Because of God's Love for You, The Worst of Times Will Surely Turn to Your Benefit

"Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back." (Isaiah 38:17)

At first, when I read this passage, I thought that King Hezekiah was saying "My peace was taken away, and I was given great bitterness instead."

That's not how to read the passage, however.

The New International Version expounds what Hezekiah prayed more accurately:

"Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish. In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction; you have put all my sins behind your back."

Hezekiah's pain resulted from a terrible illness, one in which the prophet Isaiah told him would result in his death:

"1In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live." (Isaiah 38:1)

Hezekiah was a man of great faith, and he was not afraid to ask God for mercy:

"2Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, 3And said, Remember now, O LORD, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore." (Isaiah 38:2-3)

Bear in mind that we walk before God in a perfect heart when we believe on HIM!

Just like blessed, believing Abraham! (Genesis 15:6; Galatians 3:9)

God not only restored Hezekiah to health, He promised the great king fifteen more years of life, and He removed the fierce Assyrians from attacking Judah!

What a victory! What a reversal of grace for this king.

Then followed Hezekiah's wonderful Song of Thanksgiving, and one key verse stands out:

"Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back." (Isaiah 38:17)

"Great bitterness" in the original Hebrew is "mara mara" -- superlative bitterness, the worst, hardest time imaginable.

Indeed, Hezekiah went through untold troubles: healthwise, emotionally, and even politically, since the kingdom of Judah was under seige from the King of Assyria! And all at the same time!

Yet Hezekiah would then say "Surely it was for my benefit". In fact, that word "peace" is "Shalom", which speaks to consummate wholeness in every manner: physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally, politically (for the king's sake), etc.

And the manner in which God saved Hezekiah--and saves us!

"In love to my soul" - this is "Chazaq" love, which communicates that God is so attached, so longing for us!

No matter how bad it gets, no matter how great the trials, just turn your face toward your loving Father. He will hear you, and He will cause the worst of trials to turn to your benefit!

He Set His Love On Us First

"Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name." (Psalm 91:14)

Many people read this passage, and they come into bondage, because they sense that they need to love God more, love Him better in order to be delivered, in order to enjoy His protection.

However, before we set our love on Him, He has already set His love on US!

In the Original Hebrews, the phrase "set his love" is "chasaq", which also means "be attached".

It also means "to desire" as well as "to long for".

God desires us! He longs for us!

The first mention of this word takes place when Shechem declares to Jacob that he is attached to his one daughter Dinah, whom he had raped:

"8And Hamor communed with them, saying, The soul of my son Shechem longeth for your daughter: I pray you give her him to wife." (Genesis 34:8)

His soul longed for Dinah.

But God longs for us, too!

The LORD declares His love for His people Israel:

"The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people" (Deuteronomy 7:7)

Check out where else God sets His love!

"Only the LORD had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day." (Deuteronomy 10:15)

He set His love on His people first!

Now consider the final mention of "chasaq" in the Old Testament:

"Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back." (Isaiah 38: 17)

In this passage, Hezekiah the king of Judah, one of the greatest kings in the history of that kingdom, was afflicted with a terrible disease. The prophet Isaiah had even told him to prepare for death. Hezekiah pleaded with God, to remember his righteousness before him, and God told the king through Isaiah that he would indeed live.

In response, Hezekiah prayed with thanksgiving, including how God delivered him from death. Why? Because He had set His love on Hezekiah!

And notice what God's love did for Hezekiah: "You have cast all my sins behind Your back."

The greatest love was shown to us at the Cross!

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

That's what love is! It's God giving us His Son!

"9In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4:9-10)

Behold what love our Father has for us! (1 John 3:1)

And from this love, springs our love for God!

"We love him, because he first loved us." (1 John 4:19)

There you have it. We set our love on Him --- because He has so richly set His love on us first!