So.
There’s this king in the Bible. Hezekiah is his name.
Unlike his dad and grandfather, Hezekiah loved God. He loved Him so much that when the book of God was found in the temple, King Hez instituted sweeping spiritual reforms in Israel. He tore down pagan temples, destroyed idols, slaughtered pagan priests, and brought Passover back as a national holiday.
He had a heart for God.
And wouldn’t you know, God loves a heart like that.
So, God blessed him. He gave King Hez prosperity, peace and gave the nation deliverance from the Assyrian army.
But then, King Hez got sick.
Very sick.
So sick that he sent a message to the Prophet Isaiah asking him to ask God about it. So the Prophet did so and came to relay the news that King Hez was about to die.
King Hez was distraught. He cried. He asked for God’s mercy, and you know what, before Isaiah had left his house God told him to go back and tell the king he was going to live. God gave the man another 15 years.
Wow.
Now, you would think that after such a miraculous healing that King Hez would be grateful, elated, full of awe and worship for the God who gave him more life to live. God even gave him a sign, the shadow from the sun going backward, to assure him it was going to happen.
So what did he do with his extra 15 years?
King Hez did something stupid.
Strangers showed up. They wanted a tour of the palace, the land, and all that was in it. So King Hez, without a single thought about God, did exactly that.
After they left Isaiah showed up. To make a long story short the strangers were officials from Babylon. God wasn’t too pleased with King Hez’s boasting, and because of the man’s pride, the nation was doomed to be taken captive, even some of King Hez’s own children were going to become eunuchs in the Babylonian empire.
And you know what King Hez thought?
…At least it wouldn’t happen during his lifetime.
Yeah. Really. That’s what he thought.
His pride got the best of him. Instead of giving God the credit for his wealth, his country’s peace, his healing, old King Hez took the credit for himself. And he didn’t even care that his pride had just doomed not only the nation but his future children/grandchildren a lifetime of servitude in a foreign country.
Now, you might be wondering why I told you that story, but honestly, I think you’re pretty smart. I’m betting that you can read between the lines. So, let me ask you…
If God were to tell you on your deathbed that He was giving you another 15 years to live, just what would you do with it?
King Hezekiah can be found in 2 Kings 18-20