|
|
2 Kings Chapter 20
Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery
- 2Kings 20:1 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.
- 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.
- 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,
- 5 Turn again, and
tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the
God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen
thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt
go up unto the house of the LORD.
- 6 And I will add
unto thy days fifteen years; 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.
This is one example of the Lord taking
back His word to someone when they asked. We see the mercy and
compassion God has for those that call upon Him. Many times this may
involve repentance. For example when Jonah preached to Nineveh and
told them that they were going to be destroyed in 40 days, they
repented and God did not destroy them until years later when Nineveh
returned to their wicked ways. Jonah didn't even tell them they
could escape God's judgment by repenting and getting right with the
Lord. They repented when they heard his first words.
With Hezekiah, though he was already
living for God so I'm thinking that had nothing to do with God
adding years to his life. I think it was just because he asked and
God said yes. Notice this prayer was answered immediately before
Isaiah even left the area, God spoke to him to return and tell
Hezekiah he will live a little longer. For some reason some of our
prayers are instant and some take longer to be answered probably
because God has a reason or God has to deal with other individuals before
He answers our prayers.
- 2Kings 20:7 And
Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on
the boil, and he recovered.
- 8 And Hezekiah said
unto Isaiah, What shall be the sign that the LORD will heal me,
and that I shall go up into the house of the LORD the third
day?
- 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?
- 10 And Hezekiah
answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten
degrees: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees.
- 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.
King Hezekiah had a problem believing
Isaiah's words from the Lord and asked for a sign. God in His mercy
heard Isaiah's petition and allowed the shadow to go ten degrees
backward. I'm sure God could have healed him without Isaiah using
the figs but for some reason God uses different methods of healing
for different situations. Perhaps to help a person's faith? My
speculation here.
We see Jesus using different methods
when He came the first time. Sometimes people were healed at His
word alone without having any contact, sometimes He used other
methods. We can't limit God to one way but faith is needed always.
Unbelief hinders us in many areas. Faith comes by hearing the word
which is why we need to study diligently to build our faith. Yet at
times faith as a little child brings great results.
Hezekiah and the Babylonian Envoys
-
2Kings 20:12 At that time
Berodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent
letters and a present unto Hezekiah: for he had heard that
Hezekiah had been sick.
Hezekiah recovered from this sickness
after the Lord answered his prayer and extended his life 15 more
years. He got letters from the king of Babylon and a present. That
king actually was sending spies to spy out the territory but they
were acting as if they were friends showing gladness that he was
recovering.
-
2Kings 20:13 And Hezekiah
hearkened unto them, and shewed them all the house of his
precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and
the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all
that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house,
nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not.
Although showing off possessions and
wealth was a common custom among kings, this was a bad mistake.
Reminds me of the saying, "Pride goes before a fall."
-
2Kings 20:14 Then came
Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What
said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And
Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country, even from
Babylon.
Isaiah upon hearing of the visitors,
came to inquire who the men where and what had Hezekiah allowed them
to see. In other words Isaiah was not fooled by the friendliness of
the visitors.
- 2Kings 20:15 And he
said, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered,
All the things that are in mine house have they seen: there is
nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them.
- 16 And Isaiah said
unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD.
- 17 Behold, the days
come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy
fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried
into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD.
- 18 And of thy sons
that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they
take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king
of Babylon.
- 19 Then said
Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which thou
hast spoken. And he said, Is it not good, if peace and truth be
in my days?
- 20 And the rest of
the acts of Hezekiah, and all his might, and how he made a pool,
and a conduit, and brought water into the city, are they not
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
- 21 And Hezekiah
slept with his fathers: and Manasseh his son reigned in his
stead.
Hezekiah accepted the prophecy and didn't
seem to be bothered by it because it wasn't to happen in his day but
after he departed from this life. However it was really 125 years
later that Judah became slaves to the Babylonians. God gave them
time to get right with Him and not allow this to happen. Hezekiah
kept them from evil but the ones after him did not. Manasseh did
evil in the sight of the Lord. They returned to Baal worship. This
opens the door for Isaiah's prophecy to be fulfilled and it was
fulfilled. There was only one good king after Hezekiah and that was
Josiah. -DC
2 Kings Chapter 21
|
|