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Isaiah Chapter Thirty-Eight

1. Isaiah 38 is parallel to 2nd Kgs. 20:1-11.
2. Following the lifting of the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem, the Lord tested Hezekiah with the physical health test of a terminal illness (Isa. 38:1a).
   1. Isaiah reveals the Lord’s message and instructs Hezekiah to set his house in order (Isa. 38:1b).
   2. Hezekiah responds to Isaiah’s message with prayer (Isa. 38:2,3a), and great weeping (Isa. 38:3b).
      1. These are not necessarily sinful, selfish prayers by a man who doesn’t want to die (Heb. 5:7).
      2. These are the prayers of a pious man, who endures the perfection process of growth through testing (Heb. 5:8,9; Jas. 1:2-12).
3. The Lord responds to Hezekiah’s prayer, and tears (Isa. 38:4-5).
   1. He answers Hezekiah’s personal needs.
   2. He answers Jerusalem’s political needs.
4. The time-frame here is important.
   1. Hezekiah is granted an additional 15 years of physical life (Isa. 38:5).
   2. Manasseh is 12 years old when he succeeds his father (2nd Kgs. 21:1).
   3. Therefore, Hezekiah’s burden was for the Seed of David, which was on the verge of elimination (cf. Isa. 38:19).
5. The miracle sign was given as evidence that the Lord will truly extend Hezekiah’s life (Isa. 38:7-8,21-22).
   1. Man cannot lengthen the extent of our determined lifespan (Job 14:5; Ps. 139:16; Matt. 6:27), but can volitionally shorten the extent of our determined lifespan through suicide (2nd Sam. 17:23).
   2. God can Sovereignly lengthen the extent of our determined lifespan (Ex. 20:12; Deut. 6:2; Prov. 3:2,16; 4:10; 9:11; 10:27), or shorten the extent of our determined lifespan through the Sin Unto Death (1st Jn. 5:16b; Acts 5:1-5).
6. Hezekiah responded to the grace of God in his life by composing a psalm of praise (Isa. 38:9-20).
   1. Hezekiah was a collector of David’s psalms, and organized the Levitical choirs for their singing (2nd Chr. 29:30).
   2. Hezekiah was also a collector and compiler of Solomon’s proverbs (Prov. 25:1).
   3. Hezekiah was also an author in his own day (Isa. 38:9).
   4. This song is only recorded here, and not in the parallel accounts of 2nd Kgs. or 2nd Chr.

Isaiah Chapter Thirty-Nine

1. Isaiah 39 is parallel to 2nd Kgs. 20:12-19.
2. Merodach-baladan was a rebellious Babylonian ruler, who struggled numerous times to throw off the yoke of Assyria.
3. Hezekiah’s successful resistance of Sennacherib’s military assault brought him considerable prestige on the international stage (2nd Chr. 32:22-23).
4. Hezekiah’s illness & recovery was an opportunity for Merodach-baladan to curry favor, and find an ally in his many rebellious plans against Assyria (Isa. 39:1).
5. Hezekiah’s pride brought about a sad end to an otherwise wonderful life (Isa. 39:2-8; 2nd Chr. 32:24-33).

Second Kings Chapter Twenty

1. 2nd Kings 20 is parallel to Isaiah 38&39.
   1. 2nd Kgs. 20:1-11 = Isa. 38:1-22.
   2. 2nd Kgs. 20:12-19 = Isa. 39:1-8.
2. In King Hezekiah’s account of the illness event, the immediacy of the answered prayer is observed (2nd Kgs. 20:4).
   1. In this account, the nature of Hezekiah’s illness is also more clearly seen (2nd Kgs. 20:7).
   2. In this account, Isaiah presents Hezekiah with a choice for which direction the shadow would move (2nd Kgs. 20:8-11).
3. In Hezekiah’s account of the Babylonian envoy is virtually identical with Isaiah’s.
4. God’s grace in giving Hezekiah 15 additional years of life allowed for Manasseh his son to come to the throne at the age of 12 (2nd Kgs. 20:20-21:1).

(Chapter Twenty continues on Day 214)

Second Chronicles Chapter Thirty-Two

(Outline continues from yesterday)

5. The chapter closes with the spiritual accounts of the end of Hezekiah’s life (2nd Chr. 32:23-33).
   1. His international fame & temporal-life prosperity (2nd Chr. 32:23,27-30).
   2. His sickness & recovery is described as well as his lack of thankfulness when the Lord answers the prayer (2nd Chr. 23:24-26; 2nd Kgs. 20:1-11; Isa. 38:1-22).
   3. His foolishness with the Babylonian envoys (2nd Chr. 32:31; 2nd Kgs. 20:12-19; Isa. 39:1-8).

(Chapter Thirty-two continues on Day 214)

Sequence of Hezekiah’s later life:

• The Lord’s destruction of the Assyrian armies (2nd Kgs. 19:35).
• Hezekiah’s sickness and recovery (2nd Kgs. 20:1-11).
• Hezekiah’s pride and failure to honor the Lord (2nd Chr. 32:25).
• Hezekiah’s repentance (2nd Chr. 32:26), and hymn of praise (Isa. 38:9-20).
• Hezekiah’s international acclaim (2nd Chr. 32:22-23).
• Hezekiah’s temple treasury tour for the emissaries of Babylon (2nd Kgs. 20:12-13).
• Isaiah’s message of rebuke upon the house of Hezekiah, and the promise of Babylonian servitude (2nd Kgs. 20:16-19).
• Hezekiah’s death (2nd Kgs. 20:21).