CHAPTER 22 THE BURDEN OF THE VALLEY OF VISION. The vision begins with a description of wild rejoicing in Jerusalem at something which is the cause of great happiness. Some see this rejoicing as resulting from their receiving the news that their initial plea to Assyria for merciful treatment had been... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD'S PEOPLE MUST CHOOSE BETWEEN EXCESSIVE AND UNJUSTIFIED HILARITY RESULTING FROM FALSE CONFIDENCE, OR MOURNING OVER SIN AND TRUSTING IN HIM (ISAIAH 22:1) Jerusalem is seen as having become a scene of rejoicing, but Isaiah is only too well aware that it is all for the wrong reasons. For in the fac... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And in that day the Lord, Yahweh of hosts, called to weeping and to mourning, and to baldness and to girding with sackcloth.' For there was One Who had offered another way. That One was the sovereign Lord, Yahweh the great ‘He is', the Deliverer from Egypt, the One Who was over all the hosts of hea... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And behold, (instead of that there was) joy and gladness, slaying oxen and killing sheep, eating flesh and drinking wine. “Let us eat and drink for tomorrow we shall die.” ' But instead of weeping and mourning over sin the people had gone all out for a good and hilarious time. Rather than spiritua... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Yahweh of hosts revealed himself in my ears. “Surely this iniquity will not be purged from you until you die,” says the Lord, Yahweh of hosts.' As a result of all this God's anger had been aroused against them even more than before. That was why He had spoken to Isaiah very personally and very... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SELF-IMPORTANT FIRST MINISTER (ISAIAH 22:15). The first to be dealt with is Shebna, the self-important First Minister. God determined to get him out of the way to a place where he could do no harm. Isaiah 22:15 ‘Thus says the Lord, Yahweh of hosts, “Go, get yourself to this Vizier, even to Sh... [ Continue Reading ]
THE TWO MINISTERS (ISAIAH 22:15). This passage is presumably intended to come under the general heading of the Burden of the Valley of Vision, indicating problems among the leadership as well as among the people. When a people are dishonest before God it is not long before their leaders become the... [ Continue Reading ]
ELIAKIM THE NEPOTIST (ISAIAH 22:20). This is the second failing First Minister. In some way Eliakim's case is sadder than that of Shebna. His life and service was so promising, but it was ruined by nepotism. He was a good man, with a fault that he left undealt with, and the fault was too great and... [ Continue Reading ]