Isaiah 38:1

Isaiah 38:1 says, 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.  When Hezekiah was sick, Isaiah came to him with a message from God.  He didn’t bring him good news but told him to set his house in order because he was going to die.  All we can ever do is share the truth of God with people, even if it hurts.  Everyone needs to set their house in order spiritually, because they are going to die one day if Jesus Christ doesn.t return first.  Even if someone is physically sick, we cannot promise that they are going to get well, even if we want them to.  We just have to pray that they are spiritually secure with God no matter what happens. 

Verse two adds, Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the Lord,  When Hezekiah heard the news, he simply turned his face toward the wall and prayed to God.   As Christians, the most important thing we can ever do is pray, no matter what the situation is. 

Verse three continues, 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.  Hezekiah didn’t make demands on God, but he asked that God remember how he had walked before Him in truth and with a perfect heart.  This didn’t mean that Hezekiah was perfect, but that he had tried to live in perfect faith.  We can never stand before God as perfect people, and we will not be saved by what we have done, but by our perfect faith in Jesus Christ. 

Verse four states, Then came the word of the Lord to Isaiah, saying,  The word of God then came to Isaiah to go back to Hezekiah with another message.  I don’t believe that this means that Isaiah was wrong the first time, but that God does have the ability to change what He has intended to do. 

Verse five adds, 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.  God heard the prayer of Hezekiah, who hadn’t actually asked for an increased lifetime but only that God remember his faithfulness.  God told Isaiah to go to Hezekiah and tell him that He had heard his prayer, and he was going to be restored to health and live another fifteen years.  We may not have our prayers answered and live longer here on the earth if we are deathly ill, but our prayer should always be that God remember our faithfulness to Him as followers of Christ, no matter what the outcome of our illness may be.  Our everlasting destination is already determined and Christians, and that is what matters.  

Verse six continues, And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city.  Isaiah had more good news for Hezekiah.  God said He would deliver Hezekiah and the city of Jerusalem out of the hand of the Assyrians and that He would defend the city.  As followers of Christ, God has already delivered us from the power of sin and death, and He is the One Who will protect us.  All we need to do is to remain faithful to Him.  What happens in this lifetime if we are Christians is not what is important.  The fact that we have everlasting life with God is all that is important. 

Verse seven says, And this shall be a sign unto thee from the Lord, that the Lord will do this thing that he hath spoken;  Though Hezekiah had not asked for a sign that God’s word was going to come to pass, Isaiah said God was going to give him one.   We don’t need to ask God to give us signs that He is going to do what He says, but it is possible He might at times give us one, as individuals or as a nation. 

Verse eight adds, 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.  Isaiah said God was going to cause the sun to back up ten degrees on the sun dial.  This was an impressive sign, and you would think that more people than just Hezekiah would be aware of this.  Can you imagine being Sennacherib and denouncing the power of God and then see Him show His control over the sun.  I believe I would have been reevaluating my position, but God does miraculous things today and many people still deny that He exists or is in control of His universe.