Series: Biblical Cities- Babylon [#2]
BABYLON- WHEN THE ENEMY SEEMS HARMLESS
Psalm 137:1
Introduction:
We are continuing in our study of Babylon. The city is the 2nd on the list of most mentions. Babylon is mentioned 286 times in the Bible. It means “the gate of god(s).
Psalm 137:1
Tonight, we are going to jump many years forward from last week’s study in Genesis. In 2 Kings 20:1-11, Hezekiah was sick, and God sent Isaiah to tell him to get his house in order because he was going to die. Hezekiah pleaded with God to not let him die and God gave Hezekiah 15 more years to live. God also told Isaiah to tell him that Jerusalem would be safe from the Assyrians who had captured the rest of Israel.
Let’s notice that when everything begins to look good, that is when Satan gets involved. When God delivers us from something and we have a great victory, you can be sure that the enemy will attack.
2 Kings 20:12-19
Hezekiah did not even realize that he was dealing with a great enemy. Hezekiah’s mistakes are example to us about the dangerous enemy that we face.
Hezekiah…
1. Did not recognize the enemy.
The King of Babylon’s son sent letters and gifts to Hezekiah because of his sickness. He was showing kindness to Hezekiah, so he had to be a friend, right? The enemy often seems to be your friend and you do not recognize that he is your enemy.
Hezekiah…
2. Was blinded by the enemy’s gift.
Again, because the enemy gave him a gift, Hezekiah didn’t realize that he was dealing with an enemy. The enemy loves to give us things so that we will drop our guard. The enemy knows how to do things in a way that we are blinded to the truth.
Hezekiah…
3. Let the enemy in.
He allowed the envoys to come into his palace, his storehouses, and his entire kingdom. The enemy walked right in and was welcomed. We must be careful to not allow the enemy to come into our lives. All he needs is a foothold; and he is in.
Hezekiah…
4. Showed the enemy his most precious things.
Not only did Hezekiah give the enemy a tour throughout the kingdom; but he also showed him the most important things. What are the things and people that are precious to you? Have you given the enemy access to them?
Hezekiah…
5. Lost everything to the enemy.
Isaiah gave Hezekiah the message of Judah’s upcoming destruction. The enemy knew everything about Jerusalem- He knew about their treasures, the setup of the buildings, where the guards were located, etc…
We can never forget that Satan is not God. Satan does not know what you are thinking. Satan does not know anything about you unless you tell him. It is not until we show the enemy what we have and who we are that he can attack us in those exact areas.
Conclusion:
We will see later in this study that Babylon destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple; and they took almost everything and almost every person back to Babylon. This destruction and defeat began with Hezekiah doing a stupid thing. Hezekiah was one of the most godly Kings of Judah and yet he ushered in an era of defeat and exile.
