Scripture Text: Isaiah 20: 12-20

You may know the story of King Hezekiah if you've read the Old Testament. He changed things for the better and was a good king. We praise him for trusting God and wanting to save his country. No one else was like him (II Kings 18:5-7). He prayed and made deals with God to live longer. He had a lot of faith, was good, and did many great things.

But I wonder why he didn't beg God for mercy on his children and the people who would come after him. Why didn't he leave something better behind? Why didn't he choose to make many people happy? It's easy to answer these questions: Hezekiah didn't see things clearly.

Every man has flaws that make him unique. These flaws not only mark a man, but they also help define him. This is the kind of person Hezekiah was. Even though I respect Hezekiah a lot, I think he's kind of a sad person because of one big mistake he made in his life. Hezekiah had terrible blind spots. In what way? In the following three ways: He didn't think about his own death enough. He didn't see far enough ahead for his kingdom. He didn't see far into the future. In as much everything's well with him, the future of his people and kingdom were not his concern.

Think about how God told Hezekiah that he was going to die. After Hezekiah cried out to the Lord and begged Him, God sent the prophet Isaiah to tell him, "I have heard your prayer." I've seen you cry. Look, I'll heal you (II Kings 20:5). God made Hezekiah live 15 more years. What did happen, though? Hezekiah had a son named Manasseh during the last 15 years. He was not only bad, but he was so bad that God punished Judah by saying that Manasseh was the reason why Judah should be punished (II Kings 21:10–15).

Because Hezekiah didn't think about his own death, he reached the point where God's anger could not be stopped. Hezekiah also didn't see far enough ahead for his kingdom. When people from Babylon came to see him, Hezekiah showed them all of his wealth and kingly power. "Hezekiah showed them everything in his house and all of his land" (II Kings 20:13). Before he knew it, Hezekiah had made Babylon want to rule over his country. So much so that Isaiah went back to Hezekiah and told him that one day Babylon would take all of his kingdom's wealth and "there shall be nothing left" (II Kings 20:17). But what did Hezekiah say in response? "Hezekiah then told Isaiah, "The word of the LORD that you spoke is good." He asked himself, "Why not? If there will be peace and safety in my days?" (2 Kings 20:19). Did you get it? He could have asked God to forgive him in the same way that he asked for His life. He even negotiated with God to have the shadow move back ten degrees instead of down, which God did (Isaiah 20:10). See how close Hezekiah was to God? Alas! Hezekiah only cared about his own kingdom and not the one that his children and grandchildren would run in the future.

Just like he couldn't see past his own wall when he thought about his own death, Hezekiah couldn't see past his own walls when he prayed, when he thought about the walls that surrounded his wealth and glory, or when he thought about the wall that held the way to the future. Hezekiah was a really great king. But because he was so focused on the present, he didn't make plans for the future of his country.

What can we learn from his mistakes that we won't make again?

First, your impact will live on after you die. People who come after you will be affected by the way you live your life now. What are you going to leave them? How do you want your faith in Christ to affect not only your kids but also the kids who will come after them?

Second, don't be proud of the good things in your life like Hezekiah did. Instead, keep your eyes on the one who brings life. During the war, Hezekiah put his faith in God. He forgot to trust God for the hard times that were to come, though.

You can trust God with what will happen after you die. King David gave his son Solomon a lot of things to help him build the temple. What can you leave behind that will encourage people to keep going in their faith? It might not seem important to be shortsighted. But, as we can see from the kings of Judah, it led to a sad end. Today is important, but tomorrow is even more important. One day, you'll be able to see what your impact has done. Either God will be praised, or you will wish you could do it again.

If you are in the path of short-sightedness like Hezekiah, you need to repent now, ask God for mercy to damage your spiritual blindness.

God bless you.

If you would like to give your life to Christ just say this short prayer:
"Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You now, come into my life, take control of my life and change my world. I say bye-bye to the devil. I enter into the Kingdom of Light. Thank You Jesus, in Jesus mighty name I pray, amen".

Congratulations!!!

Peace!

Also read:https://preachitteachit.org/articles/lessons-from-hezekiah-forgetting-the-future/