Babylon sends envoys

ISAIAH     CHAPTER 39

Soon after King Hezekiah was healed, the king of Babylon sent him good wishes and a gift. Hezekiah welcomed the Babylonian envoys and showed them everything in his treasure house, his armory and all his other treasures. There was nothing Hezekiah did not show them.

Then Isaiah the prophet went to Hezekiah and asked him what the envoys wanted and asked him where the envoys were from. Hezekiah told Isaiah the envoys were from Babylon. Isaiah asked if they saw everything in the palace and the king said yes.

Isaiah told Hezekiah that a message from the Lord told of a time coming when everything - all treasures from his ancestors, everything of value- would be carried off to Babylon. Nothing would be left and some of the king's own descendants would be taken into exile in Babylon where they would become eunuchs who serve in the palace of  Babylon's king.

Then Hezekiah told Isaiah that he thought the Lord's message was a good one, because at least there would be peace and security during his lifetime.

BIBLE NOTES SHOW: Merodach-baladan, a Babylonian prince, was planning a revolt against Assyria and was forming an alliance. He probably sent well wishes and gifts to Hezekiah in order to convince Hezekiah to join this alliance against Assyria.
As soon as Hezekiah died, his nation rushed back to its sinful ways under the leadership of Manesseh, Hezekiah's son. Manesseh rebuilt the centers of idolatry his father had destroyed.

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY? Why was it so wrong with showing the Babylonians around this kingdom? The king failed to see what a great threat the Babylonians would become. His only concern with having his treasures carried away, was that there be peace and security in his kingdom. Do you think in our time we often "give away" our treasures to evil? We cannot know the future, so how do we proceed? Remember that treasures are often material things which can be replaced. The real treasures are in our ability to love God and recognize evil when we see it. The answers are that only God knows the solutions and only God can see the future. Our only hope is to put our trust completely in God and he will guide us in whatever we do.

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:



HEALTH: Update on Logan: She gave birth to a healthy, baby boy. Thank you God!


Pray for Gabe.


Pray for Arlene’s nephew David and for my neighbor Al who is nearing the end of his life.


Pray for Carolyn’s brother Ronald who has cancer and for her sister Wanda’s soul which went to heaven.


Pray for our friend Michelle who was diagnosed with MS.


Pray for Robert Sargent who is quite ill with lung cancer.


Pray for Gary Summers, my friend from church, who has cancer.


Pray for Judy’s husband who was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. Pray for her too, that she can deal with the side effects of his illness.


Pray too for Charly’s husband Robert who is undergoing chemo for his prostate cancer. Update on Robert: he has one more treatment and then three months of waiting for his psat test to come back clean.


Pray for James’s sister Cynthia whose chemo has lost its effect as the cancer grows powerful.


Pray for another friend named Carolyn whose faith remains strong, but is lost and confused about where and how to spend her elder years.


SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary


RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John


LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter, Brian


SUPPORT: Haiti, Chile, survivors of Japan’s earthquake, survivors of the devastating tornadoes in our southernmost states and Joplin, Missouri. Pray too, for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom.