xxxvi. 21. _But they held their peace, &c._
Dr. Geikie says of Hezekiah, "Ready for war when necessary, and alike
brave and skilful in its conduct, he was more inclined to the gentle
arts of peace." Among these "gentle arts" should be reckoned his
cultivated gift of prudence. Prudence is undervalued by some, as not
taking rank among the higher virtues, and even sometimes decried as
essentially selfish. But prudence guards the life of the highest
virtue, and thus becomes of almost equal importance with it. Prudence
is short for "providence;" "the provident man," as the phrase is
used, shows prudence in one direction, and is praised for it. Greater
praise is surely due to the all-round prudent man. Prudence in man
is, in one aspect, but the counterpart of providence in God, and
those who are given to esteem it lightly are not pious, like
Hezekiah, but already doubters of, and disbelievers in, the general
and special providence of God, or likely to become so (P. D. 2914).
It is prudent to be silent--1. _When the judgment, based upon the
knowledge of available facts, dictates silence as sound policy._
Silence may, and often does, imply something quite different from a
wisely calculated policy; it may indicate abject fear, cowardice,
indifference. All silence is not "golden;" sometimes the basest metal
goes to its composition. The order to be silent, whether addressed by
Hezekiah to his ambassadors, or to the people generally, or to both,
may be conjectured to have sprung from the king's desperate case. But
even if we leave out this element, enough remains to justify the
command, "Answer him not." It may be presumed that the messenger of
the "great king," "dressed in a little brief authority," conducted
himself as Hezekiah _foresaw_ he would, outdoing Sennacherib himself
in blasphemy and all impiety. "A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and
hideth himself." Hezekiah did this in the most literal sense, and his
command to all concerned was to hide the spirit of their mind behind
a veil of silence. Such prudence, then, is more than foresight, it is
foresight connecting itself with a certain course of action as the
wisest or best possible in certain given circumstances (P. D. 3086,
3089). How rare is such prudence! Not from evil intent, but through
want of thought, do many persist in running their heads against
adamant. Available knowledge is neglected, and judgment, where there
is any in such a case, is adrift and mistaken.
2. _When the deepest feelings are agitated so as to be beyond
immediate control._ Hezekiah's ambassadors obeyed their orders until
Rabshakeh uttered words the effect of which upon the people there was
good reason to dread (ver. 10); then they broke in, carried on a
great wave of impulse (ver. 11); but only to make the blasphemer more
arrogantly insolent. Feeling, like fire, is a good servant but a bad
master; it is blind, and blindly seeks its own objects. Only in the
most highly educated moral natures can it ever be expected to flow in
proper channels; but in none should it be intrusted with the reins of
government. "I will keep my mouth with a bridle," said the Psalmist,
"while the wicked is before me" (cf. James i. 19, 20, 26).
3. _When wise counsel is at hand_ (xxxvii. 1, 2). "Hezekiah went into
the house of the Lord;" "and he sent Eliakim unto Isaiah the
prophet." There is a kind of piety which disdains human aid, because
each man may go direct to God. This may not have wrought so much harm
in the world as the Romish doctrine of mediators, but it is equally
mistaken. Blessed is the man who knows of a prophet--a brother-man of
spiritual insight, moral integrity, and Christian courtesy--before
whom he can lay his case! Thrice blessed he who, knowing such an one,
can hold his peace until he has sought and obtained the
Heaven-provided help! God may well hold us insincere if we go to Him
and neglect His servants' aid.
CONCLUSION.--Let us hear and understand the words of the preacher:
"There is a time to keep silence," as well as "a time to speak." We
are lacking in silence and reserve. Silence is a glorious temple, but
in it there are few worshippers. Be it ours to wait and worship there!
The worshippers find the very walls translucent, the rays of heaven
descend in unbroken brightness there. Silence is the birthplace of
the world's progress, and from the rays of truth that flash into it
are born the grand visions of the prophets of God, and kingly
purposes too; and from these are forged the weapons with which men
shall sweep away the hindrances to all wisdom.--_J. Macrae Simcock._