Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, saying,
When gravely ill and told that he would die, Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord. Though his situation appeared hopeless, he still cried to God for life, pleading that God remember his truthful and wholehearted service and the good he had done, and he wept deeply. His prayer was heard, and God restored him and added fifteen years to his life. Though one word from God could have healed him instantly, God healed him through the directed remedy of laying figs upon the boil, showing that using natural aid does not deny faith but cooperates with divine power and sanctions the use of remedial agencies together with prayer for the sick.
Prayer in Mortal Sickness
Hezekiah was gravely ill when the message came that he would die, and he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord. He responded to the sentence of death by turning at once to the Lord in prayer while seriously sick. Though his situation appeared hopeless, he could still pray to the Lord who had been his refuge and help.
He pleaded that God would remember his truthful and wholehearted service and the good he had done. He wept deeply as he prayed.
He cried to God for life after death was pronounced upon him. His prayer for life was heard by God.
Healing Through Prayer and Means
In answer to prayer God restored him from mortal sickness and added fifteen years to his life. Though one word could have healed him instantly, he was healed not by word alone but by the special direction to take a lump of figs and lay it for a plaster upon the boil so that he should recover. That healing came through a simple remedy of figs, blessed by God and applied as He directed to the affected part. Using this natural aid did not deny faith but cooperated with divine power, showing that prayer and practical means of healing work together. This gives the sanction of the word of God for using remedial agencies together with prayer for the sick.
The same sickness-and-recovery history includes his showing the riches to the Babylonian ambassadors, which became a test revealing what was in his heart. In that history God spared his life when hope had failed and gave a miraculous sign of his recovery. His experience is one in which the Lord's hand was visible, illustrating that some afflictions come under God's providence.
When gravely ill and told that he would die, Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord. Though his situation appeared hopeless, he still cried to God for life, pleading that God remember his truthful and wholehearted service and the good he had done, and he wept deeply. His prayer was heard, and God restored him and added fifteen years to his life. Though one word from God could have healed him instantly, God healed him through the directed remedy of laying figs upon the boil, showing that using natural aid does not deny faith but cooperates with divine power and sanctions the use of remedial agencies together with prayer for the sick.
Prayer in Mortal Sickness
Hezekiah was gravely ill when the message came that he would die, and he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord. He responded to the sentence of death by turning at once to the Lord in prayer while seriously sick. Though his situation appeared hopeless, he could still pray to the Lord who had been his refuge and help.
He pleaded that God would remember his truthful and wholehearted service and the good he had done. He wept deeply as he prayed.
He cried to God for life after death was pronounced upon him. His prayer for life was heard by God.
Healing Through Prayer and Means
In answer to prayer God restored him from mortal sickness and added fifteen years to his life. Though one word could have healed him instantly, he was healed not by word alone but by the special direction to take a lump of figs and lay it for a plaster upon the boil so that he should recover. That healing came through a simple remedy of figs, blessed by God and applied as He directed to the affected part. Using this natural aid did not deny faith but cooperated with divine power, showing that prayer and practical means of healing work together. This gives the sanction of the word of God for using remedial agencies together with prayer for the sick.
The same sickness-and-recovery history includes his showing the riches to the Babylonian ambassadors, which became a test revealing what was in his heart. In that history God spared his life when hope had failed and gave a miraculous sign of his recovery. His experience is one in which the Lord's hand was visible, illustrating that some afflictions come under God's providence.