2 Kings 20:1-6 (NIV)

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.’”

At the beginning of the chapter, 39-year-old Hezekiah became extremely ill and was at the point of death. Isaiah came to him and gave Hezekiah a message from the LORD to put his house in order because he would not recover but die. We see Hezekiah weeping bitterly and pouring his heart out to God, reminding him of his faithfulness. The Hebrew word used for his prayer is palal, which means to "fall down" to the ground in the presence of one in authority to plead a cause. Hezekiah begged for his life. He founded his angst on The Law or Old Covenant of blessings and curses sent by God based on obedience or disobedience. Dying young without heirs would have meant displeasing God.

Under the Old Covenant, there was not a confident assurance of life beyond death. The LORD heard Hezekiah's pleading and spoke to Isaiah again. Before leaving the palace, God instructed him to return and deliver the message to Hezekiah that he would receive healing and live another 15 years. An extended life was vital to Hezekiah because he was of the lineage of David and had not married and produced a male heir to succeed him on the throne. (see Matthew chapter 1) Hezekiah received the gifts of healing and an extended life. Did he use those gifts well? We find the answers in the remaining verses of this chapter and in 2 Chronicles 32 and Isaiah 39.

The word testament means covenant. God's law represents the Old Testament or covenant. He gave detailed rules to His chosen people for worshipping him and how to live a life that honored Him. Jesus is our New Covenant. He offers Himself the ultimate sacrifice, which sets us free from our sins and old covenant sacrifice requirements. As believers of the New Covenant, we have hope founded in the resurrected Jesus and his blood atonement.

The New Testament (Covenant) is rich with promises of salvation and redemption. The first Bible verse many of us learn is John 3:16," For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." In Galatians 3: 13-14, we find these words," Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole." [b] 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.". Hebrews 9:15 teaches us assurance of the New Covenant in these words, "For this reason, Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant." Peter reminds us of the high price paid for our redemption in 1 Peter 1:18-19, "For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect."  It is easy to read the story of Hezekiah with our hindsight of biblical teaching and shake our heads in disbelief. However, we must ask ourselves are we really any different?

Prayer: God of mercy and grace, forgive us when we fail to acknowledge that You know what is best for us and that your plans for us are better than anything we can conceive, when we take our eyes off You, and when we take breach the boundaries You have set for us. Thank you for your Son, Jesus, whose blood atoned for all our sin. And it is in His Precious Name I pray. Amen.

(Also see 2 Chronicles 32 and Isaiah 38)

Becky Jordan