2 Chronicles 32:25-26 - Homilies By T. Whitelaw

Hezekiah's fall and repentance.

I. HEZEKIAH 'S SIN .

1 . Its character.

2 . Its punishment. The wrath of Jehovah was threatened

II. HEZEKIAH 'S REPENTANCE .

1. The self-abasement of the king. "He humbled himself for the pride of his heart." The wrath of Jehovah, pronounced against him and his people by Isaiah, was the Babylonish captivity. When Hezekiah heard the prophet's threatening, he realized that he had sinned, and humbled himself before Jehovah, saying, "Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken" ( 2 Kings 20:14-19 ; Isaiah 38:3-8 ).

2 . The concurrence of the people. "He and the inhabitants of Jerusalem." Probably they had not been unfavourable to a Babylonian alliance against Assyria, and were really "art and part" co-criminals with Hezekiah; if they had no share in Hezekiah's action, they had still cause to humble themselves before God on account of Hezekiah their king.

3 . The clemency of Jehovah. The judgment was to fall on Hezekiah's sons rather than on himself, which Hezekiah recognized as a mercy, and acknowledged by adding, "Is it not so [ i.e. good] if peace and truth shall be in my days?"

LESSONS .

1 . The possibility of spiritual declension.

2 . The duty of repentance,

3 . The obligation of gratitude.

4 . The sin of pride.—W.