“Hezekiah was sick unto death, then turned his face to the wall and said, ‘Remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight.’”
(Isaiah 38:1-3)
As the Great King and Keeper of his kingdom, the Lord Christ takes care of his own. In fact, one of the greatest comforts God’s people can hold onto in difficult times is that he hears the prayers of his children now, just as he did in Hezekiah’s time, because he is an unchangeable God. And he is good to those who belong to him. The end of all his ways and means is to order and orchestrate all events and circumstances to work together for our good and his glory (Rom. 8:28). So the choice to simply trust that he always protects us, provides for us, and delivers us from our enemies allows us to abandon ourselves to his goodness and mercy that we may serve him without fear, in purity of heart, all the days of our life (Luke 1:74-75).
An amazing example of how God responds to and delivers those of his servants whose life is characterized by faith and holiness is that of Hezekiah in Isaiah 38:1-3, “Hezekiah was sick unto death, then turned his face to the wall and said, ‘Remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight.’” God heard Hezekiah’s prayer and not only delivered him from death that very day but also added 15 more years to his life!
This narrative illustrates just one of the many advantages and blessings that flow from living under the lordship of Jesus Christ. Because of the spiritual deliverance we experienced the moment we put our faith in him and his power to save us, we have full and direct access to the throne room of grace. Here he waits to hear our prayers of distress and answer according to his plans for us and the furtherance of his kingdom.
What an unspeakable honor we have as his adopted heirs to serve him whose government is established on truth, holiness, order, righteousness, execution of judgment on his enemies, and merciful administration of justice in regard to his subjects. Knowing this, we can enjoy a peaceful assurance that Christ is even right now in the process of setting all that is wrong in the world right. Further, his is an enduring administration that continues throughout eternity in order that he might forever pay his enemies their wages and perform all his gracious promises made to his people.
To that end, he orders and directs all occurrences in our life and in our world for the good of his people, his church, and his glory. Night and day he mediates on our behalf, communing with his Holy Spirit that resides in us, to protect and deliver us. For it is just as 2 Timothy 4:18 affirms, “And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
Contemplations:
- I read, Lord, that “we must not pin our faith upon any party; nor order our ways by any man’s way which they have chosen to themselves, though they appear never so godly. Hezekiah builds on that here… that which all the people of God in common consent in; that is, a sincere walking with God according to his will.” Help me do this too.[1]
- Lord, I understand it will not be enough to say at the last day that we held to certain truths by bare knowing. But the comfort will be that I strove to be of the mind of God as revealed in his Word. I must remember, it is my responsibility to be aware not only of the errors of the ungodly (2 Peter 3:17), but also of the godly, that all things may be ordered rightly under King Jesus.
- It is good to model Hezekiah in this passage in Isaiah 38, but not in the next chapter where he is tempted and falls into sin. Rather, I should only seek to model and admire godly people for that which is godly in them. For in this way Christ’s kingdom will continue to be glorified.
- The Lord Jesus is a great King who orders his kingdom in a most wonderful and upright manner, knowing that all things that befall me are for my good.
Further References for Isa. 38:1-3:
Psalm 50:15; 2 Kings 18:5; Psalm 26:3; Jonah 1:14
[1] William Thomas, Scriptures Opened (London: Printed for Sampson Evans, Bookseller in Worcester, 1675), 189–191.
