Did Hezekiah’s Prayer Change God’s Mind?

 “…The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”

James 5:16b

Before examining a passage often cited as proof that our prayers can change God’s mind, we should consider these explicit statements from Scripture.

“God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” (Numbers 23:1)

“He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind." (1 Samuel 15:29)

With these passages in mind, let’s consider the curious case of Hezekiah and the reversal of the initial prophetic declaration from Isaiah.

"In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.” Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, Remember, O LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of the LORD came to him: “Go back and tell Hezekiah, the leader of my people, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the LORD. I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.’" (II Kings 20:1-6)


Our purpose is not to explore the complexities of the story but consider what is relevant to the question before us.  Though Hezekiah was one of the better kings, he was far from perfect.  He was selfish and he struggled with pride (2 Chronicles 32:25). It seems this severe illness was God’s hand of chastening. The Lord says, “Get ready. You are going to die!”


Hezekiah panicked, began praying, but not very well.  His pleading revealed more of his self-absorbed arrogance.  He boastfully proclaimed, “I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion…I have done what is good in your sight.”  Any truth in this prayer is surely relative. He may have been more righteous than other kings, but they are not the standard.  The point is simple. God wasn’t about to answer Hezekiah’s prayer because he deserved it.  

He clearly didn’t! Despite reforming Judah and reinstituting biblical practices of worship, he compromised the kingdom by boasting of his wealth and failing to trust God to protect Judah from Assyrian aggression.  The prophet condemned him for making an alliance with Egypt and negotiating his own diplomatic policy (Isaiah 39).  Hezekiah’s track record wasn’t great. Drawing attention to his accomplishments would not impress God.  This is an important lesson for us all.  None of us receives an answer to our prayers because we deserve it. That’s our first observation.

"Drawing attention to his accomplishments would not impress God."

Secondly, is God a pushover?  Isaiah hadn’t even left the courtyard before God stops him and tells him to go back to the king with yet another message.  Is God so easily persuaded?  What’s more, God’s second message wasn’t actually an answer to Hezekiah’s prayer.  The king didn’t ask for anything in particular.  The Lord simply responded to the desperate cry of the king’s heart.  God was getting Hezekiah’s attention.

We find the answer to our question in God’s second declaration. The Lord begins by identifying Himself as “the God of your Father David.” He then promises to add fifteen years to Hezekiah’s life and defend Jerusalem.  But this isn’t for Hezekiah’s sake; it’s for His own sake, and for the sake of His servant David.  God had promised David that his lineage would endure.  The man after God’s own heart would have an eternal heir who would rule over an eternal kingdom (II Samuel 7:12-16). There was, as of yet, no Davidic heir to the throne.  Hezekiah did not have a son. God answered Hezekiah’s pleading for the sake of His own integrity and His covenant with David.  The fulfillment of God’s promise to David was dependent upon Hezekiah being granted those extra years and bearing an heir to the throne.

The Lord declares the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10).  The God who ordains the ends ordains the means to those ends.  From the declaration that moved Hezekiah to plead with the Lord to the answer that followed, the whole episode was decreed by God before the foundation of the world.  Any change that occurred in the unfolding of this ordeal was not in God’s immutable plan but in the heart of King Hezekiah.  As it has so often been said, “Prayer doesn’t change God, it changes us.”