Isaiah 38:5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

While this is not always the case, let us refrain from generalizing based on a few instances. We will now focus our discussion on different matters. Death results from sin, as indicated by the Scriptures: You shall long endure (Proverbs 9:18), and you shall have a long life on the earth (Exodus 20:12); do not be obstinate, lest you bring about your own demise (Ecclesiastes 7:17), and elsewhere: I will fulfill the number of your days (Exodus 23:26). However, we clearly see that some deaths are timely while others are not; some come through righteousness, while others stem from sin. Yet can there be an untimely death that comes through virtue? It is said, He shall be exalted, lest evil alter his resolve (Prem. 4:11). Thus, it becomes evident that death can be deemed untimely according to divine wisdom and God's mercy. The Lord declared to Josiah, Receive him, so that he may not witness the forthcoming calamities. Hence, we see that not only due to adversity but also through divine mercy can there be untimely deaths and prolonged old age. The Scripture states, And you shall be long-lived on the earth (Ex. 20:12). There exists another old age that results from sin, as proclaimed concerning Cain: Anyone who kills Cain will face vengeance sevenfold (Genesis 4:15)... Paul also notes: For this reason many among you are weak and fall asleep (1 Corinthians 11:30). Clearly, we can identify two opposing sources of timely and untimely death: righteousness and sin. Shall we discover additional causes? Yes, indeed – although it may be hard to accept – that God may induce illness or cause offenses among people. Death can occur not just because of human schemes but also by God's allowance, as in the case of those on whom the tower of Siloam fell, about whom Jesus questioned, Do you think they were more guilty than all the inhabitants of Jerusalem? (Luke 13:4). Furthermore, there are reasons for timely death, as exemplified in the life of Paul. It was not without cause or unrighteousness that this righteous man lived for an extended period: To remain in the flesh is essential for your sake (Philippians 1:24), otherwise he would have swiftly gone to Christ; he desired to remain alive for the sake of preaching. Likewise, the prophets lived long lives for similar reasons, benefiting many. Thus far, we have revealed three reasons for both timely and untimely deaths. Do you wish to know of a fourth? Abraham was rejuvenated from old age to youth to bear children. Would you also care to know the fifth, which is unfathomable and extraordinary? The infants who perished during the ruthless reign of Herod were not slain due to righteousness or sins, nor were they taken away due to malevolence, but were killed as a result of Herod’s hardened heart. And why do some inquire why they were slain in the flood? We respond that they were destroyed at God's command because of their sins. What of the children of Israel? What about the firstborn of Egypt? These all occurred due to various reasons. Just as the motives behind the deaths of individuals differ, we must discern what they are. During Noah's time, it was to prevent the spread of wickedness; during Christ's era, it was otherwise; the Egyptians perished because of their ancestors’ sins, while the Israelites suffered due to the Egyptian's wickedness. But if one wonders why God did not eradicate all sinners at once, I reply that judgment shall come. If anyone argues that the infants killed by Herod suffered unjustly, on the grounds that if they were indeed sinners, they could have been redeemed, or if they were righteous, they were wronged, we assert that this is not the case. God knows how to reward even those barely born, as He states regarding the unborn, who have done no good or evil, The elder shall serve the younger (Romans 9:12), and I loved Jacob, but I hated Esau (Romans 9:13). This is said concerning those who are to come, for God knows the paths they will take. It is clear that newborns who are innocent are pleasing to God, and if they are wicked, their death may be more beneficial, preventing them from further evil. But how, some may wonder, can we comprehend the following: if a thief or a wrongdoer is put to death, did God command that he should meet an evil fate? Such orders do not come from God but from malevolence. He misused his freedom and was the architect of his demise, taking upon himself the burden of death, as the wise sage points out: By your own hands, you summoned me (Prem. 1:16). But if one falls suddenly, is it not God who allowed such a demise? Or does it occur due to negligence? If God permits such a death, He knows the underlying reasons. However, if someone afflicted succumbs, it is not God's intention but rather occurs under the will of the proud individual. Similarly, when a traveler is assaulted by robbers, at times God allows one traveler to survive while permitting another to perish to uphold freedom. Thus, we conclude that one death may come by God's command while another falls under His permission, though contrary to His will—the murderer seals his own fate. God does not intervene in every instance, though He desires we place our hope in Him; He never forsakes us, lest we think His creation lacks thought and care. It is evident that death decreed by God is not unavoidable; rather, He can annul the sentence concerning death through repentance when either the righteous or the sinner turns to Him. In the case of the righteous Hezekiah, a decree had been made, yet he altered it through his tears. Thus, God desires that death not only occur through natural means but also through righteousness or sin, granting us the ability, through our righteousness, to evade untimely death. Yet some may protest, What use is this knowledge, given that I know the first man died because of sin, and though I strive for some righteousness, I still meet the same end? If you are righteous, you may escape untimely death; however, if you are a sinner, you cannot avoid it. This distinction mattered in the past, but currently, God has decreed that death holds no real consequence. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life. Some may argue that this was predetermined. But they do not grasp that the verdict was shifted, and Hezekiah changed it with his tears. It was a testament of God’s mercy. If an individual receives a sentence from a human judge, they are not safe unless someone of great authority intercedes on their behalf to bring about their release. Yet this is not true with God; the one who received the judgment prayed and wept alone, and the decree of death was rescinded.

The circumstances leading to his death may follow other causes that either arise in the world or are retained in God's foreknowledge. In a particular instance, Hezekiah was fated to die; however, God graciously extended his life by an additional fifteen years—an act which was certainly within His foreknowledge established before the world’s foundation, yet contingent upon His will. Thus, in this situation, God did not act contrary to His intentions but rather fulfilled what He foresaw would transpire. These fifteen years cannot truly be termed as added unless something else was included that had been fulfilled in a different manner. Therefore, while lesser causes could have concluded Hezekiah's life, it was, in fact, God's will and foreknowledge, which encompassed from eternity what would transpire at that moment, that determined the timing of his death. Even though an allowance was granted to Hezekiah because of his plea, it was known to God, whose foreknowledge is infallible, that Hezekiah would pray and that his prayer would be honored; hence, what was foreknown had to be fulfilled.

As Hezekiah wept bitterly, ‘Before Isaiah exited into the courtyard, the Lord spoke to him, saying, Return, and tell Hezekiah, the leader of my people, I have heard your prayer and noticed your tears. Look, I will heal you. Hezekiah asked Isaiah, 'What will be the sign that the Lord will heal me?' The prophet replied, ‘It will serve as a sign from the Lord that He will fulfill His promise: Would you like the shadow to advance ten steps, or would you prefer it to retreat ten steps?’ Hezekiah responded, ‘It is easy for the shadow to advance ten steps; I want it to go back ten steps instead.’ After Isaiah implored the Lord, the sign was granted, and Isaiah instructed that fresh figs be brought. Once they were applied to his wound, he was healed. Following the Lord’s command, the prophet went back to the king to be healed by the one who had struck him; Hezekiah was recognized as the leader of his people and the son of David, imitating the deeds of righteousness of his father David; his prayers were heard and his tears acknowledged, for he walked faithfully before the Lord with a sincere heart, weeping profusely, and acting in ways pleasing to Him. Fifteen additional years were added to his life, years that he did not seek, along with a promise of security for the kingdom throughout his lifetime. Yet, if, as some suggest, life in the body is a form of condemnation, as indicated by the words, ‘Turn my soul to rest’ (Psalms 114:6), and elsewhere, ‘Bring my soul out of prison’ (Psalms 141:8), some may wish for death to be freed from captivity: how is it then that the Lord grants as an act of grace that he should live an additional fifteen years in this captivity? This is revealed as a sign, where the sun retraced ten steps—interpreted as lines or hours by Symmachus, who clarified his thought so that readers could grasp it better, depicting the steps as lines. The steps were constructed mechanically, allowing the descending shadow to indicate the time segments. This sign embodied both present and future realities, reflecting how the sun’s return to its beginning symbolized the restoration of Hezekiah’s years, and for us, living in the cycles of weeks and eights, life is sustained through the resurrection of Christ. Those who highlight the holy sites in this area often point out the steps of the house of Hezekiah or Ahaz within the confines of the temple, as if the sun descended upon them. However, I cannot accept that the abode of Ahaz, a wicked king, nor that of any righteous king, was positioned at the temple of God, especially since it is stated that Solomon, among other transgressions, angered God by building high places, where he could look down from the palace to the temple courtyard (3 Kings 11).

The Lord then spoke to Isaiah, instructing him, Go and tell Hezekiah, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father, I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will add fifteen years to your life, and I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city (Isaiah 38:1-6; 2 Samuel 20:6). What could exemplify this testimony more clearly, wherein the Lord, out of mercy and compassion, chose to alter His decree and extend the life of the supplicant by fifteen years rather than remain unyielding to His predetermined plans? These accounts make it evident that we should not cling obstinately to our own decisions, but rather adjust them with wisdom and discernment, always striving to select the most favorable option and promptly determine what is deemed most beneficial.