What Could Have Been...

Let's look at the life of someone who will serve as the introduction to a series on the heavenly sanctuary and the investigative judgment. This character was a king, a servant of God, who strove to do good but learned the hard way the consequences of a bad decision.

In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die, and not live.’” Then he turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the LORD, saying, “Remember now, O LORD, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what was good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 2 Kings 20:1-3.

Hezekiah was one of the few kings who had done right in the eyes of God. From this we can note two things.
The first, is that sometimes bad things happen to good people. It is difficult to understand but God knows why He permits certain things to happen and in this case Hezekiah’s days were numbered. As would be normal, at the news of his imminent death, king Hezekiah was deeply saddened and wept bitterly.

The second, is that although we do not always get the answer we seek, God always hears us. There are times when our loved ones go to rest but God has heard our prayers and when we are together in heaven, His reasoning will be revealed to us.

And it happened, before Isaiah had gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying, Return and tell Hezekiah the leader of My people, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the LORD. And I will add to your days fifteen years. I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for My own sake, and for the sake of My servant David. 2 Kings 20:4-6.

It is unclear how many days king Hezekiah had left. We do not know how his last days would have been, if his death was to be sudden or long and painful, but God heard his cry and extended his life 15 years.

Then Isaiah said, “Take a lump of figs.” So they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered. 2 Kings 20:7.

Obviously, disbelief brought this man to seek for a sign from God.

And Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What is the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up to the house of the LORD the third day?”…So Isaiah the prophet cried out to the LORD, and He brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down on the sundial of Ahaz. 2 Kings 20:8, 11.

What a great sign God gave him! I am no expert, but my interest in astronomy, leads me to speculate what happened. The earth is moving in two distinct ways causing the shadow to progress on the sundial.

The earth is in orbit around the sun and it also rotates on its axis. Scientifically speaking, it would require the earth to stop rotating and begin spinning the other way and then stop spinning and resume its original motion. Option B, would include the earth moving in opposite direction in its orbit around the sun.

In any case such an explanation is not necessary, knowing that God created this universe He has much more power to govern the laws that He established and to give life to those who have gone to rest. In this we find the hope that God will come in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory and the dead in Christ shall rise.

Thus Hezekiah's life was preserved for 15 more years.

But, what was the result of this miracle that God worked in his life?

I pause  for a moment to talk about another character whose result would have been different if he had gone to rest before.

The history of Judas presents the sad ending of a life that might have been honored of God. Had Judas died before his last journey to Jerusalem he would have been regarded as a man worthy of a place among the twelve, and one who would be greatly missed. The abhorrence which has followed him through the centuries would not have existed but for the attributes revealed at the close of his history. *1

Unable to see into the future, it is better to accept the will of God even in a situation like that faced by Hezekiah. But God heard his cry and as a result he made a serious error.

But Hezekiah did not repay according to the favor shown him, for his heart was lifted up; therefore wrath was looming over him and over Judah and Jerusalem. 2 Chronicles 32:25.

What would we do if today was our last night? What would be in our hearts? Are we ready to enter heaven?

JESUS IS COMING SOON, AMEN, YES, COME LORD JESUS!

* The Desire Of Ages, "76. Judas", Ellen G. White

Part 2 - I Had The Opportunity But Did Not Take It
Part 3 - If Today Were The Last Day