Isaiah 38:1
In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came to him and said, "This is what the LORD says: 'Put your house in order, for you are about to die; you will not recover.'"
In those days

Hezekiah’s illness occurred during the years of Assyrian aggression against Judah, near the time when the LORD delivered Jerusalem from Sennacherib’s army. National danger and personal affliction together revealed Judah’s need for the God who rules over kings, armies, and human life.

2Ki 18:13 In the fourteenth year of Hezekiah’s reign…
Isa 36:1 In the fourteenth year of Hezekiah’s reign…

Hezekiah became mortally ill.

The king’s condition brought him to the point of death, showing that even a faithful ruler was not beyond weakness and suffering. The crisis became the setting for God’s mercy, Hezekiah’s prayer, and the extension of his life by fifteen years.

2Ki 20:1 In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill.…
2Ch 32:24 In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill.…
Psa 107:18 They loathed all food and drew near to the gates of death.

The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came to him

Isaiah served as the LORD’s authorized messenger to Judah’s king. His presence in Hezekiah’s court shows the proper place of God’s word in matters affecting both the king and the nation.

2Ki 20:4 Before Isaiah had left the middle courtyard,…
2Ki 19:2 And he sent Eliakim the palace administrator,…

and said, “This is what the LORD says:

Isaiah delivered no private diagnosis or personal counsel. The warning came with the authority of the covenant God of Israel, whose word determines life, death, judgment, and mercy.

2Ki 20:5 Go back and tell Hezekiah the leader of My people…
2Sa 12:7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man!…
Jer 26:2 This is what the LORD says: Stand in the courtyard…

‘Put your house in order,

Hezekiah was commanded to prepare his household, kingdom, and personal affairs for death. A ruler’s responsibilities did not remove his obligation to live before God with readiness and faithfulness.

1Ki 2:1-2 As the time drew near for David to die, he charged his son…
Deu 31:14 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, the time of your death…
Jos 23:14 Now behold, today I am going the way of all the earth…

for you are about to die;

Human life remains under the LORD’s sovereign hand. Hezekiah’s royal position, wealth, and recent deliverance from Assyria could not preserve him apart from God’s will.

Gen 27:2 “Look,” said Isaac, “I am now old, and I do not know……
Job 14:5 Since his days are determined and the number of his months…
Ecc 3:2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant…

you will not recover.’”

The announced outcome made clear that no human remedy could save the king. Hezekiah’s response in prayer would reveal that God hears His servants and may mercifully alter the course of impending judgment according to His purpose.

Jer 30:12 For this is what the LORD says: “Your injury is incurable;…
Jer 15:18 Why is my pain unending, and my wound incurable?…
2Ch 36:16 But they mocked the messengers of God, despising His words…

Persons / Places / Events
1. Hezekiah
The king of Judah, known for his faithfulness to God and reforms to restore proper worship in the kingdom. He is the central figure in this passage, facing a life-threatening illness.

2. Isaiah
A major prophet in the Old Testament, son of Amoz, who served as God's messenger to Judah and its kings, including Hezekiah. He delivers God's message to Hezekiah in this passage.

3. Judah
The southern kingdom of Israel, where Hezekiah reigned as king. It is the setting for the events of this passage.

4. Illness
Hezekiah's critical condition serves as the catalyst for the events in this chapter, prompting divine intervention and a prophetic message.

5. Prophetic Message
The message from God delivered by Isaiah, instructing Hezekiah to prepare for his impending death, which sets the stage for Hezekiah's response and subsequent events.
Teaching Points
The Certainty of Mortality
Life is fragile, and we must be prepared for the reality of death. Hezekiah's situation reminds us to live with an eternal perspective.

The Role of Prophetic Messages
God uses His prophets to communicate important truths. We should be attentive to God's word and its implications for our lives.

The Power of Prayer
Hezekiah's response to his illness was to pray fervently. This teaches us the importance of turning to God in times of crisis.

The Importance of Spiritual Readiness
"Put your house in order" is a call to ensure our lives are aligned with God's will. We should regularly evaluate our spiritual condition.

God's Sovereignty and Mercy
While God is sovereign over life and death, He is also merciful and responsive to sincere prayer and repentance.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Hezekiah's response to his illness challenge or inspire your own approach to crises in life?

2. In what ways can we "put our house in order" spiritually, and why is this important even when we are not facing immediate threats?

3. How does the account of Hezekiah's illness and recovery deepen your understanding of the power and purpose of prayer?

4. What can we learn from Isaiah's role as a prophet in this passage about the importance of delivering and receiving God's messages?

5. How do the additional scriptures connected to this passage enhance your understanding of God's character and His interaction with humanity?
Connections to Other Scriptures
2 Kings 20:1-11
This passage provides a parallel account of Hezekiah's illness and recovery, offering additional details about the events and God's response to Hezekiah's prayer.

2 Chronicles 32:24-26
This scripture also recounts Hezekiah's illness and highlights his prayer and God's mercy, emphasizing the importance of humility and repentance.

James 5:14-15
This New Testament passage discusses the power of prayer in healing, connecting to Hezekiah's prayerful response to his illness.

Psalm 39:4-5
These verses reflect on the brevity of life and the importance of being prepared for death, resonating with the message given to Hezekiah.
A Sick Man's GlassR. Hachet, D. D.Isaiah 38:1
A True Life the Best Preparation for DeathSunday School ChronicleIsaiah 38:1
Contemplating the Time of DeathH. E. Manning, D. D.Isaiah 38:1
DeathJ. Badcock, LL. B.Isaiah 38:1
Death Sometimes Sudden and UnexpectedJ. Badcock, LL. B.Isaiah 38:1
Death, the Ringing of the Curfew BellT. De Witt Talmage, D. D.Isaiah 38:1
Every Disease is a Little DeathT. Adams.Isaiah 38:1
Facing DeathH. O. Mackey.Isaiah 38:1
Hezekiah WarnedJ. Parker, D. D.Isaiah 38:1
Hezekiah WarnedJ. Parker, D. D.Isaiah 38:1
Hezekiah's DiseaseSir Risdon Bennett, M. D. , LL. D.Isaiah 38:1
Hezekiah's SicknessT. Seeker, LL. D.Isaiah 38:1
Hezekiah's Sickness and RecoverySir E. Strachey, Bart.Isaiah 38:1
Hezekiah's Sickness and RecoveryW. Reading, M. A.Isaiah 38:1
Hezekiah's Sickness: the Historical FrameworkF. Delitzsch, D. D.Isaiah 38:1
Hezekiah's SincerityJ. A. Alexander.Isaiah 38:1
Human MortalityJ. W. Colenso, D. D.Isaiah 38:1
Looking Over the BrinkSunday School ChronicleIsaiah 38:1
New Year's ThoughtsT. J. Judkin.Isaiah 38:1
Preparation for DeathIsaiah 38:1
Preparation for the End of TimeHomilistIsaiah 38:1
Preparing for the EndHomiletic ReviewIsaiah 38:1
Set Thine House in OrderC. Schwartz.Isaiah 38:1
Supreme Attention to Spiritual ConcernsW. Graham.Isaiah 38:1
The Biography of DeathHomiletic ReviewIsaiah 38:1
The Duties of the SickT. Seeker, LL. D.Isaiah 38:1
The Habitual Thought of Death not PainfulE. Garbett, M. A.Isaiah 38:1
The Human Body, Beautiful Yet FrailJ. Badcock, LL. B.Isaiah 38:1
The Parallel PassageJ. A. Alexander.Isaiah 38:1
The Strain of Notice to DieR. Tuck Isaiah 38:1
What was Hezekiah's Disease?Sir Risdon Bennett, M. D. , LL. D.Isaiah 38:1
A Vision of DeathW. Clarkson Isaiah 38:1-3
Sickness and Recovery of HezekiahE. Johnson Isaiah 38:1-8
People
Ahaz, Amoz, David, Hezekiah, Isaiah
Places
Assyria
Topics
Amoz, Charge, Death, Die, Disease, Dying, Hezekiah, Hezeki'ah, Ill, Isaiah, Mortal, Mortally, Order, Point, Prophet, Recover, Says, Sick, Thus
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Isaiah 38:1

     1429   prophecy, OT fulfilment
     5340   house
     5561   suffering, nature of
     7773   prophets, role
     8329   readiness
     9021   death, natural

Isaiah 38:1-2

     5831   depression

Isaiah 38:1-5

     1120   God, repentance of
     5298   doctors

Isaiah 38:1-6

     8614   prayer, answers

Isaiah 38:1-8

     5333   healing

Isaiah 38:1-10

     8610   prayer, asking God

Library
The Life of the Spirit
(First Sunday after Christmas.) Isaiah xxxviii. 16. O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit. These words are the words of Hezekiah, king of Judah; and they are true words, words from God. But, if they are true words, they are true words for every one--for you and me, for every one here in this church this day: for they do not say, By these things certain men live, one man here and another man there; but all men. Whosoever is really alive, that is, has
Charles Kingsley—Town and Country Sermons

No Man Cometh to the Father but by Me.
This being added for further confirmation of what was formerly said, will point out unto us several necessary truths, as, I. That it is most necessary to be sound and clear in this fundamental point of coming to God only in and through Christ. For, 1. It is the whole marrow of the gospel. 2. It is the hinge of our salvation, Christ is "the chief corner stone," Isa. xxxviii. 16. 1 Pet. i. 5, 6; and, 3. The only ground of all our solid and true peace and comfort. 4 An error or a mistake here, is most
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life

Epistle ii. To Anastasius, Bishop of Antioch.
To Anastasius, Bishop of Antioch. Gregory to Anastasius, Patriarch of Antioch. I have received the letters of your most sweet Blessedness, which flowed with tears for words. For I saw in them a cloud flying aloft as clouds do; but, though it carried with it a darkness of sorrow, I could not easily discover at its commencement whence it came or whither it was going, since by reason of the darkness I speak of I did not fully understand its origin. Yet it becomes you, most holy ones, ever to recall
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

Sign Seekers, and the Enthusiast Reproved.
(Galilee on the Same Day as the Last Section.) ^A Matt. XII. 38-45; ^C Luke XI. 24-36. ^c 29 And when the multitudes were gathering together unto him, ^a 38 Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, Teacher, we would see a sign from thee. [Having been severely rebuked by Jesus, it is likely that the scribes and Pharisees asked for a sign that they might appear to the multitude more fair-minded and open to conviction than Jesus had represented them to be. Jesus had just wrought
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Letter Xliv Concerning the Maccabees but to whom Written is Unknown.
Concerning the Maccabees But to Whom Written is Unknown. [69] He relies to the question why the Church has decreed a festival to the Maccabees alone of all the righteous under the ancient law. 1. Fulk, Abbot of Epernay, had already written to ask me the same question as your charity has addressed to your humble servant by Brother Hescelin. I have put off replying to him, being desirous to find, if possible, some statement in the Fathers about this which was asked, which I might send to him, rather
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners:
A BRIEF AND FAITHFUL RELATION OF THE EXCEEDING MERCY OF GOD IN CHRIST TO HIS POOR SERVANT, JOHN BUNYAN; WHEREIN IS PARTICULARLY SHOWED THE MANNER OF HIS CONVERSION, HIS SIGHT AND TROUBLE FOR SIN, HIS DREADFUL TEMPTATIONS, ALSO HOW HE DESPAIRED OF GOD'S MERCY, AND HOW THE LORD AT LENGTH THROUGH CHRIST DID DELIVER HIM FROM ALL THE GUILT AND TERROR THAT LAY UPON HIM. Whereunto is added a brief relation of his call to the work of the ministry, of his temptations therein, as also what he hath met with
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Meditations for the Sick.
Whilst thy sickness remains, use often, for thy comfort, these few meditations, taken from the ends wherefore God sendeth afflictions to his children. Those are ten. 1. That by afflictions God may not only correct our sins past, but also work in us a deeper loathing of our natural corruptions, and so prevent us from falling into many other sins, which otherwise we would commit; like a good father, who suffers his tender babe to scorch his finger in a candle, that he may the rather learn to beware
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Assurance
Q-xxxvi: WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS WHICH FLOW FROM SANCTIFICATION? A: Assurance of God's love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, increase of grace, and perseverance therein to the end. The first benefit flowing from sanctification is assurance of God's love. 'Give diligence to make your calling and election sure.' 2 Pet 1:10. Sanctification is the seed, assurance is the flower which grows out of it: assurance is a consequent of sanctification. The saints of old had it. We know that we know
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

The Power of God
The next attribute is God's power. Job 9:19. If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong.' In this chapter is a magnificent description of God's power. Lo, he is strong.' The Hebrew word for strong signifies a conquering, prevailing strength. He is strong.' The superlative degree is intended here; viz., He is most strong. He is called El-shaddai, God almighty. Gen 17:7. His almightiness lies in this, that he can do whatever is feasible. Divines distinguish between authority and power. God has both.
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

I Will Pray with the Spirit and with the Understanding Also-
OR, A DISCOURSE TOUCHING PRAYER; WHEREIN IS BRIEFLY DISCOVERED, 1. WHAT PRAYER IS. 2. WHAT IT IS TO PRAY WITH THE SPIRIT. 3. WHAT IT IS TO PRAY WITH THE SPIRIT AND WITH THE UNDERSTANDING ALSO. WRITTEN IN PRISON, 1662. PUBLISHED, 1663. "For we know not what we should pray for as we ought:--the Spirit--helpeth our infirmities" (Rom 8:26). ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. There is no subject of more solemn importance to human happiness than prayer. It is the only medium of intercourse with heaven. "It is
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Isaiah
CHAPTERS I-XXXIX Isaiah is the most regal of the prophets. His words and thoughts are those of a man whose eyes had seen the King, vi. 5. The times in which he lived were big with political problems, which he met as a statesman who saw the large meaning of events, and as a prophet who read a divine purpose in history. Unlike his younger contemporary Micah, he was, in all probability, an aristocrat; and during his long ministry (740-701 B.C., possibly, but not probably later) he bore testimony, as
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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