In our lives we are attacked by trials that burden us with more than we think we can carry, but at such times what should we do? In today’s passage the King of Judah, Hezekiah appears. When he is told that he is going to die, he was helpless, but he didn’t give up. He “turned his face to the wall and prayed.” As a result his prayer was heard and 15 years were added to his life. The door to life was opened in the wall of helpless death. No matter what trials attack us, we must not become helpless. At times like that we must pray to God. We must pray holding onto God’s mercy. Then God will hear those prayers. Real hopelessness is not being able to pray. Even if we have just a little faith left, there is still hope. Today I would like to talk about three things on the theme that prayer breaks through walls.

I. Put your house in order (Vs. 1)
First please look at verse 1. “In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, ‘This is what the LORD says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.’”
“In those day” (1) is at the time that Jerusalem was surrounded by Assyria. That was 701 B.C. Hezekiah died in 686 B.C. Here 15 years were added to his life so you can see that it was exactly this year. “In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death.” (1) We don’t know what sickness he had, but verse 21 says, “Isaiah had said, ‘Prepare a poultice of figs and apply it to the boil, and he will recover.’” Therefore, it is thought that it was some kind of skin cancer, a malignant tumor. It had worsened and he was “at the point of death”. (1) Hezekiah was at that time not only struggling with Jerusalem being surrounded by Assyria, but he was ill “at the point of death”. (1) From this too we can know the acuteness of Hezekiah’s worries. Even though it was hard just under the condition of Assyria surrounding them, on top of that he was sick “at the point of death”. (1) In other words, he was being crushed by 2 things at the same time. I’m sure he was suffering greatly wondering why God allowed this.
Moreover, Isaiah whom Hezekiah looked to as his teacher and counselor came like he was pursuing him and warned him, “Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.” He is telling him that he is going to die. He will not recover from the illness. This is not to just clean his house. It also means to leave a will. So that those who are remaining will not be confused he is to write a will arranging everything. However, that is not all. Including all these things, moreover he is to prepare to meet God.
Amos 4:12
The greatest preparation is to prepare to meet God, to prepare to arrive at Christ’s throne of Judgment. The reason is written in Hebrews 9:27.
Hebrews 9:27
No matter how much you pay attention to your health, even if you exercise every day and diet, even if you eat organic vegetables, even if you take vitamins that revive you, every person will without fail die. Such a day will come at a time that you weren’t expecting it.　Therefore, before that you must “put your house in order.” (1) It is necessary to arrange the care of your assets and property. However, more than that you must think about spiritual things, eternal life. Is your house in order?
Hezekiah was 39 when he was told this. “Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.” (1) I think he must have been really shocked. In some cases to be attacked by trials of your own body is more bitter than trials that come from the outside. Certainly Assyria surrounding Jerusalem and attacking was a bitter thing. However, more than that his own body attacked by disease was even bitterer. This is such a bitter thing, a shocking thing. It is not unusual to not tell someone that he is dying. That is because it will become a very difficult situation if the person hears that and goes into shock and depression. There are cases when it really because the end because he thinks it is the end and loses his will to live.
However, this is the difference in whether you believe in God or not. For those who believe in God, this is really a crucial moment. In fact, this time can be taken as a real opportunity to give God the glory. The works of God are displayed more when looking at it humanly the situation is hopeless and helpless rather than when we are doing things well all the time, or things are going better than what we asked for.
For example when Jesus was invited to the marriage feast in Cana of Galilee, the incident of running out of wine occurred. At the marriage feast they ran out of wine. That would be embarrassing for the relatives. Jesus’ mother, Mary, went to Jesus and whispered to Jesus that there was no more wine. Usually if it is thought that if they run out of wine, it is the end, but in reality this was a time when their dependence on God is really shown. Jesus told the servants to fill the big stone jugs with water. There were all together 6 jugs. The filled the jugs up to the brim with water. Then they were told to bring them to the master of the banquet. It became choice wine. The master of the banquet said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” (John 2:10) It had changed into that good of wine. “He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew.” (John 2:9) Jesus had changed it into wine.

This was the first of the miraculous signs Jesus performed. By this miracle Jesus “revealed his glory.” (John 2:11) When the wine ran out, was the time when God’s glory was really revealed.
Truly Hezekiah was put in such a situation. When he was put in a hopeless situation, it was the time that God’s glory was revealed. You may meet things that are difficult to accept, miserable things, and trying things. There may be some people who may be exactly in the same situation today. However, please remember that such times are times when God’s glory is revealed. We are always loved by God. The life relationship of believing and loving God glows here.

II Hezekiah who turned his face to the wall and prayed (Vs. 2,3)
What Hezekiah did at this time is recorded in verses 2 and 3. Please look at them.
Vs. 2,3
When Hezekiah was told that he was going to die, he didn’t just get upset and become hopeless. He stood up and ran to God and he prayed to God. “Hezekiah turned his face to the wall” (2) is not because he was sick and couldn’t go to the temple. The situation that he was put in was like a no-win situation of being walled in. He only concentrated on God and prayed so that other things would not be allowed to come into his view. This is really the attitude that we must take when we face difficulties. In our lives too things happen that stir up our hearts like the trials that Hezekiah experienced. At such times what we must just turn to God, concentrate on God and pray. Real prayer isn’t words and content. Real prayer is directed to God and depends on God and concentrates on God.
How Hezekiah prayed is recorded in verse 3. Here it says, “Remember, O LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.”
Here Hezekiah is saying that he realizes that by his own power he can’t do anything. It was only by throwing himself on the mercy of God.
Here Hezekiah says, Remember, O LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.”(3) If he hadn’t had such a relationship with God, he wouldn’t have been able to say such words. If his relation with God was weak, he wouldn’t have been able to pray such a prayer. However, this was not that Hezekiah had not sinned at all, that he was perfect, but he is praying frankly that he depended on the mercy of God, and “with wholehearted devotion” (3) followed God. In reality Hezekiah has up until now made one mistake after another. When Assyria attacked, he was afraid that they would be destroyed so he secretly formed an alliance relationship with Egypt. Also he sent a tribute of money to the King of Assyria. He thought that he could solve the problem with money. However, such human plans end in failure. He was definitely not perfect. However, he said, “Remember, O LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes” (3) because “with wholehearted devotion” (3) he followed God’s covenant of grace. He was throwing himself on the mercy of God.
This is what we must not forget. When we want God to hear our prayers we need to trust in how merciful God is, and how faithful God is. No matter how much we fail, how much we stumble, God does not leave us. Instead we need to trust that God’s mercy will take care of us so we won’t slip.
In Japanese religious views there is the thinking that if you do this, then you will be punished or if you do that you will be cursed. However, the God of Israel, the real God who made heaven and earth is not like this. Our God loves us infinitely. He pours out grace and mercy. That is the God of the Bible, the faith of the Bible. No matter what we are like, God will never leave us. Therefore, when we meet various trials, when we face various troubles, we shouldn’t think that the reason this happened was because we did this or we did that. God shows infinite grace. We must believe that even if someone forgets us, He will never forget us and pray.
A little while ago I watched the DVD, “Les Miserables”. When I watched it what made me think was the attitude of the priest who appears in it. Jean Valjean who was imprisoned and served a 19 year sentence to strong manual labor for stealing a slice of bread when he was starving came to a convent and the priest welcomed him as a guest. Jean Valjean said that he might kill him, but the priest said that they had to trust each other and accepted him. He showed hospitality with a warm room and a warm dinner, and a warm bed, but even so Jean Valjean returned the priest’s good favor with evil. He stole the kitchen silver and ran away. He was caught and when he was brought to the priest because he claimed that the priest gave him the silver, the priest said that he had given Jean Valjean the silver and that he had also told him to take the candlesticks too, but in his hurry he had forgotten them. When Jean Valjean asked the priest why he covered for him, the priest answered to never forget this night and become a new person. He said, “Brother Jean Valjean, you are done with evil. I have redeemed you with silver. I saved you from fear and bitterness and I return you to God’s hands.”

My heart was deeply hit by the mercy and affection of the priest. He accepted Jean Valjean no matter what. Jean Valjean whose heart was his by his love changed completely. In the course of time he became a mayor and he kept his promise to a woman and put his life on the line to take care of the woman’s daughter. He also forgave from his heart his enemy, a police officer.
This is the compassion of God. No matter how unfaithful we are, even if we ignore God, God is merciful. Through Jesus Christ he redeemed us. By the hand of God, through the atonement of Jesus Christ, we became the children of God. We can call him “Father”. When we call him “Father” God accepts us as his own child. That must be the roots of our faith towards God. God is almighty, but we must not forget that God is also merciful.
Therefore, Hezekiah prayed like this. “Remember, O LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes” (3) Then “Hezekiah wept bitterly.” (3) He didn’t cry to people “I’m having a bad time. Help me” He didn’t cry out, “I hurt”. He cried before the Lord. He came as he was and poured himself out before God, and threw himself on the mercy of God. This kind of prayer surely moves God’s heart. Such an earnest prayer opens the door of hope in a no-win situation wall.

ⅢⅢ．I answered your prayer. (verses 4~8)

Then, how did God answer to Hezekiah’s prayer? Let’s look at verses 4 to 8. (verses4~8)
God spoke through Isaiah. “I have heard your prayer and seen your tears.” What a word of comfort this is. This is God’s great mercy. God listened to Hezekiah’s prayer, and He said He saw his tears. And He added 15 years to his life. Moreover, God listened even to the prayers that he didn’t pray. He promised to deliver them from the hands of the king of Assyria. This is the God that we believe in. This is the God that is taught in the Bible.
Let’s look at Ephesians 3:20. Here it says that our God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. Why? Because He is merciful. After all, Hezekiah’s prayers were answered not because of his achievements, nor because of his personality. It was not because of his faithfulness nor his religiousness, neither. Hezekiah’s prayers were answered because God was merciful, and faithful. God keeps His promise. God answers your prayers not because you’re great. Not because you’re doing your best. It is because God is so merciful, and He answers to your prayers based on His character.
And God made the shadow cast by the sun to go back the 10 steps it had gone down on the stairway of Ahaz. These 10 steps is a lot if you consider that in a day. In Joshua, it is written that the sun stopped for a day, but sometimes there are people who say that they can’t believe the Bible or that the fact that the time stopped. They think it is impossible for things like this to happen. However, God does things that can’t be proved by science. Our God who created time can control it. He can expand the time, or shorten it. God isn’t bounded by time. “God created heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1) If you believe in this, you can believe this fact easily. Our God who controls time also prolonged Hezekiah’s life.
How great is that. God saw Hezekiah’s crying prayer and tears, and He richly answered his prayer. Hezekiah prayed for his healing, but God not only answered that prayer, but He also prolonged Hezekiah’s life for 15 years. He also saved Assyria from Judah, and promised to save the town of Jerusalem. He also made the shadow cast by the sun go back the 10 steps. Even in times of trials that you feel you cannot handle, if you pray and seek eagerly, God will listen to you, and answer your prayers. God will open the door to the eternal life.
After injuring her leg, Margaret Michael started writing, and she completed one novel after 7 years. She visited several publishers with her papers, but she was rejected by them. No one showed interest in her writings. Usually people might give up and start looking for another job, but she didn’t. She heard that the president at Macmillan publisher would visit Atlanta, and ran to the train station to see him. And she begged handing the writings to him saying, “Please read my papers.” The president put the papers into his bag, but he didn’t think of reading the papers at all. Later, the president got a telegram from her saying, “please read my papers.” A day passed, and the same telegram came again. “Please read this.” That continued. Gradually the president was moved by her enthusiasm and he started reading the papers that she sent. He was absorbed in the story so much that he didn’t realize that the train reached the place where he wanted to go. This novel is what we call now, “Gone with the Wind”.
Through her strong enthusiasm, “Gone with the wind” is now known to the people around the world. Our prayers should be like this. We shouldn’t be discouraged by any trials. In times like this, we ought to pray towards God with passion. We should seek God’s mercy. Then God will listen to your prayers, will see your tears, and will answer to them. As God’s child, I hope you will experience His blessings through prayers. Such prayers will help you go through trials that you cannot handle.