A FOOLISH KING AND A WISE ONE
Isaiah 37:1. And it came to pass, &c.
The message to which our text refers was sent by a foolish king to a wise one. Look at them both.
I. THE FOOLISH KING.
Sennacherib. Ignorant of God, he fell into various follies.
1. Pride and arrogance. Unaware that he was but an instruments in the hand of God (chap. Isaiah 10:5-7), he imagined that his triumphs were due entirely to his military genius and the power under his control. Blind as to the true nature of his past career, he looked into the future with boastful confidence; he had no doubt that he would go on conquering and to conquer. His proud survey of the past and this arrogant outlook into the future are follies repeated by many men much smaller than Sennacherib. But every wise man will remember that he owes all his past successes to God (Deuteronomy 8:10-18), and that all his future is absolutely in the hand of God (James 4:13-15).
2. Blasphemous undervaluing of the power of God (Isaiah 37:18-20). He therefore imagines that God’s people are in his hand. On this account he presents to them a curious reason why they should surrender (chap, Isaiah 36:16-17). He promises them a quiet possession of their own vines, which they possessed already but for his disturbance; and in the same breath he adds, “Until I come and take you away;” and then, to soften that sentence, he promises to take them to a land like their own. He promises them no more, after all, than they had already on the safe tenure of their own laws.
This reason for surrender was either a mockery of men whom he believed incapable of resisting him, or an indication of the mental weakness into which pride was betraying him. Ere long there was a terrible demonstration of his folly (Isaiah 37:36, P. D. 3413), an appalling fulfilment of the prediction concerning him (Isaiah 10:12-19).
II. THE WISE KING.
Hezekiah. His disposition does not appear to more advantage in any passage of life, nor his conduct exhibit lessons more generally useful, than in the circumstances to which our text alludes. A message is brought from a proud invader; threats mixed with blasphemies are sounded in his ears; a force far superior to his own draws near to his city. In his extremity he sought help, not from man, but from God. In drawing near to God, he testifies his penitence for his own sins and the sins of the people by rending his garments and covering himself with sackcloth, the usual tokens of sorrow in the East; his faith and hope by resorting to the house of God, his accustomed place of prayer. Observe the wisdom of the order of his procedure.
1. He began with demonstrations of repentance. He knew well that without repentance there could be no hope towards God.
(1.) This is the true order for individuals (H. E. I. 145–147).
(2.) For the Church of God.
2. Beginning with repentance’, he could cherish hope (Isaiah 37:2-4). Why? He felt that the Lord would not permit Sennacherib’s words to pass unpunished; and that, if the sins of the people did not operate to prevent it, help would surely be sent him. But he spoke with caution, “it may be,” &c. The best reasons may be found for what we call “delays” in providential helps. There was room for expectation that help would be given, room for prayer that it might be given, but no room for overweening confidence that it must be so. With his hope there was mingled submission to the will of God, and that doubtless helped to win for his prayer a favourable hearing.
CONCLUSION.—This narrative presents us with the results, on the one hand, of pride and arrogance; and on the other, of repentance and an humbled spirit. In times of extremity let us not entertain hope without an humble and repentant suit to God; and when that ground of penitence is laid for its support, let us not dismiss our confidence. God is always able to help His people. Like Hezekiah, then, to Him let us resort in every time of trouble, whether it be a time of public danger or of domestic affliction.—J. H. Pott: Sermons, vol. ii. pp. 282–299.