Introduction: 1. Hezekiah nearly died in the middle of his reign as king of Judah a. He was overtaken in an illness at age 39 b. Had God not intervened, Hezekiah would have died 2. His survival of this sickness was one of the great survivals of his life 3. God’s intervening in this sickness included working two miracles a. God healed Hezekiah and gave him 15 more years to live b. God moved the shadow of the sun backward on the sun dial to confirm the prediction of Hezekiah’s healing
I. Pain of the Sickness – 2 Ki 20:1 1 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live. o Much pain accompanied this sickness A. The Physical Pain 1. Vs 7 indicates that Hezekiah had some kind of boil 2. The Hebrew word means “to burn, to be inflamed, an ulcer” 3. This is enough to tell us that Hezekiah had a lot of pain 4. We are told that he was bedridden and was “sick unto death” 5. Physical pain should always remind us of the curse of sin a) Ro 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. b) All pain is related to sin entering the world c) For those have been redeemed by the Lord, pain will one day cease –Rev 21:4 6. For the unredeemed, pain will never cease in eternity a) Horrible, eternal pain in the lake of fire b) A preview of that misery is seen in Luke when Jesus described a rich man in hell in torments
B. The Political Pain 1. We already noted that Hezekiah’s sickness came in the same year that Sennacharib invaded Judah 2. Sickness is bad enough in good times, but to have serious sickness at the time of an invasion was even worse 3. Nearly everybody goes through a particularly bad year a) When problems seem to come from every side b) We are tempted to think God has forsaken us, but He hasn’t c) In these times, we have an opportunity to grow stronger in faith
C. The Prognosis Pain 1 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live. o Some of the greatest pain in Hezekiah’s sickness came from this prognosis from Isaiah o After hearing this prognosis, we are told that Hezekiah wept sore in vs 3 o Though painful, this prognosis was very instructive o Two lessons are learned 1. Declaration in the Prognosis a) Isaiah did something that many will not do today b) He told Hezekiah the truth about the prognosis – you will die and not live c) Doctors and family members seldom tell the patient the truth d) Telling the person the truth will give the person the time to “set his house in order” e) Telling the truth allowed Hezekiah to begin praying which lead to his recovery f) Spiritually, many believers do not want to tell the sinner of his doom g) We are not helping the sinner if we hide the truth about his doom h) Hezekiah needed to be told that he was doomed so that he could call on God and the lost need to be told that they are doomed so they will call on God 2. Duty in the Prognosis 1b …Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live. a) Temporal Duty (1) Impending death means that we have duty (2) “Set your house in order” refers to temporal matters and worldly affairs (3) As king of Judah, he probably had more affairs to set in order than the ordinary person (4) Legal arrangements had to be made for the survivors b) Spiritual Duty (1) If it is important to have temporal matters cared for before death, then how much more spiritual matters (2) Death mandates preparation in the spiritual area (3) Am 4:12b … prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. (4) Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (5) 2Co 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now [is] the accepted time; behold, now [is] the day of salvation.)
II. Prayer in the Sickness – 2 Ki 20:2,3 2 Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, saying, 3 I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done [that which is] good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore. o Scripture records the prayer which Hezekiah prayed after learning the sad prognosis A. Practice of Prayer 1. In our studies of Hezekiah, we have seen him resort to earnest prayer in times when crisis came to his life a) When he heard about the speeches of Rabshakeh b) When he received the letter from Sennacharib 2. Seeking God’s help through prayer is a wise thing to do a) God has commanded believers to come to Him b) He knows all our troubles and problems 3. So many folks fail to pray in time of trouble a) They seek help from a variety of sources, but not from God b) Then their troubles become more serious and heavier c) “O what peace we often forfeit, o what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer”
B. Place of Prayer 2a Then he turned his face to the wall… 1. In previous times, Hezekiah went to the temple to pray – 2Ki 19:1, 14 2. Being sick in bed, he could not go to the temple 3. That did not stop him from praying, he simply prayed in bed 4. Turning his face to the wall would give him some privacy with all the attendants around him 5. That he prayed in bed, emphasizes that we can pray anywhere 6. The important thing is not the place of prayer, but the practice of prayer
C. Plea in the Prayer – vs 3 3 I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done [that which is] good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore. 1. On the surface, this might sound a little self-righteous 2. Hezekiah is conscious that he has honestly tried to serve God and do His will 3. He is wondering why he is being cut off at age 39 when a wicked king like Uzziah lived to be 68 and Rehoboam to 58 4. Hezekiah’s assertion about his righteous life was a way of laying hold of God’s promises a) He was not being self-righteous b) In the poem that he wrote later, the said, “Thou has cast all my sins behind thy back.” – vs 17 5. Some have struggled with the wicked doing well while the righteous sometimes do poorly a) The wicked may enjoy good health, but the righteous may stricken with health problems b) Some of the godly may be in poverty while the wicked my prosper c) The godly may be rejected while the wicked are honored 6. We must console ourselves that this is only a temporary situation as the righteous will be forever honored by God
D. Pathos in the Prayer 3b …And Hezekiah wept sore. 1. Distinction about His Tears a) He was not weeping because of a guilty conscience b) Much weeping is the result of sin, but Hezekiah was not shedding tears because of sinfulness c) He would not be able to accomplish goals he had for the future d) He did not yet have a son to take his place as king e) Sorrow is always present for believers when we lose loved ones, but that sorrow is not as great as the sorrow of the unbeliever 2. Diligence of His Prayer a) His weeping evidenced the diligence of his prayer b) He was not absentmindedly reciting some prayer from a prayer book c) He was earnest and sincere in his prayer d) Hezekiah has always been earnest in spiritual matters 3. Deficiency of His Knowledge a) His weeping reflected that he did not have knowledge of life after death like we have b) He did not know what Paul said in Phil 1:23 23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: c) We still weep about death today, but we have more comfort about death than Hezekiah did d) We walk in light which the great patriarchs of the OT never had e) Ps 116:15 Precious in the sight of the LORD [is] the death of his saints. f) We know far more today.
III. Promises in the Sickness – 2 Ki 20:4-7 o Hezekiah did not pray in vain o As a result of his praying, the scene goes from gloom to glory o This gives us great encouragement to pray in time of trouble A. Promptness of the Promises 4 And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying, 1. Hezekiah’s prayer was answered very quickly a) Isaiah had not even left the palace before God turned him around and sent him back to Hezekiah with good news b) Delay in prayer does not mean denial c) Delay may test our sincerity 2. That God can and sometimes does answer quickly strongly exhorts us to not be slow in prayer 3. The promptness of the promises has much to do with the promptness of our prayers
B. Pity in the Promises – vs 5 o See the compassion of God in answering this prayer 1. The Title a) “Captain of my people” b) Captain means leader c) Those who honor God will be honored – 1Sam 2:30 d) God addresses Hezekiah in an honorable way here e) Though he was sick, God had not dishonored him 2. The Throne a) “David thy father” b) Hezekiah not only sat on the throne of David, but Hezekiah was conducting himself as David did 2Ki 18:3 And he did [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did. c) This is a comforting and encouraging statement to Hezekiah d) God honors godliness, not evil 3. The Trouble a) “I have heard thy prayer” b) God took notice of Hezekiah’s troubles c) God sees our troubles and hears our prayer 4. The Tears a) “I have seen thy tears” b) Hezekiah had wept sore – vs 3 c) God took note of those tears in compassion d) God keeps a record of our tears – Ps 56:8 8 Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: [are they] not in thy book? e) How comforting to know that God takes interest in our heartaches.
C. Particulars of the Promises o Four specific promises were given by God to Hezekiah through the prophet Isaiah 1. Recovery of Health 5b .... behold, I will heal thee…. a) This had to be great news for Hezekiah b) This had to be enjoyable for Isaiah who had shortly before given bad news about the prognosis c) Good or bad, Isaiah was faithful in giving what God gave to him d) That is the way I want to be in the pulpit of this church 2. Return to Worship 5c… on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD. a) Completeness of the Healing (1) To be able to go up to the temple in 3 days spoke of complete healing (2) Hezekiah would no longer be bedridden (3) God is in the business of doing a complete job (4) We ought to be like this when we serve Him b) Consecration of Hezekiah (1) Going to the Temple in 3 days would show the consecration of Hezekiah (2) Recovering of health meant that he could get back into God’s house (3) For many, recovering of health means that they can get back to money making or pursuing pleasure 3. Revising of Life Expectancy 6a And I will add unto thy days fifteen years… a) This mean that Hezekiah would die at 54 instead of 39 b) 54 is not all that old, but it meant that the reign of Hezekiah would be doubled c) He had reigned 14 yrs when he got sick and God promised another 15 yrs. d) Only God can revise life expectancy like this e) He is the Master of life and death 4. Rescue from Assyria 6b …and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake. a) Power of God (1) “I will deliver…” (2) Hezekiah’s sickness came in the same year that Sennacharib attacked (3) This attack was a very heavy burden to Hezekiah and threatened Jerusalem (4) The God who can heal the body and revise life span can deliver the nation b) Purpose of God (1) “I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.” (2) Delivering the city would bring glory to God (3) God would also be keeping his word in the covenant He made with David (4) It is an honor to anyone to keep his word (5) All of our projects, aims, goals should be for the glory of God
IV. Prescription for the Sickness – 2 Ki 20:7 7 And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid [it] on the boil, and he recovered. o After God promised to heal Hezekiah, God, through His prophet Isaiah, gave a medicine prescription for the healing o We note 2 lessons from this prescription A. Moment of Healing 1. God had promised to heal, but He prescribed medicine 2. This indicated that the healing would not be instantaneous a) It took at least 3 days for Hezekiah was to go to the Temple after 3 days b) 3 days is pretty quick when you speak of a fatal disease, but still this would take patience 3. God’s promise and God’s fulfillment of His promise do not always come at the same time a) The flesh would like to have the promises fulfilled immediately b) The delay helps us develop patience Heb 10:36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 4. We live in a day when people want everything right now – that is why credit cards are so popular 5. Patience is necessary for character and faith
B. Means of Healing 1. God used medicine here 2. Figs were commonly used for boils 3. To some this takes away the faith, but applying the figs requires just as much faith as waiting for God to heal 4. Faith does not exclude means 5. God does not work miracles when they are not necessary – if He has provided something in His creation that will take care of the problem, he will use that substance 6. Taking medicine when you are sick is not unbelief
V. Proof in the Sickness – 2 Ki 20:8-11 o After Isaiah told Hez that God would heal him, Hez asked for a sign A. Desire for a Sign – vs 8 1. Exoneration of the Desire a) Asking for a sign looks like unbelief and Christ rebuked those who asked for a sign b) But Hezekiah here is not rebuked for asking for a sign c) Those in Christ’s day did not need a sign – they had been given all the signs and proofs they needed d) Asking for another sign revealed that they had rejected the signs that Christ had already given them e) Hezekiah’s father was rebuked for not asking for a sign when he was told to ask for one – Isa 7:10-13 2. Excellence of the Desire a) Hezekiah was interested in more than the healing of his body b) He mentioned going to the Temple in 3 days c) His spiritual needs were as important as his physical needs d) Honoring God in worship was as important to him as his healing e) Fewer today are interested in worship and honoring of God
B. Decreeing of the Sign 9 And Isaiah said, This sign shalt thou have of the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees? o Hezekiah’s request for a sign was not rebuked or refused but was granted very quickly 1. Particulars of the Sign a) Isaiah said that the sign would concern the sun dial b) The shadow would go forward or backward 10 steps c) It is possible that early sundials had a pole (gnomon) set up on the top of a flight of steps and the time was determined by the number of steps the shadow fell upon 2. Publicness of the Sign a) This sign was out in the open and public b) This is the way that God works c) His proofs are not questionable or hidden so that few can see them d) Christ’s miracles were open for public scrutiny e) Our profession of faith should be public and obvious
C. Decision About the Sign – vs 10 1. Hezekiah decided to ask for the shadow to go backward 10 steps 2. Many would have asked for the easy thing, the shadow to go forward 3. Hezekiah wanted a demonstration that would without question confirm the promise of God 4. When someone wants to do something, they might ask for an easy sign
D. Doing of the Sign 11 And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the LORD: and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz. 1. Prayer a) The sign had been promised by God, but Isaiah prayed earnestly for it anyway b) We are to pray even if God has promised us something c) Lack of asking is lack of faith d) Promises are not to stop our praying, but to encourage it 2. Power a) Many have conjectured how this sign was performed b) An eclipse of the sun, an earthquake moving the pole which made the shadow, an unusual refraction of light, or a reversal of the earth upon it’s axis c) He who made the earth, can turn it anyway he wants d) The doing of this sign manifested the power of God e) Leave out the power of God and you will have trouble explaining any miracle of God f) Bring in the power of God and no miracle is too difficult to believe
VI. Poem After the Sickness – Isa 38:9-20 9 The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness: o Scripture records a poem written by Hezekiah after he had been healed by God’s power o Hezekiah also had a hand in some of the Psalms and Proverbs o He appointed some scribes to copy some of the proverbs of Solomon for preservation – Ps 25:1 - Prov 25-29 o Ps 120-134 are psalms of degrees. Not degrees like in geometry, but steps. 10 of these are anonymous and some attribute them to Hezekiah o Perhaps his 10 psalms of degrees were written to commemorate that the sun went back 10 steps
A. Sorrow o The sickness of Hezekiah brought sorrow to him as anyone would expect o 3 causes of sorrow are mentioned in this poem 1. Shortness – vs 10, 12 10 I said in the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave: I am deprived of the residue of my years. 12 Mine age is departed, and is removed from me as a shepherd's tent: I have cut off like a weaver my life: he will cut me off with pining sickness: from day [even] to night wilt thou make an end of me. a) The emphasis here is the shortness of Hezekiah’s life if he were to die from this disease b) He was only 39 at the time he got sick c) Hezekiah pictured his life as a shepherd’s tent that was being taken down d) He also saw his shortened life as if the Divine weaver took His scissors and cut Hezekiah off from the loom of life before the weaving of his life was over e) The shortness of life brings sorrow but it also brings great warning to prepare for death 2. Separation 11 I said, I shall not see the LORD, [even] the LORD, in the land of the living: I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world. a) From God (1) Hezekiah would not be able to worship God in the Temple after he died (2) He was devoted to God and his service and did not want to be separated from that (3) We know today that death is not separation from God unless one is unsaved (4) Rather, to die is to be with Christ – Phil 1:23 b) From Man (1) Death separates from the living here on earth (2) Family, friends and others who are dear to us (3) Even temporary separation brings sorrow – witness the tears at airports, bus stations 3. Suffering o Death is seldom without suffering o Hezekiah’s suffering had plenty of pain which made the suffering great a) Extent 13 I reckoned till morning, [that], as a lion, so will he break all my bones: from day [even] to night wilt thou make an end of me. (1) “Break all my bones” shows the extent of this suffering (2) Breaking bones is painful and especially all the bones (3) If Hezekiah had died of the boil, it would have been very painful at the end (4) This reminds us that the pain of sin reaches out to every sector of humanity (5) The whole creation groans because of sin – Rom 8:22 b) Expression vs 14a 14 Like a crane [or] a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail [with looking] upward… (1) Chatter and mourn are the sounds coming from one who suffers (2) Chatter is the word that refers to the sound that a bird in trouble makes (3) Hezekiah well describes the sounds that come from a suffering person
B. Salvation – vs 14b, 16 o Hezekiah’s recovery from this sickness gives us a great picture of the salvation of a soul o 8 factors in Hez’s healing are also present in the salvation of a soul 1. Person Doing the Healing 14b … O LORD… a) Hezekiah wisely sought Jehovah for his healing b) Only God could heal him c) No one can save a soul except God d) Anyone who desires to have his soul healed of sin must come to the Great Physician 2. Plea for the Healing 14c …I am oppressed; undertake for me. a) This is a simple but excellent plea b) Hezekiah recognizes his condition and pleads for God’s help c) The lost sinner needs to make the same plea to God d) He needs to acknowledge his condition as a sinner and ask Jesus Christ to save him 3. Word in the Healing – vs 15a 15 What shall I say? he hath both spoken unto me, and himself hath done [it]… a) God spoke to Hezekiah promising to heal him b) God fulfilled that promise c) The salvation of a soul involves the Word of God d) Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. e) 1Pe 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 4. Walk after the Healing 15b … I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul. a) Hezekiah’s recovery had a pronounced effect upon his conduct b) Hezekiah would walk quietly, humbly, carefully c) The healing effected the behavior of Hezekiah d) When folk trust Christ as Savior, then they should walk differently e) Soul salvation changes one’s destiny and one’s deportment 5. Life from the Healing 16b …so wilt thou recover me, and make me to live. a) Hezekiah was under the divine sentence of death, but instead, he received life b) This is a great picture of salvation c) The lost person is under the divine sentence of death (1) Eze 18:1 The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying, 4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die. (2) Ro 6:23 For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (3) Joh 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have [it] more abundantly. (4) Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 6. Love for the Healing 17 Behold, for peace I had great bitterness but thou hast in love to my soul [delivered it] from the pit of corruption… a) God’s love for Hezekiah was part of the motivation for healing him b) Likewise, love is very prominent in the salvation of sinners c) Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. d) Ro 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 7. Rescue in the Healing 17 Behold, for peace I had great bitterness but thou hast in love to my soul [delivered it] from the pit of corruption… a) Healing Hezekiah kept him from the “pit of corruption” b) Sheol was the abode of the righteous dead in the OT c) Salvation delivers one from the pit of corruption, hell d) Re 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. 8. Removal in the Healing 17c …for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back. a) Hezekiah was conscious that he was a sinner b) His sickness was not caused by some particular sickness c) His healing reminded him of the blessing of forgiven sin d) The finality of forgiven sin is seen here in casting sin behind one’s back e) 1Jo 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
C. Stewardship 1. Of our Time – vs 19 19 The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I [do] this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth. a) Hezekiah saw life as a time to praise the Lord b) Death ends our opportunities to serve God here c) Php 1:21 For to me to live [is] Christ, and to die [is] gain. d) Be diligent to use your life for God’s service 2. Of our Teaching 19 The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I [do] this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth. a) Parents need to teach their children spiritual truths b) The father is especially responsible to see that this is done c) Teach your children before they become hardened with sin d) If we wait too long to teach our children, then we lose them D. Singing 20 The LORD [was ready] to save me: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the LORD. o Hezekiah closes his poem on the subject of singing 1. Prompting a) Hezekiah’s healing put a song in his mouth b) It prompted his singing c) The blessings of God always do, especially the blessing of salvation d) Ps 40:2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, [and] established my goings. 3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, [even] praise unto our God: many shall see [it], and fear, and shall trust in the LORD. 2. Place a) The singing was done “in the house of the Lord” b) This does not mean that we cannot sing elsewhere c) Music should grace our services d) It should not crowd out the preaching of God’s Word, but we need good music in our services 3. Perpetuity of the Singing a) “all the days of our life” b) This is the dedication that all believers need c) Hezekiah did not do well here, for his devotion declined as we will see d) In his failure, Hezekiah is an illustration of so many lives e) Scripture is faithful to report Hezekiah’s successes as well as his failures.