There are moments in life when circumstances leave us with nowhere else to turn but to God. We pray, ask for His intervention and trust Him to do what only He can do. Yet, sometimes, the answer comes in a way we do not expect. We may look for something extraordinary, only to find that God chooses to work through something ordinary.
The account of King Hezekiah’s illness in 2 Kings 20:1-7 and Isaiah 38:1-8 offers an interesting example of this. Faced with a life-threatening illness, Hezekiah turned to God in prayer. God heard him, responded through the prophet Isaiah and instructed that a lump of figs be applied to the affected area. Hezekiah recovered.
This account raises an important question: was it the prayer, the fig or God’s intervention that brought about the healing? More importantly, what does this teach us about the relationship between faith, prayer and the means God uses to answer?
A Prayer That Reached God
In 2 Kings 20:1, the prophet Isaiah delivered a difficult message to Hezekiah: he was to put his affairs in order because he would not recover from his illness. Faced with the prospect of death, Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord.
His prayer was deeply personal. He reminded God of how he had walked before Him faithfully and with wholehearted devotion. He also wept bitterly (2 Kings 20:2-3).
Hezekiah’s response shows us that prayer is not reserved for moments when we have everything under control. It is also an expression of our dependence on God when life becomes uncertain.
There are several lessons in his response:
- Prayer is an expression of dependence: Hezekiah did not allow the seriousness of his condition to stop him from seeking God. He brought his situation honestly before the Lord.
- God welcomes sincere prayer: Hezekiah did not hide his distress. His tears remind us that we can approach God with our fears, questions and pain.
- God hears and responds: Before Isaiah had left the middle court, God instructed him to return with another message. He had heard Hezekiah’s prayer and seen his tears (2 Kings 20:4-5).
God promised to heal Hezekiah, extend his life by fifteen years and deliver Jerusalem from the threat of the Assyrian king. He also gave him a sign involving the shadow moving backwards on the steps of Ahaz (2 Kings 20:6-11).
This was a remarkable demonstration of God’s mercy and power. Hezekiah’s story reminds us that no situation is beyond God’s ability to intervene. However, it is important not to treat this account as a guarantee that every prayer for healing will receive the same answer. God’s response remains His to determine, and we can continue to trust Him even when the outcome differs from what we hoped for.
God Uses Practical Means to Bring Healing
One of the most interesting parts of this account comes after God had promised Hezekiah would recover. Isaiah instructed the people to take a lump of figs and apply it to the boil, and Hezekiah recovered (2 Kings 20:7; Isaiah 38:21).
Why would God use something as ordinary as figs when He had already demonstrated His power to heal?
The instruction reveals an important principle: God’s ability to perform miracles does not mean He cannot work through practical means. The fig was part of the instruction given through Isaiah, and its use accompanied Hezekiah’s recovery. The passage does not suggest that the fig itself possessed supernatural power or that it was the sole cause of the healing. Rather, God was at work through the means He chose to use.
This is worth considering in our own lives:
- God can work through ordinary means: Healing may involve prayer, medical treatment, medication, professional care and other practical support. Receiving help does not mean we lack faith.
- Faith and action can work together: Trusting God does not require us to ignore available help or avoid taking sensible steps towards recovery.
- God remains the source of our confidence: Whether healing comes suddenly or through a gradual process, we can acknowledge His goodness and remain dependent on Him.
This does not mean every remedy will work or that every illness will be healed through medical intervention. Rather, it encourages us to recognise that seeking appropriate help and praying for God’s intervention are not opposing choices.
Hezekiah’s experience challenges the idea that we must choose between trusting God and using practical means. We can pray with faith while also taking responsible steps towards healing. Sometimes, the answer to prayer may come through the very help we initially overlook.
Conclusion
Hezekiah’s story is a reminder that God hears our prayers, sees our tears and is able to intervene in ways beyond our understanding. His recovery involved God’s promise, Isaiah’s instruction and the application of a lump of fig. It shows us that divine intervention and practical means are not necessarily separate.
As we pray for healing, we should do so with faith, knowing that God is able to do far more than we can imagine. At the same time, we should remain open to the different ways He may provide help, including through medical professionals and practical support.
We may not always understand how God will answer, but we can continue to bring our needs before Him. Pray with faith, receive help with gratitude and trust God with the outcome.