II Kings Chapter 20

Please read:  II Kings 20 –

King Hezekiah was a man who sought to please the LORD.  Now lying on his bed sick it seemed like he was going to die.  In fact, the prophet Isaiah confirmed that it was true.  Hezekiah was told by the prophet that he should get his affairs in order because he was going to die.

Sometimes in life we get the bad news that we are going to die, and of course we all have an appointed time when we will leave this earth.  But Hezekiah received a special blessing from the LORD, he was granted 15 more years to live.  Imagine being told that God has heard your prayer and that you have exactly 15 more years on this earth.  How would you spend your days during those promised years?

Let's Reflect

1.  The Bible does not say that Hezekiah had done anything wrong that death was sent to him as a judgement only that he was sick.  Why did God allow Hezekiah the opportunity to hear that he was going to die from the lips of the prophet?

2.  His prayer to God may seem boastful, but under the old covenant a man’s righteousness was his way of showing his loyalty to God.  Under the new covenant we are who are believers are covered under the righteousness of Jesus.  God did something extraordinary in answering his prayer.  The word of the LORD once again came through the prophet Isaiah.  What did he tell Hezekiah?

3.  Hezekiah asked for a sign that the LORD was truly going to heal him from his sickness.  Isaiah told him that he would see the shadow of the sundial move in the opposite direction.  In other words, God was going to lengthen the time of that one particular day just for Hezekiah just as He was going to lengthen the life of Hezekiah.  Do you see how God wants to bless someone who is a faithful servant to Him?

4.  During those extra 15 years of life Hezekiah continued with his many projects to better the kingdom of Judah.  What also increased for the kingdom of Judah according to verse 13?

5.  An envoy came from the country of Babylon.  Babylon was the new rising power in the world whereas the Assyrians had held that spot for a long time.  Under what ploy did the king of Babylon come to visit King Hezekiah?

6.  Here is a failure of King Hezekiah.  He became full of pride and what did he do when this envoy came to visit?

7.  Unfortunately, the king had unwisely shown this envoy exactly what they had come to scope out, riches.  The prophet Isaiah most likely knew what the king had just done but asked him anyways.  What did Isaiah tell the king would happen in the future?