Articles
He Sees and Hears
He Sees and Hears
Greg King
In I Kings 20:5 The Lord told Hezekiah, “I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears.” This is true about God with us. God hears our prayers, and He sees our tears. Our God listens and our God cares.Hezekiah becomes sick to the point of death. God sends Isaiah to Hezekiah to tell him that he is not going to recover from this illness. Put your affairs in order because you are not going to recover. Hezekiah is only in his mid to late 30’s. So, this is shocking news. But notice what Hezekiah does. Hezekiah turns and prays. His words are very simple. “Lord, please remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart and have done what is good in your sight” (20:3). Hezekiah points out his own faithfulness in serving the Lord with his whole heart. It could be that he wants to live longer to continue to rule as a good king in faithfulness to God. It seems like the normal reaction. Most people that I know have the desire to live to a nice old age. Isaiah 38 records this situation and what he was thinking when this news came to him. Part of what Hezekiah prayed was about how only the living can thank and praise the Lord (Isaiah 38:18-19). So, I do not think that he merely prayed to live longer but to live longer with purpose. I think this is evident with the answer that God gives. Isaiah turns around and gives the word of the Lord to Hezekiah that he will add 15 years to his life. But notice what else God is going to do during Hezekiah’s reign. God is going to deliver Jerusalem from Assyria. God was going to continue to use Hezekiah to show his own glory. But the words the Lord gives to Hezekiah are beautiful. “I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears.” (20:5)
