From The Collected Works of Watchman Nee, Volume 37

In Isaiah 39, when news of Hezekiah’s sickness and recovery reached the Babylonian court, messengers were sent with letters and a present for Hezekiah. Hezekiah had received the grace of God, but he could not stand the test of grace. God’s Word says, “And Hezekiah was glad for them and showed them his treasury, the silver and the gold, and the spices and the precious oil, and his whole armory and everything which was found among his treasures…”

Hezekiah could not resist the temptation to display everything. He had just been healed and likely felt self-important, thinking few people had experienced what he had. After all, how many had seen such a sign at their healing as the shadow on the dial of Ahaz going back ten degrees? In his elation, Hezekiah displayed all his treasures. This shows he had not passed through the dealings of the cross. His natural life was untouched. It was clear that all his roots were exposed. Whatever Hezekiah knew and had was now known to the Babylonians.

Because of this exposure, Isaiah said to him, “Hear the word of Jehovah of hosts: Behold, the days are coming when everything which is in your house and which your fathers have laid up as a treasure unto this day will be carried away to Babylon; nothing will be left, says Jehovah”. The measure in which we display things to others will be the measure of our own loss. The measure in our life that we show before others will be the measure we give up in ourselves. This is a solemn matter and demands our attention.

So many people cannot help disclosing their experiences. They must speak to their heart’s delight. This is like Hezekiah opening his treasures to others. A brother once said, “Many of the brothers fall sick, and when they recover, they give their testimonies. I wish I could develop some sickness—but not a fatal one—and that God would heal me; then I would have something to say at the next testimony meeting.” This brother’s motive for healing was simply to give a testimony. He sought an experience just to have something to talk about. This superficial way of living brings grave loss to us; it rules out the possibility of spiritual progress.