How Do You See This: As A Blessing Or A Curse?

​2 Kings 20:4-6 - Before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, "Return and say to Hezekiah the leader of My people, 'Thus says the LORD, the God of your father David, " I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the LORD.  "I will add fifteen years to your life,…"  NASU 

• Hezekiah Was Given 15 More Years 

This story starts out with the prophet Isaiah informing King Hezekiah he needs to put his house in order because God says he is going to die. Hezekiah immediately goes to the Lord in prayer and asks for his life to be spared.
 
Isaiah had not even gotten out of the middle court when God says to go back and tell Hezekiah I have heard his prayer and seen his tears and here is my answer, "I will heal you. …I will add 15 years to your life…" 

• He Now Knows 

Hezekiah now knows he is going to die in 15 years.
 
How would you manage your life if you knew you only had 15 years to live? Would you consider that knowledge a blessing or a curse?
 
How would you manage your life with that knowledge?
 
Hezekiah knows he only has 15 years.
 
Would you break your time remaining down into segments? Would you have your life broken into five segments of 3 years each or 3 segments of 5 years each or would it be 15 segments of 1 year each? 

• Was It A Blessing Or A Curse? 

Hezekiah asked to be healed. He didn't want to die. He didn't want to go to Abraham's bosom. My understanding of Abraham's bosom at this time it would have been better for Hezekiah to die and go there.
 
Luke 16:25 - But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here,...'
 
Abraham's bosom was a place where your spirit went after you died during the Old Testament dispensation. We don't know a lot about this place but we know this much you would not suffer there. It was better to go there than to go to the lower part of Hades where the rich man went and was in torment.
 
I would imagine as time runs on and Hezekiah grows ever closer to his 15th year he woke up every day like we do, is today going to be the day we die?
 
My advice would be as you grow older and every day closer to departing and being with Christ just let it happen. Instead of praying for God to spare your life pray for God's Will to be done with you.
 
If He gives you more years to live then make them count for Him and His Kingdom. If He doesn't give you more time and He calls your spirit home I really don't believe you will complain about being in heaven.
 
Here is what the apostle Paul had to say about going to heaven: "But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.  (Philippians 1:23-24)
 
Your being here on earth may be beneficial for others but going to Heaven will surely be the greatest blessing you will ever receive.
 
Think About This:
 
What Heaven Is Going To Be Like:
 
Revel. 22:5 - And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever. 

Stay Pumped,
 
Gary A. Serago
 
Minister of God's Word