LA UBF
Judah’s King Hezekiah became ill with a serious sickness and was near death. Such an event can happen to anyone at any time, even to God’s servants. The prophet Isaiah told the king that this was his terminal illness (2). But in spite of this word from God, Hezekiah still prayed earnestly, asking God to remember his faithfulness to the Lord and his service, and spare his life (3).
Amazingly, Hezekiah’s prayer seemed to change God’s mind! Isaiah came back with a promise of healing and of fifteen more years of life (5). Hezekiah’s time on earth was still limited, but he got a deadline extension. The Lord gave a miraculous sign on the steps of the temple as proof of his promise (11).
This is why we should always pray and not give up. Anything is possible with prayer, even if it seemingly means God himself should change his plans. We can’t guarantee that God will always preserve our earthly life. Each of us will also need to prepare for God’s work to continue after we go to be with the Lord. But we can always be sure that humble prayer moves God’s heart.
May 21, 2025
EXTRA GRACE TO HEZEKIAH
Passage: 2 Kings 20:1-11
Key verse: 5
ESV
chapter 20
1. In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die; you shall not recover.’”
2. Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, saying,
3. “Now, O Lord, please remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
4. And before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, the word of the LORD came to him:
5. “Turn back, and say to Hezekiah the leader of my people, Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the LORD,
6. and I will add fifteen years to your life. I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city for my own sake and for my servant David's sake.”
7. And Isaiah said, “Bring a cake of figs. And let them take and lay it on the boil, that he may recover.”
8. And Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What shall be the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up to the house of the LORD on the third day?”
9. And Isaiah said, “This shall be the sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that he has promised: shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or go back ten steps?”
10. And Hezekiah answered, “It is an easy thing for the shadow to lengthen ten steps. Rather let the shadow go back ten steps.”
11. And Isaiah the prophet called to the LORD, and he brought the shadow back ten steps, by which it had gone down on the steps of Ahaz.
Prayer: Father, thank you for answering prayer beyond what even seems possible. Help me to pray humbly but boldly without giving up, no matter how bleak things look.
One Word: Prayer moves God’s heart.