John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 38:4

"Then came the word of Jehovah to Isaiah, saying," — Isaiah 38:4 (ASV)

Then came the word of Jehovah. Isaiah had departed, leaving the sting, as the saying goes, in the wound. He considered abandoned the one on whom he had pronounced sentence in the name of God Himself. Yet, the song partly reveals the trembling uneasiness that tormented him, and even the terror that seized him.

We do not know what interval of time elapsed between the Prophet’s departure and return. However, it is certain that the glad tidings of life were not brought until, after long and severe struggles, he perceived that he was utterly ruined. For it was a severe trial of faith for him to be kept plunged in darkness by the hiding of God’s face.

We have said that, while the doctrine of consolation was taken away, the faith of the good king was still not so extinguished that it did not emit some sparks, because, by the secret influence of the Spirit, groans that could not be uttered (Romans 8:26) arose to God out of the gulf of sorrow.

From this we also conclude that, while in the day of trouble (Psalms 50:15) God hears believers, His favor does not always shine on them at once, but is purposely delayed until they are sincerely humbled. And if a king so eminent in piety needed to suffer such anguish to be more powerfully moved to seek God’s favor, and, being almost wasted by grief, to groan from hell to God, then we should not wonder if He sometimes permits us for a time to be agitated by fears and perplexities, and delays longer in bestowing consolation in answer to our prayers.

But it may seem strange that God, having uttered a sentence, should soon afterwards be moved, as it were, by repentance to reverse it; for nothing is more contrary to His nature than a change of purpose. I reply that, while death was threatened against Hezekiah, God had still not decreed it, but determined in this manner to test Hezekiah’s faith. We must, therefore, suppose a condition to be implied in that threatening, because otherwise Hezekiah would not have altered God’s irreversible decree by repentance or prayer. But the Lord threatened him in the same manner as He threatened Gerar for carrying off Sarah (Genesis 20:3), and as He threatened the Ninevites (Jonah 1:2; Jonah 3:4).

Again, it will be objected that it seems inconsistent with God’s nature to threaten what He does not intend to execute, and that this diminishes the authority of His word and causes the promises and threatenings to carry less weight. But what we have already said regarding the sentence must also be maintained regarding the form of the words.

God threatened Hezekiah’s death because He was unwilling for Hezekiah to die. Indeed, it would have been unnecessary and even useless to predict it if a remedy had not been provided. Now, as it was God’s purpose to humble His servant by fear and terror, so that he might voluntarily condemn himself and thus escape punishment through prayer, so by harsh language and an absolute threat of death, He intended to slay him, so that, rising like a dead man from the grave, he might feel that life had been restored to him.

And so we must suppose that an implied condition was understood, which Hezekiah, even if he did not immediately perceive it, nevertheless later, in due time, knew had been added. Nor are we free to infer from this that God used deceit by adapting His discourse to human capacity and understanding; for it is no new thing if He kill before He make alive (Deuteronomy 32:39; 1 Samuel 2:6). To prepare Hezekiah by a spiritual resemblance of death and gradually form him for a new life, He holds back part of the discourse.