Stepping Back

O. T. #867  "Stepping Back"
Nov. 10, 2016
2 Kings 20-Part 3


LET IT GLOW

There have been times in my life when stepping back and taking another look at my situation from a different perspective was needful. I can do that when I ask God to show me what He is doing and His perspective on my circumstances. My spiritual eyes need opened so I can see a deeper purpose in events in question. In today's story, the king witnessed the Lord moving something backwards as a sign. Curious? Read on friend.

King Hezekiah was told to get his house in order because he would not live, getting over his illness. Reasonably, this faithful man prayed and cried out to his God. Then the Lord added 15 more years onto his life and would deliver Jerusalem from the Assyrians. A salve of figs was put on Hezekiah's boil and he recovered. All of this was done through the prophet Isaiah.

Verse 8 says, And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What shall be the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up unto the house of the LORD the third day?

The king was wanting a sign that he would be healed. In the Hebrew language, the word sign has several meanings, in the sense of appearing; a signal as a flag, beacon, monument, omen, prodigy, evidence; mark, miracle, token.

 Hezekiah wanted evidence that he would be healed. Many times I have asked God for a sign as to indicate which choice, way, I should go when a decision was to be made. Maybe it was a lack of faith on my part, but He would show me the right way.

Bible students have debated for years whether Hezekiah should have prayed for healing and whether his recovery was God's perfect will or His permissive will. (Wiersbe)

It happened, whichever the case.


LET IT GROW

As a sign that the Lord would do as He promised, healing Hezekiah, the shadow would go forward or backwards 10 steps. The king requested that the shadow go back 10 steps.

What does that mean?
It was the first biblical mention of any means of marking time. (MacArthur)

The dial (steps) was not the traditional sun dial. It was perhaps a stone stairway with steps to mark out the hours. The king could see it from his palace window. (Wiersbe)

Isaiah prayed and God brought back the shadow 10 steps. Whether it was a universal phenomenon or a local prolongation of light in Judah, it was a miracle by God and a sign that the king would live.

Are our eyes open to see the workings of God around us?

All things work together for our good and His glory, even if we don't understand why something happens. That is why we live by faith and not by sight. Faith is hope in God.


LET IT GO

Trust in Jesus.

Pray.