Blindness in the Valley of Vision

Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
e.g. Ever been in one of those situations where you see what’s going on and think to yourself, what were they thinking?
Maybe you just want to look at people and say, ‘What’s wrong with you?’
That’s Isaiah in Isaiah 22
He’s proclaimed prophecies of God’s judgment on sin & moved to distress and mourning
Then he looks around to those who’ve heard the prophecies & those who will hear them & there is no fear in them
READ Isaiah 22
Having addressed nations around Judah now God returns to address Jerusalem again
In Isaiah 21 Babylon, home to the hanging gardens, is a desolate desert
In Isaiah 22 Jerusalem, the valley of vision is a city with no sight
The Valley of Vision
The Valley of Vision
Isaiah 22:1-14
What is Wrong with You?
What is Wrong with You?
Isaiah 22:1-4
Don’t You See?
Don’t You See?
First phrase, “what ails you now...” appears to be a kind of slang or coloquial saying
Like we might say, ‘what’s up with you?’ or ‘what’s wrong with you?’
Isaiah sees their coming destruction, warns, overcome with it
What Isaiah sees doesn’t make sense to him given what they know
As the city of Jerusalem sits on the edge of destruction they seem to be celebrating
Isa. 22:13 we more of the extent of the feasting
Living ignorant, perhaps wilfully, of their times
Living for pleasure and self-fulfilment to the very end
We hear things like, “at least they died happy” or “died doing what they love”
Jerusalem, like ours, is a city without courage
Leaders don’t fight but run like childrend & captured like cowards
It’s easy to see these same traits in our country today
Where are our leaders prepared to fight for what is right rather than only do what will get them elected again
Who of us is prepared to see the seriousness of our age
Don’t Look at Me!
Don’t Look at Me!
Isaiah is heartbroken for his people - God, why can’t they see? Why won’t they see
This is the irony of God’s message: the valley of vision is blind
He doesn’t want their empty comfort
He desperately wants them to understand his pain
Isaiah isn’t calling us to more internet Bible studies but to genuinely weep and pray for our country
You Know What’s Coming!
You Know What’s Coming!
Isaiah 22:5-14
You Looked to Yourselves
You Looked to Yourselves
Destruction is coming
It will come because God removed His protection (Isa. 22:8)
When God removes His protection no-one can stand
His protection is from the enemy armies but from His righteous exercise of justice
A time like this will come again
2 Thess. 2 tells God will remove the restraint of evil from the world so wickedness will run rampant
Then, without the protection of God the world will feel His wrath against sin
Protection is removed because they’ve committed unpardonable sin (Isa. 22:14)
What have they done? Rejected God & looked to themselves for salvation
Isa. 22:5-7 recounts prophecies against them
Yes, there is both near & far fulfilment
Isa. 22:8b - Went to armoury to find strength in weapons
House of Forest built by Solomom to hold treasures & weapons (Isa. 39:2; 1 Kings 10:17)
2 Kings 7:2-5 - L: 45m / W: 22m / H: 14m
Isa. 22:10 - They prepared their walls and defenses & found resources to reinforce
Broken down buildings were often used to repair & fortify walls in seige
Isa. 22:9b, 11a - secured their water supply
This was a huge feat & one Hezekiah was remembered for
Engineered tunnel into city from Kidron brook
Deprived enemy of water & provided city with water
Pool of Siloam is part of that project
Our sin is the same as their sin - we reject God & look to ourselves for salvation
You Didn’t Look to Your Maker
You Didn’t Look to Your Maker
In all of their preparation they never looked to God
In fact, they rejected His calls & warnings
“Maker” expresses God’s sovereignty over all, His transcendence & authority
He isn’t just part of nature, He is the creator
He is bigger than Jerusalem, than enemy armies, than earthly gods
God isn’t saying do nothing – just trust me
After all it was God who turned slave men into warriors after exodus
It was God who enabled conquer of Jericho & Ai
It was God who strengthened men like Caleb to take the land God promised
It was God who guided the stone of David
God’s call to trust Him is never a call to laziness
God is saying before you make your own plans seek My will
Before you walk into battle walk with me
Then God will walk with you into battle
If we’re to truly know salvation we must acknowledge our Maker
As our Maker He is rightly due our submission and obedience
Instead of rejoicing in our weakness & inevitable fall we should mourn & repent of our sin and then find true rejoicing
Making It Personal
Making It Personal
Isaiah 22:15-25
Shebna, the Steward
Shebna, the Steward
Isaiah 22:15-19
Thinks He’s a Rock
Thinks He’s a Rock
The general message here is the same as first half but now made personal
By steward, we’re not talking about a faithful steward
Rather, this is said with derision - he is the unfaithful, selfish leader shown above
Why all this talk about building himself a tomb, sepulchre?
It’s an expression of his pride & self-regard
He wants to be known in this world & remembered when he’s gone
He wants his pimped out chariot and all the prestige that goes with it
He thinks he is something important, he thinks he is worth remembering
All his work as a leader was for himself not for others & certainly not for God
Thrown Like a Ball
Thrown Like a Ball
While he thinks he’s a rock of Jerusalem God sees him like a piece of paper He will screw up into a ball and throw away
Later in Isa. 36 we see he does lose his position before Jerusalem falls
He is a disgrace to God and will be discarded
God doesn’t look kindly on leaders that abuse His people for their own gain
Eliakim, the Servant
Eliakim, the Servant
Isaiah 22:20-25
He’s a Godly Man
He’s a Godly Man
Shebna’s replacement is Eliakim
He is not just some steward but ‘My servant’
He is what leaders of God’s people should be like
He is a father to them - like NT calls them shepherds
God raises up strong, godly leaders for His people
While Shebna sought glory, Eliakim receives glory & honour
Unlike Shebna, Eliakim is stable like a rock
God has strengthened Him to this task
Leaders of God’s people bear unique burdens
Burdens that come to people with hearts of shepherd
God strengthens them to bear the burden He has called them to carry
Peg in secure place - wooden pegs put into wall to hold cups & pitchers
To bear the burden so they don’t fall and break
Eliakim is a man of honour because He is a godly man
He’s Only a Man
He’s Only a Man
Isa. 22:25 is difficult because the picture changes so abruptly
If God put him as a secure peg how is he now being torn down
Though it is hard to tell exactly what is meant the overall message seems clear
God is reinforcing the theme of this whole prophecy
The strength isn’t in the peg - the person/leader
Godly men are still men after all
Godly leaders that are given to us, who serve well & care for us are gifts of God, strength for us
We must always resist the tendency to look to them before we look to God
e.g. when sermon/bible study replaces our own study
e.g. when we ask them to pray about something before we do
God strengthens them & places authority upon their shoulders (Isa.22:22) not for thier own glory but to lead us to God
Conclusion
Conclusion
Point of this prophecy is clear, tragic but clear
God has called them to trust Him over & over again
He has proven Himself trustworthy over & over again
Instead of trusting God they rejected Him and sought their own salvation
God is Your maker
He knows what You need and what is best for you
He deserves your submission - He is your creator!
Pursuing your own ways of salvation, your own escape from trouble is only ever going to end in disaster
God’s way is the way of salvation, joy & life
Just as it was for Israel so it is for us today, to refuse God is a sin that won’t be forgiven
Stop trying to rescue yourself and seek God first