Lessons from Isaiah What If? Our prayers may be ignorant and shortsighted, we may not know what to pray for as we ought, but our tears are not overlooked. E. W. Shalders November 5, 2017

2 Chronicles 32:24 In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death, and he prayed to the Lord, and he answered him and gave him a sign.

2 Chronicles 32:25 But Hezekiah did not make return according to the benefit done to him, for his heart was proud. Therefore wrath came upon him and Judah and Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 32:26 But Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah.

Isaiah 38:1 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.”

Isaiah 38:2-3 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, and said, “Please, O Lord, 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.

Isaiah 38:4-5 Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah: “Go and say to Hezekiah, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life.

Isaiah 38:6 I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and will defend this city.

Isaiah 38:7-8 “This shall be the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do this thing that he has promised: Behold, I will make the shadow cast by the declining sun on the dial of Ahaz turn back ten steps.” So the sun turned back on the dial the ten steps by which it had declined.

Isaiah 38:21 Now Isaiah had said, “Let them take a cake of figs and apply it to the boil, that he may recover.”

I Have Questions! What if Hezekiah had not prayed here or in Chapter 37? Did Isaiah miss it when he told the king he was a dead man? Did God not know Hezekiah would cry out to Him? Did God change His mind?

Pulpit Commentary Prophecies were often threats, and, when such, were conditional, announcing results which would follow unless averted by prayer or repentance (compare Jonah's prophecy, "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown," Jonah 3:4).

I Have More Questions! Manasseh was 12 when he became king. If Hezekiah had died there would be no Manasseh – did God make a mistake in granting 15 extra years?

2 Chronicles 33:9-10 Manasseh led Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem astray, to do more evil than the nations whom the Lord destroyed before the people of Israel. The Lord spoke to Manasseh and to his people, but they paid no attention.

2 Chronicles 33:11-13 Therefore the Lord brought upon them the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria, who captured Manasseh with hooks and bound him with chains of bronze and brought him to Babylon. And when he was in distress, he entreated the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. He prayed to Him, and God was moved by his entreaty and heard his plea and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God.

I Have One More Question! Hezekiah and Manasseh cried out to God while facing death. What is our view of death today?

1 Corinthians 15:55-56 “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

For Our Consideration How do you handle unanswerable questions? God is moved by prayer and repentance – will we do so? Is your house in order for death comes to all –are you ready to meet Jesus face to face?

Prayer Focus Thank You Lord that You always hear us when we pray Thank You for Your unending grace, mercy and forgiveness Thank You for Your word that leads and guides us into truth