Hezekiah’s Testimony Concerning His Terminal Illness:
The Power of God to Heal
9When
King Hezekiah was well again, he wrote this poem about his experience:
10“My
life is but half done and I must leave it all. I am robbed of my normal years,
and now I must enter the gates of Sheol. 11Never again will I see
the Lord in the land of the living. Never again will I see my friends in this
world. 12My life is blown away like a shepherd’s tent; it is cut
short as when a weaver stops working at the loom. In one short day, my life
hangs by a thread.
13“All
night I moaned; it was like being torn apart by lions. 14Delirious,
I chattered like a swallow and mourned like a dove; my eyes grew weary of
looking up for help. ‘O God,’ I cried, ‘I am in trouble—help me.’ 15But
what can I say? For He, Himself has sent this sickness. All my sleep has fled
because of my soul’s bitterness. 16O Lord, your discipline is good
and leads to life and health. Oh, heal me and make me live!
17“Yes,
now I see it all—it was good for me to undergo this bitterness, for you have
lovingly delivered me from death; you have forgiven all my sins. 18For
dead men cannot praise you.a They cannot be filled with hope and
joy. 19The living, only the living, can praise you as I do today.
One generation makes known your faithfulness to the next. 20Think of
it! The Lord healed me! Every day of my life from now on I will sing my songs
of praise in the Temple, accompanied by the orchestra.”
21(For
Isaiah had told Hezekiah’s servants, “Make an ointment of figs and spread it
over the boil, and he will get well again.”
22And then Hezekiah had asked, “What sign will the Lord give me to prove that He will heal me?”)[1] (Isaiah38:9–22 TLB)
Hezekiah’s Testimony
Concerning His Terminal Illness: The Power Of God To Heal
a. When
Hezekiah was stricken with a deadly illness, he became deeply depressed (vv.
10–13). He was in the prime of life and felt as though he was being robbed
of years. Although he had achieved much for the nation, he felt he had so much
more to do. But the gates of death
were swung wide open and he lay ready to leave this world and enter those
gates. Grief and disappointment overwhelmed his soul. He knew he would never
again enjoy the wonderful experiences of life …
•
never again see or commune with the Lord in
worship
•
never again fellowship or enjoy the company of
others (v. 11)
Sensing his imminent death, Hezekiah compared his house or body to a tent that was being quickly taken down and moved elsewhere (v. 12). He believed his life was being cut off as quickly as a weaver snips a piece of cloth from the loom. Death was so close, that Hezekiah expected the Lord to end his life before the night turned to day. As he waited patiently for the dawn to break, he was broken in both body and spirit. Day and night he suffered agonizing, unbearable pain as if a lion had attacked and broken all his bones (vv. 12–13).
b. Knowing that his only hope lay in the Lord, Hezekiah cried out in prayer (v. 14). His continuous low moaning sounded like that of a grieving dove. But in all his groaning and agonizing pain, he knew that God was there with him. Weeping in prayer, he cried out to the Lord for help.
c. During three days of his agonizing pain and illness (2 K. 20:5), Hezekiah did what so many do when facing a dire circumstance. He made a renewed commitment to the Lord (vv. 15–20). If God would heal him, he promised to do seven things:
1)
He would walk humbly before the Lord (v. 15).
Humbling himself was the answer to his anguish of soul, for the Lord hears the
prayers of the humble and exalts them. He revives the spirit of the humble and
contrite. But He lowers or puts down the proud and shuts His ears to their
prayers.
V “And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be
abased, and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted” (Mt. 23:12).
V “For thus saith the High and Lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and Holy Place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones” (Is. 57:15).
2)
Hezekiah promised to bear strong witness
to the Lord’s healing power (v. 16). Through the experience of suffering he
had learned a wonderful truth: God’s discipline—the discipline of suffering—is
good. It aroused his spirit to seek the Lord, to live in prayer, to commune and
fellowship with the Lord. Through his suffering, he was discovering true life, a true and deep relationship
with the Lord. And when he drew close to the Lord, the Lord healed him,
allowing him to live another fifteen years (2 K. 20:6).
V “For with God nothing shall be impossible” (Lu. 1:37).
V “Is any sick among you? let him call for the
elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the
name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord
shall raise him up; and if he has committed sins, they shall be forgiven him” (Js. 5:14–15).
V “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; with His stripes, we are healed” (Is. 53:5).
3)
Hezekiah promised to acknowledge the Lord’s
love (v.
17). He actually said that his terminal illness was for his own good. It was for a positive and
beneficial purpose. Three purposes are spelled out!
Ø
His suffering stirred him to grow more mature
spiritually, bringing him far closer to the Lord.
Ø
His suffering taught him a great deal about the
love of God, about how the Lord longs to deliver His people from their trials.
Ø His suffering led to the forgiveness of his sins, rousing him to correct his misbehavior and turn back to the Lord.
V “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” (Jn. 3:16).
V “But God commendeth His love toward us, in
that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Ro. 5:8).
V “But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great
love wherewith He loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us
together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)” (Ep. 2:4–5).
V “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath
bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world
knoweth us not, because it knew Him not” (1 Jn. 3:1).
V “The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee” (Je. 31:3).
4)
Hezekiah promised to praise the Lord
among people as long as he lived (v. 18). Of course, after he
died, Hezekiah could no longer praise God for what He had done for him. The
dead are gone, unable to sing God’s praise among the living.
V “By Him, therefore, let us offer the
sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name” (He. 13:15).
V “But ye are
a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that
ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness
into His marvellous light” (1 Pe.
2:9).
V “Sing praises to the Lord, which dwelleth in
Zion: declare among the people His doings” (Ps. 9:11).
V “Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee” (Ps. 67:3).
5)
Hezekiah promised to hope in God’s truth,
His faithfulness (v. 18). If God would heal him, the king
promised to place his hope in the promises of God and in God’s faithfulness to
fulfill His promises.
V “God is
faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ
our Lord” (1 Co. 1:9).
V “Wherefore let them that suffer according to
the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator” (1 Pe. 4:19).
V “Know therefore that the Lord thy God, He is God, the faithful God, which keepeth
covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a
thousand generations” (De. 7:9).
V “Blessed be
the Lord, that hath given rest unto His people Israel, according to all that He
promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which He
promised by the hand of Moses His servant” (1 K. 8:56).
V “I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations” (Ps. 89:1).
6)
Hezekiah promised to bear strong witness
to the Lord (vv. 19–20). If God allowed him to live, he would share the truth
with his children. He would make sure his children heard the promises of God
and the wonderful truth that God is faithful, and that He will fulfill His
promises. He would also proclaim God’s salvation, the glorious reality that the
Lord had saved him.
V “And He said unto them, Go ye into all the
world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mk. 16:15).
V “For we cannot but speak the things which we
have seen and heard” (Ac. 4:20).
V “Come and
hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what He hath done for my soul” (Ps. 66:16).
V “I will mention the loving kindnesses of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which He hath bestowed on them according to His mercies, and according to the multitude of His loving-kindnesses” (Is. 63:7).
7)
Hezekiah promised to worship faithfully
in the temple (church) of the Lord (v. 20). If God would heal him,
he would be dedicated and dependable, faithful in his public worship all the
days of his life. He would not neglect meeting with others to worship the Lord.
V “And they went into Capernaum, and
straightway on the sabbath day, He entered into the synagogue, and taught” (Mk. 1:21).
V “And He came to Nazareth, where He had been
brought up: and, as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the sabbath
day, and stood up for to read” (Lu.
4:16).
V “And they worshipped Him, and returned to
Jerusalem with great joy: And were continually in the temple, praising and
blessing God. Amen” (Lu. 24:52–53).
V “And they, continuing daily with one accord
in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with
gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the
people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved” (Ac. 2:46–47).
V “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves
together, as the manner of some is;
but exhorting one another: and so
much the more, as ye see the Day approaching” (He. 10:25).
V “But unto the place which the Lord your God
shall choose out of all your tribes to put His name there, even unto His habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt
come” (De. 12:5).
V “Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah” (Ps. 84:4).
d. Hezekiah was healed through a treatment prescribed by the prophet Isaiah (v. 21). Isaiah instructed the king’s servants to prepare an ointment of fig leaves to place on the king. Three days later the king was restored to health and recovered completely.
e. Before he was healed, Hezekiah needed further assurance from the Lord, a sign that he would recover and be able to worship in the temple on the third day (v. 22). As seen above in verses seven and eight, the Lord gave Hezekiah the sign of the shadow on a sun dial.[2]
a 38:18
For dead men cannot praise you.
The meaning is unclear. Perhaps Hezekiah was unaware of the blessedness of the
future life for those who trust in God (57:1-2). Or perhaps his meaning is,
“Dead bodies cannot praise you.”
[1] Taylor, Kenneth Nathaniel. 1997. The Living Bible,
Paraphrased. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House.
[2] Leadership Ministries Worldwide. 2005. Isaiah: Chapters 36–66. Vol. II. The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible. Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide.
https://my.bible.com/bible/116/ISA.38.NLT
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