King Hezekiah’s Prayer: God’s 180
“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.’ Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, ‘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. Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of the Lord came to him: ‘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'” 2 Kings 20: 1-5.
For a little background, Hezekiah, a son of the wicked King Ahaz, reigned over the southern kingdom of Judah for twenty-nine years, from c. 715 to 686 BC. He began his reign at age 25 (2 Kings 18:2).
He was more zealous for the Lord than any other king before or after (2 Kings 18:5). During his reign, the prophet Isaiah ministered in Judah (gotquestions.org).
Even the Prayer’s of the Wicked are Powerful
It’s amazing the power of the prayer of the righteous to change God’s mind. Even the prayers of the wicked are powerful, when accompanied by repentance. We see this with king Ahab.
To read more about King Hezekiah’s reign, click here.
In both cases, God had not only determined the course of action, but had already given the message to His spokesperson.
But prayer altered the whole course of events. “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” James 5: 16.
The Minute He Repented, God Heard
And it’s interesting to note that Ahab did not even have any track record of fearing God (like Hezekiah). The minute he repented, God heard him.
Two things strike me about our passage in 2 Kings.
First, the fact that Hezekiah’s prayer made such a dramatic difference. It literally turned the situation around. God did a 180.
And secondly, how quickly it made a difference.
The deliverer of the message (Isaiah) wasn’t even out of the palace before God changed His mind.
But, no matter how righteous Hezekiah was, if he wouldn’t have prayed, he wouldn’t have been healed. “You do not have because you do not ask God” James 4: 2.
King Hezekiah’s Prayer, Not His Righteousness
He would’ve died when he could’ve opened his mouth and asked God for mercy. Answered Prayer: God’s Mercy
And mercy is what he needed. Although Hezekiah was righteous, his heart was proud. God would not have been unjust in allowing him to die in his illness.
I wonder how many blessings, deliverances, healings, gifts we miss out on, simply because we don’t ask?
On the other hand, no matter how much he would’ve asked, if he would’ve been wicked, God would not have heard (See Proverbs 15: 29, others).
King Asa Righteous but Didn’t Pray
Like Hezekiah, king Asa was also a good king. 2 Chronicles 14:2 and 15:17 say: “Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God . . . Asa’s heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life”.
Nevertheless, like Hezekiah, he too became ill.
“In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was afflicted with a disease in his feet. Though his disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek help from the Lord, but only from the physicians” 2 Chronicles 16: 12.
And what was the outcome for this good king who didn’t seek the Lord? “Then in the forty-first year of his reign Asa died and rested with his ancestors” 2 Chronicles 16: 13.
King Hezekiah’s Prayer Made the Difference
Both kings were righteous. Both had access to the Divine Healer.
But one sought the Lord in his illness, and the other didn’t.
The scriptures seem to make it clear that, if Asa would’ve sought the Lord, He would’ve healed him.
And the outcome of his life would’ve been different.
The amazing power of the prayer of the righteous!
For another post related to King Hezekiah’s Prayer: God’s 180, see Double for your Trouble: Best of Both Worlds.
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