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Incline Thine ear unto my cry； For my soul is full of troubles： And my life draweth nigh unto the grave。〃 Psalm 88：2； 3。 〃Thou art my hope； O Lord God： Thou art my trust from my youth。 By Thee have I been holden up。〃 〃Forsake me not when my strength faileth。〃 〃O God； be not far from me： O my God； make haste for my help。〃 〃O God； forsake me not； Until I have showed Thy strength unto this generation； And Thy power to everyone that is to come。〃 Psalm 71：5； 6； 9； 12； 18。
He whose 〃compassions fail not；〃 heard the prayer of His servant。 Lamentations 3：22。 〃It came to pass； afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court； that the word of the Lord came to him； saying； Turn again； and tell Hezekiah the captain of My people； Thus saith the Lord； the God of David thy father； I have heard thy prayer； I have seen thy tears： behold； I will heal thee： on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the Lord。 And I will add unto thy days fifteen years； and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria； and I will defend this city for Mine own sake； and for My servant David's sake。〃 2 Kings 20：4…6。
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Gladly the prophet returned with the words of assurance and hope。 Directing that a lump of figs be laid upon the diseased part； Isaiah delivered to the king the message of God's mercy and protecting care。
Like Moses in the land of Midian； like Gideon in the presence of the heavenly messenger； like Elisha just before the ascension of his master； Hezekiah pleaded for some sign that the message was from heaven。 〃What shall be the sign；〃 he inquired of the prophet； 〃that the Lord will heal me； and that I shall go up into the house of the Lord the third day？〃
〃This sign shalt thou have of the Lord；〃 the prophet answered； 〃that the Lord will do the thing that He hath spoken： shall the shadow go forward ten degrees； or go back ten degrees？〃 〃It is a light thing；〃 Hezekiah replied； 〃for the shadow to go down ten degrees： nay； but let the shadow return backward ten degrees。〃
Only by the direct interposition of God could the shadow on the sundial be made to turn back ten degrees； and this was to be the sign to Hezekiah that the Lord had heard his prayer。 Accordingly； 〃the prophet cried unto the Lord： and He brought the shadow ten degrees backward； by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz。〃 Verses 8…11。
Restored to his wonted strength； the king of Judah acknowledged in words of song the mercies of Jehovah； and vowed to spend his remaining days in willing service to the King of kings。 His grateful recognition of God's compassionate dealing with him is an inspiration to all who desire to spend their years to the glory of their Maker。
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〃I said In the cutting off of my days； I shall go to the gates of the grave： I am deprived of the residue of my years。
〃I said； I shall not see the Lord； even the Lord； in the land of the living； I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world。
〃Mine age is departed； And is removed from me as a shepherd's tent： 〃I have cut off like a weaver my life： He will cut me off with pining sickness：
〃From day even to night wilt Thou make an end of me。 I reckoned till morning； that； As a lion； so will He break all my bones：
〃From day even to night wilt Thou make an end of me。 Like a crane or a swallow； so did I chatter： I did mourn as a dove： Mine eyes fail with looking upward： O Lord； I am oppressed； undertake for me。
〃What shall I say？ He hath both spoken unto me； And Himself hath done it： I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul。
〃O Lord； by these things men live； And in all these things is the life of my spirit： So wilt Thou recover me； and make me to live。
〃Behold； for peace I had great bitterness： But Thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption： For Thou hast cast all my sins behind Thy back。
〃For the grave cannot praise Thee； Death cannot celebrate Thee： They that go down into the pit cannot hope for Thy truth。
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〃The living； the living； he shall praise Thee； As I do this day： The father to the children shall make known Thy truth。
〃The Lord was ready to save me： Therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments All the days of our life in the house of the Lord。〃 Isaiah 38：10…20。
In the fertile valleys of the Tigris and the Euphrates there dwelt an ancient race which； though at that time subject to Assyria； was destined to rule the world。 Among its people were wise men who gave much attention to the study of astronomy； and when they noticed that the shadow on the sundial had been turned back ten degrees； they marveled greatly。 Their king； Merodachbaladan； upon learning that this miracle had been wrought as a sign to the king of Judah that the God of heaven had granted him a new lease of life； sent ambassadors to Hezekiah to congratulate him on his recovery and to learn； if possible； more of the God who was able to perform so great a wonder。
The visit of these messengers from the ruler of a far…away land gave Hezekiah an opportunity to extol the living God。 How easy it would have been for him to tell them of God； the upholder of all created things； through whose favor his own life had been spared when all other hope had fled！ What momentous transformations might have taken place had these seekers after truth from the plains of Chaldea been led to acknowledge the supreme sovereignty of the living God！
But pride and vanity took possession of Hezekiah's heart； and in self…exaltation he laid open to covetous eyes the
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treasures with which God had enriched His people。 The king 〃showed them the house of his precious things； the silver； and the gold； and the spices； and the precious ointment； and all the house of his armor； and all that was found in his treasures： there was nothing in his house； nor in all his dominion； that Hezekiah showed them not。〃 Isaiah 39：2。 Not to glorify God did he do this； but to exalt himself in the eyes of the foreign princes。 He did not stop to consider that these men were representatives of a powerful nation that had not the fear nor the love of God in their
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hearts； and that it was imprudent to make them his confidants concerning the temporal riches of the nation。
The visit of the ambassadors to Hezekiah was a test of his gratitude and devotion。 The record says； 〃Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon； who sent unto him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land； God left him； to try him； that He might know all that was in his heart。〃 2 Chronicles 32：31。 Had Hezekiah improved the opportunity given him to bear witness to the power； the goodness； the compassion； of the God of Israel； the report of the ambassadors would have been as light piercing darkness。 But he magnified himself above the Lord of hosts。 He 〃rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him； for his heart was lifted up。〃 Verse 25。
How disastrous the results which were to follow！ To Isaiah it was revealed that the returning ambassadors were carrying with them a report of the riches they had seen； and that the king of Babylon and his counselors would plan to enrich their own country with the treasures of Jerusalem。 Hezekiah had grievously sinned； 〃therefore there was wrath upon him； and upon Judah and Jerusalem。〃 Verse 25。
〃Then came Isaiah the prophet unto King Hezekiah； and said unto him； What said these men？ and from whence came they unto thee？ And Hezekiah said； They are come from a far country unto me； even from Babylon。 Then said he； What have they seen in thine house？ And Hezekiah answered； All that is in mine house have they seen： there is nothing among my treasures that I have not showed them。
〃Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah； Hear the word of the
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Lord of hosts： Behold； the days come； that all that is in thine house； and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day； shall be carried to Babylon： nothing shall be left； saith the Lord。 And of thy sons that shall issue from thee； which thou shalt beget； shall they take away； and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon。
〃Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah； Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken。〃 Isaiah 39：3…8。
Filled with remorse； 〃Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart； both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem； s