Isaiah 38:1-8
Hezekiah's illness came before the siege of Jerusalem. He became ill and Isaiah pronounced that God said he was going to die. He was to get his house in order, meaning to make his final will known. Hezekiah turned away from the prophet, to the wall, in disappointment and grief. He prayed and wept bitterly. The account in 2 Chronicles 32:24-26 tells us Hezekiah was struggling with pride. It appears this was when his pride was broken. God saw the change and gave him 15 more years of life.
Hezekiah placed enough value on his life to cry bitterly about losing it. As King, he may have wanted to lead his people through the hard times that Isaiah had prophesied about. Hezekiah knew that God would hear his petition. He knew God was capable of healing him. God not only healed him and gave him fifteen years but he also gave him a sign to confirm what was spoken. God changed the shadow of the sundial. God is sovereign over time and over the earth and the sun. It's amazing that God would go to such great lengths to give this kind of sign to Hezekiah. The reversing of the sundial indicated he was further from death than previously.
The mention of the sundial is the first mention in the bible of anyone keeping track of time.
Isaiah 38:9-14
Hezekiah models King David in writing a Psalm to praise God. He uses the common pattern of showing the emotions and feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, the change and praise of Almighty God.
Hezekiah began his reign at 25 and was in his 14th year when the invasion came. So he was around 39 years old. He thought that his relationship with the Lord would end when he died. He felt an overwhelming hopelessness. The allusion to the shepherd's tent and to the weaver were every day things that were taken for granted and now modeled how temporary life is and the sovereignty of God. Hezekiah's life was before him and then it was being taken away. He felt the oppression of death. The wages of sin is death. Our only hope for deliverance comes through Jesus Christ. For Hezekiah, his only hope was seeking the Lord and looking forward to the coming messiah who would pay for his sins.
Hezekiah realized that God had delivered him from death. He sang praises to God. He said he would walk more carefully his remaining years. This is because he believed that his sin caused his illness. Hezekiah saw this new lease on life as deliverance from his sins and a salvation from death. He was temporarily delivered from death but it is appointed for all men to die. We must be prepared because we don't know when it will come. We may not have a chance to plead and pray for God to give us another chance.
Isaiah told him to prepare a poultice of figs and put it on the boil. Hezekiah asked for a sign. This was the question that prompted God to respond with the shadow moving on the sundial.
With all the glory Hezekiah gives God, its only a few years later after he dies that his son rebuilt the idols and saws Isaiah in half with a wooden saw. We are all subject to short memories of the awesome work of God.
©2018 Doug Ford
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