What does Isaiah 38:21 mean?
"For Isaiah had said, Let them take a lump of figs, and lay it for a plaister upon the boil, and he shall recover." - Isaiah 38:21
Isaiah 38:21 in the King James Version of the Bible reads, "For Isaiah had said, Let them take a lump of figs, and lay it for a plaster upon the boil, and he shall recover." This verse comes at the end of the story of King Hezekiah's illness and miraculous recovery. This chapter in Isaiah provides insight into the sovereignty of God, the nature of prayer, and the power of faith.
The context of this verse is the illness of King Hezekiah, who was told by the prophet Isaiah that he would not recover from his sickness and would die. Hezekiah then turns to the wall and prays to God, reminding Him of his faithfulness and pleading for mercy. In response to Hezekiah's prayer, Isaiah is sent back to Hezekiah with the promise of healing and an additional 15 years of life. The lump of figs applied as a plaster is an act of faith and obedience by Hezekiah, showing his trust in God's promise of healing through the prophet Isaiah.
The themes present in Isaiah 38:21 include the power of prayer, the sovereignty of God, and the importance of faith. The story of Hezekiah's illness and recovery demonstrates the power of prayer as a means of communicating with God. Hezekiah's prayer is earnest and sincere, and God responds by granting his request for healing and extending his life. This serves as a reminder of the importance of seeking God in prayer and the reality of God's ability to intervene in human affairs.
The sovereignty of God is also a prominent theme in this verse. Despite the initial pronouncement of his impending death, Hezekiah turns to God in prayer, acknowledging God's authority over life and death. This story illustrates God's ability to change His plans in response to human petition and to demonstrate His mercy and compassion. It is a reminder that God is ultimately in control and can act in ways that go beyond human understanding.
Furthermore, the act of applying a lump of figs as a plaster serves as a symbol of Hezekiah's faith and obedience. Hezekiah demonstrates his trust in God's promise of healing by following the instructions given through the prophet Isaiah. This symbolizes the importance of obedience in response to God's guidance and the role of faith in experiencing God's miraculous intervention. The use of natural remedies alongside divine intervention shows the holistic nature of healing and the ways in which God can work through various means to bring about restoration.
Overall, Isaiah 38:21 provides a powerful example of the interplay between prayer, faith, and God's sovereignty. It offers encouragement for believers to approach God in prayer with faith and trust in His ability to intervene in their circumstances. The story of Hezekiah's healing serves as a testament to God's compassion and mercy, as well as His ability to act in ways that surpass human expectations. This verse reminds us of the importance of seeking God in prayer, trusting in His sovereignty, and obeying His guidance as we navigate the challenges and trials of life.
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Isaiah 38:21 Artwork
Isaiah 38:21 - "For Isaiah had said, Let them take a lump of figs, and lay it for a plaister upon the boil, and he shall recover."
"For Isaiah had said, Let them take a lump of figs, and lay it for a plaister upon the boil, and he shall recover." - Isaiah 38:21
Isaiah 38:4 - "¶ Then came the word of the LORD to Isaiah, saying,"
Isaiah 38:17
"¶ Then came the word of the LORD to Isaiah, saying," - Isaiah 38:4
Isaiah 38:2 - "Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the LORD,"
Jeremiah 38:21 - "But if thou refuse to go forth, this is the word that the LORD hath shewed me:"
Luke 21:38 - "And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, for to hear him."
Psalms 38:21 - "Forsake me not, O LORD: O my God, be not far from me."
Isaiah 38:6 - "And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city."
Job 38:21 - "Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or because the number of thy days is great?"
Isaiah 38:9 - "¶ The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness:"
Isaiah 38:22 - "Hezekiah also had said, What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the LORD?"
Isaiah 38:7 - "And this shall be a sign unto thee from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that he hath spoken;"
Isaiah 5:21
Isaiah 5:21
Joshua 21:38 - "And out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Mahanaim with her suburbs,"
Genesis 38:21 - "Then he asked the men of that place, saying, Where is the harlot, that was openly by the way side? And they said, There was no harlot in this place."
Isaiah 38:18 - "For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth."
Isaiah 38:1 - "In 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 38:19 - "The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth."
Isaiah 3:21 - "The rings, and nose jewels,"
Acts 21:38 - "Art not thou that Egyptian, which before these days madest an uproar, and leddest out into the wilderness four thousand men that were murderers?"
Exodus 38:21 - "¶ This is the sum of the tabernacle, even of the tabernacle of testimony, as it was counted, according to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, son to Aaron the priest."
Isaiah 38:11 - "I said, I shall not see the LORD, even the LORD, in the land of the living: I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world."
Isaiah 38:20 - "The LORD was ready to save me: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the LORD."
Isaiah 38:10 - "I said in the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave: I am deprived of the residue of my years."
Isaiah 38:16 - "O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit: so wilt thou recover me, and make me to live."
Ezekiel 38:21 - "And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man's sword shall be against his brother."
Isaiah 57:21 - "There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked."