What Do We Leave for Future Generations?



2 Kings 20:12-21
12 At that time Merodach-baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent envoys with letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been sick.
13 And Hezekiah welcomed them, and he showed them all his treasure house, the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his armory, all that was found in his storehouses. There was nothing in his house or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them.
14 Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah, and said to him, “What did these men say? And from where did they come to you?” And Hezekiah said, “They have come from a far country, from Babylon.”
15 He said, “What have they seen in your house?” And Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing in my storehouses that I did not show them.”
16 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord:
17 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.
18 And some of your own sons, who shall be born to you, shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”
19 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?”
20 The rest of the deeds of Hezekiah and all his might and how he made the pool and the conduit and brought water into the city, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?
21 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and Manasseh his son reigned in his place.

The story of Hezekiah wraps up with a rather odd tale of the resurgence of his pride and a lack of care about his descendants. After Hezekiah's divine healing the king of Babylon comes to pay honor to him. So taken with this honor is Hezekiah that he shows off all of his wealth and is puffed up by his own story. Isaiah pronounces God’s judgment upon Judah declaring that all of those treasures will be carried off into Babylon. Hezekiah recognizes that if it is God’s will it must be good, but he’s grateful it isn’t going to happen in his lifetime! The foundation upon which he stands has a huge crack in it and he doesn’t care. As long as he doesn’t have to deal with the mess, why worry?

One cannot help but wonder what kind of legacy we are leaving our own children and grandchildren. Much is made today about massive taxation and over spending creating huge debt for our descendants. But of even more importance is the wasteland of faith that we are leaving behind. Already we are being called a “post-Christian” culture. This is tragic for future generations. But, it need not happen. We can be responsible for sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with our own children and grandchildren, thus helping to keep the faith alive in the next generation. We don’t have to shrug our shoulders and say “oh well” like Hezekiah. Instead, we faithful teach the Word to those who come after us and trust that the Holy Spirit will make their faith live!

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