2 Kings 20:8-11 – Living to give God praise

This same account in 2 Kings 20:8-11 is also narrated by the Prophet Isaiah. In his book of Isaiah chapter 38 and verses 7-8, we are told that God voluntarily offered Hezekiah a sign to assure him that his life would be extended another 15 years.  However, in 2 Kings 20:8 here we are told that Hezekiah asked for a sign. And so God offered King Hezekiah a sign. Whatever the case, we get to see the gracious heart of God.

This sign again was a demonstration of His grace. He wanted him to be fully assured of the certainty of His promise. We all know God has set an order in how the universe should function. A sign is God's intervention in that order of things to bring about a miracle that would otherwise be impossible. What God did to assure Hezekiah was a scientific impossibility. But with God nothing is impossible. He made the sun stop rotating in its normal movement and the whole solar system go in reverse order for a while. This movement then made the shadow of the sun, cast on the step of the stairway that Ahaz had built, go back ten steps. What God did shows us to what lengths He would go with His grace to assure us of His love.  

Whether we accept it, the length of our days on earth is entirely in God’s hands. Just as the Apostle Paul said in Acts 17:28, indeed it is “…in Him(God) that we live and move and exist….” We exist because of the grace of God. While we must do our best to be in the pink of health so that we can have a longer life, our efforts are subjected to the will of God. Psalm 37:23 say in no uncertain term that “the steps of a man are established by the Lord.

The grace of God was on display when he acceded to Hezekiah’s request for a sign to assure him. The Lord owes us nothing yet in His grace He would painstakingly show how gracious and patient He is to us. But we must trust Him absolutely and never take Him or His grace for granted. We must live to praise His glory.