Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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2 Chronicles
Book: 2 Chronicles
Chapter: 32
Overview:
The invasion of
Sennacherib, His defeat.
(1-23) Hezekiah's
sickness, His prosperous reign, and
Death.
(24-33)
1-23 Those who trust
God with their safety, must use proper
means, else they tempt him.
God will provide, but
So must we
also.
Hezekiah gathered his people together, and spake
comfortably to them. A believing confidence in
God, will raise
us above the prevailing fear of
Man. Let the good subjects and
soldiers of
Jesus Christ,
Rest upon his
Word, and boldly say,
Since
God is for us, who can be against us?
By the favour of
God, enemies are lost, and friends gained.
24-33 God left
Hezekiah to himself, that,
By this trial and his
weakness in it, what was in his
Heart might be known; that he
was not
So perfect in
Grace as he thought he was. It is good for
us to know ourselves, and our own weakness and sinfulness, that
we may not be conceited, or self-confident, but may always live
in dependence upon Divine
Grace. We know not the corruption of
our own hearts, nor what we shall do if
God leaves us to
ourselves. His
Sin was, that his
Heart was lifted up. What need
have great men, and good men, and useful men, to study their own
infirmities and follies, and their obligations to free
Grace,
that they may never think highly of themselves; but
Beg
earnestly of
God, that he will always keep them humble!
Hezekiah
made a bad return to
God for his favours,
By making even those
favours the
Food and
Fuel of his pride. Let us shun the
occasions of
Sin: let us avoid the company, the amusements, the
books, yea, the very sights that may administer to
Sin. Let us
commit ourselves continually to
God's care and protection; and
Beg of him never to leave us nor forsake us. Blessed be
God,
Death will soon
End the believer's conflict; then pride and
every
Sin will be abolished. He will
No more be tempted to
withhold the praise which belongs to the
God of his
Salvation.