This chapter is divided into two subjects, the first is the oracle concerning the valley of vision, verses 1-14. The second is the Judgement on Shebna, verses 15-25. Isa.22 and verse 1 reads.
Isa.22:1] The burden of the valley of vision. What aileth thee now, that thou art wholly gone up to the housetops?
Let’s look at this word vision, H2384 chizzâyôwn in Hebrew, pronounced khiz-zaw-yone’. And means; a {revelation} especially by dream. 1. valley of vision (perhaps fig. of Jerusalem or Hinnom). Can also mean; c. vision, oracle, prophecy (in divine communication). We notice it is a burden of the Valley of Vision. We also know that Jerusalem is prophesied for the end times to be our center point for the return of Christ but not until Satan stands there claiming to be Christ. We also see that they go wholly up to housetops, which is where the watchmen are watching. And the big question asked here is “What aileth you”, what is your burden? Let’s go to Psalms 125 and verse 1 reads.
Psa.125:1] They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.
[2] As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from henceforth even for ever.
This is why we check God’s word for answers. We learn here that God surrounds his people and will protect them as a wall or hedge. Let’s finish this Psalms and verse 3 continues.
Psa.125:3] For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.
[4] Do good, O LORD, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts.
[5] As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the LORD shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: but peace shall be upon Israel.
Back to Isa.22 and verse 2 reads.
Isa.22:2] 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.
This word Stirs is desolate or desolation in Hebrew, H7722. But let’s look at the word Sword, it is the word of God, and we know that the famine of the end times is for hearing the word of the LORD. Amos 8:11. This is the desolation left in Jerusalem at the sixth trump.
Isa.22:3] 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.
They left empty.
Isa.22:4] 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.
Hear the emotions of the LORD. Let’s go to Jer.4 and pick it up with verse 19 and it reads.
Jer.4:19] My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart maketh a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.
[20] Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is spoiled: suddenly are my tents spoiled, and my curtains in a moment.
We can now see with certainty that we are talking about Jerusalem at the sixth trump and the seventh comes quickly. Back to Isa.22 and verse 5 reads.
Isa.22:5] 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.
The valley of vision is Jerusalem. These walls should make you think of Jesus when he said in Mark 13 and verse 2 reads.
Mark 13:2] And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
And when it says “Crying to the mountains” we need to remember they will be crying for the mountains to fall on them. Speaking of the end times when the seventh trump sounds and our Lord Jesus Christ returns. Back to Isa.22 and verse 6 reads.
Isa.22:6] And Elam bare the quiver with chariots of men and horsemen, and Kir uncovered the shield.
Elam means eternity. Kir means wall. When the wall falls it will be because of the shield of our gospel armor, which is Faith.
Isa.22:7] 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.
[8] And he discovered the covering of Judah, and thou didst look in that day to the armour of the house of the forest.
Let’s go ahead and look at our gospel armor one more time, it is important for this lesson. Eph.6 and verse 10 reads.
Eph.6:10] Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
[11] Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
[12] For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
[13] Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Not to fly away but stand.
Eph.6:14] Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
[15] And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
[16] Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
That shield is Faith.
Eph.6:17] And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
Back to Isa.22 and verse 9 reads.
Isa.22:9] 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.
Isaiah spoke to king Hezekiah concerning the king of Babylon, and king Hezekiah said in 2K.20:19 before he died and it reads.
2K.20:19] Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. And he said, Is it not good, if peace and truth be in my days?
[20] And the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and all his might, and how he made a pool, and a conduit, and brought water into the city, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
In the next verse king Hezekiah dies, and probably the worst king of Judah his son Manasseh takes his place. But we need to see the prophecy for the end times. And that is Christ is the Living Water. Back to Isa.22 and verse 10 reads.
Isa.22:10] And ye have numbered the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses have ye broken down to fortify the wall.
They tear down the houses and use the rubble to build a wall. We should look at it this way, our churches have become ruin and they worship the antichrist. God is our wall.
Isa.22:11] 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.
This happens because they leave the Word of God out of their churches.
Isa.22:12] And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth:
God calls for a lamentation, a sad song.
Isa.22:13] 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.
Let’s go to 1Cor.15 and pick it up first with verse 32 and it reads.
1Cor.15:32] If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.
But Dr. Bullinger takes us to verse 54 for a greater understanding. And it reads.
1Cor.15:54] So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
Dr. Bullinger is telling us that we should look at this in the final reasoning, that our souls shall live forever with the LORD. Back to Isa.22 and verse 14 reads.
Isa.22:14] 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.
Unless you repent, your sins remain. This is the glory of the LORD, that Jesus died for our sins and that on repentance we can be forgiven. Now we come to the judgement against Shebna.
Isa.22:15] Thus saith the Lord GOD of hosts, Go, get thee unto this treasurer, even unto Shebna, which is over the house, and say,
Shebna, H7644 and although a name of an Israelite, this word should have been translated, from an unused root meaning to grow. Hence vigour. Don’t overlook that Isaiah was sent.
Isa.22:16] 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?
Tell him Isaiah, do you think you look good when you prepare your grave. Hell is for those who lift themselves up on high with pride.
Isa.22:17] Behold, the LORD will carry thee away with a mighty captivity, and will surely cover thee.
[18] 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.
They will go into captivity to the antichrist, and when the true Christ comes at the seventh trump, they will pray for mountains to fall on them out of shame. Notice their lord is lower case.
Isa.22:19] And I will drive thee from thy station, and from thy state shall he pull thee down.
After the judgement they will not be around.
Isa.22:20] And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah:
Eliakim H471 means; God raises or God sets up. In 2K.18 we find that Eliakim did not want the enemy to speak in Hebrew to Judah’s army for it would make them afraid. But we need to look at this for the prophecy of the end times, let’s continue.
Isa.22:21] 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.
Eliakim; God raises, speaking here of Christ being raised from the dead.
Isa.22:22] 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.
This key of David is the knowledge of knowing the difference between God’s children and the Kenites. We find this in Rev.3 and verse 7 reads.
Rev.3:7] And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;
[8] I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
[9] Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.
God’s elect who stand against Satan will have the Word of God opened to them in these end times. Back to Isa.22 and verse 23 reads.
Isa.22:23] 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.
Let’s go to Zec.10 and pick it up with verse 3 and it reads.
Zec.10:3] Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats: for the LORD of hosts hath visited his flock the house of Judah, and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battle.
[4] Out of him came forth the corner, out of him the nail, out of him the battle bow, out of him every oppressor together.
[5] And they shall be as mighty men, which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight, because the LORD is with them, and the riders on horses shall be confounded.
[6] And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I am the LORD their God, and will hear them.
Fear not, the LORD is with us. We shall overcome the wicked in these end times. Back to Isa.22 and verse 24 reads.
Isa.22:24] 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.
[25] 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.
We put on the gospel armor of Christ and we fight for the LORD in his name. Stand and not fly away but stand. Let’s go to his throne.
Father, we thank you for your word and ask that you bless all that love you in Jesus’s precious name, Amen.
KJV along with The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of The Bible