Exposition by Max A Forsythe
Francis Schaeffer once pointedly observed that as long as people in our time are assured of peace and security while they live, then all is well from their viewpoint. Years ago when I worked in the grocery business, the older workers voted by an overwhelming majority to sacrifice the interests of the newer, younger employees in order to maintain their own benefits a while longer. In the countryside around Washington DC, some farmers are allowed to continue farming in suburbia until the property changes hands. When their children acquire the homestead, they will no longer be allowed to farm by court order! In the liberal church during the seventies, the older conservatives agreed to allow restrictions aimed at younger conservatives while being allowed to finish out their own careers. Suddenly, my own calling and opportunities for Christian service were null and void because of that crass sellout by men who were afraid if they stood up for those who might replace them, they too would be attacked and sent packing!
For our last example, countless businessmen have sold their small banks, stores and businesses for immediate corporate cash leaving their heirs and often as not, their employees with no ongoing livelihood. We might add to that example the complete restructuring of life savings into pension plans, which however well meant, transfer wealth from potential heirs to fellow workers who may just happen to live longer. These pension funds in turn are heavily invested in Corporate America with the hope of maintaining the current financial status quo as long as possible.
Is this phenomenon of this century only? Not really; as Solomon once recorded for our benefit, there is really nothing new under the sun! Good king Hezekiah has demonstrated the same attitude in our passage under consideration for today. Look at the last verse which tells us his private thoughts: "There will be peace and security in my lifetime." However, in the same passage we see that Hezekiah must bear some of the blame for attracting the Babylonians to the treasures of Israel. Into the very private parts of his treasure house, armory and temple Hezekiah guided his royal visitors. As he told Isaiah, he held nothing back, but showed it all.
At one time, American resources were much greater than they are now. A large vaulted building was built at Fort Knox, guarded by the troops of the Armored Center. I arrived at Fort Knox just a few months after the filming of the movie Goldfinger. I even recognized some people and places in that popular James Bond movie. So as soon as I was able I drove out to see the sight. It was quite evident that the place was not as secure as it once was. The fields around the building were used as a golf course. Ironically, one of the old old signs from the forties, which read MINE FIELD, still stood in the midst of a mowed green! The vaults must not have been as full as they once were, because when I was assigned to the "Gold Finger Squad", I was not impressed with our resources.
Thirty of us reported for the ready reaction squad, which was on standby twenty-four hours a day in case a real goldfinger came by! The old broken down truck hardly ran and our three rounds of live ammo were locked in a safe for which no one had the key! How's that for security? At least we have the consolation that if any foreign power takes over our treasure house, they probably won't get too much.
By contrast, the accumulated wealth of the Hebrew Kings in Jerusalem which Hezekiah stupidly showed to the envoy of Babylon will, by Isaiah's word, go to Babylon in later years. Not only will the great wealth of the kingdom be transferred to another, but the king's own grandsons will be castrated servants in the courts of Babylon. In some courts of the ancient world this was the common price for the rank of court attendant and advisor. Even into this century, the court of the Chinese Emperor maintained the same practice. For Hezekiah's progeny, could it mean the end of line of the house of David? What can we really say of Hezekiah's attitude in this passage?
Well, perhaps it would help us to understand, as Dr Young points out, that at the time of this prophecy Hezekiah had no children. So the crassness we might assign is not as obvious as we might think. Still, the sin of writing off future generations because of current desires for peace and security are no great achievement either! Here we have Israel's second greatest king. And like Israel's greatest king, King David, both were sinful humans in need of mercy, grace and forgiveness.
Let us learn a lesson from Hezekiah as we consider the future lives of our own children and grandchildren. We stand in times just as interesting and in their own way just as dangerous as the day of Hezekiah. As Americans, more than any other contemporary people, we have flaunted our wealth for all the world to see. We have not only shown our wealth brazenly to the world but put it up for hock as well, so as to live the good life now. It used to be that people saved for the future so that their children and grandchildren could have a better life. It was this saving and investing for the future that generated the capital credits of American small businesses, farms and stores. Unfortunately we have been living for the here and now for far too long, and the fortunes that were once ours have been collectivized, with control passing from us to worldly conglomerates.
Ah yes, but there will be peace for our time. Four short generations ago the European world was aflame with revolutions. From America, to France to the Germanys and finally the Soviets. One historian of the social unrest in the Germanys noted that the children of the revolutionary period desired one thing more than any other, peace, rest and security. Remember the biblical passage about the sins of the father's passing on to the third and fourth generation? So much has the world desired peace for our time, that it is so very hard to come by. Our challenge for today is to consider the situation of Hezekiah, and ask ourselves if we will be content to live the good life and leave personal tribulation to the future?
Resources Used:
Ellis, Charles..
The Wells of Salvation.
Thomas, Derek..
Welwyn Commentary Series: God Delivers.
Young, Edward J.
The Book of Isaiah.
The Holy Bible.
New International Version (1984 Edition)
NOTE: I am not able to automatically
recommend any future editions.
Christ Covenant Reformed (Presbyterian Church in America) -
Box 13926 - Columbus, OH 43213
(c) 2001
17 July 1994
Permission granted to redistribute unedited versions with this notice.