God and relied on him to rescue Jerusalem from Assyria. He even cried out to God on his death bed and was given 15 more years. Yet a moment of Pride created a domino effect of events that would affect the people of Jerusalem for many generations.

We are called to love our brethren and that means taking account of how our actions and decisions affect one another. It means being uncomfortable for the everlasting peace and truth promised to us in the end. I pray each of you are longsuffering for those around you. May you always rely on God to make decisions and not choose instant gratification over God’s will. May God bless each of you as you navigate life and learn to rely on and trust in God.