_In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death_ HEZEKIAH’S SICKNESS: THE HISTORICAL FRAMEWORK It cannot surprise us now to be carried back to the time when Jerusalem was still under the despotic sceptre of Assyria, since the purpose of the concluding piece Isaiah 37:36) was merely in anticipation to... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall_ HEZEKIAH’S FACE TURNED TO THE WALL The obvious meaning is the wall of the room, towards which he turned, not merely to collect his thoughts, or to conceal his tears, but as a natural expression of strong feeling. (_J. A. Alexander._) SELF-RETIREMEN... [ Continue Reading ]
_I have heard thy prayer_ WAS HEZEKIAH’S RECOVERY AN UNMITIGATED BLESSING? Most of us who have had some experience of life, have seen instances in which a man who has set his heart too fondly upon one object, has gained that object, and with it (to use the language of St. Paul to his shipmates) “mu... [ Continue Reading ]
_And this shall be a sign unto thee from the Lord_ THE SHADOW ON THE SUN-DIAL OF AHAZ We are not to imagine that in this miracle any effect was wrought upon the motion of the earth round its axis. A miraculous refraction of the sun’s rays was effected by God on a particular sun-dial, at the praye... [ Continue Reading ]
_The writing of Hezekiah, king of Judah_ HEZEKIAH’S RECOVERY 1. He was sick, and then he prayed. 2. He is recovered, and now he gives thanks. (_R. Harris, D. D._) HEZEKIAH’S SONG I. THE INSCRIPTION acquaints us-- 1. With the author of the song. 2. With the nature of it--a poem written. 3. W... [ Continue Reading ]
_I shall go to the gates of the grave_ VIEWS OF THE GRAVE 1_._ It was doubtless from veneration for the dead, that the practice first arose of depositing their ashes around the temple where the living worship. That dust, which once was tenanted by an immortal spirit,--that dust, through which onc... [ Continue Reading ]
_I said, I shall not see the Lord_ HEZEKIAH’S DISTRESS I. HEZEKIAH’S DISTRESS AT THE THOUGHT OF NOT SEEING GOD. This manifested-- 1. True affection towards God. 2. Fervent desires for the revelation of God’s glory. 3. Spiritual power to apprehend God. II. HEZEKIAH’S DISAPPOINTMENT AT THE THOUG... [ Continue Reading ]
_As a shepherd’s tent_ THE INCONSTANCY OF EARTHLY LIFE He saith “a shepherd’s tent,” because that represents the inconstancy and uncertainty of our life, more than any other tent. The soldier’s tent may stand pitched long in a place, as in sieges and the like; but shepherds change the place of th... [ Continue Reading ]
_I did mourn as a dove_ “I DID MOURN AS A DOVE” The possessions of the world are often the means of lightening life’s sorrows, and of increasing its enjoyments. What experience teaches us in this respect the Word of God allows. Prosperity is recognised by it as a subject for gratitude. But that r... [ Continue Reading ]
_What shall I say?_ A BEWILDERED SOUL Such an exclamation escaped from the lips of Joshua, and it was the language of bitter disappointment, for Israel fled before their enemies (Joshua 7:8). The same words were uttered by our adorable Lord when His soul was overwhelmed with grief in the prospect... [ Continue Reading ]
_O Lord, by these things men live_ AFFLICTION AS RELATED TO LIFE The conception and quality of life as affected by the discipline of any form of trial--that is the topic. I. Take THE CONCEPTION OF LIFE AS A WHOLE, and see how that is modified or altered by experiences like those through which Heze... [ Continue Reading ]
_Behold, for peace I had great bitterness_ HEZEKIAH’S RETURN OF PRAISE FOR HIS RECOVERY I. A SAD, HEAVY AFFLICTION. “Behold, for peace,” &c. The affliction is aggravated-- 1. By a description of it in its own nature. (1) In the quality of it--“bitterness.” (2) In the quantity of it--“great bitt... [ Continue Reading ]
_For the grave cannot praise Thee_ THE PRAISEFUL LIFE Bacon says, “Prosperity is the blessing of the Old Testament, adversity is the blessing of the New. ” He would have been nearer the truth had he said, that temporal blessings were the promise of the Old Testament, spiritual blessings the promi... [ Continue Reading ]
_The living, the living, he shall praise Thee_ THE RIGHT LIFE The right life is a praise-giving life. Such a life is-- I. THE MOST HONOURABLE. II. THE MOST BENEFICIAL TO THE MAN HIMSELF. III. THE MOST BENEFICIAL TO OTHERS. “The father to the children shall make known Thy truth.” IV. THE CONSI... [ Continue Reading ]
_He shall recover_ CHRIST IN THE SICK ROOM I. The Holy Ghost shows us a king and ruler of men, a dweller in palaces, a possessor of all that money can obtain, a good man, a friend of God, laid low by disease like the poorest man in the kingdom. 1. This is the old story. After all there is nothing... [ Continue Reading ]
_What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the Lord?_ SEEKING A SIGN Real religion is the same in every country and every age. Hence we have so much of the history and experience of the people of God recorded in the Scriptures of truth, that we may compare our experience with theirs. Let... [ Continue Reading ]