Isaiah 38-39
God Save the King!
Hezekiah’s Healing vs. 38:1-8
Hezekiah’s Thanksgiving vs. 38:9-20
Hezekiah’s Showing Off vs. 39:1-8
Intro:
Jonathan Dabney Mission Moment
As we get into chapter 38 we now shift our focus from the Assyrians to the Babylonians
This will become more evident as we look at chapter 39
But chaps. 36–39 are not in chronological order, for 38:6 refers to God’s future plan to defend Jerusalem from Sennacherib’s attack; thus, it is evident that the narrative reports in chaps. 38 and 39 occurred before the events described in chaps. 36–37.
Since the Assyrians removed the Babylonian king Merodach-baladan from power in 703 BC, this Babylonian king’s trip to Jerusalem to arrange an alliance with Hezekiah must have happened sometime in 703–704 BC.
This means that Hezekiah’s sickness (chap. 38) happened in the preceding year.
The reason that is done is to make the transition from the Assyrians to the babylonians
In the midst of God doing the amazing healing in Hezekiah’s life the babylonians come
Hezekiah let’s his guard down and because of that doesn’t finish well
Read Isaiah 38:1-5
Transition:
Today we see Hezekiah sick to the point of death
And much like a doctor, Isaiah comes and tell him to get his things in order
In an amazing act of grace God grants Hezekiah 15 more years
The danger would be at this point is for us as Christians to try and make a formula out this
If I get on my bed, turn toward the wall, and cry really hard I will be healed
Unfortunately, as we see so many times in the NT, God doesn’t work according to a formula
If you look at every blind person Jesus healed he did it different each time
In fact that is what got Moses in trouble
God said speak to the rock but Moses hit it with his staff
Moses tried to use an old formula to get a new result
We need to seek God and follow his new path
God allowed this sickness but used it for His glory
Hezkeiah’s Healing vs. 38:1-8
Vs. 1-3 Hezekiah’s prayer
Was sick and near death: We are not told how Hezekiah became sick.
It may have been through something obvious to all, or it may have been through something known only to God.
However Hezekiah became sick, it was certainly permitted by the LORD.
Sickness and diseases are nondiscriminate they affect the good and the wicked
Hezekiah was a godly king but became so sick he was at the point of death
The whole country of Judah knows and they are all worried
It’s so bad that Isaiah comes to deliver the bad news
Most people believe that he is 39 years old at this point
Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live:
God was remarkably kind to Hezekiah, telling him that his death was near.
Not all people are given the time to set your house in order.
Although being given a death sentence is brutal, knowing it in advance and making arrangements is and act of Grace by God
Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall:
This shows how earnest Hezekiah was in his prayer.
He directed his prayer in privacy to God, and not to any man.
While getting prayers from other is important, that time between you and God is essential
With his fave to the wall there was no one between him and God
Remember now, O LORD:
To our ears, Hezekiah’s prayer might almost sound ungodly.
In it, his focus is on self-justification and his own merits.
It is pretty much as if Hezekiah prayed, “LORD, I’ve been such a good boy and You aren’t being fair to me. Remember what a good boy I’ve been and rescue me.”
But under the Old Covenant, this was a valid principle on which to approach God.
Passages like Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 show that under the Old Covenant, blesssing and cursing was sent by God on the basis of obedience or disobedience.
On that principle, David could write in Psalm 15:
Psalm 15:1-2 LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart.
But under the New Covenant, we are blessed on the principle of faith in Jesus
Galatians 3:13-14 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— 14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
Hezekiah’s principle of prayer isn’t fitting for a Christian today.
Vs. 4-8 God’s answer
I have heard your prayers; I have seen your tears
What a great assurance to know that God hears our prayers
It is also further evidence that we can pour out our heart to God
Hezekiah was good at this
When we come to God we need to get it all out
Skip the formalities and be real with God
It is amazing what can be accomplished when we do that
Plus our relationship with Christ enters a whole new level
Plus we get the benefit of seeing God answer our prayers
Hezekiah’s prayer was important.
By all indications, if Hezekiah had not made his passionate prayer, then his life would not have been extended.
Prayer matters!
I will add to your days fifteen years:
In response to Hezekiah’s prayer, God granted Hezekiah fifteen years more.
QUESTION: Because Hezekiah recovered, was God’s word proved false?
No; first, Hezekiah did in fact die, just not as soon as God first announced.
Second, when God announces judgment it is almost always an invitation to repent and to receive mercy.
God gave two gifts to Hezekiah.
First, He gave the gift of an extended life.
Second, He gave the gift of knowing he only had fifteen years left.
If he were wise, this would still give King Hezekiah the motivation to walk right with God and to set his house in order.
Vs. 6 I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria
This promise is in accord with the LORD’s previous prophecies of deliverance
Behold, I will bring the shadow of the sundial … ten degrees backward:
God promised to do something completely miraculous for the confirming sign.
And it happened just as God promised: So the sun returned ten degrees on the dial by which it had gone down.
This was a wonderfully appropriate sign for Hezekiah.
By bringing the shadow of the sundial move backward, it gave more time in a day - just as God gave Hezekiah more time.
How was this miracle accomplished?
We simply don’t know. God could have simply “moved the sun back.”
Or, He may have simply provided the miraculous appearance of it on the sundial of Ahaz.
It doesn’t really matter how God did it; He has miraculous resources and ways we know nothing about.
Hezekiah’s Thanksgiving vs. 38:9-22
Vs. 9-13 Lament over approaching death
In the prime of my life I shall go to the gates of Sheol:
Sheol is the Hebrew word for “the grave” or “the place of the dead.”
Here, Hezekiah laments the news of his impending death.
I shall not see YAH, the LORD in the land of the living:
Hezekiah’s pain at his approaching death is increased as he believes that in the grave he will no longer see the LORD.
Again, Hezekiah’s thinking is based in the cloudy understanding of the world beyond before life and immortality were brought to life through the gospel of Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 1:10).
Though there are occasional glimpses of hope into the world beyond (such as in Job 19:25-27), for the most part there is no clear understanding of the nature of life after death.
This explains why Hezekiah does not welcome death as a certain pathway to the presence of the LORD.
For these Old Testament saints like Hezekiah and David, the grave was an uncertain place.
They knew the LORD was there (Psalm 139:8), but they didn’t know exactly how.
So for these Old Testament saints, going to the world beyond was exchanging this world’s certainty for the uncertainty of the world beyond.
Vs. 14-17 Benefits of suffering
What shall I say? He has both spoken to me, and He Himself has done it:
When God answered his prayer, all Hezekiah could do was praise God.
He knew that it was all the LORD’s work, both in word (spoken to me) and deed (done it).
So, Hezekiah was speechless (What shall I say?).
I shall walk carefully all my years: This is a good promise Hezekiah makes, and one often on the lips of the person God has spared.
But in the end, it was only a good promise if Hezekiah made it good.
What did Hezekiah do with these added 15 years?
One thing he did was father a son who would succeed him on the throne of Judah.
Of the next king of Judah, Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, it is written that he was 12 years old when he became king (2 Kings 21:1).
This means he must have been born in the last 15 years of Hezekiah’s life.
Sadly, fathering Manasseh was not a worthy achievement.
It was written of him, And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel (2 Kings 21:2).
In fact, God specifically targeted Judah for judgment because of the terrible sins of Manasseh.
Vs. 18-22 Hezekiah’s prayer of thanksgiving
For Sheol cannot thank You, death cannot praise You;
Hezekiah knew he could praise God while he walked this earth, but he wasn’t so sure about the world beyond.
Therefore we will sing my songs with stringed instruments all the days of our life, in the house of the LORD: Hezekiah shows the logical response to God’s great deliverance - praise.
The Halls of Sierra Vista Hospital
A couple of weeks ago I went up to Sierra Vista hospital to see the Moore’s baby in NICU
As I entered memories of 10 years ago flooded my mind
We had spent two weeks at the NICU with our daughter Allie
During that time God did some amazing healing on our little girl
Dr. Van Scoy said there was enough acid on her brain to kill either me or him
They said she was going to be a vegetable, then mentally handicapped
But God healed her and being there reminded me of that
I walked out there praising God for what He has done
Not to brag, but for the last two quarter she has got straight A’s
For a dad who was in an empty birthing room crying out to God I know
Hezekiah’s Showing Off vs. 39:1-8
vs. 1-2 Babylonians visit
As we move to chapter 39 there has been a little time that has gone by
Enough for the king of babylon to hear that hezekiah was sick and recovered
So he sends his son with a gift, but this gift has an ulterior motive
While Hezekiah is flattered that a country such as Babylon would recognize Judah, Merodach really wants to solicit Judah’s allegiance against Assyria
In this story we see a danger with every Christian faces… its letting our guard down
Hezekiah has recovered and doesn’t discern that this party of leaders should be avoided
He doesn’t seek council from Isaiah or go to God in prayer
So he is not equipped to handle this visit and he goes too far
As they flatter Hezekiah he goes and shows them all of his treasures, nothing was left hidden
Hezekiah is showing off and opens himself and Judah to being raided by Babylon
This will eventually happen thru Nebuchadnezzar
Many times when we get through the dark times we often let our guard down
This is often when we are most susceptible to temptation and sin
Hezekiah trips over his pride and sets Judah up for a fall
vs. 3-4 Isaiah Condemns Hezekiah
This doesn’t go unnoticed by God
He send Isaiah to inquire about what is going on
Fortunately Hezekiah was honest about the situation
It would’ve been so easy to try to deceive Isaiah and only tell him half of the truth
vs. 5-8 Delayed punishment
Isaiah then goes on to tell him what is going to happen
Babylon is going to carry away all the treasures and his offspring
We see this come to fruition in Daniel
He was one of the royals and he was taken away to be a eunuch in Babylon
Closing:
