WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
NOVEMBER 10, 2024
TOPIC: BEWARE OF PRIDE AND INGRATITUDE (1)
BY T. O. BANSO
“About this time King Hezekiah became sick and almost died. He prayed, and the Lord gave him a sign that he would recover. But Hezekiah was too proud to show gratitude for what the Lord had done for him, and Judah and Jerusalem suffered for it” (2 Chronicles 32:24-25 Good News Translation).
Hezekiah was sick and near death. The Prophet Isaiah went to tell him a message from God to set his house in order, for he would die. Hezekiah prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. Then God told Isaiah to go and tell Hezekiah that He had heard his prayer, seen his tears, and would add fifteen years to his days (Isaiah 38:1-5). God healed Hezekiah as He had promised.
However, in the account of Hezekiah’s healing, 2 Chronicles 32:24-25 says, “In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death, and he prayed to the Lord; and He spoke to him and gave him a sign. But Hezekiah did not repay according to the favor shown him, for his heart was lifted up; therefore wrath was looming over him and over Judah and Jerusalem” (New King James Version). Note the expression “But Hezekiah did not repay according to the favor shown him, for his heart was lifted up.”
The Good News Translation says, “About this time King Hezekiah became sick and almost died. He prayed, and the Lord gave him a sign that he would recover. But Hezekiah was too proud to show gratitude for what the Lord had done for him, and Judah and Jerusalem suffered for it.”
This passage does not contradict Isaiah 38:9-20 which says that after God healed Hezekiah, he wrote a poem to thank God, which is not included in the account of this incident in 2 Chronicles 32. Hezekiah, thanking God, says in Isaiah 38:17-20, “Indeed it was for my own peace that I had great bitterness; but You have lovingly delivered my soul from the pit of corruption, for You have cast all my sins behind Your back. For Sheol cannot thank You, Death cannot praise You; those who go down to the pit cannot hope for Your truth. The living, the living man, he shall praise You, as I do this day; the father shall make known Your truth to the children. The Lord was ready to save me; therefore we will sing my songs with stringed instruments all the days of our life, in the house of the Lord’” (New King James Version). From this Scripture, it would be incorrect to think that Hezekiah was not grateful to God.
The pride and ingratitude that 2 Chronicles 32:24-25 refers to relates to how, sometimes later, Hezekiah did not show gratitude to God for his healing. This was when the ambassadors from Babylon came to visit him after he had recovered from his sickness. “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. And Hezekiah was pleased with them, and showed them the house of his treasures—the silver and gold, the spices and precious ointment, and all his armory—all that was found among his treasures. There was nothing in his house or in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them” (Isaiah 39:1-2 New Kings James Version).
Hezekiah got carried away. Pride made him show the ambassadors from Babylon his silver and gold, the spices and precious ointment, all his armoury, and everything in his royal treasuries. It is this incident that 2 Chronicles 32:24-25 refers to when it says that Hezekiah was too proud to show gratitude for what the LORD had done for him.
2 Chronicles 32:31 says, “However, regarding the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, whom they sent to him to inquire about the wonder that was done in the land, God withdrew from him, in order to test him, that He might know all that was in his heart” (New King James Version). The king of Babylon sent the ambassadors to enquire about the wonder that was done in the land of Judah. This refers to the miracle of the sun going backward ten degrees when Hezekiah recovered from his sickness, as God had spoken through Isaiah (Isaiah 38:8).
Unfortunately, instead of testifying about the power of God that healed him, Hezekiah magnified himself, not God. This is also recorded in 2 Kings 20:12-13: “At that time Berodach-Baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been sick. And Hezekiah was attentive to them, and showed them all the house of his treasures—the silver and gold, the spices and precious ointment, and all his armory—all that was found among his treasures. There was nothing in his house or in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them” (New King James Version).
Pride clouded Hezekiah’s reasoning and he failed God’s test to know what was in his heart. Since the ambassadors’ visit had to do with his miraculous recovery from near-death sickness, he should have used the occasion to talk to them about God who made it possible just as he had written a poem when he had recovered. Rather, Hezekiah drew attention to himself; he went on an ego trip. His wealth and military strength went to his head.
2 Kings 20:14-18 says, “Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah, and said to him, ‘What did these men say, and from where did they come to you?’ So Hezekiah said, ‘They came from a far country, from Babylon.’ And he said, ‘What have they seen in your house?’ So Hezekiah answered, ‘They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them.’ Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, ‘Hear the word of the Lord: ‘Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and what your fathers have accumulated until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,’ says the Lord. ‘And they shall take away some of your sons who will descend from you, whom you will beget; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon’”
But God gave Hezekiah all the wealth he showed the ambassadors. “Hezekiah had very great riches and honor. And he made himself treasuries for silver, for gold, for precious stones, for spices, for shields, and for all kinds of desirable items; storehouses for the harvest of grain, wine, and oil; and stalls for all kinds of livestock, and folds for flocks. Moreover he provided cities for himself, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance; for God had given him very much property. This same Hezekiah also stopped the water outlet of Upper Gihon, and brought the water by tunnel to the west side of the City of David. Hezekiah prospered in all his works” (2 Chronicles 32:27-30 New Kings James Version). Note the phrase “for God had given him very much property.”
So if God gave him his property, why the pride? 1 Corinthians 4:7 says, “For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?” (New King James Version). Be careful. Don’t let your wealth, success, or accomplishments make you proud and ungrateful to God. “He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like foliage” (Proverbs 11:28 New Kings James Version).
Riches and honour could tempt one to be proud, and Hezekiah had both, as seen in 2 Chronicles 32:27. He should not have seen them as personal accomplishments to be displayed for self-aggrandizement. Don’t become proud because of anything you have. Remember that every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows (James 1:17). Acknowledge God as the source of every good thing you have, humble yourself, and thank Him. “But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today” (Deuteronomy 8:18 New International Version).
Tomorrow’s devotional will conclude this topic. Beware of pride and ingratitude.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. Take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner, and cannot save yourself, and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner, and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You must join a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: I repent of pride and ingratitude. Holy Spirit, help me to be humble and grateful to God. Let me not forget that I am nothing without God and He is the source of everything I have. I shall always magnify God, not myself.
(For over 900 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
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Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org
