Isa 38:1-6 | KingComments | STEP | The personal history of Hezekiah in this chapter complements the foreshadowing of Israel’s restoration in the previous two chapters. In those two chapters it is about the outer restoration, while in this chapter it is about the inner, spiritual restoration. “In those days”, i.e. the days of the king of Assyria’s invasion of Judah and his siege of Jerusalem, Hezekiah becomes “mortally ill” ( ). Isaiah must even tell him that he is going to die and that, in view of his death, he must arrange certain things for his house. He has to make his will. Then Hezekiah turns his face away from anything that might distract him – no one is allowed to see his face either – and devotes himself to prayer ( ). Weeping bitterly, which shows his great sorrow, he speaks to the LORD about how his heart and his deeds have been completely focused on Him after all ( ). He wants so badly to continue to live. That men do not weep is a foolish thought. Intense sorrow should not be suppressed, but may be expressed to the Lord ( ). To the Israelite, the wish to continue living is absolutely justified. After all, a long life is promised to him if he is faithful. Hezekiah has been faithful. To have to die has something in it of the anger of God. He is not that old yet, he is around forty years old. In addition, the state of the land is bad and he has no heir to the throne. Although his prayer does not contain a clear request for an extension of his life, the LORD knows what occupies the heart of Hezekiah. In the prophetic sense it is about the work that God is going to do in the heart of the believing remnant in the future. They too will be saved from death that threatens by the danger from outside, the Assyrian, and the danger from within, the beast and the antichrist. The LORD allows this to teach the believing remnant to pray with confession of their sins – like Joseph’s brothers in prison and like the ten days preceding the day of atonement are characterized by confession of sins. This confession is necessary because of the two great sins of Israel: the rejection of the Messiah and idolatry or the acceptance of the antichrist.

‏ Isaiah 38:1-6

Introduction

The personal history of Hezekiah in this chapter complements the foreshadowing of Israel’s restoration in the previous two chapters. In those two chapters it is about the outer restoration, while in this chapter it is about the inner, spiritual restoration.

Illness and Prayer of Hezekiah

“In those days”, i.e. the days of the king of Assyria’s invasion of Judah and his siege of Jerusalem, Hezekiah becomes “mortally ill” (Isa 38:1). Isaiah must even tell him that he is going to die and that, in view of his death, he must arrange certain things for his house. He has to make his will. Then Hezekiah turns his face away from anything that might distract him – no one is allowed to see his face either – and devotes himself to prayer (Isa 38:2).

Weeping bitterly, which shows his great sorrow, he speaks to the LORD about how his heart and his deeds have been completely focused on Him after all (Isa 38:3). He wants so badly to continue to live. That men do not weep is a foolish thought. Intense sorrow should not be suppressed, but may be expressed to the Lord (Lam 2:19).

To the Israelite, the wish to continue living is absolutely justified. After all, a long life is promised to him if he is faithful. Hezekiah has been faithful. To have to die has something in it of the anger of God. He is not that old yet, he is around forty years old. In addition, the state of the land is bad and he has no heir to the throne. Although his prayer does not contain a clear request for an extension of his life, the LORD knows what occupies the heart of Hezekiah.

In the prophetic sense it is about the work that God is going to do in the heart of the believing remnant in the future. They too will be saved from death that threatens by the danger from outside, the Assyrian, and the danger from within, the beast and the antichrist. The LORD allows this to teach the believing remnant to pray with confession of their sins – like Joseph’s brothers in prison and like the ten days preceding the day of atonement are characterized by confession of sins. This confession is necessary because of the two great sins of Israel: the rejection of the Messiah and idolatry or the acceptance of the antichrist.

Promise of Healing and Deliverance

Isaiah may convey to Hezekiah the answer of the LORD to his prayer (Isa 38:4). It is an answer of grace (Isa 38:5). The LORD says nothing about the faithfulness and wholeheartedness to which Hezekiah appealed. There is also no reproach. The LORD answers as “the LORD, the God of your father David”. All compassion for anyone who calls upon Him is based on the Lord Jesus, the true David.

The reference that the LORD is the God of David recalls the promise that the lineage of David will never cease. At that moment Hezekiah does not yet have a son to succeed him. Manasseh is only born three years later. The promise of God of the announcement of the death and, as it were, resurrection of Hezekiah, of which the third day speaks (2Kgs 20:5; Hos 6:2), are a wonderful illustration of how God will soon restore Israel. It will be life from the dead (Rom 11:15), the resurrection of their dead, the dead body will rise (Isa 26:19; Eze 37:1-14; Dan 12:1-3).

God also lets Hezekiah know that He has seen His tears (Isa 38:5). He even collects them and records them in His register, His Divine library (Psa 56:8). He does not write them down because He could forget them, but to show us how important they are to Him.

Hezekiah gets fifteen extra years. The LORD also confirms the promise that the king of Assyria will not get hold of the city (Isa 38:6). Here it appears that the illness of Hezekiah, his prayer and the answer to it chronologically precede the deliverance of Jerusalem described in the previous chapter. The Holy Spirit is therefore concerned here with the moral order and not with the historical one.

Hezekiah asks the LORD for a sign, in contrast with Ahaz (Isa 7:10-14). Ahaz has refused to believe, Hezekiah has the desire to trust the LORD. The LORD promises a sign as proof that He will do what He has said (Isa 38:7). This sign consists of an intervention in the course of nature (Isa 38:8; cf. Jos 10:12-13). Just as the return of the sun goes against the natural laws given by God, so the LORD will heal the illness of Hezekiah against nature. The healing of Hezekiah is connected with God’s power over the sun. The sun is a picture of a ruler. Powers must give way when the LORD stands up for His people, His remnant. God triumphs over the illness of Hezekiah and also over the rulers who made His people suffer so much.

By letting the sun go back, the LORD makes that day last longer than normal. As wonderful as this operation is, so wonderful will the extension of Hezekiah’s lifespan be. To make this sign visible the LORD uses the stairway of Ahaz, the idolatrous and ungodly king, who made this stairway as an idolatrous object. The stairway indicates that time progresses in the direction of judgment. By God’s power, the stairway makes it clear that He makes the time of grace last longer, thus delaying the judgment and allowing grace to overcome the judgment.