716-686BC – King Hezekiah – the sun goes backward

King Hezekiah became very ill with a bad boil and prayed and wept for recovery. But when the king was promised recovery, he asked for a sign.
God replied through the prophet Isaiah giving King Hezekiah the choice of two amazing options: “Do you want the shadow of the sun to go forward ten steps or back ten steps?”

King Hezekiah replied to Isaiah asking that the shadow go back the ten steps it had gone down on the stairway of Ahaz. And it happened!!

Speaking through Isaiah, God promised that He would also add fifteen years to King Hezekiah’s life. Then Isaiah the prophet asked for a poultice of figs to be applied to the boil. The king recovered.

These blessings from God came about because King Hezekiah had walked before the Lord God faithfully and with wholehearted devotion.

Background Reading: 2 Kings 20:1-11

Hezekiah’s Sickness and Recovery

20:1During this time, Hezekiah became sick with a fatal illness, so Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, approached him and told him, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Put your household in order, because you are dying. You will not survive.’”

2 So Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD. 3 “Remember me, LORD,” he said, “how I have walked in your presence with integrity, with an undivided heart, and I have accomplished what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept deeply.

4 Before Isaiah had left the middle court, this message from the LORD came to him. 5 “Return to Hezekiah,” he said, “and tell the Commander-in-Chief of my people: ‘This is what the LORD, the God of your ancestor David, says: “I’ve heard your prayer and I’ve observed your tears. Look! I’m healing you. Three days from now, you’ll go visit the LORD’s Temple. 6 Furthermore, I’ll add fifteen years to your life. I’ll deliver you and this city from domination by the king of Assyria, and I’ll defend this city for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David.”’”

7 Isaiah said, “Take a fig cake.” So some attendants took it, laid it on Hezekiah’s boil, and he recovered.

8 Now Hezekiah had asked Isaiah, “What is to be the sign that the LORD is healing me and that I’ll be going up to the LORD’s Temple three days from now?”

9 So Isaiah replied, “This will be your sign from the LORD that the LORD will do what he has promised. Shall the shadow go forward ten steps or go back ten steps?”

10Hezekiah answered, “It’s an easy thing for a shadow to lengthen ten steps. So let the shadow go backward ten steps.”

11So Isaiah cried out to the LORD, who brought the shadow back ten steps after it had gone down the stairway of Ahaz.
2 Kings 20:1-11
Also read: 2 Chronicles 32:24-26.


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