2 Kings 20
McGeeCHAPTER 20THEME: Hezekiah’s illness and healingThis chapter is very meaningful to me because I have had an experience with illness and healing that is somewhat like Hezekiah’s experience. Keep in mind that Hezekiah was an outstanding king. There was none like him after David. “He did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did"this is God’s testimony concerning him.
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HEZEKIAH’S ILLNESSHezekiah’s illness is recorded three times in Scripture (2 Kings 20; 2 Chron. 32; and Isa. 38), and each account adds a little something to the total picture. It must have been a difficult task for Isaiah to deliver a death sentence to Hezekiah, the king. Very candidly, however, the sentence of death rests upon each one of us although we do not know the day or hour. The Scripture says, “And it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Heb_9:27). This is a divine date. If each one of us knew the exact time we would die, would it not change our way of living? Even many Christians say, “Death is way off yonder in the future. I won’t worry about it now.” Well, we may not worry about it, but we ought to live knowing that death will be the ultimate goal. Many years ago when a fine young minister was told by his doctor that he had a recurrence of cancer and his days were limited, he sent out a letter to some of his friends. I was privileged to be included in that list and I was shaken when I read his letter. Let me give you an excerpt from it: “One thing I have discovered in the last few days. When a Christian is suddenly confronted with the sentence of death, he surely begins to give a proper evaluation of material things: my fishing gear, and books, and orchard are not nearly so valuable as they were a week ago.” With that in mind, let us look at Hezekiah’s experience.
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Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord. I think I understand his position. Suppose you were told that you had cancer and neither you nor the doctor knew what the outcome would be. All of my life in the ministry I have visited people with cancer. I could understand how they could have cancer, but I never could understand how I could have it. It rocked me when the doctor told me I had cancerI could not believe it. When I had to accept the fact, I was not given any assurance at all that I would livenor have I any assurance today. I just know that I have cancer. May I say to you, it gives you a different set of values. My life is a little different today. Many people have wondered about my conduct in certain areas. They ask, “Why did you resign as pastor of a church when you were still active?” I have no ambition in the ministry. God gave me the privilege of being pastor of a great church in its heyday and of conducting the largest midweek service in that day and generation. I considered that a privilege. But now my ambition is to live in such a way that I will please the Lord. It has caused me to change in many different ways. Someone said to me the other day, “You are trying to kill yourself in carrying on your radio ministry and holding conferences.” You know, I am afraid if I don’t, I am going to displease Him. When I was taken to the hospital, I had no idea what the outcome of my illness would be. The nurse had to help me get into bed because I was so weak. I was not physically weakI was frightened; I am a coward. She asked, “Are you sick?” I replied, “No. I am scared to death!” She was a Christian nurse, and she smiled at that. I asked her to leave me alone for awhile, and I turned my face to the wall, just as Hezekiah did, and I cried out to God. I told Him that I did not want to dieand I didn’t want to die. When we are ill, I believe we should go to God in prayer and ask others to pray for us. I believe in faith healingnot in faith healersI know God can heal. Well, an acquaintance wrote me a letter in which she said, “I am not going to pray that you get well because I know that you are ready to go and be with the Lord. I am praying that He will take you home.” I got an answer back to her in a hurry. I said, “Now look here. You let the Lord handle this. Don’t try and tell Him how I feel. I don’t want to die. I want to live. I want to live as long as I can.” When I turned my face to the wall there in the hospital, I promised Him, “Lord, if you will raise me up, I will teach your Word everywhere I can go.” That is what I have been trying to do. I don’t want to let Him down because I don’t want Him to say, “Well, look here, preacher, I will have to call you home because you are not doing what you said you would do.” Friend, we have a different outlook on life when we are in a position like this. The doctor, a wonderful Christian man, has told me that he cannot help me, but my recovery has come from the hand of God. Of course, I told him that I wanted to know why he sends me a bill if God is the One doing the work. It is wonderful, friend, to be in a position where you have to trust the Lord. I have no other alternative.
Where in the world am I going to go if I don’t go to the Lord? I am trusting the Lord and I am not being pious when I say thatit was forced on me. Now Hezekiah was in that same position. Only God could help him. When he turned his head to the wall, he reminded the Lord that he had walked before Him in truth and with a perfect heart, and he had done that which was good in His sight.
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The Lord had seen Hezekiah’s tears. I am sure he has seen my tears, too, and yours.
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This is great news that the Lord will heal him and extend his life fifteen more years!
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HEZEKIAH’S RECOVERYGod used natural means to raise up Hezekiah, but He also used supernatural means. This is wonderful. It is what James is saying, “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord” (Jas_5:14). There are two ways a person can be anointed with oil. One is ceremonial, and the other is medicinal. A great many people seem to have missed it, but James is talking about a medicinal anointing. God is saying through James that we should be very practical. The doctor should be called, but the elders of the church should also be called to pray. And the prayer will raise up the one who is sick. In Hezekiah’s case they put figs on the “boil"which may well have been cancer. God said, “I am going to add fifteen years to your life, but you had better put figs on that boil.” Friend, my recommendation is not to be fanatical, but be sensible. If you have cancer, then face up to it. I wanted to know the facts and so did Hezekiah. Believe me, God laid it out before him, and God spared his life for fifteen more years.
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Hezekiah asked for a sign to show that his life would be extended. The Lord has given me no sign whatsoever that my life will be lengthened. That, of course, is up to my heavenly Father, but I want Him to leave me here as long as He possibly can. If He has another plan, I will have to accept it. It is not always God’s will to extend our lives. I notice in the early church that James was a martyrhe was executed by Herod. Peter, on the other hand, was delivered from prison. I do not know why one man was delivered and the other man became a martyr. All of that is in the providence of God. It is His will that we want. Let’s pray, “Oh God, bend me and reconcile me to your willwhatever it is.” But I am going to let God know how I feel about it. I used to visit a dear lady who was in such pain that she knew she would not get well. She said, “Dr. McGee, don’t pray for me to get well. Just pray that the Lord will take me.” That is what the Lord did, by the way. But I do not pray that way unless the person wants me to do so.
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HEZEKIAH’S FOOLISHNESSNow we come to a phase in Hezekiah’s life that blanches my soul. He sends a get-well card and a gift.
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Hezekiah did a foolish thing. He let the ambassadors from Babylon see the treasure that Solomon had gathered. The wealth of the world was there, which was not general knowledge. Hezekiah was big-heartedBabylon had sent him a get-well card, and so he gives these men from Babylon a guided tour of his kingdom.
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He rolled out the red carpet and showed them everything.
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These ambassadors made an inventory of all the riches and took it back to Babylon with them to wait for the proper time when they needed gold. When they wanted to get the treasure, they knew where to come.
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This is what is going to happen to Hezekiah’s offspring.
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I don’t like Hezekiah’s reply to Isaiah. It was not a confession of sin at all. Rather, he wanted peace in his day and showed little concern for his offspring upon whom the coming catastrophe would fall.
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HEZEKIAH’S DEATHThis may seem like an awful thing for me to say, but Hezekiah should have died when the time came for him to die. Three things took place after God extended his life that were foolish acts: he showed his treasures to Babylon, which will cause great trouble in the future; he begat a son, Manasseh, who was the most wicked of any king; he revealed an arrogance, almost an impudence, in his later years. His heart became filled with pride. 2Ch_32:25 tells us, “But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.” You see, it might have been better if Hezekiah had died at God’s appointed time. That is why I want to be very careful. The Lord has spared me and I do not want to do anything to disgrace Him. My friend, this is a wonderful chapter. We have a wonderful heavenly Father.