GOD'S SPECIAL QUESTIONNAIRE

ISAIAH 39:1

A. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO OUR TEXT
  1. Hezekiah's sickness and recovery:
  2. The phenomenal sign of his healing and its effect upon other nations:
  3. Hezekiah's failure to glorify the Lord, who had healed him: Isa. 38:1-22; 39:1-8
B. GOD'S SPECIAL QUESTIONNAIRE
  1. "What said these men?"
    1. They were not interested in temporal things.
    2. They had been sent to make inquiry about the phenomenal healing of King Hezekiah.
    3. "Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all the people." Ps. 96:3
    4. That is what Nebuchadnezzar did after he learned of the power of the God of Israel - Dan. 4:1-4
    5. Here is a timely lesson for God's people today - Isa. 43:10; Acts 1:8
  2. "From whence came these men?
    1. They had come a long way to hear the story of salvation - 2 Ki. 20:14
    2. They came from the land of idol worship - Isa. 2:8
    3. All these facts multiply the importance of their mission and increase Hezekiah's responsibility to use that occasion to acquaint these people with the true God.
    4. They were special representatives of the king of Babylon, who was interested in the secret of Hezekiah's miraculous healing.
    5. God had influenced the heart of the pagan king to learn the story of salvation firsthand.
  3. "What have they seen in thine house?"
    1. A family altar as evidence of the God of Israel?
    2. Hezekiah, where is now thy God?
    3. How searching are these questions to all who profess to serve the living God?
  4. Hezekiah's miserable failure:
    1. He exposed all his treasures to these men -- gold and silver and other valuables - Isa. 39:2
    2. Why did he not show the place where he pled with God to heal him? Why did he not explain to them God's undeserved mercy in the hour of death?
    3. What a travesty to the goodness of our Lord and Saviour! How sad was the turning of the events which followed Hezekiah's dismal failure.
C. LET US CONSIDER THE EFFECT OF HEZEKIAH'S FAILURE TO USE THE OCCASION TO SHARE HIS FAITH IN THE LIVING GOD WHO HAD SO SIGNALLY HEALED HIM
  1. The effect was very harmful:
    1. To him
    2. His kingdom
    3. And the cause of truth - Isa. 39:5-7
  2. Those men left, returned home:
    1. Unimpressed
    2. And unchanged as far as their original mission was concerned.
    3. What effect does my life have upon those who associate with me? Are they impressed with the wonderful story of salvation? EXAMPLES -
      1. The story of the woman of Samaria and her fellow country men - John 4:29-42
      2. The experience of the disciples on the day of Pentecost - Acts 2:1-41
  3. How different was the experience of Daniel and his friends with Nebuchadnezzar!
    1. What he learned about their loyalty to the God of Israel - Dan. 3:16-18
    2. About God's part in that drama - Dan. 3:24-30
  4. That was true, also, of Daniel's experience with king Darius:
    1. He had been misled by Daniel's enemies.
    2. Placed his loyal servant into the lions' den - Dan. 6:1-14
    3. But he learned the reward of faithfulness to principles - Dan. 6:19-27
    4. If our life's story was recorded in God's book, what would it be like?


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