Read 2 Kings 20
Hezekiah’s Illness
20 In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.”
2 Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, 3 “Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
4 Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of the Lord came to him: 5 “Go back and tell Hezekiah, the ruler of my people, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the Lord. 6 I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.’”
7 Then Isaiah said, “Prepare a poultice of figs.” They did so and applied it to the boil, and he recovered.
8 Hezekiah had asked Isaiah, “What will be the sign that the Lord will heal me and that I will go up to the temple of the Lord on the third day from now?”
9 Isaiah answered, “This is the Lord’s sign to you that the Lord will do what he has promised: Shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or shall it go back ten steps?”
10 “It is a simple matter for the shadow to go forward ten steps,” said Hezekiah. “Rather, have it go back ten steps.”
11 Then the prophet Isaiah called on the Lord, and the Lord made the shadow go back the ten steps it had gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.
Envoys From Babylon
12 At that time Marduk-Baladan son of Baladan king of Babylon sent Hezekiah letters and a gift, because he had heard of Hezekiah’s illness. 13 Hezekiah received the envoys and showed them all that was in his storehouses—the silver, the gold, the spices and the fine olive oil—his armory and everything found among his treasures. There was nothing in his palace or in all his kingdom that Hezekiah did not show them.
14 Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah and asked, “What did those men say, and where did they come from?”
“From a distant land,” Hezekiah replied. “They came from Babylon.”
15 The prophet asked, “What did they see in your palace?”
“They saw everything in my palace,” Hezekiah said. “There is nothing among my treasures that I did not show them.”
16 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord: 17 The time will surely come when everything in your palace, and all that your predecessors have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the Lord. 18 And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood who will be born to you, will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”
19 “The word of the Lord you have spoken is good,” Hezekiah replied. For he thought, “Will there not be peace and security in my lifetime?”
20 As for the other events of Hezekiah’s reign, all his achievements and how he made the pool and the tunnel by which he brought water into the city, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? 21 Hezekiah rested with his ancestors. And Manasseh his son succeeded him as king.
Go Deeper
Unlike most of Israel’s kings, Hezekiah was largely faithful. Over the past few days, we have read about his reign, and we know that he did not repeat the mistakes of his father but instead worked to rid the kingdom of foreign gods and idols.
In today’s passage, however, Hezekiah makes a mistake that will prove costly to Israel.. This chapter is a tale of two stories. In the first, God hears Hezekiah’s prayer and extends his life an additional 15 years. The king is deathly ill but doesn’t want to die because the Assyrians are still a threat to his people. God miraculously answers his prayer. However, in the second half, Hezekiah welcomes visitors from a “far country” called Babylon and shows them all the treasures of the kingdom, unaware of their ambitions for conquest. Indeed, those same people from the far country will one day return to plunder Israel of its people and its treasure.
While Hezekiah is focused on one enemy, he lets another walk right through the door. We can learn something from this. Oftentimes, we need to get our own house in order, but that comes at the expense of something else. His failure to prepare Manasseh (his son and ultimately his successor) to lead Judah into the future faithfully proved to be detrimental (as we’ll read about in the coming days).
When we address sin or chaos in one part of our life, we often allow it to rise in another (sometimes without even realizing it). This is another reminder that having other believers who can speak into our lives and know our blind spots is so helpful in combating sin. As we go about our days today, let us keep both eyes open and both hands ready.
Questions
- In which area of your life do you see that God is actively working?
- Is there an area of your life that needs attention?
- Who can help you identify where God is working or might need to be invited into your life?
Did You Know?
Both Isaiah and Micah prophesied and ministered during Hezekiah’s reign.
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11 responses to “2 Kings 20”
“This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.” How many people get the opportunity to set their house in order before they die? But you were born to die. We should all treat this day as our last, because you were not promised tomorrow.
Is your house in order with the Lord your God?
Are you speaking the Word to everyone you meet, so that they have a choice in their eternity?
Are you forgiving and not holding grudges?
Are you telling the people you love how important they are to you?
Are you giving your best to God with your time, your skills, your money?
Are you taking time every day to praise and worship and thank the God for all His goodness to you?
Do we love with the love of Christ?
After my death experience, if I was given 15 more years, I only have 8 left. I need to get busy sharing the gospel. Do not put off today, as we get the opportunity to speak about God , His Son and our blessed life. I do not know how many years I have left. But I do know that I should not be squandering my minutes of every day and neither should you.
God I am so thankful for the more years You have given me. Please forgive me for not utilizing them to the best of my ability. God I am truly thankful, grateful and blessed beyond verbage. There are not enough words to speak about the goodness of You. God help me where I struggle for words. God today, in these minutes of this day, let me speak boldly, forgive easily, love with Your love, doing what You need for me to do to further Your Kingdom. God thank You for the opportunity to praise and speak to You without ceasing. God i want to hear with shema hearing and to show people Your Hesed love, to those that are in my path today. God thank You for JP’s healing process, that You are making such a message out of this mess. God, thank You for helping the eyes of understanding on what the “figs” are to continue with the healing of his body. God I give You all praise, honor and glory for this day, these minutes and Your amamzing grace and mercy in Jesus name amen
WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“The word of the Lord you have spoken is good,” Hezekiah replied. For he thought, “Will there not be peace and security in my lifetime?”(v19)
Even the most faithful among us is still deeply flawed, hence the desperate need of a Savior.
Yes!
What i was reminded of today is that no matter what our request are to God, he will grant them to us because he knoes the desires of our heart and it should be to help others . Hezekiah was given more years because he still had a mission to be completed for God. also no matter how small our request are, make them know unto God.
What i was reminded of today is that no matter what our request are to God, he will grant them to us because he knoes the desires of our heart and it should be to help others . Hezekiah was given more years because he still had a mission to be completed for God. also no matter how small our request are, make them know unto God.
19 “The word of the Lord you have spoken is good,” Hezekiah replied. For he thought, “Will there not be peace and security in my lifetime?”
Hezekiah was only concerned for his own lifetime. He wasn’t concerned for future generations!
We likewise exhibit little concerns for future generations when we consider things like our national debt, political acrimony, economic fragility, etc. We can’t simply focus on the comfort during our own lifetime!
Wow—that’s powerful! Thank you for sharing.
I love how this chapter holds sacred space for Hezekiah’s feelings.
He gets those devastating words from Isaiah, and instead of trying to hold it together, he turns his face to the wall and weeps.
This is what depleted leadership looks like: a man undone, utterly defenseless, emptying himself before God. And God does not dismiss or shame – he responds.
As someone who feels things deeply, that detail is such a relief! Sensitivity is often depleting – but it is also a strength. It’s how I’ve been wired to stay close to God.
Until – the story turns. Babylonian envoys arrive, and suddenly Hezekiah is eager to show them everything: every treasure, every weapon, every corner of the palace. Oddly enough, it’s this unusual act I most identify with. When I’m depleted, I tend to offer up pieces of myself in hopes of affirmation.
“I am so, SO empty right now. Can someone please remind me I am actually still ‘enough?’”
I don’t think it’s possible to lead without getting depleted. It’s the inevitable byproduct of pouring yourself out for the people you serve. It’s predictable. It’s understandable.
But when it’s overlooked and unaddressed, it makes even the strongest of leaders vulnerable.
And so very fallible.
I think that’s what happened to Hezekiah. He cried out to God, but then he turned to others, looking for validation to soothe his ache and emptiness.
Wow, can I relate! In recent days, I’ve never been so depleted in my life. AND GOD is meeting me there in ways that are both humbling – and helpful. Perhaps one of the most powerful things I’m learning, from Hezekiah and from life, is that it isn’t enough to give God my emptiness.
I need to trust Him to FILL it.
God doesn’t reject the leader who weeps on the wall. He sees the tears and responds with mercy. And what often feels like “too much” in front of people is received as “enough” in front of God.
I’m slowly learning to respond to depletion a little differently these days. Instead of asking, “who (or what) can I find to fill it?”– I want to know this:
How do I honor depletion as a signal that I need tending – so I don’t go seeking from people what only GOD can provide?
Trusting God
What God can provide is so the right response that we all need to turn to.
Thank you Pam!
God spoke to me through this chapter, Glory to God
Even in our darkest moments, faith and prayer can bring forth miracles, as seen in Hezekiah’s healing. However, pride and a lack of wisdom can lead to consequences that surpass our lifetimes.