Frameworks: Isaiah 22: Against Jerusalem

 

Context:

1.2.2 Second wave Ch.21-23

Ch.21 – Against Babylon, against Edom & against Arabia

Ch.22 – Against Jerusalem

Ch.23 – Against Tyre

   

This Chapter:

v.1-4 Anguish in the city

v.5-14 God is bringing destruction to this city that disregards God

v.15-19 The Lord will remove Shebna

v.20-25 He will replace him with Eliakim

 

[Introductory Comment: The Valley of Vision is Jerusalem, a town [v.2] with walls [v.5], the city of David [v.9], named [v.10], a place that is in anguish and turmoil [v.1-4] because fear had made their leaders flee, dying In the process [v.3]. That seems to have been past history but from v.5 the Lord warns of a day of destruction that is coming on this city that had disregarded him [v.5-14] in their complacent revelry [v.13].

Typical of this self-serving people was Shebna the court administrator, concerned for himself [v.16] relishing his position with the king [v.18] and caring little about the ordinary people implied by what follows. The Lord is about to remove him and send him into exile and will replace him by Eliakim, who will take his place and will care for the people [v.20,21] and be given God's authority to lead [v.22-24] and become one who others turn to for support. Nevertheless, he will be insufficient to be their complete provision for only the Lord can be that [v.25]. A chapter of challenge.]

     

  

v.1-4 Anguish in the city

 

v.1 (The city is Jerusalem that is troubled) A prophecy against the Valley of Vision:

What troubles you now,
    that you have all gone up on the roofs,
v.2 (There is upset because there is death) you town so full of commotion,
    you city of tumult and revelry?
Your slain were not killed by the sword,
    nor did they die in battle.
v.3 (Their leaders are taken without a fight) All your leaders have fled together;
    they have been captured without using the bow.
All you who were caught were taken prisoner together,
    having fled while the enemy was still far away.
v.4 (Therefor Isaiah is in anguish over his people) Therefore I said, ‘Turn away from me;
    let me weep bitterly.
Do not try to console me
    over the destruction of my people.'

   

  

v.5-14 God is bringing destruction to this city that disregards God

 

v.5 (God is bringing destruction to Jerusalem) The Lord, the Lord Almighty, has a day
    of tumult and trampling and terror
    in the Valley of Vision,
a day of battering down walls
    and of crying out to the mountains.
v.6 (Enemies for the north east come) Elam [east of Babylon] takes up the quiver,
    with her charioteers and horses;
    Kir uncovers the shield.
v.7 (they fill the land) Your choicest valleys are full of chariots,
    and horsemen are posted at the city gates.

v.8 (God allows them access to the Land) The Lord stripped away the defences of Judah,
    and you looked in that day
    to the weapons in the Palace of the Forest.
v.9 (This Jerusalem's walls are breached) You saw that the walls of the City of David
    were broken through in many places;
you stored up water
    in the Lower Pool.
v.10 (Houses are used as rubble to fill the breaches) You counted the buildings in Jerusalem
    and tore down houses to strengthen the wall.
v.11 (They made your own resources not relying on the Lord) You built a reservoir between the two walls
    for the water of the Old Pool,
but you did not look to the One who made it,
    or have regard for the One who planned it long ago.

v.12 (Thus the Lord brought anguish) The Lord, the Lord Almighty,
    called you on that day
to weep and to wail,
    to tear out your hair and put on sackcloth.
v.13 (But they seem oblivious to this in their revelry) But see, there is joy and revelry,
    slaughtering of cattle and killing of sheep,
    eating of meat and drinking of wine!
‘Let us eat and drink,' you say,
    ‘for tomorrow we die!'

v.14 (This sin is so serious it cannot be atoned for) The Lord Almighty has revealed this in my hearing: ‘Till your dying day this sin will not be atoned for,' says the Lord, the Lord Almighty.

   

   

v.15-19 The Lord will remove Shebna

 

v.15 (God speaks against the palace administrator) This is what the Lord, the Lord Almighty, says:

‘Go, say to this steward,
    to Shebna the palace administrator:
v.16 (In his pride he created a tomb to ensure his is remembered) what are you doing here and who gave you permission
    to cut out a grave for yourself here,
hewing your grave on the height
    and chiselling your resting-place in the rock?

v.17 (But the Lord is going to remove him) ‘Beware, the Lord is about to take firm hold of you
    and hurl you away, you mighty man.
v.18 (He will be taken to a foreign country where he will die, despite his appearances of grandeur) He will roll you up tightly like a ball
    and throw you into a large country.
There you will die
    and there the chariots you were so proud of
    will become a disgrace to your master's house.
v.19 (God WILL remove him) I will depose you from your office,
    and you will be ousted from your position.

    

   

v.20-25 He will replace him with Eliakim

 

v.20 (Eliakim is to be his replacement) ‘In that day I will summon my servant, Eliakim son of Hilkiah.

v.21 (he will be given his role but he will care for the people) I will clothe him with your robe and fasten your sash around him and hand your authority over to him. He will be a father to those who live in Jerusalem and to the people of Judah.

v.22 (To him will be given David's authority before the Lord) I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.

v.23 (He will be firmly established) I will drive him like a peg into a firm place; he will become a seat of honour for the house of his father.

v.24 (All will depend on him) All the glory of his family will hang on him: its offspring and offshoots – all its lesser vessels, from the bowls to all the jars.

v.25 (Yet even he will be insufficient to be the lone resource for God's people, only He Himself [implied])  ‘In that day,' declares the Lord Almighty, ‘the peg driven into the firm place will give way; it will be sheared off and will fall, and the load hanging on it will be cut down.' The Lord has spoken.

       

           

Continue to Chapter 23