Two prophets, two kings, two prophecies, and two responses.
2 Kings 20-16:-19
Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord: Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the Lord. And some of your own sons, who will come from you, whom you will father, shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.” Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord that you have spoken is good.” For he thought, “Why not, if there will be peace and security in my days?”
Isaiah informed Hezekiah that his faithlessness in his latter days would result in disaster for decades to come. Hezekiah was relieved that he would not have to experience the ramifications of his disordered household. He declared God good for allowing him to escape the consequences of his actions although it meant that his descendants would suffer as a result of his disorder.
1 Chronicles 17:11-15
"When your days are fulfilled to walk with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from him who was before you, but I will confirm him in my house and in my kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever.” In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.
Nathan informed David that he would not be allowed to build a house for God because of his past actions, but that He would allow one of his sons to build it and that God's kingdom would be built and sustained forever by one of David's descendants. So David would not get to build a physical house for God, but God's house would be established through David's household. How did he respond to this?
1 Chronicles 17:-16-20, 23-27
Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? And this was a small thing in your eyes, O God. You have also spoken of your servant's house for a great while to come, and have shown me future generations, O Lord God! And what more can David say to you for honoring your servant? For you know your servant. For your servant's sake, O Lord, and according to your own heart, you have done all this greatness, in making known all these great things. There is none like you, O Lord, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears... And now, O Lord, let the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house be established forever, and do as you have spoken, and your name will be established and magnified forever, saying, ‘The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, is Israel's God,’ and the house of your servant David will be established before you. For you, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a house for him. Therefore your servant has found courage to pray before you. And now, O Lord, you are God, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. Now you have been pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever before you, for it is you, O Lord, who have blessed, and it is blessed forever.”
David rejoiced that God's name would be praised by his progeny. He took comfort in the present disappointment by believing in the future promise. He would not see what he desired, but he was promised that God would see to it. He would not feast his eyes on that place or hear the sounds of God's praises being sung inside its doors, but he was guaranteed by God that these things would happen as a result of David's descendants. God's name would forever be praised by people produced by David's line.
The contrast could hardly be sharper or clearer: Hezekiah received what he wanted in the short term and was relieved to hear of his descendants' problems, knowing that they would not be his problems. David did not receive what he wanted in the short term but was relieved to hear of his descendants' delights, knowing that God would keep His promise to them. Hezekiah was willing to sacrifice his children's future to secure his comfort in the present. David was willing to sacrifice his comfort in the present in order to secure his children's future. Hezekiah's hope was in avoiding personal disaster for the time being. David's hope was in securing personal delight in his family's future.
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