Isaiah 38:7
“This shall be the sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that he has promised:
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse is more than just a confirmation of God's promise; it's about how God chooses to confirm it. The "sign" isn't just a random event, but a carefully chosen miracle—the reversal of time on the sun-dial of Ahaz—that demonstrates God's power over the very fabric of reality to fulfill His word. This unique sign emphasizes that God's actions are deliberate and awe-inspiring, designed to leave no doubt about His faithfulness.
Hezekiah has just been told by Isaiah that he will die. In response, he prays earnestly, remembering his faithful walk with God, and weeps bitterly. God then hears his prayer and promises to add fifteen years to his life, but also states that a sign will be given to confirm this promise.
God doesn't just promise; He provides proof. When Hezekiah was facing death, God offered a sign not just for him, but for all of us who need assurance.
A Promise Sealed
In Isaiah 38:7, God declares through Isaiah, “This shall be a sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that he has promised.”
This verse is all about assurance. Hezekiah was sick, facing death, and had just received a message from God: “you shall die and have no part in this life.” (Isaiah 38:1).
But God, in His mercy, heard Hezekiah’s prayer and offered a way to confirm His promise of healing and extended life. The sign wasn’t just a casual gesture; it was a divine seal on a divine promise. It’s like God saying, “I know you need to believe this, so here is undeniable proof.”
The Nature of the Sign
While Isaiah 38:7 itself states that there will be a sign, the fuller account in 2 Kings 20:8-11 reveals the nature of this sign: a miraculous reversal of the sun’s shadow on the sundial of Ahaz.
This sign was chosen by Hezekiah and demonstrated God's power over the natural order. It wasn't just a healing; it was a cosmic event, a visible demonstration that God was actively intervening and fulfilling His word.
Imagine time itself bending to God's will. The sign given to Hezekiah wasn't just a minor event; it was a profound statement about who holds ultimate authority.
A Miracle on the Sundial
The "thing that he has promised" in Isaiah 38:7 was Hezekiah's recovery and extended life. The sign God provided, as detailed in 2 Kings 20:8-11, was the shadow on the sundial of Ahaz moving backward ten steps.
This wasn't a mere illusion or a trick of light. It was a direct manipulation of time and the natural world, demonstrating that the God who spoke the promise is also the God who created and controls the very fabric of existence, including time.
Understand the original words
’oth · Hebrew Noun
A miraculous occurrence, wonder, or token intended to confirm a message or promise from God and to strengthen the faith of the believer in God’s word.
YHWH · Hebrew Noun
The covenant name of the one true God of Israel (Yahweh). It emphasizes His self-existence, faithfulness, and personal relationship with His people.
’amar · Hebrew Verb
A declaration or oath made by God regarding a future event. It carries the weight of His unchangeable character and certain fulfillment.
This verse is part of a miraculous healing narrative granted to King Hezekiah. The sign of the receding shadow on the sun-dial was a dramatic, visible confirmation from God that Hezekiah's life would be extended, directly following his desperate prayer and preceding the Assyrian threat's aftermath, which solidified his faith and God's deliverance.
Late 8th century BC
Ahaz refuses God's sign
King Ahaz is offered a sign from the Lord to confirm his faith but refuses, prompting Isaiah to offer a sign anyway.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian invasion and Jerusalem's deliverance
King Sennacherib of Assyria invades Judah and threatens Jerusalem. The city is miraculously delivered after Hezekiah and Isaiah pray.
c. 701 BC— this verse
Hezekiah falls deathly ill
Shortly after the miraculous deliverance from Assyria, King Hezekiah falls gravely ill, facing certain death.
c. 701 BC
God grants Hezekiah fifteen more years
Through the prophet Isaiah, God hears Hezekiah's prayer, spares his life, and adds fifteen years to his reign.
This passage provides the fuller narrative of Hezekiah's request for a sign and the miraculous sign of the sun dial moving backward, directly elaborating on what the 'sign' from Isaiah 38:7 signifies.
Isaiah 7:11This verse references a previous sign offered to King Ahaz, highlighting the theme of God providing tangible proof of His promises and the different ways kings responded to such divine assurances.
Exodus 13:21This passage describes the pillar of cloud and fire, another 'sign' God gave to His people, illustrating God's consistent pattern of using visible signs to guide and assure them, even through miraculous means.
John 3:14-15Jesus references the bronze serpent lifted up in the wilderness, a sign that foreshadowed His own crucifixion and the salvation offered through Him, showing how Old Testament signs point to greater spiritual realities.
barnesIsaiah 38:7: "And this shall be a sign unto thee from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that he hath spoken;"
And this shall be a sign unto thee - That is, a sign, or proof that God would do what he had promised, and that Hezekiah would recover and be permitted to go again to the temple of the Lord Isaiah 38:22 ; 2 Kings 20:8 . On the meaning of the word 'sign,' see Isaiah 7:11 , note; Isaiah 7:14 , note; compare the note at Isaiah 37:30 . The promise was, that he should be permitted t…
cambridgeIsaiah 38:7: "And this shall be a sign unto thee from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that he hath spoken;"
7, 8 . After Isaiah 38:6 , 2 Kings describes the prophet’s prescription for the malady (see on Isaiah 38:21 ). The account of the sign also is given in a much fuller form there. It was granted at the express request of the king (see Isaiah 38:22 ), who had not his father’s fear of “tempting the Lord” (ch. Isaiah 7:12 ). Allowed to choose between a “going forward” and a “going b…
This verse is more than just a confirmation of God's promise; it's about how God chooses to confirm it. The "sign" isn't just a random event, but a carefully chosen miracle—the reversal of time on the sun-dial of Ahaz—that demonstrates God's power over the very fabric of reality to fulfill His word. This unique sign emphasizes that God's actions are deliberate and awe-inspiring, designed to leave no doubt about His faithfulness.
Hezekiah has just been told by Isaiah that he will die. In response, he prays earnestly, remembering his faithful walk with God, and weeps bitterly. God then hears his prayer and promises to add fifteen years to his life, but also states that a sign will be given to confirm this promise.
Hezekiah has just been told by Isaiah that he will die. In response, he prays earnestly, remembering his faithful walk with God, and weeps bitterly. God then hears his prayer and promises to add fifteen years to his life, but also states that a sign will be given to confirm this promise.
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A Deeper Meaning
This act was more than just a personal miracle for Hezekiah. It served as a powerful reminder that God's power transcends human limitations and the natural laws we observe. It highlights His sovereignty not only over life and death but over the fundamental structures of the universe.
By making the shadow go backward, God was doing something that goes against the natural flow of time. This dramatic reversal underscored the impossibility of Hezekiah's recovery by natural means, emphasizing that this healing was purely God's doing.
c. 701 BC
The sign of the receding shadow
As a sign that God will restore him, the shadow on the sun-dial of Ahaz goes backward ten degrees.
c. 605 BC
First Babylonian deportation
Nebuchadnezzar deports many prominent Judeans, including the prophet Daniel, to Babylon after conquering Jerusalem.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and destruction of the Temple
The Babylonians conquer Jerusalem, destroy Solomon's Temple, and deport the majority of the remaining population.
"“This shall be the sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that he has promised:" — This verse is more than just a confirmation of God's promise; it's about how God chooses to confirm it. The "sign" isn't just a random event, but a carefully chosen miracle—the reversal of time on…
