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A FAITH TO LIVE BY; A FAITH TO DIE BY
II KINGS 20:1-11
What a message to carry to a king–“Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die and not live.” How would like to have been that messenger? People were executed for telling kings less. The fact is, however, that God’s message must be delivered, whether the news is good or bad. God’s man must preach the message that God gives to him. The prophet Amos declared: The Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy? (Amos 3:8). And so the prophet Isaiah brought God’s message to King Hezekiah concerning his imminent death. To the king’s credit, he accepted the message without becoming angry with the messenger, God’s prophet.
Perhaps we need to consider this warning to Hezekiah because God’s message to people today is much the same-“Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die and not live.” The Bible tells us that “it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Heb. 9:27). Not only does the Word of God warn us of the certain death of every person, but past history warns us as well. People have always lived and died. Some people have lived a long time, but they always died. The person who lived longer than anyone else in history was Methuselah. He lived nine hundred and sixty years, but it is written of him, “And he died” (Gen. 5:27). Contemporary history also warns us that people die. How many of you read the obituaries in the newspapers? It seems that the older we get the more interested we are in the obituaries. Maybe it is because we want to see if our names are in there yet. Everywhere we look the message is. “Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die and not live.”
We do not like to think about death or to be reminded of the certainty of death, but death is a reality. For some of us, death will come sooner than for others. We know for a fact that the older we get the closer we are to death. You do not have to be old to die, however. Middle aged people die, and even young people die. We know that we are going to die sometime. The only way to avoid it is to be alive and raptured with the Lord’s church. And since we know that we are going to die sooner or later, there is an issue that we need to consider. The issue is, “Do I have a faith to die by?” Hezekiah had a faith to die by because he had a faith to live by. Is that same thing true of us? Let’s consider this episode in the life of King Hezekiah and determine whether we have a faith to live by and to die by. Think with me about these matters: the prophet’s admonition or warning (20:1), the king’s supplication or prayer (20:2-3), and the LORD’S replication or reply (20:4-11).
I. THE PROPHET’S ADMONITION (II KINGS 20:1)
In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die and not live.
We use the word admonition here with the meaning of warning. God gave Hezekiah a personal warning of his imminent death. He sent His prophet to inform the king that he would die soon. He does not always do that for us. He expects us to understand that we must die and thus to be prepared for it. Let us take to heart the message – “Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die and not live.”
A. The Circumstances of the Admonition
1. In the prime of his life, King Hezekiah was stricken with a serious illness. He was “sick unto death.” He was stricken with a terminal illness, one that would cause him to die quickly. It is difficult to say exactly what kind of sickness Hezekiah had. However, many scholars interpret the word “boil” (v.7). to mean “ulcer” or “tumor.” Though this affliction was not always fatal, it could be if the boil was in the right location, or if it was severe enough. The great prophet, Isaiah, who was a personal friend of the king, was sent by the LORD to tell him to get his house in order because he was going to die. Thus we see the brevity and uncertainty of life. James spoke to this issue: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away (James 4:14). No matter how long a person may live, his days on this earth are brief. Death is no respecter of persons. Both the old and the young die. Healthy people suddenly become ill and die. Wealthy people die as well as the poor. Even very important people such as kings die. We must be ready for death by trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. God says to us, “Set thine house in order, for thou shalt die and not live.”
B. The Contents of the Admonition
1. Notice that Isaiah prefaced the message with “thus saith the LORD.” This means that the message originated with God and not with the prophet. That is always a good thing to remember when God’s servant opens the Scriptures. God speaks plainly to people through His Word. Sometimes the message is difficult to receive but it is the Word of God and must be heeded. God speaks to us from His Word for our benefit.
2. The statement “set thine house in order” is literally “command thy house.” If Hezekiah was as young as is usually assumed, he probably would not have given much thought to death and the necessary preparation for death. Isaiah warned the king of his impending death and instructed him to get his affairs in order.
3. “Thou shalt die and not live” meant that death was imminent. He was to prepare for it with urgency and haste. As we have noted, people usually do not get more warning than that found in the Scriptures. Physical death comes to all unless we are alive at the coming of Christ in the rapture. Christians do not have to fear death, however, because in Christ we are eternally alive. Jesus reassured Martha with these words that should assure us as well: Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believeth thou this? (John 11:25-26).
II. THE KING’S SUPPLICATION (II KINGS 20:2-3)
Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, saying, I
beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth
and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in they sight.
And Hezekiah wept sore.
The young king responded to this shocking news by turning to God in prayer. Here is where we will deal with the heart of this message. We will see that Hezekiah had a faith to die by because he had a faith to live by. We will see this truth by taking a brief look at this man’s spiritual life. Thus we will discover that King Hezekiah was a pious man, a prosperous man, a prayerful man, but not a perfect man.
A. A Pious Man (II Kings 18:5-6)
He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like
him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him. For he
clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his
commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses.
1. These verses reveal four truths in Hezekiah’s life that are basic to godliness. First, it is recorded that “he trusted in the LORD God of Israel’ so that after him was none like him among the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him” (II Kgs. 18:5). What a legacy this man left! The Hebrew word for “trusted” is batach, “trust in, feel safe, be confident, rely upon.” The term expresses a sense of well being and security, which results from having something or someone in whom to put confidence or trust. In order for Hezekiah to trust in the LORD God, he had to know something about God. He had to know that God is faithful and trustworthy. And he had to know that the LORD was both able and willing to help him. Hezekiah had trusted the LORD as his God, his Redeemer, his Saviour, and his Shepherd. He knew that God loved him and wanted what was best for him. He lived for God and did right in God’s eyes. II Kings 18:3 says of him, “And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did.” As a pious man who trusted the LORD, the Bible says that “after him was none like him among the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.” Second, it is written that “he clave to the LORD.” The Hebrew word for “clave” is dabaq, “cleave, cling, stick to, stick with, follow closely, keep close to, join to.” This word carries the ideas of adhesion and tenacity. The term may be illustrated in a number of ways. The first illustration is found in God’s instructions for the marriage relationship. In Genesis 2:24, Adam spoke of this relationship. Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. To “cleave to” means to cling to and to stick to like glue. A second illustration of the meaning of cleaving is that of Ruth staying with Naomi. In Ruth 1:14 it is written: And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her. Ruth stuck to Naomi and followed her to Bethlehem. She turned her back on her own country, her own god, her own way of living and embraced Naomi’s God, her country and her way of living. That is what happens when people cleave unto the Lord. They forsake all and cleave to Him. Hezekiah clung to the LORD like Ruth clung to Naomi, like a limpet clings to a rock, like ivy clings to a wall, and like a shipwrecked sailor clings to the spar that keeps his head out of the water. Third, it is stated that Hezekiah “departed not from following him.” We might say it like this: “Hezekiah walked with the LORD.” Fourth, it is noted that King Hezekiah “kept his commandments which the LORD commanded Moses.” The Hebrew verb translated “kept” is shamar, “keep, guard, take heed to.” It carries the idea of paying close attention to something. Hezekiah was a man of the Word. God’s Word was important to him. He was sensitive to and obedient to the will of God as it was revealed in the Word of God.
2. If you and I would be godly, pious people, we too must trust the Lord, cleave to Him, and obey Him. These activities constitute a faith to live by and a faith to die by. It seems that today people are trying to find ways to circumvent God’s commandments. Godly, pious people keep His Word and find that His commandments are not “grievous.” I John 5:3 records these words: For this is the love of God that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous. The word “grievous” means “burdensome” or “irksome.” It does not grieve, burden or irritate a child of God to keep God’s commandments. Instead, it is a joy to do so. Someone has said that “Love makes obedience easy, and the life of God in the soul makes obedience possible.
B. A Prosperous Man (II Kings 18:7a)
1. It is written of King Hezekiah that “the LORD was with him, and he prospered whithersoever he went forth.” That he “prospered withersoever he went forth” means that he was very successful in his undertakings. King Hezekiah was wonderfully successful in his wars, his building, and especially in his godly reformation. The reason for his success or prosperity is given: “And the LORD was with Him.”
2. You and I will be prosperous when it can be said of us, “And the Lord was with him. Hezekiah walked with God and God made him prosperous. Those who serve God for His glory and honor may expect to prosper in the Lord’s work. Spiritual prosperity is genuine prosperity. No matter how much one prospers materially, if he does not prosper spiritually he has not prospered. Oh, that we could see that it is God who gives genuine prosperity. Satan may reward us with material things but only God gives us spiritual prosperity.
C. A Prayerful Man (II Kings 20:2-3)
Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, saying, I
beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth
and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight.
And Hezekiah wept sore.
1. Hezekiah responded to the news of his impending death by praying (v.2). He sought the LORD in prayer. Observe the circumstances of his praying. When the king “turned his face to the wall, he may have done so for privacy rather than out of shame or fear. He got alone with God as best he could. What a pattern in prayer this man is for Christians today.
2. Then notice the essence of his prayer. His prayer consisted of an earnest plea for God to remember his past actions. He hoped that God would be gracious to him in his time of need because he had been faithful to God. The emotion of the moment is evident in this king’s prayer to God. “I beseech thee” indicates that he begged God to remember his past actions of faith. He reminded God, “I have walked before thee in truth.” He had lived in the presence of God and had been faithful or steadfast the truth. He had lived according to God’s Word. “With a perfect heart” means “with a devoted heart,” or “a whole heart.” Hezekiah had given his total allegiance to God. “I have done that which is good in thy sight” meant that the king had sought to live his life according to the teachings of the Word of God.
3. Notice the earnestness of his prayer–“And Hezekiah wept sore.” He cried out to God as earnestly and fervently as he knew how to do. His tears were an indication of intensity in prayer rather than fear of dying. Tears quite often accompany earnest and intense praying.
4. King Hezekiah was a pious or godly man, a prosperous or successful man, a prayerful man. His faith is demonstrated to us by his trust in the LORD, his sticking with the LORD, his following the LORD, and his keeping the LORD’s commandments. His prosperity may be seen in what the LORD accomplished through him. His prayerfulness may be seen in the essence and earnestness of his praying. I say to you today that these things will constitute a faith to live by and a faith to die by. Are these basic truths that are found in a godly person’s life found in our lives? If they are, we too have a faith to live by and to die by.
D. Not a Perfect Man (II Kings 20:12-21)
1. Even though Hezekiah was a man who trusted the LORD, clung to the LORD, followed the LORD and obeyed the LORD, he still sinned against the LORD. The frailties of the flesh are still with us. We must always remember that we are capable of sin. Therefore we must rely upon the power of God to help us live right.
2. Hezekiah foolishly revealed to the King of Babylon the treasures of the Kingdom. Therefore God told Isaiah to rebuke Hezekiah and to warn him that one day Babylon would own all that he had foolishly shown to Be-ro'dach-bal'adan.
3. Hezekiah demonstrated his godliness again when he replied to Isaiah–“Good is the word of the LORD which thou has spoken” (II Kgs 20:19). Repentance is a mark of a godly life. When God speaks to us, we must receive His message, repent and return to Him.
III. THE LORD’S REPLICATION (II KINGS 20:4-11)
Hezekiah prayed earnestly and emotionally to the LORD and the LORD answered his prayer. God’s replication or answer came quickly, for before Isaiah had gone through the palace courtyard, God told him to return with a message of healing and help for Hezekiah.
A. A Message of Healing (20:4-5)
And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him saying, Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up into the house of the LORD.
1. The reference to “the captain of my people” was an indication that God intended for Hezekiah to continue to rule Judah. “Captain” literally means “prince” and was used by God to refer to the chosen rulers of His people.
2. The statement “I have heard thy prayer” meant that God had responded to that prayer. “Heard” indicates a hearing and understanding that produces a response.
3. “I have seen thy tears” indicates that God had seen his deep emotions. Oh, thank God, that He knows our hearts.
4. “I will heal thee” was God’s response to Hezekiah’s prayer. His promise was that He would answer with a miraculous healing.
5. “The third day, etc.” refers to the sanctification process that must occur before Hezekiah could go to worship in the Temple. A lesson that we need to learn today is that we must prepare ourselves for worship. We should prepare for worship physically and spiritually.
B. A Message of Help (20:6-11)
1. “I will add” indicated an extension of life. Hezekiah would have fifteen more years of life. God promises to help us in a multitude of ways, when we trust Him and walk in His truth. Proverbs 18:10 says, The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe. God is the shelter and defense of the righteous.
2. “I will defend, etc.” promised a deliverance from Assyria. God would do this for His own sake and David’s sake. God promises to be a defense for us when we trust Him to do so.
3. The sign that all this would come to pass would be the shadow on the dial moving back ten degrees (vv. 8-11). Our sign of God’s help is the Word of God, revealed in the Scriptures and manifested in the Son of God.
CONCLUSION:
We have seen in the example of Hezekiah a faith to live by and a faith to die by. The emphasis of this sermon is that death is certain for each of us. That is, unless you are saved and alive when the Lord raptures His church, you will surely die. God’s message to us is, “Set thine house in order, for thou shalt die and not live.” Let us so live that when it comes time to die we will have a faith to die by. That faith begins with repentance for sins and faith in Jesus Christ for salvation. It issues into a life of faith in which we trust the LORD, cling to Him, follow after Him, and keep His commandments.
A faith to live by will produce godliness in our lives. It will cause us to be pious people, prosperous people, prayerful people, but not perfect people. Perfection comes with glorification. If we have the kind of faith just described, we will have faith to live by. And when it comes time to die, we will have a faith to die by.
Sermon From Dr. David Clark
