“In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die, and not live.’ ” 2 Then he turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the Lord, saying, 3 “Remember now, O Lord, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what was good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4 And it happened, before Isaiah had gone out into the middle court, that the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 5 “Return and tell Hezekiah the leader of My people, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord. 6 And I will add to your days fifteen years. I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for My own sake, and for the sake of My servant David.” ’ ” 7 Then Isaiah said, “Take a lump of figs.” So they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered. 8 And Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What is the sign that the Lord will heal me, and that I shall go up to the house of the Lord the third day?” 9 Then Isaiah said, “This is the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do the thing which He has spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees or go backward ten degrees?” 10 And Hezekiah answered, “It is an easy thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees; no, but let the shadow go backward ten degrees.” 11 So Isaiah the prophet cried out to the Lord, and He brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down on the sundial of Ahaz.” 2 Kings 20:1-11 NKJV
Father God,
Some people might read this and say that we have a God who changes his mind and decides to give Hezekiah 15 years more. After all Hezekiah has not been a bad king as we read earlier. He did what was right in Your sight when he began to reign (2 Kings 18:13-3).
But then reading this passage, we see the change to Hezekiah’s heart. True humility. He weeps bitterly and is humbled as he considers meeting You, His maker, soon. It is Your faithful response to the call of one of Your children. It will not remove the judgement upon Judah, but brings mercy to Hezekiah. And it gives Judah extra time to repent and humble themselves too. And a miraculous sign of time going backwards! A greater miracle was You holding back death for another 15 years.
You are a God who does not change. You are judge but also give grace and mercy. Wrong will always be wrong and sin will always be sin. But You keep Your word and provide us, not with a few extra years, but with the miracle of life through Jesus. And sometimes we see the signs of You in our lives, we know Your healing and Your deep, deep love for us. And sometimes we feel Your touch and it’s amazing.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Worship Friday 19th June 2026
Those times when moved to tears in worship or brought to our knees or just knowing in the moment Your Spirit is touching us . . .
When I feel the touch of Your hand upon my life,
It causes me to sing a song that I love You Lord,
So from deep within my spirit singeth unto Thee,
You are my King, You are my God and I love You Lord.
Lyrics: Keri Jones, David Matthew