Compare Hezekiah's actions with Proverbs 16:18. What lesson can we learn?

Setting the Scene: God’s Favor on Hezekiah

• 2 Kings 18:5–7 describes Hezekiah as a king who “trusted in the LORD… and the LORD was with him.”

• God rescued Judah from Assyria (2 Kings 19:35–37) and later added fifteen years to Hezekiah’s life (2 Kings 20:1–6).

• Material prosperity followed: “Hezekiah had very great riches and honor” (2 Chronicles 32:27).

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Hezekiah’s Misstep of Pride

• When Babylonian envoys arrived, “Hezekiah welcomed them gladly and showed them the whole treasure house” (2 Kings 20:13).

• 2 Chronicles 32:25: “But because his heart was proud, Hezekiah did not repay what the LORD had done for him. Therefore wrath came upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem.”

• Isaiah pronounced future judgment: all that was shown would one day be carried off to Babylon (2 Kings 20:17–18).

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The Proverb Stated

Proverbs 16:18: “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

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Parallels between Hezekiah and Proverbs 16:18

• Blessing ⇒ Pride

– After miraculous victories and healing, Hezekiah’s focus shifted from the Giver to the gifts.

• Pride ⇒ Display

– He paraded wealth to strangers, seeking their admiration rather than God’s glory.

• Display ⇒ Judgment

– Isaiah’s prophecy linked the boastful tour to future national ruin.

• Judgment ⇒ Humbling

– Hezekiah eventually “humbled the pride of his heart” (2 Chronicles 32:26), yet the long-term consequences were set.

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Supporting Scriptures

• James 4:6: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

• 1 Peter 5:5b: “Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another.”

• Psalm 138:6: “Though the LORD is exalted, He watches over the lowly; but the proud He knows from afar.”

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Take-Home Lessons

• Blessings test character as surely as trials; prosperity can lure the heart into self-exaltation.

• Pride is subtle: it can arise right after our most sincere prayers are answered.

• What we flaunt today may be what the enemy takes tomorrow; guard what God entrusts to you.

• Humility keeps blessings safe. A grateful, lowly heart invites ongoing favor instead of impending loss.

• Regularly redirect praise—from self and possessions—back to the Lord who “gives and takes away” (Job 1:21), ensuring that Proverbs 16:18 remains a warning, not a biography.