Isaiah 38 records the incredible event of the shadow moving backward on the sundial. It’s also recorded in 2 Kings 20 so I am going to cover that content here.

Psalm 76 celebrates the Lord’s power to overcome any adversary. Perhaps they sang it after the Angel of the LORD killed those 185,000 Assyrians and sent them running back home.

But I’m focusing this post on Isaiah 38-39 and 2 Kings 20. (Which is the same 2 events)

This is one that the skeptics really like to pick apart. And instead of listening to me try to explain the evidence (some of it quite recent) that supports the biblical claim, here are 2 articles I want you to read:

1. Historical Evidence For the Reversing Shadow on the Sundial.
2. Scientific & Archeological Evidence of Hezekiah’s Reversing Shadow

Hezekiah’s recovery and what follows reminds me of the Chinese proverb of The Man Who Lost His Horse. What looked like a blessing at first ended up causing sorrow.

After Hezekiah is healed, he receives the envoys from Babylon and shows them the treasures of Jerusalem- which is still quite a lot even though he had depleted much of the treasury to pay off the Assyrians. Some of the wealth has been built back. Who knows, maybe he had even had the temple doors gilded afresh by now.

I’m sure the Babylonian officials maintained a cool exterior, but internally, it was more like:

Hezekiah has just put Jerusalem on Babylon’s radar. Now they know what a plump little prize it would be.

But to really understand why his recovery and 15 more years of life may not have been a blessing, we have to read 2 Kings 21 about the reign of his son Manasseh who was born AFTER Hezekiah recovered. We will get to that in a couple weeks after we finish reading the prophecies the Lord gives to the aging prophet Isaiah.

The bottom line is, we don’t know what tomorrow holds. It doesn’t make sense to us why a good and godly king like Hezekiah would die young. Judah needed him. They needed godly leadership. Why would God take him? We understand his desire to live.

As sad as his death would’ve been, it might’ve spared Judah in the long run. We’ll never know.

I think that’s why Jesus taught us to pray, “Thy will be done.” We cannot possibly understand ALL the ramifications of our will being done.

I was at the funeral of a beloved pastor who – though the picture of health – had died suddenly in middle age leaving a cherished wife, several growing sons, and a thriving ministry. His death made zero sense. The Church needs MORE men like him, not less. One of the speakers at the funeral was a seasoned missionary; an elder-statesman of the church family. I’ll never forget what he said…

“God’s will is exactly what you would choose if you knew everything God does.”

And I would humbly add- if you had God’s perfect character.

As hard as Hezekiah’s early death would’ve been, it would’ve been much better than the Hell that was unleashed because he lived.

God not only knows everything that was and is and will be, (which is amazing enough). He knows every potential outcome of every potential choice that could have or might possibly be made. That’s what it means when we say God is “omniscient” or “all-knowing.” He really does know ALL.

We I really should stop trying to argue for what we I want and relax into “Thy will be done.” He knows what is best for us and can take into account the infinite information we can never know. No one loves us more or has more integrity toward us than our Creator and Savior.

I encourage you to take a moment to listen to this song: Thy Will Be Done, by Hillary Scott.