Hezekiah prayed when he knew he was going to die

From: February 20-26, 2007 Study: # 482

TOPIC: “Hezekiah prayed when he knew he was going to die” Isaiah 38:1-8 Our life is not guided by any mortal of this world or by anything else but by God. He will be the one that will have control of everything. We sometimes become desperate, but God is the one who conducts our lives and depending on our attitude God will do. What He wants of us is a repentant and humble heart. Hezekiah was a King and he humbled before God. After all, God is the one who works in the men of this world, regardless of their rank or position. Jehovah searches the heart. Depending on what He finds He either uses us or He puts us aside. God had blessed King Hezekiah in everything, he was prosperous, and was compared to David. He had done everything right, but he became somewhat arrogant. And here is where God began to deal with him, and he became very ill. He had the best doctors, but there was nothing that could heal him. We must not depend on anyone or anything here on earth but seek that our heart will please God. Every step we take will be either for right or for wrong. When God doesn't want to work on ones’ behalf He knows why. When the truth arrives it is necessary for us to live in humiliation each day. Our health depends on God completely. We sometimes forget that we will be accountable for everything we say, even in secret, because God is always there. He doesn't hide; His powerful vision is upon this world, where no one else can arrive. If we don't have Jehovah’s favor we won’t find it anywhere else. If we find grace in Jehovah’s eyes it is because we can’t do anything by ourselves. We are limited, but God Almighty is watching us. Some speak as if they were so great. There is arrogance in their lives! Their jokes in many occasions are against God. Hebrews 2:14 Christ defeated the one who had the empire of death; therefore, there is life for the righteous because Christ defeated the devil and death on the cross. Hezekiah’s greatness and kindness could not deliver him from his illness of death which was upon him. He was wounded half way through his life. A great miracle was performed to prevent him from death. Hezekiah had re-established the cult of the temple, he began to celebrate Passover again, he reorganized the Levites and the priest’s service completely, but halfway in his life he was tormented by an illness. He went through this experience because of his pride and arrogance. Jehovah had to come and shake his whole being so that he would fear him completely. Life goes a little further beyond what is simple, beyond what our eyes can see, and for everything we need God; we need to depend on Him. 2 Chronicles 32:20-22 Sennacherib, King of Assyria, besieged the City of Judah and Jehovah delivered them from his hand. Hezekiah was there having pure victory. We can be victorious today, but tomorrow we don't know. No believer can sit down to rest when they obtain a victory because our whole life is a war. Sennacherib was a powerful King. The Assyrians were evil, perverse people; they looked for all kinds of death for their adversaries. It wasn’t until Isaiah and Hezekiah prayed that God sent an angel; one was enough to help the people so that they would conquer. We can see the greatness of God when men and women pray. Hezekiah was known as a powerful warrior, exalted

among all because God sent an angel. God is interested in choosing a human being for his service, who will be dedicated to prayer and seek Him so that He will glorify himself. Jehovah cleansed his path. In the course of our walk vanity comes and affects us a lot. We must be careful because when God chooses us we either do right or we do wrong. If we don't look out for our heart it can become vain and not pure. Hezekiah’s heart was becoming vain and in an early stage of his life he was granted death. Vanity leads to death. Humans are arrogant by nature, for this reason we must live a life of prayer always. When there is no prayer a person dies spiritually. Having no communion with God drives us away from Him. Hezekiah became vain and pride in the fullness of his life. Pride makes us clumsy. Let us see God’s power so that we won't feel so great. We must learn to know, to depend and look at Heaven. Hezekiah began to suffer; he was called to die in the midst of a victory. To live here is to suffer and be courageous. There are processes of death that are for sanctification. It is better for a body to perish and not for a soul to get lost. God had an agreement with King Hezekiah. James 5:13 Hezekiah didn't have the promise that is for those who were cleansed with the blood of Christ. Sometimes when a person is in the process of an illness there is no prayer, but complaints and regrets. Hezekiah prayed to God and God healed him. Our God is powerful to do anything. The devil entertains us to keep us away from prayer. When Hezekiah was in the middle of his illness he prayed to God. This is what we must do. His body was being shattered but as he spoke there was humiliation, a confession to God. Our mouth needs to know what humiliation and confession is. We need God to deliver every bone of our body. We struggle each day for a body, for peace, for God’s will, and the best thing to do is to present ourselves before God and humble before Him. If we don’t we won’t get anywhere. There are situations in our lives when we have to cry out before God so that God will hear us. To cry out is more effective than words. Sometimes instead of crying out we complain. God is the one who takes care of us, protects us and fills us with everything. God saw Hezekiah’s tears and heard his prayer. Cornelius was a Roman soldier, he was not Jewish and God heard his prayer. Acts 10:2, 4 May God see us and hear us and gather all our tears. Those who humble themselves never lose because Jehovah will bless them. God granted Hezekiah 15 more years of life. God moved nature and turned time back to allow and show His power for this humiliation. Isaiah 38:8 Death was going to suddenly take him. The death of a righteous is not reluctant, or crazy but of peace. His eyelids fainted; he lifted his eyes to Heaven. How long will our moment of fullness last! But, the Lord is always with the people who call upon him. God gave him 15 years to walk in humbleness. It was for a short time and such a promise was kept. For this reason we have to be careful because the promises must be kept. God expected him to live in humbleness. We must watch not to fall the way Hezekiah fell. There were no longer complaints but praise in his home. That is what we should say: we will sing praises every day in the house of Jehovah. If we escape and complain prostrated in our bed, we won't be able to arrive at the house of Jehovah, to His altar, knowing that He is powerful and that He wants to bless us. Amen.