And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city.
The promise is to rescue both Hezekiah himself and Jerusalem from the hand of the king of Assyria and to defend the city, an instance of gracious help extended to Hezekiah in his extremity. It belongs to the larger account of Hezekiah's sickness, earnest prayer, and recovery. In that account, after sentence of death had been pronounced upon him, his prayer was heard and his life was prolonged by fifteen years, with the movement of the sun given as a sign that the promise would be fulfilled.
Although healing could have come instantly, a specific remedy was directed instead, a fig or bunch of figs placed upon the sore or affected part, which, blessed by God, brought healing as a natural remedy. The account thus shows that the answer to prayer can work together with the use of practical means consistent with natural laws, in harmony with faith and with divine providence.
That simple remedy was used to turn attention away from elaborate medical treatments and to show that such treatments could hinder the body's own power to rally against disease and to recover.
The promise is to rescue both Hezekiah himself and Jerusalem from the hand of the king of Assyria and to defend the city, an instance of gracious help extended to Hezekiah in his extremity. It belongs to the larger account of Hezekiah's sickness, earnest prayer, and recovery. In that account, after sentence of death had been pronounced upon him, his prayer was heard and his life was prolonged by fifteen years, with the movement of the sun given as a sign that the promise would be fulfilled.
Although healing could have come instantly, a specific remedy was directed instead, a fig or bunch of figs placed upon the sore or affected part, which, blessed by God, brought healing as a natural remedy. The account thus shows that the answer to prayer can work together with the use of practical means consistent with natural laws, in harmony with faith and with divine providence.
That simple remedy was used to turn attention away from elaborate medical treatments and to show that such treatments could hinder the body's own power to rally against disease and to recover.