Isaiah 22:11
11 Ye made [`asah] also a ditch [miqvah] between the two walls [chowmah] for the water [mayim] of
the old [yashan] pool [barekah]: but ye have not looked [nabat] unto the maker [`asah]
thereof, neither had respect [ra'ah] unto him
that fashioned [yatsar] it long ago [rachowq]. KJV-Interlinear
11 You made a reservoir between the two
walls for the water of the old pool. But you did not look to him who did it, or
see him who planned it long ago. ESV
As we saw in the
prior study, this water and reservoir originated from a spring that was in
place since before the original Jerusalem, then known as Salem, was
established. We were introduced to Salem
when it was mentioned as the residence of Melchizedek, its king-priest, in Gen.
14, after Abraham had returned from his battle victory.
So, if God is
wise enough to put in place a spring, that would be the source of water for
Jerusalem for several thousands of years, then would it not be unreasonable for
those using that spring water, to recognize the original maker and provider? They certainly know of its history and
origin.
And yet they did
not give God even a second thought.
They put all of
their thoughts and efforts into building walls and defenses, and even into the
provision of water that would keep them alive.
Not that their
efforts were wrong, because that is what you do in the heat of battle. You use all of your resources to defend
yourself and hopefully to defeat the enemy or at least survive until help
arrives. But these thoughts were not in
their minds.
Normal people
would build walls and pray at the same time.
Normal people would shoot and pray that their bullet will find its
target. Normal people will praise the
Lord and pass the amo. The military
profession is one of the most noble of professions, because it is the tool for
purchasing or maintaining freedom.
Throughout
history, freedom has been courtesy of military victory.
But the thoughts
of the defenders of Jerusalem, are not of God, or of some miraculous
rescue. Their thoughts were consumed
with only their material defenses.
Now think
logically about this situation for a bit.
These people are
defending Jerusalem, so they are alive.
This means that they were alive during the Rapture, but being
unbelievers, they remained behind to live through the Tribulation. They will have, in seven years, seen the most
horrible and continuous series of events in all of human history. They will have witnessed the death of nearly
the entire population of the world. They are surrounded with enemies that come
from every corner of the world. There is
no one on their side and no one coming to rescue them.
A small
defensive army of hundreds or even perhaps a few thousand people are faced with
literally millions and millions of the enemy.
So, logically they would have to defeat the entire world in order to
survive. And since their efforts are on preserving water, then their ammunition
and resources are likely running low.
Not to mention that the bombardment against them is likely to be
unrelenting and around the clock.
So, the
reasonable thing to do would be to pray, right? And yet their thoughts are not
focused much beyond the next minute or the next drink of water. While time is really and literally running
out.
