“Hezekiah was sick and near death. Isaiah said to him, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Set your house in order, for YOU shall die.‘ ” Then he turned his face toward the wall, AND PRAYED, “Remember, O LORD, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what was good in Your sight.” And HEZEKIAH WEPT BITTERLY. And it happened, before Isaiah had gone, the word of the LORD came to him, “Return and tell Hezekiah the leader of My people, “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I WILL HEAL YOU. I WILL ADD TO YOUR DAYS FIFTEEN YEARS.” (2 Kings 20:1-6) God was remarkably kind to Hezekiah, telling him that his death was near. Not all people are given the time to set their house in order. We know from comparing (2 Kings 18:2) with (2 Kings 20:6), that Hezekiah was 39 years old when he received this message.
Hezekiah’s prayer may seem selfish but under the Old Covenant, this was a valid principle on which to approach God. Passages like (Leviticus 26) and (Deuteronomy 28) show that under the Old Covenant, blessing and cursing was sent by God on the BASIS OF OBEDIENCE OR DISOBEDIENCE. On that principle, David could write, “LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? He who WALKS UPRIGHTLY, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart. (Psa. 15:1-2)
So, how did Hezekiah do? “Hezekiah TRUSTED IN THE LORD God of Israel, so that after him WAS NONE LIKE HIM among all the kings of Judah, nor who were before him. For he held fast to the LORD; he KEPT His commandments, which the LORD had commanded Moses.” (2 Kings 18:5-6)
Hezekiah’s principle of prayer wouldn’t be fitting for a Christian today. We are taught to ask in the name of Jesus “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, WHATEVER YOU ASK THE FATHER IN MY NAME He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing IN MY NAME. ASK, and you WILL RECEIVE, that your joy may be full.” (John 16:23-24), not in the name of who WE ARE or what WE HAVE DONE.
-Bill Stockham