AWAKE, ARISE, AND TRIUMPH
Tuesday – January 31, 2023, Sh’vat 9, 5783
HEZEKIAH SICK UNTO DEATH – PART TWO
Greeting precious saints of God and welcome back to our Bible Study of the wonderful Bible Book of Isaiah. Please take a moment to share this teaching by every means available to you. Thank you for sharing. The featured picture today is of a Church in the State of Florida. The purpose of the picture is to remind us to pray for all the saints.
Ephesians 6:18 (KJV)
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Notice this verse is addressing saints not heathen. The question is not if we are to pray for saint and sinner alike, the question is how do we pray. This would be a very lengthy teaching (books have been written) and would take us far off our primary topic. If we want to avoid prayer failure which not only hurts our faith but also the faith of those watching let’s pray according to Scripture. The safest prayer is in the Spirit (tongues, prayer language). It is the safest because we are praying the perfect will of God according to our faith and authority. Now let’s turn our attention to our primary Bible Study. As I mentioned yesterday, the title for the following passage of Scripture in the Bible Program I am using is “Hezekiah’s death is foretold, but his life is lengthened through prayer”. Yes, we have seen that his life was lengthened but was it through prayer, tears, and reminding God how good he was? Now, let’s read our primary text, continuing to read out loud.
Isaiah 38:1-8 (KJV)
1 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.
2 Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the LORD,
3 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.
4 Then came the word of the LORD to Isaiah, saying,
5 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.
6 And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city.
7 And this shall be a sign unto thee from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that he hath spoken;
8 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.
Yesterday we reviewed this same account from 2 Kings 20:1-6 and found a little more detail but did we find the real reasons that God healed him and lengthened his days? Not only that but delivered Jerusalem and all of Judah from the hand of the Assyrians. We have been looking at the threats coming from King Sennacherib of Assyria. The Assyrians have destroyed all of Judah and only Jerusalem with King Hezekiah remains. The Lord has assured King Hezekiah that not only will Jerusalem be spared by the Hand of God, but King Sennacherib will have a violent end. As if all of this wasn’t enough, King Hezekiah is taken ill, an illness unto death allowed its natural course. Let’s look at this account in another portion of Scripture and see if the answer we are pursuing doesn’t come to light.
2 Chronicles 32:24-26 (ESV)
24 In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death, and he prayed to the LORD, and he answered him and gave him a sign.
25 But Hezekiah did not make return according to the benefit done to him, for his heart was proud. Therefore wrath came upon him and Judah and Jerusalem.
26 But Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah.
King Hezekiah had pride and when he repented deliverance came. Notice his pride brought wrath upon not only him but Judah and Jerusalem. What about the head of a household, the head of a Church? Contrary to the heading for this section in Isaiah given by the translators, the wrath of God was not turned due to prayer and tears but repentance. That is always the answer dear ones. I will address this just a little further tomorrow.
By: Dr. David R. Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
2 Chronicles 20:20 b (KJV)
20 … Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.
Receive the blessing in Jesus’ name!
Numbers 6:24-26 (MSG)
24 GOD bless you and keep you,
25 GOD smile on you and gift you,
26 GOD look you full in the face and make you prosper.
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