Isaiah 38

I have to say that I do not believe that I have ever actually read this chapter. I’ve flown through the words of this chapter many times. I have a bad habit of recognizing a Bible “story” and immediately I start speed-reading, but not this time. I came across verse seventeen while researching another matter. Read it again and see if something grabs your attention this time. This verse caused me to look at the whole chapter.

We’ve all known the story. Isaiah goes to a sick King Hezekiah and informs him that God says he will die. This was no mere doctor’s opinion. This was prophecy!

Can you even begin to imagine? The man whom you know to be closer to God than any other man on Earth tells you that God said to set your house in order. Before I could begin to imagine what I would do, I realized that I have already gotten this message. Not from one Man of God, but from many.

Romans 6:23a For the wages of sin is death

Not even from just men, but from God’s own Son.

Luke 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

Both verses speak of a death without God. It was the knowledge of this death that caused me to seek God. Was Hezekiah’s response any different? Do you see him making any effort to prepare his loved ones for his departing? Is he checking his life insurance policy? No, he does the same thing I did back on February 26th of 1997. Upon realization of his condition, he sought not to be consoled, but went straight to the Great Physician for his healing.

At first we are not given much of the text of his prayer, but in his psalm he recounts his prayer to us. Look at his confidence:

Isaiah 38:16 O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit: so wilt thou recover me, and make me to live.

This is not a “hope so” declaration! He already knows the answer. When is the last time you heard anyone speak about Hezekiah’s faith?

Then comes my favorite verse of the chapter:

Isaiah 38:17 Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.

When I saw the last part of that verse, I pondered it. Then God brought another, more familiar verse to my mind:

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Again, notice the last part of this verse and apply it to the last phrase of Isaiah 38:17.

In our bitterness, God’s love for us has caused Him to deliver our soul from the pit of corruption, and to put that which placed us in that pit behind him to never be seen by holy eyes again.

God has cast our sins behind his back, and then tells us in scripture that he will not turn back to look upon it.

This is illustrated all thoughout scripture, but it’s amazing how God can bring to light that same “old story” in new ways if we just allow Him to by reading His Word.

We should strive to keep the old “us” in the same place God put our sins. If our face is set toward God, the demons of our past will be forever behind us. This is my prayer for myself and I hope it is yours as well.



Ralph Fiscus