People sometimes say “your health is your wealth.” And whilst there is great blessing in being healthy, we should never make our health the ultimate thing. This seemed to be the tragic mistake that Hezekiah made. He had been a godly king, leading the nation back to the Lord. But when he got sick and was told he was going to die he wept bitterly and pleaded with the Lord (2 Kings 20:3).
It’s not wrong to pray for healing, it’s certainly not wrong to pour out your heart in distress, but for God’s people, a long healthy life is not the most thing! As the apostle Paul would later write “for to me to live is Christ, and die is gain” (Philippians 1:21. When Paul was suffering with a ‘thorn in the flesh’, he pleaded with God for healing, but he was told “my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor 12:9)
Sometimes sickness makes us rely on God more. As the great preacher Spurgeon said “the greatest earthly blessing that God can give to any of us is health…with the exception of sickness. Sickness has frequently been of more use to the saints of God than health has.”
Or as Baxter wrote “Do you not perceive that God tumbles you up and down the world…to weary you out of it; that he setteth loose the winds to raise those storms, that may make you long for the harbour, and may toss you to his breast.”
But Hezekiah wanted health and a long life. No doubt it is hard to say good bye to loved ones, but for those who belong to Jesus, death is not the end. It is not to be avoided at all costs, for the Christian death frees us “perfectly from sin and misery”, and make us “capable of further communion with Christ in glory” (WLC 85).
God graciously heals Hezekiah and gives him another 15 years. But what good comes from that? The rest of the chapter tells of Hezekiah’s tragic end. He grows proud, and looks to Babylon for help, showing off his wealth, perhaps hoping to impress Babylon into some sort of military alliance. When Isaiah rebukes him, and warns him of his descendants being carried off to exile to Babylon, he is just relieved that it won’t happen in his lifetime! Should he not have cared for the spiritual well being of his descendants?
As we read of the extended life of Hezekiah, you can’t help but wonder, should he have accepted the first diagnosis and finished well rather than desperately seeking to extend his life? As Don Carson writes in his helpful devotional:
“Far better to die young after genuine, godly, achievements, than to die old and embittered, poisoning your own heritage.” (Carson, for the love of God).
The Bible challenges our assumptions, yes death is a tragic invasion in this world, but for the Christian, it is not to be feared for our Saviour has conquered the grave. Health is a great blessing, but there is something more important, a close walk with this Lord and this is perhaps helped, rather than hindered, by sickness.
Light and Momentary Troubles 
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