By Eugene Garner

ISAIAH - CHAPTER 22

THE ORACLE OF "THE VALLEY OF VISION"

   In this chapter Isaiah turns from dealing with the nations surrounding Palestine to Judah (Jerusalem) itself. The situation he describes is a tragedy that the people of God have brought upon themselves by their sins. To date the prophecy is almost impossible. Its fulfillment is probably in many parts - reaching clear down to the ultimate destruction of Jerusalem by the armies of Titus in 70 A.D.

   The burdens of the valley of vision. What aileth thee now, that thou art wholly gone up to the housetops? Thou that art full of stirs, a tumultuous city, a joyous city: thy slain men are not slain with the sword, nor dead in battle. All thy rulers are fled together, they are bound by the archers all that are found in thee are bound together, which have fled from far. Therefore said I, Look away from me; I will weep bitterly, labor not to comfort me, because of the spoiling of the daughter of my people. For it is a day of trouble, and of treading down, and of perplexity by the Lord GOD of hosts in the valley of vision, breaking down the walls, and of crying to the mountains. And Elam bare the quiver with chariots of men and horsemen, and Kir uncovered the shield. And it shall come to pass, that thy choicest valleys shall be full of chariots, and the horsemen shall set themselves in array at the gate. And he discovered the covering of Judah and thou didst look in that day to the armour of the house of the forest. Ye have seen also the breaches of the city of David, that they are many: and ye gathered together the waters of the lower pool. And ye have numbered the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses have ye broken down to fortify the wail. Ye made also a ditch between the two walls for the water of the old pool: but ye have not looked unto the maker thereof, neither had respect unto him that fashioned it long ago.

    1. The prophet scathingly denounces a people who indulge in riotous celebration when they have nothing to celebrate (vs. 1-2a).
    2. He clearly sees what is coming upon them: destruction, by famine and pestilence; the capture of their military leaders, who will be bowed as prisoners, and taken away, without resistance, (vs. 2b-3; Jer. 14:18; Lam. 2:20).
    3. Heartbroken, over the thoughtfulness of a people soon to face disaster, Isaiah desires solitude that he may pour out his grief - weeping bitterly for the daughter of his people, (vs. 4; Jer, 4:19; 9:1; Mic. 1:8-9).
    4. The trouble that is to come upon Jerusalem is from the hand of the Lord, (vs. 4-5; 37:3; Lam. 1:5; 2:2); the walls of the city will be broken down and the mournful cries of her inhabitants (to the mountains) will be mockingly echoed back upon them.
    5. Elam and Kir (confederates with Assyria) will furnish horsemen and chariots, armed with quiver and shield, so that the choice valleys of Judah will be full of chariots set in array against the very gates of Jerusalem, (vs. 6-7).
    6. The enemy will remove the veil of Judah - dismantling her defenced cities, (vs. 8a; 47:3; Nah. 3:5; Isa. 36:1).
    7. Even when surrounded by armies, the people of Jerusalem are presumptuous and self-confident - trusting their own resources, (vs. 8b-11; 2 Kings 20:12-21; 2 Chron. 32:2-7, 30).
      a. They looked to Solomon's armory for weapons, (I Kings 7:2; 10:17).
      b. Noting the breaches in the walls of Jerusalem, they dismantled houses for materials with which to repair them, (2 Chron. 32:5).
      c. And they dealt most wisely regarding the water supply for the city, (comp. 2 Kings 20:20; 2 Chron. 32:2-5).
    8. But, they are viewed as being in such a state of apostasy from God that they would not look unto, or reverence, the Lord their Maker, (vs. llb; 5:12; Psalm 28:5).

And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth: And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we shall die. And it was revealed in mine ears by the Lord of hosts. Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.

    1. In the day of their extremity the Lord calls the people of Judah to repentance, (vs. 12; comp. 32:11; Joel 1:13-14; 2:17; Mic. 1:16).
    2. Instead of repenting, they spread a joyous feast, saying: "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall die!" like Epicureans (vs. 13; 5:11, 22; 28:7-8; 56:12).
    3. Thus, the Lord reveals to the prophet that nothing short of death will atone for their iniquity, (vs. 14; cf. 13:11; 26:21; 30:13-14; 65:7).

   Thus saith the Lord GOD of hosts, Go, get thee unto this treasurer, seen unto Shebna, which is over the house, and say, What host thou here? and whom halt thou here, that thou host hewed thee out a sepulcher here, as he that heweth him out a sepulcher on high, and that graveth an habitation for himself in a rock? Behold, the LORD will carry thee away with a mighty captivity, and will surely cover thee. He will surely violently turn and toss thee likes ball into a large country there shalt thou die, and there the chariots of thy glory shall be the shame of thy lord's house. And I will drive thee from thy station, and from thy state shall he pull thee down. And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah: And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open. And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father's house. And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father's house, the offspring and the issue, all vessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of flagons. In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall the nail that is fastened in the sure place be removed, and be cut down, and fall; and the burden that was upon it shall be cut off: for the LORD had spoken it.

    1. In verses 15-19 the prophet is commanded to, personally, confront Shebna - the presumptuous treasurer over the Palace.
      a. So lofty is this one, in his own eyes, that he is seen hewing a sepulcher for himself and his family high up in the rocks - among the great ones.
      b. He is wasting his time and effort, for he will not be buried there.
      c. A disgrace to his master's house, he will be removed from office and cast violently, like a ball, into a far-off country, where he will die.
    2. The office vacated by Shebna will be filled by Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, who will be a faithful father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, (vs. 20-21).
      a. He will fill his office with honor to his father's house.
      b. It seems obvious that Eliakim serves as a type of Christ - the Godman, who was also the Son of David, (cf. 9:6).
    3. If "the peg', of verse 25, refers to Shebna, it describes the fall of all who were associated with him, (Ex. 20:5); if to Eliakim, it prophesies the ultimate fall of Judah.