The Lord Heals Hezekiah and Gives a Sign
Earnest prayer meets divine mercy.
Isaiah 38:1-8 (BSB)
1 In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Put your house in order, for you are about to die; you will not recover.’”
2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD,
3 saying, “Please, O LORD, remember how I have walked before You faithfully and with wholehearted devotion; I have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
4 And the word of the LORD came to Isaiah, saying,
5 “Go and tell Hezekiah that this is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: ‘I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life.
6 And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city.
7 This will be a sign to you from the LORD that He will do what He has promised:
8 I will make the sun’s shadow that falls on the stairway of Ahaz go back ten steps.’” So the sunlight went back the ten steps it had descended.
What is the big idea of Isaiah 38:1-8?
Earnest prayer meets divine mercy.
How does Isaiah 38:1-8 point to Christ?
Isaiah 38:1-8 shows that the LORD hears the cries of his servants and holds life and time in his hands. The gospel reveals Christ as the giver of life who conquers death and grants eternal hope.
Authorial Intent
To recount Hezekiah’s illness, his prayerful appeal, and the LORD’s merciful extension of his life with a confirming sign.
Chapter: Isaiah 38
Hezekiah’s Sickness, Prayer, and the LORD’s Added Years
The LORD hears Hezekiah’s tearful prayer, adds years to his life, confirms His promise by a sign, and teaches that life rescued from death must become humble praise before the God who forgives sin and saves from the pit.