Living By Faith in the Face of Cancer

Lessons from the Story

of Hezekiah’s Illness

Isaiah 38-39

Bill and Kim Le

Bill, 39, is in the advanced stages of his brain cancer.

What is Cancer?

What is Cancer?Cancer is a class of about 100 diseases, in which a group of cells display uncontrolled growth

What is Cancer?Cancer is a class of about 100 diseases, in which a group of cells display uncontrolled growth

Cancer often, but not always, results in the formation of a tumor.

What is Cancer?Cancer is a class of about 100 diseases, in which a group of cells display uncontrolled growth

Cancer often, but not always, results in the formation of a tumor.

Cancer emerges because of abnormalities in the genetic material of the cancer cells.

What is Cancer?Cancer is a class of about 100 diseases, in which a group of cells display uncontrolled growth

Cancer often, but not always, results in the formation of a tumor.

Cancer emerges because of abnormalities in the genetic material of the cancer cells.

Cancer is linked to certain agents (e.g. tobacco, radiation, etc.), but the cellular abnormalities may also occur at random.

What is Cancer?Cancer is a class of about 100 diseases, in which a group of cells display uncontrolled growth

Cancer often, but not always, results in the formation of a tumor.

Cancer emerges because of abnormalities in the genetic material of the cancer cells.

Cancer is linked to certain agents (e.g. tobacco, radiation, etc.), but the cellular abnormalities may also occur at random.

Cancer causes 13% of all deaths worldwide and 25% of all deaths in the United States.

What is Cancer?Cancer is a class of about 100 diseases, in which a group of cells display uncontrolled growth

Cancer often, but not always, results in the formation of a tumor.

Cancer emerges because of abnormalities in the genetic material of the cancer cells.

Cancer is linked to certain agents (e.g. tobacco, radiation, etc.), but the cellular abnormalities may also occur at random.

Cancer causes 13% of all deaths worldwide and 25% of all deaths in the United States.

Cancer will develop in one in three people in the developed world.

What is Cancer?Cancer is a class of about 100 diseases, in which a group of cells display uncontrolled growth

Cancer often, but not always, results in the formation of a tumor.

Cancer emerges because of abnormalities in the genetic material of the cancer cells.

Cancer is linked to certain agents (e.g. tobacco, radiation, etc.), but the cellular abnormalities may also occur at random.

Cancer causes 13% of all deaths worldwide and 25% of all deaths in the United States.

Cancer will develop in one in three people in the developed world.

The most common cancer (% of new cases) is lung cancer. Most common in men is prostate cancer; in women, breast cancer.

My sister June and friend William

Fill in the face of a person you know with cancer

Isaiah 38:1

1 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."

First, Resist Cancer’s Premature Sentence of Death

Revelation 1:17-18

“Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.”

Isaiah 38:2-3, 10, 142 Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the

LORD,

3 "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. .

10 "In the prime of my life must I go through the gates of death and be robbed of the rest of my years?“ . . .

14 “I cried like a swift or thrush,        I moaned like a mourning dove.        My eyes grew weak as I looked to the heavens.        I am troubled; O Lord, come to my aid!"

Isaiah 38:4-6, 21

 4 Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah: 5 "Go and tell Hezekiah, 'This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life. 6 And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city. . .

21 Isaiah said, "Prepare a poultice of figs and apply it to the boil, and he will recover."

A poultice is a soft, moist mass of bread, cereal, herbs, clay, etc., that is often heated and spread on a cloth over the skin to draw out toxins from an infected

area.

The ancient writer Pliny the Elder wrote in his encyclopedia Natural History (77 AD) that figs were

good for boils (19.34)

In other words, God extended Hezekiah’s life by means of a regularly practiced medical procedure (!)

In the same way, God is extending life today through regular (and cutting-edge) cancer treatments

Second, Heed Cancer’s Reminder That We Must All, Even the Healthy, Live Humbly in Light of Our Mortality

Psalm 90:12

 12 Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Isaiah 38:15Hezekiah:

“But what can I say?       He has spoken to me,

and he himself has done this.       I will walk humbly all my years       because of this anguish of my soul.”

But in the next chapter, he quickly forgets the humility he thought he would have.

Isaiah 39:1-21 At that time Merodach-Baladan son of

Baladan king of Babylon sent Hezekiah letters and a gift, because he had heard of his illness and recovery. 2 Hezekiah received the envoys gladly and showed them what was in his storehouses—the silver, the gold, the spices, the fine oil, his entire armory and everything found among his treasures. There was nothing in his palace or in all his kingdom that Hezekiah did not show them.  

Isaiah 39:3-83 Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah and asked,

"What did those men say, and where did they come from?" From a distant land," Hezekiah replied. "They came to me from Babylon."

 4 The prophet asked, "What did they see in your palace?" "They saw everything in my palace," Hezekiah said. "There is nothing among my treasures that I did not show them."

 5 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Hear the word of the LORD Almighty: 6 The time will surely come when everything in your palace, and all that your fathers have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the LORD. 7 And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood who will be born to you, will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon."

Hezekiah’s gaze became fixed on riches, impressing potential allies and gaining security against the Assyrians.

The near-fatal illness should have focused Hezekiah on simpler and more important things in life: God, His love,

and His greatness

Closing:Think again to person you know with

cancer . . .

Pray against any premature sentences of death

Pray that both you and he or she will be able to “number your days aright . . .”