An old man from a church I pastored 40 years ago shared a story with me that I’ve remembered for 40+ years. He visited his mother, who was quite old during her final hour. She was conscious, turned to the wall, and whispering.
He couldn’t hear her, so he bent down and asked, “Mom, what are you trying to say?”
She looked at him and said, “I’m not talking to you.” He felt in his heart that she was speaking to the Lord. Shortly after, she passed away and entered God’s presence.
Hezekiah learned from the prophet Isaiah that he was about to die. He turned his face to the wall. Instead of moving immediately into God’s presence in heaven, he was granted an additional 15 years of life.
Here is how the author of 2 Kings recounts the story.
“In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came to him, and said to him, ‘Thus says the LORD: Set your house in order, for you shall die; you shall not recover'” (2 Kings 20:1).
Hezekiah’s response reveals the depths of his character.
Rather than resign himself to fate, “Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD: ‘Remember now, O LORD, I implore you, how I have walked before you in faithfulness with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.’ Hezekiah wept bitterly” (2 Kings 20:2-3).
The difference between Hezekiah and my former church member’s mother involves the idea of a premature death.
The Bible teaches that everyone has an appointed time to die. We all have an appointment to keep, but no one wants to die prematurely.
Hezekiah thought his death would be premature, so he prayed, and God graciously answered his prayer.
God’s Compassionate Response
After telling Hezekiah he would die, Isaiah turned to leave the king. Before he could leave the palace grounds, God spoke:
“Turn back, and say to Hezekiah prince of my people, Thus says the LORD, the God of your ancestor David: I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; indeed, I will heal you; on the third day you shall go up to the house of the LORD. I will add fifteen years to your life” (2 Kings 20:5-6).
The King’s story is relevant to life in 2026.
- Let’s remember that God hears our prayers, even in desperate times.
- He sees our tears and understands our deep hurt and emotional pain. These things matter to God.
- God is able and often willing to change the outcomes of our circumstances in response to prayer.
A Miraculous Sign
Hezekiah asked Isiah to confirm what he said God would do for him. “What shall be the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up to the house of the LORD on the third day?” (2 Kings 20:8).
In verses 9-10, we see that God gave the king a sign by moving the sundial back 10 degrees. This shows that the creator of the universe can do anything he wants in his world.
The same God who controls the sun, moon, and stars could certainly add years to Hezekiah’s life. The sign served not just as proof for Hezekiah, but as testimony to all who witnessed it that the God of Israel reigns supreme over creation.
Reflections
God granted Hezekiah an extra 15 years of life after he prayed. What if God extended your life? We all know each day is precious, but imagine God telling you, “I’ve given you more time, now make the most of it.” How would you react?
I can’t answer for you, but I can list some questions that will help us determine our answer.
- Are we living with intentionality, or are we squandering our days on trivialities?
- Are we investing in eternal purposes or accumulating temporary treasures?
- Are we nurturing relationships that matter or neglecting those closest to us?
- Are we walking faithfully before God with whole hearts, as Hezekiah testified, or merely going through religious motions?
Psalm 90 is the only psalm attributed to Moses. Some think he wrote it after seeing many of his soldiers dead on the battlefield.
The psalm talks about how short life is, comparing it to something that appears briefly and then vanishes. One verse in particular resonates with me.
So teach us to count our days
that we may gain a wise heart. (Psalm 90:12).
We don’t know how long we will live, but let’s pray this prayer. “God, give us the wisdom to make the most of each day.”
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 