Isaiah 22:6
6 And Elam [`Eylam] bare [nasa'] the quiver ['ashpah] with
chariots [rekeb] of men ['adam] and horsemen [parash], and
Kir [Qiyr] uncovered [`arah] the shield [magen]. KJV-Interlinear
6 And Elam took up the quiver With the
chariots, infantry, and horsemen; And Kir uncovered the shield. NASB
Elam and Kir are
references to cities north and east of the Tigris River and into modern day
Iran, or Persia as it was generally known in and after Isaiah’s day. Elam refers
to the region of Persia and Kir refers to a more general area to the north and
east.
These both
represent invading armies from far off, generally unknown, and not the usual
enemy forces, coming to lay siege and with the intent of capturing and destroying
Judah, and along with it, Jerusalem.
The quiver is
the pouch that holds the arrows and the shield is generally covered when not in
use. But both are uncovered and opened
up for use. And their use is for the
purpose of battle.
So, Jerusalem
has placed itself in such a vulnerable position, that anyone and everyone, even
from far away, are ready and willing to travel great distances for the purpose of
destruction and plunder. Even enemies
that haven’t a clue as to why they are going to war with Jerusalem, but they
are coming just the same.
And so, the
principle of our life is that, when you are spiritually negative, then your
enemies can be and will be many, and totally unknown to you.
The world is anti-God
and anti-Truth and anti-Jesus Christ. It
will stop at nothing to destroy anything that resembles truth. And of course it is Satan that is the driving
force behind all that is in opposition to God and truth.
And when a
person pursues evil, he is not being pushed per se by Satan, man can promote
evil merely by means of the stubbornness of his own thoughts and intents.
And, when the
world is so saturated by evil, then the enemies of truth can come from anywhere,
and they do.
The laws of
establishment serve to put in check those evil tendencies. The laws of establishment include volition,
marriage, family, free enterprise, nationalism, military preparedness, the rule
of law, authority, freedom, liberty privacy, and much, much more.
But when those
principles are ignored or compromised, then the world and its jungle rules,
often times prevail, and that ends up in suffering and disaster for everyone.
