EXTRA GRACE TO HEZEKIAH
2 Kings 20:1-11
“Go back and tell Hezekiah, the ruler of my people, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the LORD. (5)
chapter 20
1. In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, "This is what the LORD says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover."
2. Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD,
3. "Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes." And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
4. Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of the LORD came to him:
5. "Go back and tell Hezekiah, the ruler of my people, ’This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the LORD.
6. I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.’"
7. Then Isaiah said, "Prepare a poultice of figs." They did so and applied it to the boil, and he recovered.
8. Hezekiah had asked Isaiah, "What will be the sign that the LORD will heal me and that I will go up to the temple of the LORD on the third day from now?"
9. Isaiah answered, "This is the LORD’s sign to you that the LORD will do what he has promised: Shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or shall it go back ten steps?"
10. "It is a simple matter for the shadow to go forward ten steps," said Hezekiah. "Rather, have it go back ten steps."
11. Then the prophet Isaiah called on the LORD, and the LORD made the shadow go back the ten steps it had gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
1. Judah’s King Hezekiah became ill with a serious sickness and was near death. Such an event can happen to anyone at any time, even to God’s servants. The prophet Isaiah told the king that this was his terminal illness (2). But in spite of this word from God, Hezekiah still prayed earnestly, asking God to remember his faithfulness to the Lord and his service, and spare his life (3).
2. Amazingly, Hezekiah’s prayer seemed to change God’s mind! Isaiah came back with a promise of healing and of fifteen more years of life (5). Hezekiah’s time on earth was still limited, but he got a deadline extension. The Lord gave a miraculous sign on the steps of the temple as proof of his promise (11).
3. This is why we should always pray and not give up. Anything is possible with prayer, even if it seemingly means God himself should change his plans. We can’t guarantee that God will always preserve our earthly life. Each of us will also need to prepare for God’s work to continue after we go to be with the Lord. But we can always be sure that humble prayer moves God’s heart.
Prayer: Father, thank you for answering prayer beyond what even seems possible. Help me to pray humbly but boldly without giving up, no matter how bleak things look.
One Word: Prayer moves God’s heart