17 Oct. Isaiah heals King Hezekiah with a fig poultice
“At that time Hezekiah became so sick he almost died. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to see him and told him, ‘This is what the LORD says: “Make arrangements because you are not going to live, but die.”’”
“Hezekiah turned towards 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.”
“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.”
“Hezekiah had asked Isaiah, ‘What will be the sign that the LORD will heal me and that I will go up to the Temple of the LORD on the third day?’ Isaiah said, ‘The LORD will do what he says. This is the sign from the LORD to show you: do you want the shadow to go forward ten steps or back ten steps?’”
“Hezekiah answered, ‘It’s easy for the shadow to go forwards ten steps. Instead, let it go back ten steps.’ Then Isaiah the prophet called to the LORD, and the LORD brought the shadow ten steps back up the stairway of Ahaz that it had gone down.”
(2 Kings 20:1-11)
“At about that time” (probably several years earlier), King Hezekiah of Judah fell seriously ill with what is described in 2 Kings as a ‘boil’.
Hezekiah asked Isaiah whether he would recover or die, and Isaiah told him that he would not recover. In response, Hezekiah prayed to the LORD and pleaded for his life to be spared as he had faithfully served the LORD.
In response, the LORD told Isaiah to return to the king, and tell him that the LORD had heard his prayers, and he would give him another fifteen years to live. He also assured Hezekiah that the LORD would defend Jerusalem from the Assyrians during his lifetime. The prophet Isaiah then healed the king’s boils with a poultice of figs.
Hezekiah asked for a sign that this healing would take place, and, miraculously, Isaiah made the sun’s shadow go backwards to demonstrate the LORD’s power. The retreat of the Assyrians in 702BC (see 2 Kings 19:35-36) reminded the people that Isaiah’s prophesy had been fulfilled.
The photo shows a sundial at Packwood House in Warwickshire.
You can read more about King Hezekiah @ https://www.thebiblejourney.org/biblejourney2/33-judah-after-the-fall-of-israel/isaiah-prophesies-the-destruction-of-judah/