Do Our Prayers Influence God’s Decisions? (Isaiah 28-39)

A Few Thoughts to Consider

Have you ever wondered if your prayers ever make a difference?

Most Christians wrestle with this, and sometimes prayer is a mystery. Sometimes, we pray for something “small” and see a dramatic answer. Other times, we pray for something big and hear nothing. And still, other times, we ask God to do what we think he should do, only to have him remain silent in this one area of our life—all while showing himself very active in other areas. Prayer can be a mystery, and this was something King Hezekiah realized.

Isaiah 28-39 covers a range of prophecies and historical accounts involving the Kingdom of Judah. Chapters 28-33 contain a series of woes and oracles against Ephraim (the Northern Kingdom), Jerusalem, and other nations, warning of judgment but also promising future restoration. These prophecies emphasize the folly of relying on foreign alliances and human wisdom over trust in God. Chapters 34-35 present a vivid contrast between the judgment on the nations and the glorious future restoration of God's people, symbolized by a joyous and fertile land. And chapters 36-39 shift to a historical narrative, recounting the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem under King Hezekiah.

In Isaiah 38, we see the dramatic story of King Hezekiah’s severe illness and his miraculous recovery, an event also documented in 2 Kings 20:1-11 and 2 Chronicles 32:24. In Chapter 38, we read these opening words:

¹ In those days Hezekiah became terminally ill. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Set your house in order, for you are about to die; you will not recover.’” ² Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord. ³ He said, “Please, Lord, remember how I have walked before you faithfully and wholeheartedly, and have done what pleases you.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

The exact time this event took place is unknown. Barry Webb notes, “The opening phrase, ‘In those days,’ is deliberately vague, and gives only a general indication of the time-frame of the narrative. In fact, as we observed earlier, this chapter and the next are effectively a flashback to something that happened before the events that have just been described.”^[1] Also, the nature of Hezekiah’s illness isn't detailed, but it was severe enough to be life-threatening. While some have criticized the wording of Hezekiah’s prayer, John Oswalt writes,

It is evident that Hezekiah knew something of God’s character that Moses also knew (Exod. 32:7–14): God is always ready to be entreated. He is unchanging in his intention to bless his creatures and is willing to change his word if people turn to him in intensity of faith (Jon. 4:2).¹⁰ This does not mean that matters will always turn out as we wish. But it does mean that prayer can change the course of events, and that failure to pray is not necessarily a sign of submission to God’s intractable will. Rather, it may be a sign of apathy and unwillingness to wrestle with God (note Jacob’s refusal to let go of the man with whom he wrestled, Gen. 32:26).^[2]

This prayer is blunt, it is honest, and it is messy. As Webb writes, “It is not much of a prayer, but it is all he is capable of at this moment. But this is precisely the kind of backdrop against which God’s splendid grace shines to fullest advantage. And that is certainly the case here.”^[3] After Hezekiah’s prayer, verses 4-8 state:

⁴ Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah: ⁵ “Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘This is what the Lord God of your ancestor David says: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Look, I am going to add fifteen years to your life. ⁶ And I will rescue you and this city from the grasp of the king of Assyria; I will defend this city. ⁷ This is the sign to you from the Lord that he will do what he has promised: ⁸ I am going to make the sun’s shadow that goes down on the stairway of Ahaz go back by ten steps.’” So the sun’s shadow went back the ten steps it had descended.