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.
We are not told how Hezekiah became ill, it may have been through something obvious to all, or it may have been through something known only to God. But nevertheless the bible says that he was sick unto death!
What would you do if you got a message like this one that Hezekiah got from the Lord through the prophet Isaiah? Very few receive a word from the Lord concerning your own death. We do realize and understand that someday we will die, but we know neither the day nor the hour. God was remarkably kind to Hezekiah by informing him that his death was near and that he was to get his house in order. Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall and prayed unto God, which to our ears may have seemed a selfish prayer because he spoke only of how he followed God's laws and how he walked in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which was pleasing in God's sight, but still Hezekiah wept bitterly. I have to believe that Hezekiah felt like he was being treated unfair because of all he had done concerning his walk with God. He walked, he followed and he was obedient, yet he was sick unto death. But because of his earnest prayer to God, God added fifteen years of life unto him. What a mighty and loving God we serve, not only does the Lord just love us by word, but also by his wonderful acts of kindness towards us even when we don't deserve it !
But Prayer Matters, regardless of what we are praying about God hears our every word and also knows how sincere we are, so don't get foolish in prayer. Prayer Matters because it's the best way to communicate to God, Prayer Matters because without it we are lost, really lost!
II Kings 20: 5
We find the same story, but a bit different. The Lord tells Isaiah to tell Hezekiah that he has heard his prayer and seen his tears: Behold says the Lord, I will heal thee: and on the third day thou shalt go up into the house of the Lord. So that lets me to believe that Hezekiah was also bedridden for those days as well, I also have to believe that while he was bedridden he was in prayer mode the whole time, plus he had to be in worship mode as well. In this same chapter in verse seven we learn that Isaiah said unto Hezekiah's servants, take a lump of figs, make an ointment and spread it on the boil and he recovered. So we learn in II Kings that Hezekiah had one or a few boils on his body. We know that boils come from all sorts of ways, immune system problems, and diabetes, poor nutrition and poor hygiene. I would have to consider with Hezekiah being bedridden for three days with nothing to eat nor bathing as he would normally, a boil could appear, but nevertheless he recovered to his fullness of life, plus was given fifteen extra years to serve God. How awesome is that?
But Hezekiah was not absolutely sure of all that God had said through the prophet Isaiah and wanted a sign, like most of us. If we don't see a sign from the Lord we don't believe that he will do just what he said, sad but true! So God in his loving kindness granted Hezekiah's request and again used Isaiah to deliver his message to Hezekiah by saying this sign shall thou have of the Lord, that the Lord will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forth ten degrees or backward ten degrees ? Hezekiah answered, it is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees. So Hezekiah wanted to make it hard for God, so I guess he never read the scripture that says in
Genesis 18:14 "IS THERE ANYTHING TOO HARD FOR THE LORD?"
Jeremiah 32:17 "AH LORD GOD! BEHOLD, THOU HAST MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH BY THY GREAT POWER STRETCHED OUT ARM, THERE IS NOTHING TOO HARD FOR THEE"
So this time Isaiah cried unto the Lord, and God bought the shadow backward ten degrees. So we learn in this mini word that Prayer Matters! When we are honest with God he will deliver us from all sorts of short comings, near death experiences as well as the minor issues of life. Sometimes we get caught up in other peoples suggestions for our lives in stead of taking them to the one who created all things great and small. As you think on this word and why I say Prayer Matters, just slip into prayer and you will see what I mean when I say Prayer Matters. Remember and let us not forget to keep one another lifted up in prayer to God because,
