The Heart is Deceitful and Desperately Wicked!

Isaiah38-39 The Pride of Self-Salvation

Hezekiah had been blessed twice over because he had humbled himself before the Lord. He had spent time in prayer and rejoicing when he and Jerusalem were delivered. Yet when the Babylonians arrived to offer their greetings upon his recovery, instead of giving God the glory he revels in his earthly wealth. Reminds us of Nebuchadnezzar!

How true it is that when we are in a trial we seek God and His provision, but when He blesses us and the trial is past we often fail to guard our hearts against the next trial that may come our way. Isaiah doesn’t fill in the blanks but the Chronicler does. God left Hezekiah alone to test him, in order to know his true motives. [2 Chr 32:31].

Hezekiah’s root problem was pride just as it has been for many. It often is revealed in how we respond to flattery and smooth words. Because our eyes are on the earthly and not the heavenly; we are not discerning. We need to pray every day that God will give us a discerning heart to see and understand the stumbling stones in our path lest we fall like Hezekiah.

Pro 4:23 Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. Pro 16:18 Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.