Hezekiah given 15 More Years II Kings 20

II Kings 20:1 "In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order, for thou shalt die and not live."

Hezekiah was a good king but it was time for him to have his appointment with death. He was very saddened and I think hurt when he got the news. He turned to the wall and cried. He also prayed to the LORD and recounted his deeds he had done for the LORD. The LORD had mercy on him and before Isaiah got out of the house, the LORD gave him the message for Hezekiah that he would have fifteen more years.

v5 "Turn again and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears, behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD."

It is a touching story. The LORD, although the God of the Universe and those things outside it, is also touched by one man's prayer and his tears.

Hezekiah's later years were not as right as his other years but that is another part of the story.

Here we can see the tender heart of the LORD toward his servants. It is the same heart that wept at the tomb of Lazarus. John 11:35

Hebrews 4:15 "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."

Our prayers are not wasted.

Revelation 5:8 "And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of the saints." See also Rev 8:3

For a sign, which Hezekiah asked for as if the word of the LORD was not enough, Hezekiah asked for the shadow on the dial to go backwards ten degrees and it was so. Verse 11.

Hezekiah made a huge mistake in his last years. He invited the enemy into the camp and showed off all his treasures. It's like bringing in a bank robber into a bank and showing them the security codes and all the money inside.

v17 "Behold the days come that all that is in thine house and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD."

Nevertheless, because of Hezekiah's service it would not happen in his lifetime but in his sons.

When Hezekiah heard the prophecy, I thought his statement was a little selfish. v19 "...And he said, is it not good, if peace and truth be in my days?" But that is not for me to decide. He was a good king with a mistake at the end. There must surely be a reason for our appointed time with death, perhaps it saves us from the biggest mistakes of our lives.

Hezekiah was famous for changing the course of a stream of water and routing it to bring water directly into Jerusalem. II Chronicles 32:30. The chapter also says that Hezekiah humbled himself before the LORD which I think can make up for a lot of mistakes.

Psalm 126:6 "He that goeth forth and weepeth bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him."

Keywords: Hezekiah, Bible Study, Old Testament, Kings, Jerusalem. Hezekiah given fifteen more years. Hezekiah changes the course of a stream to bring water into Jerusalem.