I. God lengthen Hezekiah's Life (1-8)
Hezekiah became extremely sick, and Isaiah told him he would die, signifying that there was no cure. Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and cried - it was a private prayer to God. He recited his loyalty to God and the good things he had done.
While this type of prayer is common in the Old Testament, where God blessed and cursed people based on their righteousness, Christians do not need to do so, as we claim only the righteousness of Jesus Christ.
God answered Hezekiah and promised him another 15 years to his life. (v5) If Hezekiah died in 687 BC, then this sickness occurred around 702 BC, which is right in the midst of the Assyrian siege. Was this a punishment for his bribe to Assyrian King? Or was it to draw him closer to God and to depend on Him?
God had a purpose for healing him, not just for Hezekiah's sake. In 2 Kings 20, God said: "and I will add fifteen years to your life. I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city for my own sake and for my servant David’s sake.” For if Hezekiah died, then the city would be without an experienced king, leaving a 7 year old Manasseh in charge. (This assumes Manasseh was 12 years old when he co-regent with his father in 697 BC).
God had a purpose for healing him, not just for Hezekiah's sake. In 2 Kings 20, God said: "and I will add fifteen years to your life. I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city for my own sake and for my servant David’s sake.” For if Hezekiah died, then the city would be without an experienced king, leaving a 7 year old Manasseh in charge. (This assumes Manasseh was 12 years old when he co-regent with his father in 697 BC).
God did more than just giving His word (which should have been enough), but God proved it by showing a miracle, where the sun's shadow moved backwards by 10 degrees on the sundial (about 5 to 6 hours).
The other place where God changed the gravitational laws was in Joshua 10:13, where the sun appeared to have stood still for one day. For Hezekiah, the earth seemed to have reversed its spin, which can't be explain scientifically.
II. Hezekiah's Lament (9-16)
Hezekiah journal his experience of near-death. He said he was heading towards Sheol, the place the dead went in the old testament days. Hezekiah was technically correct to be concerned that he would not see Yahweh, because God is in heaven and not in Sheol, for the saints have not had their sins removed by Christ. (v11)
However, the death of Jesus Christ forgave and removed all sins, even those who had faith in God in the old testament. We believe that when Christ died and went into Sheol for 2 nights, the old testament saints were taken into heaven. Believers who died thereafter go straight into heaven to be present with God. (2 Cor 5:6-9)
Therefore, in the old testament, death was something to fear and where they end up with was uncertain. But the work of Christ had taken away the "sting of death" (1 Cor 15:53-55), and as Paul said, "to die is gain" (Phil 1:21)
Hezekiah suffered day and night, yet he never gave up praying by constantly "looking upwards". "I calmed myself until morning; like a lion he breaks all my bones; from day to night you bring me to an end. .. My eyes are weary with looking upward. O Lord, I am oppressed; be my pledge of safety! (v13,14b)
Hezekiah did not curse or have any hatred towards anyone or towards God. He said: "What shall I say? For he has spoken to me, and he himself has done it." (v15)
III. Hezekiah's Praises (17-20)
At some point, Hezekiah realised that the suffering was for his benefit. It could be that this experience solidify his trust in God. Because of this, he relied on God for the salvation of Jerusalem. (v17)
"Behold, it was for my welfare that I had great bitterness; but in love you have delivered my life from the pit of destruction, for you have cast all my sins behind your back." (v17)
Hezekiah was fulled of gratitude for God's gift of life. In his poem, he expressed thanksgiving, praises, and worship with music at the house of the Lord. He would make God's faithfulness known to his children.
IV. The Cure
Hezekiah was eager to go to the house of the Lord, but he needed to be healed first. Isaiah prescribed the application of cake of figs to the boil, so that he will recover. While this may not be a medically right way to medicate whatever he has, God often use symbolic gestures to restore people, such as Naaman bathing in the river to heal his leprosy, and Jesus using mud to treat the blind.
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