The Shadow of the Dial
Sunday, June 7, 2026
Pastor Mark D. Boykin
Watch the full sermon in it’s entirety here:
“In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death: and Isaiah the prophet... said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live.” (Isaiah 38:1)
King Hezekiah was one of the greatest kings Judah ever knew. He destroyed idols, restored worship, and led God's people back to righteousness. Yet despite all the good he had done, there was one thing he had left unattended. What may have begun as a small thing had grown into something God could no longer overlook.
When Hezekiah became sick unto death, the prophet Isaiah came with a sobering message: “Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live.” Faced with the reality of his mortality, Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall and prayed.
“Remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart.” (Isaiah 38:3)
And God answered.
“I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years.” (Isaiah 38:5)
Then God gave him a remarkable sign:
“Behold, I will bring again the shadow of the degrees, which is gone down in the sundial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward.” (Isaiah 38:8)
The shadow moved backward. Only God can do that.
Perhaps the most telling signs of the passage of time are shadows. As the shadows grow longer, the day grows shorter. Opportunities are passing. Every offer has its time limits. Every life has its expiration date. The shadow of the dial reminds us that time is precious, but it also reminds us that God is a God of opportunity and mercy.
In Hezekiah's life, the shadow seemed to spell the end of a kingdom, the death of a man, and the closing of an era.
How many times have people been told, “Get your house in order”? How many have faced impossible circumstances? Yet God is still answering prayer today. God is still alive. He is still doing miracles. Prayer is not our last hope—it should be the first thing we do.
The great lesson of Hezekiah's story is not merely about sickness or extended years. It is about the condition of the heart.
Though Hezekiah had done many things right, Scripture reveals his greatest struggle was pride. Pride is “the parent sin.” Pride was the one thing standing between Hezekiah and complete victory. God loved him too much to leave it unaddressed.
The same is true for us.
Many believers faithfully attend church, worship, serve, and give. Yet there may be one hidden area they have never surrendered to God. It may be pride, unforgiveness, jealousy, greed, lust, bitterness, or some other besetting sin. We often focus on doing more for God when God is asking us to surrender more to Him.
God is willing to disrupt your life and divest you of happiness and health to reveal your true condition. Not because He desires to harm us, but because He desires to heal us.
The longer the shadows grow, the more important it becomes to ask: Have I surrendered everything to Jesus?
I’ve had my own health struggles and time in the hospital. Lying in intensive care, I found myself asking: "God, what will my life reveal about me? Have I truly surrendered everything to You?"
That is a question every believer must eventually face. The shadow of the dial is moving. Time is passing. But God's grace is still available today. The call of the Holy Spirit is still the same: Surrender it all.
Give Him the burden you've been carrying. Give Him the unforgiveness you've been holding. Give Him the pride, the habit, the struggle, the secret place you've never fully yielded.
The shadow of the dial does not have to be a message of despair. For those who turn to God, it becomes a reminder that His mercy is greater than our failures, His grace is sufficient, and His purpose for our lives is not finished.
Father, as the shadows of life grow longer, help me to examine my heart before You. Reveal any pride, bitterness, unforgiveness, or hidden sin that keeps me from complete victory. I surrender every stronghold and every besetting sin to You. Fill my life with Your Spirit, forgive my sins, and take control of my passions and desires. Let the testimony of my life be one of faithfulness to You. In Jesus' name,
Amen.