ISAIAH 39
This was the third test (2 Chron. 32:31), and the king failed miserably. What could not be accomplished through an army or an illness was accomplished through flattery. If Satan cannot succeed as a lion, then he comes as a serpent: “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful” (
The kisses. The king of Babylon wanted one thing: Judah’s cooperation in opposing the Assyrians. The enemy is a liar and uses every excuse to get entry into your life. It was foolish for Hezekiah to welcome them and show them the royal treasures, but pride took over and discernment disappeared. Ephesians 4:17–32 lists some “footholds” you can give Satan in your life.
The wounds. Isaiah did not fear the king but told him truthfully that Babylon was the real enemy and one day would conquer Judah. However, instead of repenting, Hezekiah felt relieved that the judgment would not come in his day. How shortsighted can a man of faith become! Had he no concern for the future of his people?
Wound with Truth
It is not always easy to deliver God’s message to those who need it. It takes courage to wound a friend. Nathan faced King David with the truth (2 Sam. 12), and Isaiah confronted both Ahaz (