In today’s reading, we have the conclusion of a major subsection in the Book of Isaiah (chapters 13-23) that has primarily contained a series of oracles of God’s judgment against various Gentile nations. In Isaiah 22, however, we have an oracle pronounced against Jerusalem. Why does this oracle to God’s people appear in the midst of God’s warnings to the pagan nations
Presumption With God Is Disastrous
Well, when you read Isaiah 22, you quickly come to understand why the prophet addresses the Israelites in the same vein as he does the Egyptians (Is. 19-20) and the Babylonians (Is.21). The perspective of the Jerusalemites is similar to the perspective and commitments of the surrounding peoples. They, therefore, will fall under the same judgment as the surrounding Gentile nations. No one, including professing worshippers of Yahweh God, can presume on God’s favor.
In Isaiah 22, the prophet addresses Jerusalem as the Valley of Vision (Is. 22:1,5), instead of its more common reference as Mount Zion. Because of their dullness of ear to God’s word and hardness of heart against God, they want “no more visions of what is right! (Instead), tell us pleasant things, prophesy illusions” (Is. 30:10). As a result , Isaiah sees Jerusalem not as a mountain “from which a long view is possible, but a valley from which nothing can be seen” (Oswalt).
As we read Is. 22:1-14, the commitment of the Jerusalem leadership is to trust their own wisdom and strength to withstand the military threat of an approaching enemy (Is. 22:1-11a). They did everything to get ready, except look to the One who alone has the future of all nations in His hands (Is. 22:11b). The LORD, through Isaiah, had called for repentance and renewed faith, but the Israelites failed to heed the call (Is. 22:12-14). Listen to these words of Isaiah 30:15:
This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation., in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.”
Even though the Jerusalemites are professing worshippers of Yahweh God, they have lost the vision and understanding of what it means to serve their God. They seem to be unaware that their selfish pleasure-seeking will inevitably result in them pulling down their society to the ground.
God Is Seeking True Shepherds
In Isaiah 22:15-19, we have a specific example of a leader, Shebna, who exemplifies all that is wrong with the Jerusalem leadership. His position as a steward is a very high position in Judah’s government. He is second-in-command to the King. Instead of having vision and acting for the good of the people he is responsible for, he is more concerned of memorializing himself with a tomb in a lofty place. Isaiah says that the LORD will replace him with someone (Hilkiah), who will be more like a father to those in Jerusalem (Is. 22:20-24). Hilkiah will be more trustworthy and dependable in overseeing the people of God.
But even Hilkiah cannot totally act as a support to the people of Judah. There is too much sin and unfaithfulness present. He is a mere human. If the Israelites put all their hope in him, they will be disappointed (Is. 22:25). “The nation’s only hope was in God and in that kind of repentance which will enable whole-hearted commitment” (Oswalt). This continues to be a difficult lesson for God’s people to learn, even to this day.
In Isaiah 23, we have the conclusion of the judgments spoken against the nations. It is fitting for it to conclude with an oracle against Tyre. The judgments began with Babylon (Is. 13 & 14), a power on the eastern edge of the world. The judgments close with Tyre, which is located on the western edge. This nation was a commercial juggernaut which widely traded with other nations. It had large trading ships and a city on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, which was nearly impregnable to conquer, because of its fortified location.
Tyre’s self-sufficiency and pride because of its commercial wealth is typical of many cities in the world. They have been greatly blessed by the LORD. But instead of thanking and trusting Him, they glory in themselves. Because they make a god of mammon, which is corruptible and fleeting, they are unable to stand in the day of God’s judgment. God will redistribute their wealth as He pleases (Is.23:18).
The message to Judah is clear in this section of Isaiah (Is.13-23). The glory and wealth of the nations doesn’t last. The scheming of the nations ultimately amounts to nothing. Why trust the nations? There is no reason to do so? Instead, God’s people are to place their full trust in the Holy One of Israel. They are to turn to Him and glory in Him alone (Is. 24:14-16).
QOTD: Do you trust and glory in something or someone more than the LORD?