In 2 Kings 20, Isaiah came up to him and told him to put his house into order because he was going to die. What a word to get. Imagine a prophet of God coming up to you and telling you to get your life right because you are going to die. I’d rather have someone tell me that I would receive a million dollars!
Around this time, Hizkiyahu became ill to the point of death. Yesha‘yahu the prophet, the son of Amotz, came and said to him, “Here is what Adonai says: ‘Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not live.”
2 Kings 1:20
Hezekiah wept tears and prayed:
Hezekiah turned toward the wall and prayed to the Lord, “Lord, please remember that I have always obeyed you. I have given myself completely to you and have done what you said was right.” Then Hezekiah cried loudly.
2 Kings 20:2-3
This man had lived right before the Lord. He said that he always obeyed God; given himself completely to God and done what was right—but the prophet told him he was going to die! I want you to see something important here.
Isaiah was a genuine prophet and spoke truth—but he told Hezekiah only what God had told him—at that moment in time.
This reinforces what I have been saying for years that a real prophet of God only shares what God has revealed—nothing more and nothing less—and only shares under the inspiration and motivation of the Holy Spirit. A real prophet never speaks until God sends him or Her. A real prophet never comes out with regular prophetic utterances as we often see in “prophetic lists” or “prophetic ministries”. Many of them have a well rehearsed repertoire and what they say is almost always designed to tickle itching ears.
Suddenly, it seems, as Hezekiah poured his heart out to God and before the prophet had left the courtyard, God answered.
Isaiah spun around on his feet in mid stride, walked back to Hezekiah and delivered an unrehearsed, spontaneous, up to date message. Often times God can take us by surprise. We can think we are doing great and suddenly, God can burst our bubble with something new. I was invited to a meeting held by a pastor who is the Australian representative of a well known ministry as part of his celebration of acquiring a new building for his church. He seated us up the front next to him. At some time during the preliminaries, the Lord gave me several words of knowledge and I knew that He also wanted me to minister prophetically to someone. It is my custom to ask permission as a matter of courtesy and respect and because the spirit of the prophet is subject to the prophet as per 1 Corinthians 14:32, so I asked permission that was readily granted. Two ministers I had never met before were in the meeting and the word of the Lord was for them.
One man was from the Philippines for that day only and was starting a sabbatical, wanting to know what to do next with his life and ministry. He was thinking of quitting.
The word the Lord gave me for him spelt everything out in meticulous detail and he testified accordingly. The other minister was also at a crossroads, but in a different way. A question that had been of great concern was answered. Again what the Lord showed me described the situation perfectly. I had finished and was about to thank the pastor for allowing me to share and sit down, when suddenly, the Lord said, “You haven’t finished yet”. It took me by surprise, but I responded accordingly and everything was accurate. Healing occurred, oppression was lifted and people were set free.
I only share that to illustrate that we need to be constantly listening to the Lord’s voice and able to act immediately on it. Anyone can hear the Lord’s voice! Jesus said that His sheep hear His voice, so if you are one of His sheep and listening, you should hear Him. It is easy really. All one needs to do is start listening and start doing what He says. If you are not sure, ask Him and learn how to recognize His voice. He will never tell you to do wacky things or something contrary to His will.
Isaiah had finished his first assignment when God suddenly gave him another. It is very important to know that this can and does happen, so do not think that doing one task is the end of the story.
Before Isaiah had left the middle courtyard, the Lord spoke his word to Isaiah: “Go back and tell Hezekiah, the leader of my people: ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your ancestor David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears, so I will heal you. Three days from now you will go up to the Temple of the Lord. I will add fifteen years to your life. I will save you and this city from the king of Assyria; I will protect the city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.’ ” Then Isaiah said, “Make a paste from figs.” So they made it and put it on Hezekiah’s boil, and he got well. 2 Kings 20:4-7
God promised to do something supernatural. If you read on, Hezekiah asked that the sun went backwards ten degrees and it did.
There were however several things that had to be done in the natural. One was to go to the Temple in 3 days time. Not an hour away; not next week, but 3 days.
The lesson to learn is that God has a timetable and that He is working to His plan. Trying to do things outside that timing factor and plan do not work. Forcing issues is not a good thing. Neither is delaying the timing.
The second factor is that God told Isaiah what to do and it was practical. It was to make a fig poultice and apply it to that boil.
Jesus followed this principle. If you care to study it out, He healed three different cases of blindness in different ways each time. Just because we did something successfully once, does not mean we can keep doing it the same way every time. If you remember other teachings I have shared about the brass serpent God told Moses to make, it was only needed for that occasion and never to be done again, but Israel turned what God did once only and made it into an idol that another prophet called a Nehushtan. Please never do that! The church is full of them!
Before Hezekiah was healed, the enemy came to him and he foolishly revealed things to them that he should not have done.
I have often shared that the devil is constantly scheming and plotting our demise. In our excitement and enthusiasm we can unwittingly share things we should not, or testify of something of which we are not yet fully aware, or is still a work in progress.
I do not tell you the plans we are making because we have not yet seen the fuller picture. Wait! Share only what the Lord says you can share. If He says nothing, you say nothing. If He speaks and grants permission, you can then say what He has said.
Be as wise as serpents but harmless as doves. Never telegraph your plans or intentions to anyone.
One thing that I am starting to see in fresh light and what the Lord is teaching me is to keep telling others is to stop quoting bible verses at people, thinking you are doing great. Doing such a thing is not necessarily spiritual. If the Lord does not specifically tell you to say that, don’t do it!