The king of Babylon heard that Hezekiah had recovered from a serious illness and sent envoys with letters and presents to the king.
Hezekiah welcomed them; he showed them all his treasure house, the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his armory, all that was found in his storehouses; there was nothing in his house or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them (2 Kings 20:13).
Isaiah asked the king what he had done, and Hezekiah told him that he showed the visitors all of his wealth.
The king was probably riding high after showing representatives from a superpower the wealth of his kingdom. He was probably not ready to receive the message Isaiah delivered to him.
Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord: Days are coming when all that is in your house and that which your ancestors have stored up until this day shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left, says the Lord.
Some of your own sons who are born to you shall be taken away; they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon” (2 Kings 20:16-18).
What Hezekiah told Isaiah is astounding. The king had served God faithfully and had been granted an additional 15 years of life by God’s grace. Still, he said this to God’s prophet.
“The word of the Lord that you have spoken is good.” For he thought, “Why not, if there will be peace and security in my days?” (2 Kings 20:19).
The King’s Responsibility
Kings throughout history often have a bad reputation for exploiting their people. We might forget that there was an agreed-upon relationship between kings and their subjects. The subjects would serve the king, and in return, the king would ensure they were well cared for. This included providing food and protection.
When kings failed in their duties, both they and their subjects suffered. This tragic pattern is seen with kings, dictators, and autocrats throughout history.
Hezekiah’s mistake of showing all his nation’s wealth to the Babylonians hurt more than just his royal family. It was devastating for the ordinary people of Judah as well.
The king was sadly short-sighted. He cared only about his own well-being, ignoring the needs of his children and grandchildren.
A Price Paid by Children and Grandchildren
Hezekiah’s response to the impending disaster facing his nation reminds me of how baby boomers respond to America’s national debt. Here are some disturbing statistics.
As of January 2025, the U.S. national debt was approximately $36+ trillion. The daily interest on national debt is $2.7 – $3.0 billion per day.
This breaks down to roughly:
- ~$125 million per hour
- ~$2 million per minute
Interest payments on the national debt have become one of the largest federal expenditures, exceeding defense spending in recent projections and rivaling major entitlement programs.
Like Hezekiah, the baby boomer generation may outlive the most painful aspects of our national debt, but our children and grandchildren won’t.
The burden of debt on our children and grandchildren is astounding, but an even bigger issue is the decline of morality.
- Think about what’s shown on TV today compared to 10 years ago.
- Also, consider what religious and political leaders accepted 10 years ago versus now.
If things don’t change in America, imagine what it will be like in another 5 or 10 years.
A Word for Ordinary People
Ordinary people living in Jerusalem during Hezekiah’s time had no say in whether their king would flaunt his wealth to impress another nation, risking God’s wrath on him and his people.
Similarly, today, ordinary people have little influence over the national debt or the morality shown on TV and by our leaders.
So, what can we do? That’s the question.
I remind myself often that Jesus lived in a time of corrupt religious systems and oppressive government. He didn’t protest against the local government or religious leaders.
Instead, he preached that the kingdom of God was at hand.
What can we do? We can live as members of Jesus’ kingdom and follow His teachings about God’s kingdom. The simplest guide on how to live in God’s kingdom is found in Matthew 5-7, known as the Sermon on the Mount.
We may not how to talk to God about what is taking place in our world, but we can use the best prayer ever given to humans and ask God to respond.
Our Father in heaven,
may your name be revered as holy.
May your kingdom come.
May your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not bring us to the time of trial,
but rescue us from the evil one. (Matthew 6:9-13)
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 