“Interpreters agree that the events described in chapters 38 and 39 preceded the invasion of 701 B.C… Many date these events in 703 B.C., but the evidence more strongly suggests a date of about 712 B.C.” (Wolf)
Confronted with death, Hezekiah did what most of us would probably do in his situation: He wept and prayed. We can learm several things from this account:
- God Hears Our Imperfect Prayers
Hezekiah was a faithful and honorable king who "trusted in the LORD," (2 Kings 18:5) but he was also human and flawed. When Hezekiah cried out to God in his grief, he bargained for a longer life on the basis of his faithful walk and wholehearted devotion rather than calling on God's compassionate nature or His covenant promise to David. (Isaiah 38:3)
2 Samuel 7:16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.
Hezekiah's son, who was to take the kingdom, had not yet been born, and Hezekiah's death would have been the death of the nation. - God Uses Pain for a Purpose
In the psalm Hezekiah penned following his recovery, his great revelation was not that God had heard and healed him but that "it was for my welfare that I had great bitterness" (Isaiah 38:17). The dying king's grief led him to a new appreciation for life, recognition of his sin and gratitude for God's forgiveness. (Isaiah 38:17-20) Hezekiah understood his suffering was for his benefit. (Isaiah 38:17)
God certainly provides physical healing at times, but His utmost concern is the condition of our hearts and the salvation of our souls. If facing the unthinkable stirs up repentance, gratitude, praise or spiritual maturity, then pain holds far more worth than a life of ease. (James 1:2-4; Hebrews 12:10-11) What hope we have in knowing God can use any disappointment, trial or tragedy for our benefit and His glory! (Romans 8:28) - God Guides our Paths with Love and Wisdom
The Lord answered Hezekiah's plea with extended life as well as a promise of military deliverance. But He made it clear His response was not for the king's sake but for David's. (Isaiah 38:5)
2 Kings 20:6 I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city for my own sake and for my servant David’s sake.
This was because He had a bigger picture in mind: the rescue and salvation of His people. And Hezekiah still had a role to play. When the Lord doesn't answer our prayers according to our desires, we may feel rejected or unworthy. But don't fall for the enemy's lies. Our circumstances are not a reflection or measure of God's affection. Through blessing or trial, His love for you is limitless, unconditional and everlasting
The Sundial of Ahaz
After Hezekiah's prayer, we read in vs 4-6 'Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah: “Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; 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.'
Then in vs 7-8 we read “‘This is the Lord’s sign to you that the Lord will do what he has promised: I will make the shadow cast by the sun go back the ten steps it has gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.’” So the sunlight went back the ten steps it had gone down.
The Hebrew word used here is translated sundial or stairway. Either way it was an instument of time. According to Biblehub, T. De Witt Talmage, D. D. commentary, this invention was atributed to Ahaz by which he could tell the time of day. This sundial may have been a great column, and when the shadow of that column reached one point it was nine o'clock a.m., and when it reached another point it was three o'clock p.m., and all the hours and half-hours were so measured. Or it may have been a flight of stairs such as may now be found in Hindustan and other old countries, and when the shadow reached one step it was ten o'clock a.m., or another step it was four o'clock p.m., and likewise other hours may have been indicated.
We don't receive an explanation of why God used the sun's shadow on the "dial of Ahaz" as a sign. (Isaiah 38:8) One suggestion was that by bringing the shadow of the sundial to move backward, it gave more time in a day – just as God gave Hezekiah more time. This was a wonderfully appropriate sign for Hezekiah. (Enduring Word)
But it's interesting to note that Ahaz was Hezekiah's father. As you might recall from Isaiah 7:11, Ahaz was invited to ask for a sign to signify God's commitment to the house of David and the city of Jerusalem — a promise that He was now reissuing to Hezekiah.
For Ahaz, God told him he could ask for a sign but Ahaz said "I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the test" (Isaiah 7:12). Although this sounded like he was responding appropriately, what he was really saying was "I will not put the Lord to the test BECAUSE I'm not trusting Him to take care of this situation." This is why Isaiah responded "Will you try the patience of my God also?" (vs 13). [See notes on Isaiah 7].
When Ahaz didn't ask for a sign, we read "Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and will call Him Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14). This was a promise to the remnant of Israel, they had a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). So even though Ahaz did not put his trust in God and God allowed Assyria to be an instrument of His judgment for the nation's unfaithfulness, God's plans for the nation of Israel (and for the world) would not be thwarted. God is faithful to all His promises.
The sign given to Hezekiah that he would be given 15 more years was also a promise that the nation had a hope and future, for if Hezekiah had died from his illness, he would not have born a son in wihich the Messianic lineage would be produced.
Matthew 1:9b-10 denotes tin the genology of Jesus that "Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, Hezekiah the fatherr of Manasseh."