The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 2 Kings 20:9-10,
"Isaiah answered, 'This is the Lord's sign to you [King Hezekiah] that the Lord will do what he has promised: Shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or shall it go back ten steps?' 'It is a simple matter for the shadow to go forward ten steps,' said Hezekiah. 'Rather, have it go back ten steps.'"
Judah's King Hezekiah was told by the Lord through the prophet Isaiah that he was going to die from some kind of illness that involved a boil. When Hezekiah heard it, he prayed to the Lord and "wept bitterly", verse 3. In response, the Lord had Isaiah return to the king and tell him he would extend his life an additional fifteen years and deliver Jerusalem from the threat of Assyria.
When Isaiah had returned with the news from the Lord, Hezekiah asked for some kind of sign these things would take place. The Lord provided a choice for Hezekiah as to what sign he would like to see: either the shadow on the "stairway of Ahaz" go forward ten steps or backward ten steps. Since the natural course of events would be for the shadow to continue in its progress, Hezekiah chose the other - to have the shadow reverse itself by ten steps. In verse eleven we read, "Then the prophet Isaiah called on the Lord, and the Lord made the shadow go back the ten steps it had gone down on the stairway of Ahaz." A true miracle! Hezekiah was healed and the city was delivered from the hand of the king of Assyria.
I have several thoughts on this as I consider it again this morning. The first is that Hezekiah's request for some kind of a sign he would be healed and the city spared manifests a certain lack of faith on Hezekiah's part. It seems to me the word of the Lord through Isaiah should have been enough. I am reminded that faith is never perfect.
Hezekiah's appeal to the Lord in prayer to deliver him and the city (implied from the Lord's response) was heartfelt. As he made his request to the Lord, we are told he wept "bitterly".
It seems to me that there was no compelling reason the Lord should have provided Hezekiah this sign other than the Lord's compassion and kindness. He provided the sign to Hezekiah, possibly in light of what we see of Hezekiah in his prayer. He told the Lord, "Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes." Verse 3.
It was important to Hezekiah. For me, I find it just like the Lord to express his compassion in this kind of way. Hezekiah really should have only needed the Lord's word to be convinced of what the Lord said he would do - yet he provided Hezekiah the comfort and encouragement of the miracle.
It brings to mind the many accounts of Jesus' post-resurrection appearances to his followers. As people of faith, we should not need the "proof" of his resurrection, but look at the comfort and encouragement his appearances brought his followers then, and us today!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
"Isaiah answered, 'This is the Lord's sign to you [King Hezekiah] that the Lord will do what he has promised: Shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or shall it go back ten steps?' 'It is a simple matter for the shadow to go forward ten steps,' said Hezekiah. 'Rather, have it go back ten steps.'"
Judah's King Hezekiah was told by the Lord through the prophet Isaiah that he was going to die from some kind of illness that involved a boil. When Hezekiah heard it, he prayed to the Lord and "wept bitterly", verse 3. In response, the Lord had Isaiah return to the king and tell him he would extend his life an additional fifteen years and deliver Jerusalem from the threat of Assyria.
When Isaiah had returned with the news from the Lord, Hezekiah asked for some kind of sign these things would take place. The Lord provided a choice for Hezekiah as to what sign he would like to see: either the shadow on the "stairway of Ahaz" go forward ten steps or backward ten steps. Since the natural course of events would be for the shadow to continue in its progress, Hezekiah chose the other - to have the shadow reverse itself by ten steps. In verse eleven we read, "Then the prophet Isaiah called on the Lord, and the Lord made the shadow go back the ten steps it had gone down on the stairway of Ahaz." A true miracle! Hezekiah was healed and the city was delivered from the hand of the king of Assyria.
I have several thoughts on this as I consider it again this morning. The first is that Hezekiah's request for some kind of a sign he would be healed and the city spared manifests a certain lack of faith on Hezekiah's part. It seems to me the word of the Lord through Isaiah should have been enough. I am reminded that faith is never perfect.
Hezekiah's appeal to the Lord in prayer to deliver him and the city (implied from the Lord's response) was heartfelt. As he made his request to the Lord, we are told he wept "bitterly".
It seems to me that there was no compelling reason the Lord should have provided Hezekiah this sign other than the Lord's compassion and kindness. He provided the sign to Hezekiah, possibly in light of what we see of Hezekiah in his prayer. He told the Lord, "Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes." Verse 3.
It was important to Hezekiah. For me, I find it just like the Lord to express his compassion in this kind of way. Hezekiah really should have only needed the Lord's word to be convinced of what the Lord said he would do - yet he provided Hezekiah the comfort and encouragement of the miracle.
It brings to mind the many accounts of Jesus' post-resurrection appearances to his followers. As people of faith, we should not need the "proof" of his resurrection, but look at the comfort and encouragement his appearances brought his followers then, and us today!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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