King Hezekiah
I am beginning to notice that there are many parts of the Book of Isaiah that trouble my modern sensibilities. YHWH God is the master of a game of cosmic chess moving various pieces that represent the nations across the board in accordance with his will. YHWH God is depicted as in total control over world events which raises hope for the oppressed while scaring the oppressor. One part of me is troubled by this; one side rejoices.
One place where I am forced to scratch my head is Is. 38.1-39.8. In 38.1 we discover that Hezekiah is deathly ill. Isaiah informs him that it is time to get his “house in order”. He is going to die.
In 38.2-3 we find Hezekiah weeping bitterly before God. He is not ready to die. Suddenly, Isaiah hears God again in vv. 4-8 with a message for Hezekiah that he will live and God will protect Judah from Assyrian invasion.
This seems like an amazing miracle. In vv. 9-20 we have a beautiful prayer of Hezekiah as he thanks YHWH for saving him from Sheol. He decides to use his life to praise YHWH because if he would have died he would not have been able to do so.
Then it gets sad. In 39.1-2 Hezekiah receives some delegates from Babylon. He proudly shows them all of his estate. In vv. 3-4 Isaiah asks Hezekiah what he did and why. Suddenly, in vv. 5-7 we have Isaiah telling Hezekiah that this action will lead to Babylon coming to destroy Judah. Some day Hezekiah’s children will be carried away into captivity because Hezekiah has given Babylon a tour of the whole area and Babylon will know exactly how to take the city.
Hezekiah’s response? He was pleased to hear that there would be “peace and truth in my days.”
One would think God’s foresight would cause him to let Hezekiah die before he made such a grievous error that would lead to his legacy being damaged by the fact that it is partially his fault Judah would later be taken into the Babylonian exile!
Yet God answers Hezekiah’s prayer.
One cannot help but read the book of this prophet and sit in amazement at the theology that is conveyed. YHWH is the holy, wise, sovereign King of the cosmos. All his actions are good and right. At that, one can only worship. There is no capturing the mind of God.
Yet this makes me wonder aloud about our prayers. Can we pray the wrong thing? Is there any sense in which God answering our prayers is not necessarily good for us?
February 24, 2011 at 10:23 am
Interesting post. Hezekiah’s prayer was one of the prayers I was praying from scripture last year as a result of my serious health issue (http://theevangelicalcalvinist.wordpress.com/2010/07/10/the-prayer-of-hezekiah-answered/), and I’m glad the Lord answered they way he did (although I’m hopeful for more than 15yrs). We don’t have a son named Manasseh, so, so far so good
!
I think we can pray the wrong thing all the time, which is why it’s good that we don’t pray alone; that the Holy Spirit is able to take our crooked prayers, and on their way up he is able to make them straight:
In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; 27. and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. ~Rom. 8:26-27
And then you know the rest of that context (the infamous vs 28). I think this is where our union with Christ is so important; we can’t ask the question about “us” w/o referencing “Him.” If we are faithless He remains faithful for He cannot deny Himself. Ultimately I think the answer to your question is, No. That is not to say that if God allows us to continue to live, per the context of Hezekiah’s situation, that we can’t make foolish sinful decisions after that; in fact we will. But that doesn’t not thwart the plans or purposes of God; the cross and resurrection and ascension have made sure of that.
February 24, 2011 at 10:30 am
@Bobby: I pray he gives you much more than fifteen years! As I have been thinking about this passage it has occurred to me that a lot of good did come from Hezekiah’s extended life. Even if much good had not come I would agree with you that in the end God’s plan was fulfilled and Hezekiah’s prayer was in accordance with that plan. God intended to send Judah to Babylon and he just happened to use Hezekiah in some fashion.
I am going to post a follow up post on the relationship between the literary and chronological order of Is. 39 that may shed further insight into this discussion.
February 24, 2011 at 10:50 am
Look forward to it, Brian. And thank you!
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