Isaiah Chapter 38

Outline:

1          God’s Prognosis Hezekiah Would Die

2-3       Hezekiah’s Prayer for Healing and Life

4-8       God’s Kind Reversal, Victory, and Sign

9-20     Hezekiah’s Journal of These Events

21        Isaiah’s Inclusion of Medical Means

22        Hezekiah’s Soul Ambition for Life

 

Preparatory Reading:  II Kings 20; II Chronicles 32.

 

Related Links:

1. King Hezekiah: His Life and Lessons … https://www.letgodbetrue.com/pdf/hezekiah-lessons.pdf.
2. Comparative Table of Three … https://www.letgodbetrue.com/pdf/sennacherib-three-witnesses-compared.pdf.
3. Reasoning with God in Prayer (slides) … https://www.letgodbetrue.com/pdf/reason-in-prayer-slides.pdf.
4. Effective Prayer will Reason with God (pages 6-7) … https://www.letgodbetrue.com/pdf/effectual-prayer.pdf.
5. Power in Prayer like Hezekiah … https://www.letgodbetrue.com/pdf/power-of-prayer.pdf.
6. The Power of a Righteous Life … https://www.letgodbetrue.com/pdf/power-of-a-righteous-life.pdf.
7. G. God Distortions (slides) … https://www.letgodbetrue.com/pdf/god-distortions.pdf.
8. A Threatened Virgin: God vs. Sennacherib … https://www.letgodbetrue.com/pdf/virgin-daughter-of-zion.pdf.
9. Exposition of Isaiah 36 … https://www.letgodbetrue.com/pdf/isaiah-36.pdf.
10. Exposition of Isaiah 37 … https://www.letgodbetrue.com/pdf/isaiah-37.pdf.

 

Introduction:

1. This event in Hezekiah’s life – his fatal disease and deliverance from it – is recorded three times.
   1. The major events of Hezekiah’s life are in the Bible thrice (II Kgs 18-20; II Chr 29-32; Is 36-39).
   2. But we get extra material here in Isaiah 38, which has his prayer of thanksgiving after his healing.
2. It is precious to have another chapter not requiring work to know the exact event and event’s setting.
   1. Some of the previous chapters in this book were so obscure as to require much study for context.
   2. Here we may go unrestricted into Hezekiah’s thoughts, prayer, and praise in a truly dire situation.
3. Hezekiah was a great king – one of Judah’s four best – to be highly esteemed entering the chapter.
   1. He was a great king, better than almost all, for he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord.
   2. He is compared favorably to David, which puts him in the very elite company of God’s favorite.
   3. As soon as he took office, though only 25 years old, he boldly revived public worship in the temple.
   4. He aggressively corrected religious corruption, even breaking Moses’ brazen serpent. Nehushtan!
   5. He trusted in God more completely in God’s perfect judgment than any other king before or after.
   6. He clave to the LORD … stuck to Him tightly … keeping His precepts … no matter circumstances.
   7. Because of the above, the LORD was with him and prospered him in everything he chose to pursue.
   8. His successes by the LORD’s blessing included his rebellion against Assyria and ruin of Philistia.
   9. God summarized his efforts as doing that which was good and right and truth before Him (31:20).
   10. When he sought his God by worship and word, he did it with all his heart and prospered (31:21).
   11. His glory increased greatly after his sickness, as many nations brought gifts and presents to him.
   12. His wealth increased greatly, for God gave him substance very much, and he built stores for it all.
   13. He creatively improved Jerusalem’s water supply by a system of canals, passages, and pipes.
   14. God clearly identified the three places where Hezekiah’s acts and goodness were written (32:32).
   15. Far from Ahaz’s burial, he was buried with honor in a chief grave of David’s royal sons (32:33).
   16. The book of Proverbs states that Hezekiah was involved in production of Solomon’s best (Pr 25:1).

 

God’s Prognosis Hezekiah Would Die  –  Verse 1 

 

1  In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live.

1. The timing is important to appreciate the dire circumstances in which Hezekiah prayed.
   1. The days here are those part of Sennacherib’s siege and speech against Jerusalem.
   2. Hezekiah faced two terrible events in the 39^th year of his life … Assyria and death.
   3. Sennacherib entering the region, taking Judah’s fenced cities, sending Rabshakeh, and writing letters, took much time, during which Hezekiah also got deathly ill.
   4. Remember how Job was hit with bad news after bad news over and over and over.
   5. Remember how David had to live in Philistia and there Amalekites took his family.
   6. Remember how Jesus faced three successive temptations by Satan after His baptism.
2. We do not know or care what illness he had, but it was an illness consistent with dying.
   1. We do not know or care about the value of fig poultices, knowing it was a miracle.
   2. We trust all that God wrote as valuable, and we believe other inquiries are worthless.
3. It is one thing when a doctor speculates you will die, but another when God declares it.
   1. We call it doctor speculation, because they know little about life and life expectancy.
   2. We call it doctor speculation, for wise patients with sickness get second opinions.
   3. We call it doctor speculation, for the second doctor may cure the first’s prognosis.
4. In such dire circumstances, most Christians would give up and put their house in order.
   1. But God’s greatest men do not take even God’s word against them as the final word.
   2. Consider how David fasted and prayed for Bathsheba’s baby against God’s word.
   3. Consider how the Ninevites gave us a great example of repenting in spite of doom.
   4. These examples show us God may test us to see our faith and trust in Him in action.
   5. There are also other places that encourage it (Ezek 33:11; Joel 1:14; 2:14; Am 5:15).
5. Good fathers and rulers take care of things before they die to minimize consequences.
   1. Savings, insurance, and such related things are what good fathers do (Prov 19:14).
   2. Funeral and burial arrangements out of the way make for family peace in sorrow.
6. Learn to reason with God in prayer … https://www.letgodbetrue.com/pdf/reason-in-prayer-slides.pdf.

 

Hezekiah’s Prayer for Healing and Life  –  Verses 2-3 

 

2  Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the LORD,

1. This great man – who trusted God above others (II Kgs 18:5) – did not accept the news.
2. Even though the death prognosis was from God, Hezekiah knew mercy could be had.
   1. In such a dire situation, most Christians would give up and put their house in order.
   2. But God’s greatest men do not take even God’s word against them as the final word.
   3. Consider how David fasted and prayed for Bathsheba’s baby against God’s word.
   4. Consider how the Ninevites gave us a great example of repenting in spite of doom.
   5. These examples show us God may test us to see our faith and trust in Him in action.
   6. There are also other places that encourage it (Ezek 33:11; Joel 1:14; 2:14; Am 5:15).
3. Great men reason with God in prayer … https://www.letgodbetrue.com/pdf/reason-in-prayer-slides.pdf.

 

3  And said, Remember now, O LORD, I beseech thee, 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. Depending on how you live your life, you can use either Remember or must use
   1. Hezekiah, like David and Nehemiah, could ask God to remember his righteous life.
   2. You can only pray such a thing if you have consistently lived a righteous life before.
   3. If you are in trouble and have sins in your life, then you must repent for forgiveness.
   4. A righteous life is a string of righteous days, and they a collection of righteous hours.
   5. Youth should flee youthful lusts to avoid asking God to remember not (Psalm 25:7).
   6. A righteous life carries great power … https://www.letgodbetrue.com/pdf/power-of-a-righteous-life.pdf.
   7. Repentance is good but inferior … https://www.letgodbetrue.com/pdf/repentance-factor.pdf.
2. Hezekiah did not pray, Lord, thank you for this day. I love heaven. Take me home. Amen.
   1. He was 39 years old. He did not want to die early. He begged God to extend his life.
   2. Conservative Christians holding God’s sovereignty would say, God’s will be done.
   3. Most Christians do not have a clue to pray like this – the more conservative the less.
   4. They can hardly imagine negotiating like Abraham or refusing to yield like Jacob.
   5. They do not grasp or rarely use the importunity Jesus taught (Luke 11:5-8; 18:1-8).
3. Hezekiah used one of the great arguments for reasoning in prayer – his righteousness.
   1. Most Christians would judge this as self-righteous – the more conservative the more.
   2. Hezekiah did not mention Messiah’s righteousness, imputation of righteousness, etc.
   3. Hezekiah did not pretend spirituality to talk about clothed in Christ’s righteousness.
   4. Hezekiah did not go off on a tangent about his total depravity and beg for mercy.
   5. Hezekiah did not corrupt scripture that his righteousnesses were filthy rags (Is 64:6).
   6. Hezekiah did not pretend humility, for God cannot stand those holier than others.
   7. Christians must seek the crown of the road to avoid the fall to ditches on both sides.
   8. There is a false humility of degradation and denigration unknown in God’s Bible.
4. Hezekiah used one of the great arguments for reasoning in prayer – his righteousness.
   1. His appeal was to his own righteousness – his own godliness – his own faithfulness.
   2. He asked the Lord to remember his good works, not Messiah’s work or his depravity.
   3. He begged God – the meaning of beseech – to remember his goodness at this time.
   4. Remember at this time what I have done these 14 years – walked in truth before thee.
   5. Remember at this time what I have done these 14 years – maintained a perfect heart.
   6. Remember at this time what I have done these 14 years – done good in thy sight.
   7. Reader, are you able to extract the lesson of reasoning in prayer over your doubts.
   8. Degradation and denigration of self must have a design and purpose, seldom prayer.
5. David, Nehemiah, Paul, and others prayed or reasoned the same way with or about God.
   1. David used his righteousness (Psalm 7:1-10; 18:19-28; 26:1-11; 35:11-28; 101:1-8).
   2. Nehemiah argued good works for God (Nehemiah 5:14-19; 13:10-14,15-22,23-31).
   3. Nehemiah’s Work for Godliness … https://www.letgodbetrue.com/pdf/housecleaning-nehemiah-13.pdf.
   4. Paul commended himself (I Cor 15:10; II Cor 11:5; 12:11; II Tim 4:6-8; Heb 6:10).
   5. Jesus taught the importance of good works even at Judgment Day (Matt 25:31-46).
6. For this reason right here, among many others, living a righteous life is very important.
7. What is a righteous life, based on Hezekiah’s three examples of works pleasing God.
   1. He walked before God in truth – consistently promoting true religion and obedience.
   2. He walked before God with a perfect heart – he kept his motives and reasons to God.
   3. He did those things that were right to God – real righteousness is defined by God.
8. Reasoning with God in Prayer (slides) … https://www.letgodbetrue.com/pdf/reason-in-prayer-slides.pdf.
9. The Power of a Righteous Life … https://www.letgodbetrue.com/pdf/power-of-a-righteous-life.pdf.
10. Psalm 18 for David’s Testimony (verses 19-29) … https://www.letgodbetrue.com/pdf/psalm-18.pdf.
11. God Distortions (slides to avoid two ditches) … https://www.letgodbetrue.com/pdf/god-distortions.pdf.

 

God’s Kind Reversal, Victory, and Sign  –  Verses 4-8 

 

4  Then came the word of the LORD to Isaiah, saying,

1. The LORD had an immediate answer for Hezekiah based on this short recorded prayer.
   1. We are told elsewhere that it was mere minutes or seconds after prayer (II Kgs 20:4).
   2. If you want to avail much with God in prayer, you must learn three things (Jas 5:16).
   3. Be confident in prayer for answers … https://www.letgodbetrue.com/pdf/confidence-in-prayer.pdf.
2. Do not wonder how you should pray in such a dire situation, for the prayer is preserved.
   1. Have you lived a righteous life to match the CHARACTER required (James 5:16)?
   2. Do you show FERVENCY by tears like Hezekiah or fasting like others (Jas 5:16)?
   3. Do you pray EFFECTUALLY by reasoning with arguments to move Him (Ja 5:16)?
3. God blessed Hezekiah’s bold appeal in prayer with a glorious answer at least three ways.
   1. He added 15 more years to his life to die at 54 instead of 39, though assigned death.
   2. He promised He would deliver from the whole Assyrian/Sennacherib siege threat.
   3. He promised He would move the sun backward ten degrees to prove it (II Chr 32:31).
4. What is not stated is the fabulous glory and wealth of Hezekiah’s reign after that day.

 

5  Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years.

1. Why did God give Hezekiah his request? He used the three parts of prayer (James 5:16).
   1. He was effectual in that his CONTENT included holy reasoning about his good life.
   2. He was fervent in that his SPIRIT was passionate and grieved about it by his tears.
   3. He was righteous in that CHARACTER had much goodness and zeal for Jehovah.
2. God connected with Hezekiah through his father, which was a very kind connection.
   1. Hezekiah was in the lineage of the sure mercies of David to Messiah (Matthew 1:9).
   2. God loved David and delighted in him, which would comfort by the association.
3. God heard the prayer of Hezekiah, even if you think it was too bold or self-righteous.
4. God saw the tears of Hezekiah, even if you think tears by a dying man are meaningless.
5. If you think 15 years few, think scripturally (Is 57:1-2; 39:5-8; II Chron 32:23,27-29).
   1. The quality of life was phenomenal by supernatural blessings and international gifts.
   2. He died in peace though God was impatient to get the judgment of Judah cranking.

 

6  And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city.

1. Truly grasping the gravity of Hezekiah’s situation is to see both events at the same time.
2. There was a great calamity in Judah with only Jerusalem not yet taken by the Assyrians.
   1. The events compounded fear – overwhelming threat of losing city and a fatal disease.
   2. But Hezekiah’s righteous life, intelligent prayers, and great trust gained total victory.
3. A Threatened Virgin: God vs. Sennacherib … https://www.letgodbetrue.com/pdf/virgin-daughter-of-zion.pdf.
4. Exposition of Isaiah 36 … https://www.letgodbetrue.com/pdf/isaiah-36.pdf.
5. Exposition of Isaiah 37 … https://www.letgodbetrue.com/pdf/isaiah-37.pdf.

 

7  And this shall be a sign unto thee from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that he hath spoken;

1. Signs are comforting to know God will do what He has promised without any confusion.
2. If you gain 15 years, it would be nice to know for sure that nothing can happen earlier.
3. God has not given you a guarantee, for your life without it proves you would abuse it.
4. God had already given Hezekiah and Judah a sign for agricultural revival (Is 37:30-32).

 

8  Behold, I will bring again the shadow of the degrees, which is gone down in the sun dial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward. So the sun returned ten degrees, by which degrees it was gone down.

1. Ahaz was Hezekiah’s father, a wicked king, but he had some sundial of note to tell time.
2. The other account records the discussion with Hezekiah about shadows (II Kgs 20:10).
   1. Hezekiah reasoned that a shadow going down, even faster than usual, was quite easy.
   2. He wanted to see the shadow reverse and go the wrong direction for a while. Amen!
3. Of course, such an event would be viewed by all – a wonder in the land (II Chr 32:31).
   1. Consider the consternation of those pagan nations with sun worship and astrology!
   2. Consider how it joined the 185,000 dead Assyrians and Hezekiah saved from death.
4. Since we do not know the sundial used, we do not know the measure of the ten degrees.
   1. If we measure 180 degrees from horizon to horizon, then ten degrees is 40 minutes.
   2. If the sun moved backward 40 minutes, there was an extension of 80 minutes total.

 

Hezekiah’s Journal of These Events  –  Verses 9-20 

 

9  The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness:

1. What an incredible privilege to be allowed to read Hezekiah’s journal at such an event.
   1. Though parts of the following are like a prayer, it is an overall record of his thoughts.
   2. This section is much more like a psalm of David for fear, thoughts, praise, and joy.
2. The past perfect had been sick and past was recovered indicates this is reflecting back.

 

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.

1. When Isaiah told Hezekiah from the LORD that he would die, these were his thoughts.
2. He was troubled that he would die so young (39) and not reach average longevity (73).
3. But as we know from the inspired record, Hezekiah did not fatalistically give up living.

 

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.

1. Death is terrible – it ends man’s worship of God in the land of the living (Psalm 6:5).
   1. Bible men had different thoughts about death far different than fear of the unknown.
   2. Solomon marked death as terrible because you will not get to work (Eccl 9:10,5-6).
   3. Do you have a spirit like Hezekiah’s – the purpose for life is to worship the LORD?
2. Only after the worship of God did Hezekiah include his wife, friends, children, servants.
   1. Earthly life has many benefits and one of those are relationships with close friends.
   2. Note that in this good man’s mind facing death, he did not foolishly crave heaven.
   3. Paul said it was better to depart and be with Christ, but he chose to stay for friends.

 

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.

1. Hezekiah worded it another way – the age he had planned, maybe 73, was not to happen.
   1. As easily as a shepherd’s tent is packed and moved (for frequent travel), so his life.
   2. A weaver dealt in cloth, and he would easily cut with scissors the cloth from a loom.
   3. Hezekiah here did not resort to Adam or to depravity but a figure of speech for God.
   4. He is passive in the clauses before and after this one; Hezekiah was not a suicide.
2. If a doctor says you have cancer, you know you will get worse with the rotting disease.
   1. Hezekiah had a boil, and he could see it getting worse with pain, suffering, torment.
   2. Pine. verb. To afflict with pain or suffering; to cause to suffer; to torment, trouble, distress. Pining. That pines (see the verb); tormenting, afflicting; consuming, wasting; languishing. See similar uses in Mark 9:18; Lam 4:9; Ezek 24:23; 33:10.
3. Hezekiah feared the terrible way to live of whether he would die that day or that night.
4. There had been no hope given in God’s prognosis he would live another day or week.

 

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. Hezekiah could only think about death, through the night, that he would die at morning.
2. As facing a lion, which can easily break a man’s bones, so God would destroy his life.
3. Hezekiah feared the terrible way to live of whether he would die that day or that night.
4. There had been no hope given in God’s prognosis he would live another day or week.

 

14  Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail with looking upward: O LORD, I am oppressed; undertake for me.

1. He could not think or speak rationally, so that his words were like three different birds.
   1. A swallow makes quick and frequent noises, thus Hezekiah’s constant chattering.
   2. A crane makes a loud and frightful sound, thus Hezekiah’s deeper, howling despair.
   3. A dove makes a pitiful mourning sound, thus Hezekiah’s grieving and groaning.
2. Of course he prayed before the prognosis, but his prayers found only a sentence of death.
3. His despair is obvious – he was oppressed by disease and death – he needed His rescue.

 

15  What shall I say? he hath both spoken unto me, and himself hath done it: I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul.

1. This verse is a transition from his hopeless fear of death to one of gratitude for his life.
   1. The previous verses are quite hopeless in his trembling fear of dying at any moment.
   2. This verse describes years to come in which he will conduct himself a certain way.
2. What could Hezekiah say? God miraculously delivered him from death by His power.
   1. God sent word by Isaiah to tell Captain Hezekiah that he would live 15 more years.
   2. To a dying man that feared death that day or night, 15 more years is like an eternity.
   3. He knew that the cure from this pestilential boil was only by mighty power of God.
   4. Furthermore, God had declared a sign to prove the mercy and then performed it also.
3. Hezekiah’s commitment while still in the doom of death was to promise good behavior.
   1. He would go softly, not presumptuously or wickedly, knowing how he nearly died.
   2. All my years are the only years possible in this context – the 15 years God gave him.
   3. The bitterness of his soul was the painful memory of how close he had come to death.
4. The shame is that human nature being what it is – such a commitment can never hold.
   1. Hezekiah did not go softly all his years, but fell into pride as next told (Isaiah 39).
   2. The bitterness of trouble or death that can get our attention can disappear as quickly.
   3. The man with a quadruple bypass told to eat certain things will for about one month.
5. Reader, can you recall deep conviction that you quickly forget in mere days or weeks?

 

16  O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit: so wilt thou recover me, and make me to live.

1. Hezekiah put confident hope for 15 years in two things – God’s word and God’s power.
   1. He knew God’s word was that he would not die from the boil with power to do it.
   2. He knew God’s word was that he 15 more guaranteed years with power to fulfill it.
2. Hezekiah’s spirit was filled with confidence and hope by God’s word and God’s power.
   1. God would preserve his recovery and extend it for the duration of the fifteen years.
   2. When God promises anything, He has the power to perform any promise ever made.
3. This is a glorious verse – is it the basis for your life – as it was for Hezekiah’s 15 years?
4. Has God recovered you from sickness and/or sin and caused you to live by His power?
   1. Did your spirit in the midst of the fear and deliverance promise grand things to God?
   2. Did time and your corrupt nature steal away the conviction and leave you as before?
   3. Let us make sure we pay the vows we have made when we cried out in our distresses.

 

17  Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.

1. Hezekiah had had a charmed life, but Assyria and a fatal disease caused great bitterness.
2. Think like Hezekiah and know that any great deliverance is by God’s love for your soul.
3. Think like Hezekiah and know that you do not deserve deliverance due to your sins.

 

18  For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.

1. Here are reasons to pray for God to extend your life and what to do when He does so.
   1. David used such appeals to beg God to preserve natural life (Ps 6:5; 30:9; 88:10-12).
   2. Hezekiah here stated it also as the careful way in which he would live (Isaiah 38:15).
   3. Not only is it a reason to ask for longer life, it is what you should do with longer life.
2. Whether an argument in prayer for longer life or the use of life, the emphasis is crucial.
   1. What is life for? Your ease, fun, and glory? Not a chance! It is all for God’s glory.
   2. A terrible aspect about death is how it ends your opportunity to worship (Is 38:11).
   3. A terrible aspect about death is how it ends your opportunity to learn divine truth.
3. Every reader should examine himself as to whether this is the overall goal of his life.
   1. If you do not have this priority for life, you are perverting life in the sight of God.
   2. If you do not seek this priority for your life, any appeal to do so is vain hypocrisy.
4. Observe the wonderful reasons for life … praise … celebration … hope for God’s truth.
   1. Praise = celebration in important respects. It is the most fulfilling act of human life.
   2. Learning more about God, His will, His works, and His word is the supreme goal.
   3. God carefully ruled out faulty reasons to glory and ruled in good ones (Jer 9:23-24).
   4. And it is public praise that affects others that is the highest calling (II Sam 6:14-19; Neh 8:8-12; Ps 22:25; 34:1-3; 35:18; 40:9-10; Acts 2:46-47; I Cor 14:16,26; etc.).
   5. Learn more about the best cause for mirth … https://www.letgodbetrue.com/pdf/cause-for-mirth.pdf.
5. There is not a hint or peep here of soul sleep of the SDAs and other doctrinal heretics.
   1. The grave and pit here refer only the human body, which cannot function after death.
   2. The spirit of man is more conscious than ever as it meets God and its eternal destiny.
   3. More against soul sleep heresy … https://www.letgodbetrue.com/pdf/till-death-do-us-part-funeral.pdf.

 

19  The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth.

1. See the previous verse and its comments, for the argument is very similar in this verse.
2. The dead cannot praise God (in the land of the living), for his faculty of speech is gone.
3. Hezekiah got right down to business with praising God that very day of his deliverance.
4. Only living men can be the fathers they should be – training their children in the truth.
   1. Here is further reference to learning truth in the previous verse of God’s revelation.
   2. Fathers are to teach their children Bible truth – the greatest legacy (Deut 6:4-9; Ps 34:11; 78:1-8; Prov 1:8; 4:1-4; 6:20; Joel 1:1-3; Eph 6:4; II Tim 3:15).

 

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.

1. Hezekiah’s God was ready to save him, thus the deliverance granted and event recorded.
   1. Nothing in this universe happens without God being ready for it and purposing it.
   2. Hezekiah wraps up things in his journal (note first person) about this great salvation.
   3. Hezekiah heard he would die, so he begged for mercy; God was ready to give life.
2. As a result of God’s blessings, conscious men with a conscience will give God His due.
   1. Therefore draws a conclusion that should be very obvious – we owe God our service.
   2. Hezekiah committed the rest of his life in musical praise in the house of the LORD.
   3. He used the plural pronoun we to include those moved by the event (Psalm 40:1-3).
   4. We do not know much about Hezekiah’s songs, but this could easily have been one.
   5. The songs would be played and sung in Solomon’s temple in holy, reverent worship.
   6. Hezekiah is known in the Bible for promoting musical worship (II Chron 29:25-30).

 

 Isaiah’s Inclusion of Medical Means  –  Verses 21 

 

21  For Isaiah had said, Let them take a lump of figs, and lay it for a plaister upon the boil, and he shall recover.

1. This verse reverts to the previous section before Hezekiah’s journal of the overall event.
2. Compare the other account where Hezekiah’s journal is not included (II Kgs 20:5-11).
3. Let this be an inspired reminder God expects his people to use means with His power.
   1. Safety depends on God blessing the means of protection (Ps 127:1-2; Prov 21:31).
   2. Food depends on God blessing the means of production (Pr 14:4; Psalm 107:35-38).
   3. It is the JW’s and some Charismatics that reject medical means to their own deaths.
   4. Paul did not tell Timothy to call for the elders of the church but to drink a little wine.

 

 Hezekiah’s Soul Ambition for Life  –  Verses 22 

 

22  Hezekiah also had said, What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the LORD?

1. This verse reverts to the previous section before Hezekiah’s journal of the overall event.
2. Compare the other account where Hezekiah’s journal is not included (II Kgs 20:5-11).
3. Whether his first day in office, facing Sennacherib, or after healing, he loved to worship.
4. For you to be anything like Hezekiah, you must love God’s house above all (Ps 27:4).