Isaiah 38:8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

It occurred globally, and no one has ever witnessed or heard of a miracle comparable to this. Joshua commanded, Stand, sun, over Gabaon, and moon, over the valley of Aialon, and they stood still (Hab. 10:12). While this was indeed a remarkable sign, it did not indicate that the sun and moon paused of their own accord; rather, it revealed that there was a divine presence sustaining and orchestrating everything. To prevent the belief that the created order, along with the sun’s movement, halts by its own might, He quietly shifts the sun’s shadow and alters it at His will—not to bring harm upon creation, but to inspire awe and draw all to faith. The sun was bid to stand still for Joshua, yet God caused it to retreat, and Christ delayed its course, so that you might recognize its slowing was not inherent to the sun but the work of the Creator.

Amid his deep sorrow, before Isaiah had exited the court, the Lord spoke to him, saying, Return and communicate to Hezekiah, the leader of my people, I have heard your prayer and witnessed your tears. Behold, I will bring healing to you. Hezekiah asked Isaiah, What will serve as the sign that the Lord is going to restore my health? The prophet replied, This will be the sign from the Lord, showing that He will fulfill His word: Would you prefer the shadow to advance ten degrees, or should it revert by ten degrees? Hezekiah responded, It is an easy matter for the shadow to extend forward; I would rather it go back ten steps. After Isaiah invoked the strength of the Lord, the sign was fulfilled; he instructed that fresh figs be fetched. When they were brought and applied to his wound, he was healed. The prophet then returned to the king at the Lord's command, so that healing could come through the one who had afflicted him. Hezekiah was esteemed as the leader of his people, a son of David, emulating the righteous works performed by his father, for he acted justly as David had. His prayer was heard, and his tears were seen, as he walked in truth before the Lord, with a perfect heart, weeping sincerely and doing what was pleasing in His sight. Fifteen additional years were added to his existence, a gift he had not sought, along with the assurance of security for the kingdom throughout his days. However, if one were to argue that life in the flesh is a form of bondage, recalling the words: ‘Return my soul to your rest’ (Psalms 114:6) and ‘Release my soul from prison’ (Psalms 141:8), suggesting that death is to be desired for release from this confinement, how can it be that the Lord now bestows this grace of an extra fifteen years in this bondage? This extension is given as a sign, with the sun retreating ten degrees, a transformation which we interpret as lines and hours according to Symmachus, who clarified this for his readers by describing the steps as lines. It could also be that the steps were arranged artistically, causing the shadow to mark the passage of time. This sign serves as a metaphor for both present and future, indicating that just as the sun returned to its origin, Hezekiah's life also returned to its previous years, and for us, living in cycles of sevens and eights, life's duration endures through the resurrection of Christ. Those who to this day highlight holy sites in this area typically point out the steps attributed to Hezekiah or Ahaz within the temple grounds, as it appears the sun sets upon them. Nevertheless, I cannot accept that the house of Ahaz, a wicked king, or any righteous king, was situated at the temple of God, especially given that it is noted that Solomon, among other offenses, displeased God by erecting high places from which he observed the palace tower overlooking the temple courtyard (1 Kings 11).