Jerusalem’s Future

Isaiah 22:1-25

“The burden of the valley of vision. What aileth thee now, that thou art wholly gone up to the housetops?” (Isaiah 22:1)

Isaiah prophesied in Judah during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah.  Both Jotham and Ahaz encouraged the people to worship idols and as we have seen, Ahaz placed his faith in the Assyrians rather than God.  The people turned to idolatry and were looking for visions rather than turning to God.  Isaiah asks why they have gone to the housetop to seek a vision instead of coming to him.

“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.” (Isaiah 22:2-3)

Ahaz had hired the Assyrians to protect Judah from the Alliance between Israel and Syria, but the Assyrians took advantage to rob and spoil Judah instead.  Later, in Hezekiah’s day the Assyrians invaded and threatened Jerusalem causing panic.  Some of the rulers fled  and the people were unable to escape because of the Assyrian bowmen stationed to cut off their escape.  Many who had fled to Jerusalem for safety were trapped there. 

“Therefore said I, Look away from me: I will weep bitterly, labour 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.” (Isaiah 22:4-5)

Isaiah was grieved at what was happening in Judah.  There was no use trying to comfort him as he saw what was happening to his homeland.  It seemed almost like God had forsaken them and the whole land was crying out for relief.  Like many other of Isaiah’s prophecies, this one goes far beyond the immediate time. 

“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.” (Isaiah 22:6-8)

While the Assyrians never conquered Judah, the Babylonians would.  They began to regain strength after God destroyed the Assyrian army.   Elam was the area along the border of present day Iraq and Iran, and was part of the Babylonian and Persians empires.  Kir is mentioned four times in the Bible, and seems to refer to several cities.  In this case it seems to refer to one of the Persian cities.

  

In Hezekiah’s day the Babylonians would send ambassadors to Hezekiah.  After they saw his treasures they reported back to the Babylonians and as Isaiah warned them they would come back to conquer Judah once they defeated the Assyrians.  

 “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 wall.  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.” (Isaiah 22:9-11)

The Jews had become aware of weakness in Jerusalem’s defenses.  Hezekiah built a tunnel or conduit to carry water into the pool with ditches to carry it to other locations.  Unfortunately the people had been focused on human defenses rather than on trusting God.  They even tore down some of the houses and used the material to reinforce the walls in an effort to protect themselves from the Assyrians.  II Chronicles 32:1-5 describes some of the precautions took. 

“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 to morrow 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.” (Isaiah 22:12-14)

Hezekiah was one of Judah’s greatest and most godly kings, and unlike the people, he stayed focused on trusting God.  While he reigned, Judah served God, but immediately after his death they turned back to their idolatry.  When the Assyrians invaded, under Sennacherib, they had largely given up hope.  Their lack of faith in God would not be forgiven as long as they lived.   

“Thus saith the Lord GOD of hosts, Go, get thee unto this treasurer, even unto Shebna, which is over the house, and say, What hast thou here? and whom hast thou here, that thou hast hewed thee out a sepulchre here, as he that heweth him out a sepulchre 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 like a 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 hath spoken it.” (Isaiah 22:15-25)

Distracted by a threat from Ethiopia, the Assyrians had to break off their initial attack.  When they returned Shebna, the scribe, Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah and others met with the assyrian general in an attempt to negotiate peace.   He refused, claiming God couldn’t save them from him nd they returned to Hezekiah quite upset.  Hezekiah’s son Mannasseh was only twelve when his father died and Eliakim would serve as regent until he grew up.  Though Jerusalem would survive another hundred years, it would eventually be destroyed and their best efforts could not save it.