First, Learn to Fear God

Life and death are in God's hands. The rise and fall of nations depend on God. Therefore, we must learn to fear God. Chapter 38 says: Hezekiah was a good king, but he became seriously ill, on the verge of death, feeling as if a lion had broken all his bones (Isaiah 38:13). It was extremely difficult. Isaiah the prophet, son of Amoz, went to him and said, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live (Isaiah 38:1).

Life and death are in God's hands. When we encounter such a situation, if a prophet tells you: you shall die and not live, what would be your reaction? Hezekiah's reaction was to weep bitterly before God. He prayed to the Lord, saying: Remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore (Isaiah 38:3).

The gospel we preach is a gospel based on faith. Hezekiah was one of the best kings besides David. What he did in that era, since there was a king in Israel, was almost the most pleasing to God. He truly walked with a perfect heart, acted faithfully, and did what was good in God's eyes. God is a God who values relationships. When a person comes before God in spirit and in truth, presenting his heart for God, God hears Hezekiah's prayer and adds fifteen years to his life.

Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears; behold, 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 (Isaiah 38:5-6).

A characteristic of people is that even if God declares before you: your life is coming to an end, quickly write a will for your descendants and family. Tell them that your life is about to end, what would you do? Hezekiah was remarkable; he did not like to die. We must pay attention to this concept of not liking to die. If Hezekiah said: God, I haven't eaten what I should have eaten; I haven't drunk what I should have drunk; I haven't enjoyed what I should have enjoyed. Then God would not have extended his life by fifteen years. In fact, Hezekiah had carried out many reforms in Judah, and there was still much unfinished at this point, so he had a desire not to die in God's presence.

God is the God of the Living

The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness. 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 (Isaiah 38:10).

The poem written by Hezekiah represents a concept within him, God is the God of the living. Once a person leaves this world, there is no more opportunity to work. Our God is the God of the living. Our days in this life are very limited. During these temporary days, can we achieve an exceedingly great and eternal glory? God puts people on earth to achieve God's exceedingly great and eternal glory in a finite, physical life. Our God is the God of the living. Once a person leaves the world, going down to Sheol or returning to heaven, there is no longer an opportunity to achieve an exceedingly great and eternal glory. Originally, God judges people based on what they do while they are alive.

What should we prioritize while we are alive? If we live only to work, there is no glory to be spoken of. I urge everyone to serve our God actively and diligently. The Bible teaches this, because when we begin to actively and proactively serve God, becoming a blessing to this generation, the effect of our work will follow you forever. When is there an effect of our work? Not when we are in heaven. There may still be some work to do in heaven, but it is completely different from when we are alive on earth.

We must know that God is the God of the living. While we are alive, let us number our days well, so that our days can be used to achieve exceedingly great glory. We should not think, while living on earth, that God is the God of the dead, and that we can only enter heaven after leaving this world. Many people do not know how to number their days on earth, nor do they know that their time should be used in service. Some say, Pastor, I have my full-time job. Having a full-time job can also serve God. Many people do not know this concept: a full-time job is not your Mingding Destiny, serving God is your Mingding Destiny. Because Hezekiah served God diligently during his days on earth, when he wept before God, God added fifteen years to his life, allowing him to better serve that generation.

Nothing is Impossible with God

God is the God of the living, so while we are alive, the effects of our work and service will follow us. The New Testament says: Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life (John 6:27). If everything you do is for the sake of this life, it will all vanish after death and you will descend into Sheol. Hezekiah also had the concept that God had already declared that he was on the verge of death, but he said in his heart: Nothing is impossible with God. Although God has declared that I will die, I still do not want to die, and I hope that God will hear my prayer.

I encourage some of our brothers and sisters to use your days of life to serve God well, to be a blessing to this generation, because it is very important. When we use our days for valuable things, even if your life has come to an end, because you know how to number your days while you are alive, you know how to serve God. You say: God, I still want to continue to serve you on earth while I am still young and strong, I do not want to enter the gates of Sheol. Such a person knows that God is the God of the living, and he also knows that God can grant us more days.

He Can Change the Angle of the Sundial

Therefore, Hezekiah witnessed a very miraculous event in that generation: God gave Hezekiah a sign, God made the shadow on the sundial of Ahaz go back ten degrees (Isaiah 38:8). So, the position between the sun and the earth was reversed by ten degrees, that is, time went back a short period of time, which shows that nothing is impossible with God. Do you really believe that nothing is impossible with God? Believe and miraculous signs will follow you.

Some of our brothers and sisters are deeply influenced by traditional theology, and many things received in the original church are considered impossible. It is not to say that the local church has problems, but in practicing the word of God, many people still have the idea that this is impossible. I want to encourage everyone to remove all impossible things from your minds and instill the concept that everything is possible.

The shadow of the sun instantly going back ten degrees is simply unimaginable. Physically speaking, the earth turned back ten degrees. Can you imagine? The earth is so big, if you use a force to push the earth, pushing it back ten degrees, and then let the earth move forward again, that kind of energy is unimaginable. But with God, pushing a planet is like pushing a speck of dust. You must know how powerful our God is, you must know in our minds: Our God is an almighty God, nothing is impossible with Him! If nothing is impossible with God, is it difficult for a person with a deadly disease to have their life turned around? It is not difficult, there is no difficulty, but where is the problem? The problem lies in whether he knows the meaning of the life that God gives?

What is the Meaning of Life?

If you think that living is all about eating delicious food and drinking fine wine, when you have a terminal illness and pray like this: Lord Jehovah, please remember how I ate delicious food and drank fine wine before You, please remember how I traveled to many countries, traveled around the world, doing things according to your faithfulness. This is doing what is evil in the eyes of the Lord. I think it is better not to pray, praying like that is closer to the end of life.

Brothers and sisters must know a concept: What are you doing after God heals you? Many of our brothers and sisters are healed, and after being healed by God, they say: Pastor, that's not okay! I can't sleep after eleven o'clock, I can't sleep after twelve o'clock, I can't do that after a certain time. I still have to work tomorrow, it will affect my work. You can serve like this, but I can't, my body can't handle it. It is not whether the body can handle it, but whether he knows why he is alive. God heals you, why? Actually, it is to allow you to enter into His Mingding Destiny! We repeatedly talk about Mingding Destiny, and today I challenge everyone again, do you know why you are alive?

I feel very sorry that many people live, and all they care about are trivial things. Is such a life interesting? In fact, when God sees such a person, living is a waste. So today, God heals you, God gives you limited years on earth, so that you can obtain an exceedingly great and eternal crown of glory. If a person lives on earth not for eternal food, then he is working for the food of this life. If he is working for this life, he does not know what it means to be alive. If he knows what it means to be alive, he knows that life and death all depend on God. If people keep and follow all the statutes, ordinances, and commandments of the Lord God, they become a model of blessing; if they violate the word of God, they become a model of displaying God's curse!

Life, Death, Blessing, and Curse All Depend on God

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. For the grave cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee: they that go down into the pot cannot hope for thy truth. The lining, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth (Isaiah 38:16, 18-19).

A person's life and death all depend on God, and living also depends on God! If living depends on what God cares about, I tell you, even if you have a terminal illness, or your life has come to an end, perhaps God, because of your past perfect heart, faithful actions, and doing what is good in the eyes of the Lord, perhaps God will extend your life on earth, allowing you to live more meaningfully!

Remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore (Isaiah 38:3).

Actively and Proactively Serve Our God

We must know that our days on earth are used to serve God. In Singapore, there is a group of pastors who promote family first as the primary consideration. Although I do not know what their concept of promoting family first is, in the Bible, from beginning to end, I have not found any text that family is first. Should God be first, or family first? I think God should be first! But many people are influenced by the concept of family. Do we live just for our family? In fact, what Paul wrote later is particularly worth considering:

But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife. There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband (1 Corinthians 7:32-34).

If brothers and sisters have a family and children, can they continue to be concerned about the kingdom of God? Yes, they can seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness. It is just that after people have families, they easily fall into the trap of family burdens. Things that are not mentioned in the Bible, I encourage everyone to pay attention to.

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these (Mark 12:30-31).

There is also a group of people who pursue balance. Pursuing balance is also not what the Bible says. The Bible says that you should love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. Nothing can be compared with God. You must know that it is God who makes people live, and it is also God who makes people die. It is God who prospers, and it is God who destroys. Our God both blesses and curses, so in our days on earth, we must serve God well. When some of our sisters really strive to love God and serve God, their husbands will say sarcastic things: This is abandoning the family, abandoning everything. In fact, without God, where does the family come from? Brothers and sisters must know that the reason why Hezekiah's prayer was answered by God is because he believed in his heart that nothing is impossible with God.

We Must Serve Him in the Temple of the Lord Forever

Behold, it was for my welfare that I suffered great bitterness; but in love you have delivered my life from the pit of destruction, for you have cast all my sins behind your back. For Sheol does not thank you; death does not praise you; those who go down to the pit do not hope for your faithfulness. (Isaiah 38:17-18)

Hezekiah had a mortal illness, and his life was coming to an end. This was the destined end of man, a destiny of death stemming from the sin of Adam and Eve. However, Hezekiah believed that God bore all our transgressions, and all our sins were on the back of Jesus Christ.

The Lord will save me, and we will play on stringed instruments all the days of our lives, at the house of the Lord. (Isaiah 38:20)

A very grateful statement, God saved Hezekiah from death and gave him fifteen more years. Hezekiah responded to the Lord: I will serve God in the temple of the Lord all my life.

What Happened After Hezekiah Was Healed?

Hezekiah welcomed them and showed them all his treasure house—the silver and gold, the spices and fine oil, his armory and everything found in his storehouses. There was nothing in his palace or in all his kingdom that Hezekiah did not show them. Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah and asked, “What did these men say, and where did they come from?” “From a distant land,” Hezekiah replied. “They came to me from Babylon.” Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord Almighty: The time will surely come when everything in your palace, and all that your predecessors have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the Lord. (Isaiah 39:2, 4-6)

After chapter 38, Hezekiah was healed. Chapter 39 records that the kingdom of Babylon, which was then a small nation, sent envoys to Hezekiah. Hezekiah showed them all his treasures. Then Isaiah the prophet asked Hezekiah where they came from, and Hezekiah replied: They came from distant Babylon to see me. Isaiah then made some prophecies. Let us examine the reasons behind this.

At that time Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. He prayed to the Lord, who answered him and gave him a miraculous sign. But Hezekiah’s heart was proud, and he did not respond to the kindness shown him; therefore the Lord’s wrath was on him and on Judah and Jerusalem. Then Hezekiah repented of the pride of his heart, as did the people of Jerusalem; therefore the Lord’s wrath did not come on them during the days of Hezekiah. (2 Chronicles 32:24-26)

It was Hezekiah who blocked the upper outlet of the Gihon spring and redirected the water down to the west side of the City of David. He succeeded in everything he undertook. But when envoys were sent by the ruler of Babylon to ask him about the miraculous sign that had occurred in the land, God left him to test him and to know everything that was in his heart. (2 Chronicles 32:30-31)

Many people find this chapter puzzling. This passage is very interesting, as one might think that Hezekiah, after being healed, prayed, “God, I desire to be sincere and do what is right in your eyes.” Then God granted him fifteen more years, yet Hezekiah did not respond to the kindness shown him because his heart was proud. He showed his worldly wealth to others. When Isaiah the prophet came to prophesy, Hezekiah realized his pride and humbled himself, so God did not bring all these disasters to pass.

God did all this to test Hezekiah: Are you proud? We must know that God often tests people. I do not know if I can overcome all trials, but we must be prepared to accept all kinds of trials. God tested Hezekiah to see if his heart was proud, and the result of the test was that he indeed was proud. God was about to bring wrath upon Judah and Jerusalem, but Hezekiah and the residents of Jerusalem, knowing that they had offended God through their pride, humbled themselves together, so that the Lord’s wrath did not come upon them during Hezekiah’s lifetime.

Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word the Lord has spoken is good,” for he thought, “There will be peace and security in my lifetime.” (Isaiah 39:8)

God often tests us. What is the greatest test? It is to see if we are proud. Brothers and sisters, I think we need to be especially careful in the days ahead. I hope we can overcome pride. Rick Joyner wrote in his book that when he climbed the mountain of the Lord, he discovered the attack of the demonic army hidden behind it. We must have a full understanding of pride. In the days ahead, if we often see God clearly with us, we must be careful about one thing: whether our hearts are turning away.

Know Where Your Faith Truly Lies

If Hezekiah had shown Babylon the miracles that the Lord God had performed among them, he would not have been punished. But Hezekiah showed the national treasures to the envoys of the King of Babylon. What does that indicate? It shows that he had great faith in his treasures. I encourage brothers and sisters: Do not build your faith on the money and treasures you possess, for these cannot save anyone from death. When the envoys from Babylon came, Hezekiah showed them everything he had. Do you not find it strange? Why did you not show them the glory of God? Why did you show them money and treasures? What did you want to flaunt to the envoys from Babylon? Was it your money and treasures?

Brothers and sisters need to have a special understanding of these issues. Pride does not come from showing the glory of God to others; pride comes from showing worldly things to others. Therefore, I must be especially careful. When our church becomes very wealthy in the future, we must be careful not to say how much money is in my account, but rather how God is with us.

Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes. (Isaiah 38:3)

Brothers and sisters need to understand one thing: at this time, because Hezekiah was proud in his heart and relied on his wealth, even though he had been faithful and sincere and had done what was good in God's eyes, how could he suddenly be so deluded as to flaunt his wealth? I tell you, God never lets us leave Him for even a moment. If we leave for even a moment, we will fall into temptation. We must know that we must act according to the Spirit of God. Only by relying on the Spirit of God can we succeed. This is the concept throughout the entire Bible, not relying on what we have done.

When Hezekiah prayed like this: Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes. (Isaiah 38:3) God healed him and gave him fifteen more years of life. From then on, he felt that it was because of what I had done that God healed me. People easily fall into performance-based thinking. When people start to fall into performance-based thinking, God will test them, and the Spirit of God will leave them. What happens after He leaves them? They fall into a trap. Thank God! Suddenly, he and the residents of Jerusalem realized that they were proud and quickly humbled themselves and repented. The Spirit of God had mercy on them and promised him that in his lifetime, there would be peace and stability.

Still Looking to Temporary Material Things?

I think reading this will be very enlightening for us. Perhaps we will do many, many things in the future. But I tell you, it is not because we have done many things, but because we believe that God does these things through us. If God leaves us, we will quickly fall into these traps and our hearts will turn to relying on the money and treasures in our hands. In the future, whatever you look to and rely on, God will take those things away from you.

Hear the word of the Lord Almighty: The time will surely come when everything in your palace, and all that your predecessors have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the Lord. (Isaiah 39:5-6)

When you read the Bible, you need to understand that people like Hezekiah are pure and sincere and do only what is right in the eyes of the Lord. If suddenly a heart relies on money like this, his money will be lost. This is what we Chinese often say: wealth does not last more than three generations. There is a reason for this. It is unreliable for people to rely on money, whether you are a person of God or not. You will find that those who rely on money will be put to shame. Those who rely on money are controlled by the spirit of Mammon.

Brothers and sisters need to begin to understand that our days on earth are not for serving money, nor should we build our security on the money we possess. We should build our security on the God we serve, because God controls both life and death, and God controls a person's prosperity and decline. If this is the case, I tell you, Only by relying on the Spirit of God can we succeed, which is the central theme of the Bible. Some people will say, Pastor, you always say the same thing. What do you want me to say? Besides trusting God, we must trust God. We must trust God all our lives, because our life and death, prosperity and ruin are all in God's hands.

Serve God with Your Emotions

Everyone needs to understand one thing: God reigns in our lives. God reigns in our lives, and it is a grace for us to serve Him. When I was praying, as the song More of You played, the Spirit of God moved me. Some sisters saw tears in my eyes and went to find other sisters, saying, I don't know what problem the pastor is facing. Go and comfort him. He is crying. Actually, I didn't encounter any problems. It was just that my heart was moved because God saved me in times of trouble and became my reliance in times of despair. Every time I sing this song, my heart is deeply moved. At that time, I encouraged the brothers and sisters who were praying with me to serve God through your emotions, learn to love God, learn to love God more deeply, not just understand with your head.

You need to know that loving God is what God wants. If our hearts love God and we invest our emotions in serving God, you will not be tired. Couples in love do not feel that love is a tiring thing, but if both people do not invest their emotions in the relationship, it will be very tiring. Life, death, prosperity, and ruin are all in God's hands. In the past year, the church has entered a revival, growing by 1.5 times. It may be even faster next year. Why? Because we love God, because we serve with emotion. I also encourage brothers and sisters to serve our God with emotion.

In 2016, the shaping of character made our nature more like God. In 2017, I hope that our spiritual life will enter into a deeper level, that is, entering the garden of the Father's love, allowing God's emotions, all the beautiful things in God, to flow out. I have an expectation: I hope that in 2017 our service will be more powerful and the speed of people's transformation will be faster. Therefore, brothers and sisters need to begin to understand that do not use logic to analyze and understand, but use your emotions and love to serve our God. When you serve our God with such emotion and let God's love flow through your life, loving the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind, you will experience a very wonderful chapter. As we become more and more wonderful and trust God more and more, as we trust Him and look to Him more and more on the path of faith, I think God will surely accept our service and edify the lives of more people.