Isaiah 38:1-3, 5, 7-12, 14-15, 17-20

Isaiah 38:1-3, 5, 7-12, 14-15, 17-20 NIV 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.” Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord , “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. “Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life. “ ‘This is the Lord ’s sign to you that the Lord will do what he has promised: I will make the shadow cast by the sun go back the ten steps it has gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.’ ” So the sunlight went back the ten steps it had gone down. A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah after his illness and recovery: I said, “In the prime of my life must I go through the gates of death and be robbed of the rest of my years?” I said, “I will not again see the Lord himself in the land of the living; no longer will I look on my fellow man, or be with those who now dwell in this world. Like a shepherd’s tent my house has been pulled down and taken from me. Like a weaver I have rolled up my life, and he has cut me off from the loom; day and night you made an end of me. I cried like a swift or thrush, I moaned like a mourning dove. My eyes grew weak as I looked to the heavens. I am being threatened; Lord, come to my aid!” But what can I say? He has spoken to me, and he himself has done this. I will walk humbly all my years because of this anguish of my soul. Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish. In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction; you have put all my sins behind your back. For the grave cannot praise you, death cannot sing your praise; those who go down to the pit cannot hope for your faithfulness. The living, the living—they praise you, as I am doing today; parents tell their children about your faithfulness. The Lord will save me, and we will sing with stringed instruments all the days of our lives in the temple of the Lord. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hezekiah's prayer is a nice little nugget nestled in the midst of Isaiah. The prophet's collection of oracles includes material recounting history. Some of Isaiah 38 can be found in 2nd Kings 20, but not the prayer of Hezekiah when he asked to be healed. Apparently Hezekiah has an infected boil threatening his life. The prophet Isaiah told him to get ready to die. Hezekiah wept and prayed to the Lord, asking God to remember how he had been faithful by tearing down the pagan shrines in Jerusalem and Judea and reestablishing the proper worship of Yahweh. God heard his prayer and offered a miraculous sign to confirm that He would heal Hezekiah, adding fifteen years to His life. God would cause a shadow on the steps of Ahaz, steps built for the king of Jerusalem to have his own private entrance to the temple, to go backwards. This would mean the earth and sun would need to move in a direction different than inertial forces have them normally move. It would be like the earth rotated backwards and the sun in the sky, which normally moves east to west, would move west to east. That is quite a sign! God did something similar during the conquest of Canaan under the leadership of Joshua. God stopped the earth from spinning so that Joshua could complete a victory against five kings of the Amorites. Joshua 10:12-13 NIV On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel: “Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.” So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies, as it is written in the Book of Jashar. The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. Isaiah records Hezekiah's prayer. It reads like a psalm. It begins in lament and ends in confident praise. Hezekiah laments that his life is to be cut short. He cries and mourns like the coo of a dove. Then the prayer shifts with the words, "But what can I say?". Hezekiah shares that God has spoken. He will be healed and live a full life. Hezekiah reflects that He will walk in humility all the days he has left because of the mercy God has shown him. He believes there is a divine reason for the suffering he endured. Isaiah 38:17 NIV Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish. In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction; you have put all my sins behind your back. Perhaps, Hezekiah believes it is so he could become humble. The near death experience he believes will be a continual reminder that God held his life in His hands and showed mercy. Perhaps Hezekiah also believes that it was better for him to be a living worshipper than a dead one. The dead cannot praise God, Hezekiah says. He knows God has forgiven his sins. He will praise God and lead others to do the same. As I write today I am aware of people struggling to live. They fill our hospitals. They live homeless in our cities. Hezekiah had the advantage that he was a descendent of King David, a benefactor of God's covenant. Those who call upon the Lord Jesus will be saved, for all who believe in His name are part of an even greater covenant. It is a covenant in the blood of the Son of God. Do like Hezekiah and cry out for mercy in your sickness or whatever trouble befalls you. Even if you should die, yet shall you live. Trust there is a purpose. Surely there is some benefit. It might be a greater faith given to you. It might be that your witness will strengthen others. God knows and you will someday also understand. 1 Corinthians 13:12 NIV For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.