Our Wednesday Evening Message for May 11, 2022

​

                   "The Sickness and Recovery of King Hezekiah"

 

                                             Text: II King 20: 1-11

 

​

 

​

 

      

 

 

 

 

 

​

​

​

​                                          

​

​

​

    

​

 

​

 

 

 

​

               

                                                 

​

In this study, we examine the prayer given by an Old Testament king named Hezekiah. We focus on his sickness, and his need to call upon the Lord in prayer to cure him. We are told that Hezekiah was sick unto death(v.1) His sickness was some sort of boil that caused him much pain and suffering. Some Bible teacher think maybe that it might have been cancer, maybe leprosy, or some disease we have never heard of. Nevertheless the scripture does not tell us except that he was sick unto death.

​

Now the sickness Hezekiah was enough to make a person to turn to the Lord, but Hezekiah not only had a physical problem but also a political one. At the same time he was dealing with this sickness, the Assyrian army surrounded Judah demanding Hezekiah to surrender. This chapter starts off by using this phrase,  "In those days.."  Now,you might ask, "What days?" Well, the days Judah was being siege by the Assyrians to capture the Israelite and take over their land. As if this was not enough, Hezekiah was sick unto death.

​

Hezekiah was only 25 years old when he became king, and we are told that all of Hezekiah's problems occurred in the 14th year of his reign as king. In other words, Hezekiah was in the prime of his life. He was 39 years old when he became sick. His sickness was unto death, and he was told by the Lord through the prophet Isaiah, "..set thy house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live." (v.1)

​

So the lesson we can learn here is that you do not have to be old and feeble for things to go wrong in your life. For Hezekiah, the 14th year was not a good year for him. It seemed to be one of those years that everything went wrong. However, I want you to notice what Hezekiah did. He did not complain nor take a nerve pill nor drugs nor alcohol to solve his problem. The Bible says he turned his face to the wall, and prayed to the Lord asking for his help.

​

Now Hezekiah's prayer was not a long one, but we read that the Lord not only heard his prayer but saw his tears. You see the Lord we serve is a gracious and compassionate God. He not only hears our prayer, but he is acquainted with our sorrows and our heartaches as we journey in this life.

​

As with Hezekiah, God will also hear your prayers. However, the most important prayer you can every pray is, "Lord, I am a sinner, please save me? Hezekiah's prayer was answered, and so will yours if you come to Jesus by simple childlike faith.

​​​

​

 

​                                                          Pastor Michael R. Martin

 

​

 

​

 

 

​​​​                                                               

 

​

​

​

​

 

​

 

 

 

​