The events in chapter Isaiah 39 describe Yahweh’s response to the Babylonian threat.
Isaiah 39:1 At that time, Merodach-baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick, and had recovered. 2 Hezekiah was pleased with them, and showed them the house of his precious things, the silver, the gold, the spices, and the precious oil, and all the house of his armor, and all that was found in his treasures. There was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah didn’t show them. 3 Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah, and asked him, “What did these men say? From where did they come to you?”
Hezekiah said, “They have come from a country far from me, even from Babylon.”
4 Then he asked, “What have they seen in your house?”
Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house. There is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them.”
5 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of Yahweh of Armies: 6 ‘Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up until today, will be carried to Babylon. Nothing will be left,’ says Yahweh. 7 ‘They will take away your sons who will issue from you, whom you shall father, and they will be eunuchs in the king of Babylon’s palace.’”
8 Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “Yahweh’s word which you have spoken is good.” He said moreover, “For there will be peace and truth in my days.”
At this time there were two rival superpowers in the world, Assyria and Babylon. We have already seen how God defeated the Assyrians. Babylon wanting desperately to defeat Assyria sent an envoy to Judah. Hezekiah, no doubt flattered that a superpower would visit him with presents and well wishes, boasted by showing them the treasures of Judah, the same treasures from the reign of Solomon that poured into Israel from around the world.
If Hezekiah had been truly wise what would he have boasted in?
This is what the Lord says:
“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom
or the strong boast of their strength
or the rich boast of their riches,
24 but let the one who boasts boast about this:
that they have the understanding to know me,
that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness,
justice and righteousness on earth,
for in these I delight,”
declares the Lord. Jeremiah 9:23-24
Hezekiah clearly had much to tell the Babylonian delegation about Yahweh. Yahweh had sent an angel to defeat the Assyrians and had saved Hezekiah from certain death. Yahweh had made time run backward for ten steps. Isaiah 38:8 Hezekiah had even prayed, “We will sing my songs with stringed instruments all the days of our life in Yahweh’s house.” Isaiah 38:20 He could have sung those songs describing how Yahweh is the one true God who reigns over all the nations of the earth. But rather than boasting about the works, wonders, ways, and salvation of Yahweh, Hezekiah decided to boast in his treasure, treasure which is here today and gone tomorrow.
What should Christians boast about?
Let him who boasts boast in the Lord. 2 Corinthians 10:17
May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Galatians 6:14
Hearing of his folly, Isaiah reprimanded Hezekiah with a prophecy. “The days are coming when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up until today, will be carried to Babylon.” Although Hezekiah was a good king, 2 Kings 18:3-7, because of the unfaithfulness of his descendants God would discipline Judah with the same fate that he had disciplined Israel. A foreign nation, in this case Babylon, would betray Judah, 2 Kings 24-25, taking them into captivity. This was a devastating prophecy, but because God had promised Hezekiah fifteen more years of life he was unconcerned about his family and nation being overrun, saying, “There will be peace and truth in my days.”
Exile … Exile … Exile
Just as Isaiah had foretold, after one hundred years, Babylon invaded, ransacked, devastated, and carried the people of Judah into captivity where they remained for 70 years.
Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the captives whom I have caused to be carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 “Build houses and dwell in them. Plant gardens and eat their fruit. 6 Take wives and father sons and daughters. Take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters. Multiply there, and don’t be diminished. 7 Seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to Yahweh for it; for in its peace you will have peace.” 8 For Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel says: “Don’t let your prophets who are among you and your diviners deceive you. Don’t listen to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed. 9 For they prophesy falsely to you in my name. I have not sent them,” says Yahweh. 10 For Yahweh says, “After seventy years are accomplished for Babylon, I will visit you and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. Jeremiah 29:4-10
But our ever-gracious God, keeper of his Covenant Promise, does not abandon his people to despair. After prophesying about the certainty of Judah’s captivity, in this next section Isaiah announces hope.