Isaiah 22:25

Copyright Ó 2014 J. Neely

Isaiah 22:25ues

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25 In that day [yowm], saith [na'um] the LORD [Yahovah] of hosts [tsaba'], shall the nail [yathed] that is fastened [taqa`] in the sure ['aman] place [maqowm] be removed [muwsh], and be cut down [gada`], and fall [naphal]; and the burden [massa'] that was upon it shall be cut off [karath]: for the LORD [Yahovah] hath spoken [dabar] it.   KJV-Interlinear

25 In that day, declares the LORD of hosts, the peg that was fastened in a secure place will give way, and it will be cut down and fall, and the load that was on it will be cut off, for the LORD has spoken.”   ESV

Two verses ago we studied the nail or the spike in the wall, that holds up and fastens together, and acts as the foundation of the house.  Several verses prior to that, we studied Shebna, who was the traitor, the foreigner who adopted Jerusalem as his home but sold it out for his own personal gain.

And then Eliakim who by faith took office to hold fast the reigns of power and authority for the good and benefit of all.

And yet now, in our final verse of this chapter, we see that even the nail or spike of faith that supports the whole house of God here on earth, is going to be pulled, allowing the whole house to collapse.

So what does it mean?

The verse begins with the phrase, ‘in that day.’  For the last ten chapters we have been studying the greatest prophecies of all times.  If you have been studying along then you have learned many eye opening details that will occur in the final days of history.

This is not about Shebna, nor Eliakim, but about their failure from two different perspectives.

Shebna was evil and therefore his failure was certain and expected.  He was aware of doctrine, even of the Lord and of the history and heritage of the Israelites and of Judah.  But he was negative and refused to believe all the many truths about God and destinies.  He looked only to the glories of the world, its things, its power, its pleasures, and worst of all, he believed in his pretended spirituality and bargained with evil.  He failed and his kind will always fail.

Then there is Eliakim.  A good man with good intentions and strong faith.  He looked to the Lord and pursued his life by means of spiritual principles, but he failed, good will fail, but why?

Because, there is only one strong enough to bring it all together, to defeat evil, to bring back the perfections of the perfect world and environment and life, and that person is Jesus Christ.

The nail falling out of the wall, means that the burden or weight of life is too great for even the greatest of spiritual believers.

Throughout history, empire after empire, nation after nation, group after group, person after person have had good intentions, but sooner or later they are swayed under the great weight of life.  Their knees buckle and they fall.

Man is simply too weak to carry the burdens of this world.

Whether crime or atrocities or slavery or self-righteousness or the many and varied enticements of this world, one cannot hold up under the pressures and burdens that are placed on the most sincere and ethical of people. Not that everyone cracks under the pressure, but the world stands against all that is God and all that is of God.

Making a living, doing the right things, are always under attack, so as to portray even the best of Christians as false in the eyes of the world.  And a world that believes that, falls short of seeing the truth, and chases off after evil, with enthusiasm.

In those final days, the entire world will break down and all evil will be let loose pushing the world to the very brink of extinction.  And even at the very edge, people will still refuse to see their own predicament.

We are not there now, so you have every opportunity to get your act together, but as these words state clearly, ‘for the Lord has spoken,’ so then history will unfold just as predicted, because most will refuse to change.

The question for each individual is, ‘Will you be a part of this unraveling of humanity or one of the very few exceptions?  Will you talk about it or do something about it?’  Namely get started and stick with your daily study and spiritual growth, in order to complete yourself as God intends for you to be completed.

You are not going to change the world, but you can change yourself.

Isaiah 22:24

Copyright Ó 2014 J. Neely

Isaiah 22:24ues

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24 And they shall hang [talah] upon him all the glory [kabowd] of his father's ['ab] house [bayith], the offspring [tse'etsa'] and the issue [tsaphi`ah], all vessels [kaliy] of small [qatan] quantity, from the vessels [kaliy] of cups ['aggan], even to all the vessels [kaliy] of flagons [nebel].KJV-Interlinear

24 And they will hang on him the whole honor of his father’s house, the offspring and issue, every small vessel, from the cups to all the flagons.  ESV

Hanging honor on someone is tantamount to presenting them with honors, awards, prestige, authority, position, recognition, and so forth.

And even though the subject here is Eliakim, we have already seen that he is but the example, and that the Lord is the real person being honored.

All the glory of His fathers house is a reference to God the Father.  We do not know much of anything about Eliakims parents.

The issues and the offspring, are the determining terms referring to all who have preceded him and all who will follow him, within his family group.  This eliminates Eliakim, as any of his ancestors are dead, and any of his future children and their generations are unknown as to their spiritual status.

But in Christ, all who have believed in Him, are alive in Him and will be alive again.

The dead cannot receive honors, but the living can.

And all who are of the lower stature within the family and all who are of a higher stature, will be recipients of honor in conjunction with Christ.

Every small vessel to every flagon, refers to the least to the wealthiest.

The small vessels, are those who have little value and are the least among the family members.

The flagons, are vessels for wine.  Wine is typical in the wealthier homes, and flagons, plural, definitely separates the poorer from the wealthier.

Now, throughout this chapter, we have seen that anyone who disregards God, Christ, doctrine, their spiritual life and so forth, are going to have a very difficult life and failure will be the result of their life.

Here, we have the continuation of the recognition of the Lord, through the example of Eliakm, using the meaning of his name and that of his fathers name, to point to the real honor that will be bestowed upon Christ.

But note one more thing.  In the family of God, there will be those who are wealthy and those who are not.

And this does not refer to life in this world, but to life in the next life.  Honors are bestowed upon all believers, from Adam to the last believer in history.  All will have to be resurrected in order to receive those honors.

But the honors are of the family name and the many rights that attach thereto.

There will be in heaven those who have not advanced to spiritual maturity, and thus will have little or nothing in the form of reward, but they will still have eternal life, resurrection bodies and whatever more God grants to them.

But there will also be those who will advance in their spiritual life and to those who have much from the rewards and so forth, the same honors and family rights apply.  They too, will have eternal life, resurrection bodies, and honors, but they will also have many more things that those who did not advance in their spiritual life, will not have.

So, advancement should be a priority.

But the whole point here is that the spiritual life should be your highest priority in life.  Not only does it guarantee success in this life, spiritual success, but it also guarantees great reward in the next life.

To disregard Christ is to fail, and have nothing better than failure.  The only good thing for a person who has believed in Christ but does not pursue their spiritual life, is that they will have some semblance of honor in the eternal future.  That is eternal security, regardless of how bad your life is now, or how negative you are now.

The alternative is far better, but you have to really want it, and then stick with it.

Isaiah 22:23

Copyright Ó 2014 J. Neely

Isaiah 22:23ues

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23 And I will fasten [taqa`] him as a nail [yathed] in a sure ['aman] place [maqowm]; and he shall be for a glorious [kabowd] throne [kicce'] to his father's ['ab] house [bayith].  KJV-Interlinear

23 And I will fasten him like a peg in a secure place, and he will become a throne of honor to his father’s house.    ESV

The word for nail, ‘taqa,’ refers to a spike or peg or pin.  This is applied to the pegs that are often driven into the ground to support the tent, forming an anchor.  It is also used in reference to the nails or spikes that are driven in the walls of a home that is under construction. The spikes also serve a double purpose, in that they generally extend outward so that family articles, like clothing or blankets and such can be hung on them.

Therefore the nail or spike serves to anchor the home, to tie it altogether, to be useful for practical purposes, for the residents of the home.

To fasten, ‘taqa,’ refers to something that is sure and certain, or to something that is firm and sure, leaving not even a second thought regarding its stability and permanency.  The word, truth, is often used to express the sureness and certainty of a thing.

Jesus Christ is secure in truth, and His foundation consists of truth.

This verse expresses the promise and certainty, that when God places something, it is sure, steadfast, and certain.

Jesus Christ is the ultimate placement of God on the throne, and as sovereign over all of creation and beyond.

Not only is God sure and certain, but His essence of truth is sure and certain, and His policy of grace is sure and certain.  Your salvation and eternal life are sure and certain.

This provides us with the assurance that when we advance in our spiritual lives, that it is God who is building us up, individually, with the ultimate of sureness, and security and certainty.  The building material, or spike which holds us together, is Bible doctrine.

It is also God, in the form of Jesus Christ who will ultimately rule, forever, which again provides us with the certainty that once this historical era is completed, then in the next universe, none of the old burdens and obstacles will exist in that new era.  And that new era will last forever.

He will be a glorious throne.

This means that all that belongs to the king, who is Jesus Christ, all of His possessions, all of His family, all of His kindred, all that reside within His realm, will be all caught up in that glory simultaneously with Him.

And since the new universe will incorporate the new earth and new universe and heaven, then there will be no place that will be less than wonderful or phenomenal.

The fathers house, draws attention to the individuality of the Father and the Son, thus referring to the deity of both and the humanity of the Son, thus excluding all other would be gods or demi-gods and such.

Isaiah 22:22

Copyright Ó 2014 J. Neely

Isaiah 22:22ues

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22 And the key [maphteach] of the house [bayith] of David [David] will I lay [nathan] upon his shoulder [shakem]; so he shall open [pathach], and none shall shut [cagar]; and he shall shut [cagar], and none shall open [pathach].  KJV-Interlinear

22 And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.  ESV

Not much is known about Eliakim and therefore we look to the meaning of his name and that of his fathers name to obtain the purpose of this passage.  He is not a successor of David, and was never a king in his time, nor did he nor will he live in the final days of history, which is the time frame of this passage.  And yet the keys to Davids house, are given to him so that he can open it up or close it down at his convenience.

Only one person has that authority.  And that person is the one and only legitimate heir to the throne, who is Jesus Christ.

He who has the keys to the kings house, and therefore the authority over the kingdom, decides who may enter and who may not.  That is the ultimate prerogative of the ultimate sovereign.  And Jesus Christ decides the fate of all people.

The rules for entry into the kingdom are clear.  One has only to believe in Jesus Christ, and then entry is allowed.  We call that salvation, of course.

And while the world struggles to chart its own course through life, its efforts are futile, because mans efforts have but one ending. And that ending is mans own self-destruction.

Were it not for God, then all life would have ended long ago.

Satan set the pattern for destruction, after his fall.  God had to restore the world in order to introduce humanity.

And humanity, when it rejects Christ, simultaneously rejects God, and simultaneously rejects truth, and simultaneously seals its own doom.  Humanity simply has no power or authority over life or death, nor anything else for that matter.

The only things that people have power over are their own thoughts and decisions, and even those are handicapped in the wrong direction if truth is rejected.  So man is his own worst enemy.

Isaiah 22:21

Copyright Ó 2014 J. Neely

Isaiah 22:21ues

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21 And I will clothe [labash] him with thy robe [kathoneth], and strengthen [chazaq] him with thy girdle ['abnet], and I will commit [nathan] thy government [memshalah] into his hand [yad]: and he shall be a father ['ab] to the inhabitants [yashab] of Jerusalem [Yaruwshalaim], and to the house [bayith] of Judah [Yahuwdah].  KJV-Interlinear

21 and I will clothe him with your robe, and will bind your sash on him, and will commit your authority to his hand. And he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.   ESV

We have already seen that Eliakim means, God will raise up, and that Hilkiah means, portion of Jehovah.  And so this father and son represent the work and provision of God, and specifically Jesus Christ.

But more than that, it is repeated, in that day, from the prior verse, which is a reference to the final days of history.

When all seems at its worst and all seems lost, God will raise up a savior, and not only that, but a leader, a king, to whom He will commit the kingdom.

This is not a savior prophecy, for that would have already occurred prior to the final days of history.  It is a leadership and ruler prophecy.

From the Old Testament perspective, what was generally expected was that a savior would come, purchase the price of salvation, then the final seven years of history were to have occurred and then the second advent and kingdom of God would be instituted here on earth.

But we know that our dispensation was inserted into history separating the Cross from the final seven years of the Age of Israel.  Their dispensation will resume when ours is completed.

Jesus Christ will eventually assume the garments of the office, assume the authority of the position, and be the ultimate leader or sovereign over the country and city.

Judah is referred to, as it is the source of the savior and king.  Jerusalem is the city, as it is the source of the ultimate rest of spiritual maturity.  All of which are centered around Zion, which is the mountain representing the vast knowledge and truth of God, residing within.  Doctrine is the ultimate inner source of the spiritual life.  Jesus Christ is the ultimate sovereign over the surviving nation, based on doctrine.

And as for Shebna, of whom we have been studying these last few verses, his position and life are forfeit because of the corruption that saturated within him.

Evil will be replaced with good, the divine good of God.

Isaiah 22:20

Copyright Ó 2014 J. Neely

Isaiah 22:20ues

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20 And it shall come to pass in that day [yowm], that I will call [qara'] my servant [`ebed] Eliakim ['Elyaqiym'] the son [ben] of Hilkiah [Chilqiyah]:  KJV-Interlinear

20 In that day I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah,  ESV

Eliakim means, God will raise up.  Hilkiah means, portion of Jehovah. And so this father and son represent the work and provision of God, and specifically Jesus Christ.

This is in contrast to the work of Shebna, who was looking out only for himself and not only at the expense of others, but at the expense of the entire city of Jerusalem and country Israel.

Shebna represents the work of evil.  Eliakim represents the work and plan of God.

I will call, means that it is God who controls history.  It is God who promotes and demotes.

Shebna was demoted, fired and eventually destroyed.  In chapter thirty-seven Shebna was identified as a chancellor, or a lofty position, and Eliakim was described as a steward, a lowly position.

Recall that David was but a shepherd boy and promoted to king.

Therefore, God is not limited in His ability to promote the low, or demote the high.

Man always looks to education or credentials, and before you try to write that off, it was God who provided for all of the ingredients of education in this country and in the world.  So do not try to use this example to excuse yourself out of your schooling.

It is God who promotes in accordance with His will, not you.  God promotes those who are prepared.

Eliakim was prepared both academically and spiritually. The two combine to make you extremely valuable and useful.

Nevertheless, unless God promotes, you are not promoted.  And when God promotes, it is permanent.

In your life, you were promoted into the plan of God.  You were promoted into life.  And when you believed in Christ, you were promoted into eternal life.  When you study and advance in your spiritual life, it is God still, who promotes your spiritual advancement.

And along the way, you may or may not be promoted into various occupations or activities of Gods choosing.  Often times the only way you will know is through hindsight perhaps, but certainly if you have a dysfunctional spiritual life, then you can be certain that whatever your worldly successes may be, they are not spiritually driven, but only permitted.

Therefore, evil was fired and divine provision was promoted into its place.  That is always the way that things work out.

Isaiah 22:19

Copyright Ó 2014 J. Neely

Isaiah 22:19ues

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19 And I will drive [Hadaph] thee from thy station [matstsab], and from thy state [ma`amad] shall he pull thee down [harac].  KJV-Interlinear

19 I will thrust you from your office, and you will be pulled down from your station.   ESV

The change to the third person indicates that even though Isaiah is speaking of himself, he is in fact speaking of the actions that God will take.  Shebna is then a symbol of evil, as well as an actual person.  He moved into Jerusalem, with evil intentions, thinking that he could take over the truth of God and make it a home of his own choosing and design.

He is the example of any and all who pursue their own understanding and thus replace and betray truth and God.

But evil cannot accomplish its own purpose.  And so here evil is fired from its place in this universe.  Prophesied from long ago, and when the end of the Tribulation is completed, the command will be fulfilled.  And at the end of the Millennium, it will be sealed permanently and forever.

This also indicates that throughout history, no matter what evil lurks in the nations or empires or even individuals, its designs will never succeed.

Evil will rise and fall as humanity turns away from, or turns toward, Christ.  But its life cycle will always be short.  And eventually in the end, it will cease altogether.

Siding with evil, compromising, flirting with sin, trying to keep both sides appeased, are always a bad choices.

Isaiah 22:18

Copyright Ó 2014 J. Neely

Isaiah 22:18ues

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18 He will surely [tsanaph] violently turn [tsanaph] and toss [tsanephah] thee like a ball [duwr] into a large [rachab] [yad] country ['erets]: there shalt thou die [muwth], and there the chariots [merkabah] of thy glory [kabowd] shall be the shame [qalown] of thy lord's ['adown] house [bayith].  KJV-Interlinear

18 and whirl you around and around, and throw you like a ball into a wide land. There you shall die, and there shall be your glorious chariots, you shame of your master’s house.  ESV

With a bit of irony, and play on words, just as Shebna turned away from God, so God will turn him. But Gods turning is compared to the whirling around and around the head as one would swing a sling shot, to gather its speed and thus increase its power and distance.

And so God will send Shebna far off, with such a force that he would never be able to return.

Where is it that one can be sent and not be able to return?

Well in death one cannot return, but in the second death, and the Lake of Fire, there is no return.

Heaven is often referred to as our country. The earth is thus referred to as a foreign country, in which we live as ambassadors.  And one day we will return to our home.

But Shebna is living in this world, which is a foreign land when compared to Heaven, and yet Shebna is going to be sent to yet a more distant foreign land. And that further place is not of this world.  A place from which he will not be able to return.

He shamed his masters house, he was an unbeliever, on the same order as Judas.  Our maser is Jesus Christ.

And the glory of his chariots, refers to the many and various worldly things that are more important to the unbeliever, than even their eternal future.

When believers are a shameful lot, they are sent away but not to a foreign land, they are sent home in disgrace, which means no reward.

But unbelievers are eventually sent to a very distant land, one that has no name, no location, only one path in and no return path.

People, whether believer or unbeliever, who have no functional spiritual life, have a high opinion of themselves and of the things that they believe.  They boast in their foolishness, presuming that they are wise within their false ideas.  But they have no substantive alternative to truth.  They have only their false ideas and the false cannot go any further than nowhere.

And all of their ideas, even all of their possessions, go no further than this world.  Their ideas especially, die with them, and cease to exist.

In death, life, as this world knows it, stops.  The only thing of value that goes with a person into the next life, is truth.  And if you lack truth in the soul, then you really have nothing.

God, throughout the entire Bible, makes it very clear that if you do not have Him, you have nothing, and you never will have anything.  All good choices are directed toward God.

Isaiah 22:17

Copyright Ó 2014 J. Neely

Isaiah 22:17ues

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17 Behold, the LORD [Yahovah] will carry thee away [tuwl] with a mighty [geber] captivity [taltelah], and will surely [`atah] cover [`atah] thee.  KJV-Interlinear

17 Behold, the LORD will hurl you away violently, O you strong man. He will seize firm hold on you   ESV

The reprimand of Shebna, continues.  He is a traitor.  He is self-centered.  He cares nothing for anyone but himself.  He does not pursue his spiritual life, but only cares for the conveniences and purposes of the moment.

And that is a very good description of anyone who rejects God, Christ, truth and doctrine.  In rejecting all that is good, they embrace all that is bad.  And bad only leads to more bad.

God will carry him away, but not in a gentle manner.  God carries evil away in a violent manner and that is what awaits Shebna.

He will not settle down in the place where he is comfortable.  No one can be comfortable in evil and expect to remain there.

He will not be laid to rest in a fancy tomb and expect to experience the perks of the tomb.  That in itself is a ridiculous consideration, anyway.

Evil, in all of its forms, is eventually carried away by other evil, and that is what will happen to Shebna.  Back in Isaiah’s day, the Assyrians will come and carry away many captives.

In the future, in the Tribulation, those who are evil, will be carried away by others that are evil.  The Tribulation will be a whirlwind of confusion and chaos.

And as very little is known about Shebna or his life, or even what actually happened to him, so too, in that future time there will be many whose names we do not know and never will know.  They will be carried away, but not as captives, but as dead bodies, unidentified, priorities in tow, and tossed into some unidentified pit or place to be forever forgotten.

Today life is nowhere near what it is going to be in the Tribulation.  Granted there are many problems for people these days, but by comparison to the Tribulation population, we are really well off.  Nowhere, near the stresses and terrors that will exist then.  And yet most people ignore their spiritual opportunities, when they have every means to have the greatest life imaginable.

Shebna represents all who have the very wrong priorities in life, focusing on things, even on the hereafter in so far as the tomb represents.  But to focus on the resting place of the dead, rather than on the preparation of the soul for the living, is way off track.

Today people focus on the things of the world, and ignore the things of the soul.

When you procrastinate as far as your spiritual life advancement is concerned, then you become comfortable and indifferent, then your mild indifference turns to apathy, then your apathy turns to a rigid resistance.  And the way back to truth becomes more and more difficult.

If you do not recognize your wayward error, then your destination will be very similar to that of Shebna.  And we do not know precisely what happened to him, only that, it was not what he planned and it was not pretty.

Isaiah 22:16

Copyright Ó 2014 J. Neely

Isaiah 22:16ues

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16 What hast thou here? and whom hast thou here, that thou hast hewed thee out [chatsab] a sepulchre [qeber] here [poh], as he that heweth him out [chatsab] a sepulchre [qeber] on high [marowm], and that graveth [chaqaq] an habitation [mishkan] for himself in a rock [cela`]?  KJV-Interlinear

16 What have you to do here, and whom have you here, that you have cut out here a tomb for yourself, you who cut out a tomb on the height and carve a dwelling for yourself in the rock?  ESV

Thus far, what we know of Shebna, is that he was in an elevated position in the Palace of the King.  He will be replaced by Eliakim, who replaces him as governor of the palace of Hezekiah.  This last part is still ahead of us in the passage.

Shebna is not only a traitor as the meaning of his name implies, but he is a presumptuous one at that.  Betraying a country while at the same time constructing an ostentatious grave site or sepulcher or tomb, within that same country, for himself, presuming that he will one day be placed in it for all time.

It is the quintessence of contradiction, hypocrisy, self-centeredness, and disloyalty, all wrapped up into one attitude, that lacks concern for anyone but himself.  As well as a total lack of orientation to the realities that will then be swirling around the entire world.

And such can be the nature of one who rejects God and doctrine, and thus rely on their own self-centered priorities, to the total disregard for others.

‘Not me,’ you say!

But remember that this is all pointing to the general attitude of people in that last generation of human history, people who will live in a time even later than the one that we are in, presumably.  What with the world swirling out of control all around them, at that time, one group is partying as though it is their last fling, while another is constructing a fancy grave, of which they will never see its inside.  No ceremony, no fanfare, no organized funeral.

While current saying can be, ‘Well this is afterall, 2014.’ As though the number of our year implies some form of advancement in humanity.  But we know that in future years, this saying would seem to mean a decline in humanity, rather than some advancement.  The Tribulation, which is future, will find the very worst of human nature.

From Revelation and other passages, we already know how these people are going to end up, scattered to the wind and unidentified and forgotten on the great battlefield of the Middle East and the world.

But Shebna is building a tomb that he believes will bring him remembrance for generations to come.  Which generations will not exist.

At the very lowest point in all of human history, those folks, instead of investing in their eternal future, are doing what?

Isaiah 22:15

Copyright Ó 2014 J. Neely

Isaiah 22:15ues

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15 Thus saith ['amar] the Lord ['Adonay] GOD [Yahovih] of hosts [tsaba'], Go [yalak], get [bow'] thee unto this treasurer [cakan], even unto Shebna [Shebna'], which is over the house [bayith], and say,  KJV-Interlinear

15 Thus says the Lord GOD of hosts, “Come, go to this steward, to Shebna, who is over the household, and say to him:  ESV

Remember that these are future events.  And as the whole of the community of Jerusalem seems to be turning away toward their own self-serving wants and desires, even in the face of certain disaster, so too now, a curious twist is entered into this text.

Isaiah is told to go to the home of Shebna and this is a curious twist in the passage.

The name Shebna, means, to grow.  There is not much known about him, other than he is called in this verse a treasurer or steward, and in chapter thirty-seven, he is referred to as a scribe or chancelor.

The word for treasurer, ‘cakan,’ does not refer to a person who handles money, but rather to a person who is in a high office, and has access to the highest levels of conversation and information.

The phrase, which is over the house, indicates a high office within the government.  The text implies that rank of chancellor or governor or perhaps a governor’s highest advisor.

Whatever his rank, the entire passage in these next several verses, reveals that Shebna is a very bad person.

Several forms of his name imply a traitor, or someone who is communicating with the enemy.

And therefore, Isaiah is going to call him out, as they say, and fire him from his office.

Clearly from the past, the events of Isaiah’s day, will repeat themselves in the future, with someone attempting to save themselves, by selling out, everyone else.  We do not know who the culprit will be, as the mystery surrounding Shebna, is filled with espionage and intrigue. But in the future, someone will read this passage in Isaiah and thus figure out the mystery of that day, and save the defense of the city, from the betrayal of a scoundrel who would give them all up, to save himself.

Interesting that something written long ago, will be read in the future and used to foil a traitorous plot.

Isaiah 22:14

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Isaiah 22:14ues

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14 And it was revealed [galah] in mine ears ['ozen] by the LORD [Yahovah] of hosts [tsaba'], Surely this iniquity [`avon] shall not be purged [kaphar] from you till ye die [muwth], saith ['amar] the Lord ['Adonay] GOD [Yahovih] of hosts [tsaba'].  KJV-Interlinear

14 The LORD of hosts has revealed himself in my ears:  “Surely this iniquity will not be atoned for you until you die,” says the Lord GOD of hosts.  ESV

One of the more remarkable verses is given here, in which it describes the extremes of stubbornness that humanity can and will go to, and even intentionally, even when they face certain death and total destruction of themselves.

As Paul and Jesus described, that in the end of our current dispensation there will be a great apostasy, here we can see just how extreme that it can be, and will be.

Note that these events will occur seven years after the Rapture, and we know that when the Rapture does occur, that all believers are gone, and all that remain in the world will be unbelievers.

The world will not remain that way throughout the entire Tribulation, for as life gets worse and worse, and as Satan clamps down harder and harder to bring all of humanity under  his will, people will not comply.  Satan will kill any and all who reject him, and even in that face of death, huge numbers will reject Satan and turn to Christ, knowing that they will indeed die.  So, Satan cannot control the world, and will never be able to control it.

Jesus Christ controls history, and He isn’t even here.  He doesn’t have to be.

But there will likewise be a hardened population, which will never turn to Christ.

And we saw that their attitude is to party and revel in whatever stimulus that is nearby.

And Isaiah tells us right now, that there will be a hardened population of people who will never turn to Christ and their sins will never be forgiven, because of their stubborn indifference, and they will go to their death, with all certainty, refusing to repent right up until their last breath.

That is the epitome of stubbornness and arrogance and stupidity.

And remember one important principle of doctrine. Your sins were judged on the cross but they were not forgiven.  And that is an extremely important principle.  Judgment and forgiveness are two very different concepts.

In judgment the penalty is paid and the freedom is purchased.

But in forgiveness the sinner has to acknowledge his sin and thus obtain forgiveness.  That is why when you believe in Christ, you have acknowledged Him and who and what He is, and did, on the cross which includes by default acknowledging your failure in sin.  Thus you obtain immediate forgiveness for your sins.  That is a part of the salvation process.

Unbelievers never obtain forgiveness, because they never acknowledge their failure by never believing in Christ.

Note, salvation is not by acknowledging sins, it is only by faith in Christ.  Just want to make that clear.  Your acknowledgement of sin is understood when you believed in Christ.  Thus at the moment of salvation, you begin your Christian life, in fellowship.

Then obviously during your life as a believer, you sin from time to time, which expels you from fellowship and a face to face relationship with God, and that requires confession in order to reinstate your fellowship status.  You never ever lose salvation.

God requires perfection and a clean relationship, thus confession is mandatory.  He has already paid the price, you just have to keep acknowledging you flaws.  That helps you keep your focus.

But there are those who are so rigid that they will never believe, and/or never confess.

And Isaiah is speaking Gods words here, as he addresses those people who will be so hardened, that they will go to their death never having believed in Christ, and in the case of hardened believers, they will go to their death, as a spiritually dysfunctional believer, resisting Gods mandates, never confessing or turning to Him in any way, shape or form.

Isaiah 22:13

Copyright Ó 2014 J. Neely

Isaiah 22:13ues

http://www.dailybiblestudy.org

13 And behold joy [sasown] and gladness [simchah], slaying [harag] oxen [baqar], and killing [shachat] sheep [tso'n], eating ['akal] flesh [basar], and drinking [shathah] wine [yayin]: let us eat ['akal] and drink [shathah]; for to morrow [machar] we shall die [muwth].  KJV-Interlinear

13 and behold, joy and gladness, killing oxen and slaughtering sheep, eating flesh and drinking wine.  “Let us eat and drink,

for tomorrow we die.”  ESV

Eating and drinking and having a good time is not a sin, nor even a bad thing. The error in this verse, is the attitude that is taken by people who are facing imminent danger, even death, and they are frivolous in their attitude, even rebellious, and that leads to despicable behavior.

They are surrounded and near the very end of human history.

They are not looking to God.  Not looking to Christ.  Not even questioning or wondering just how the world has fallen so far in such a very short space of time.  The world in that day will be on the brink of extinction, literally.

Most normal folks, when they face disaster after disaster after disaster, begin to wonder just what is wrong.

And since God is perfect, then that wrong thing has to be related to themselves.

And again, most normal people will begin to look at their own life, and examine where they are right, and where they are wrong.  They will seek out answers, try to find a solution, try to get things straight with God, try to get their life turned around.

Most normal people will turn to God, and by turning to God they turn to the words that give them Gods counsel.  That is Bible study, by the way.

And then there are the fools of this world.  They don’t look to God, instead they look to their own pleasures, and food and sex and partying, where they can distract themselves from their formidable problems, with instant gratification, is their first choice.

Instead of correcting themselves and improving their life, they look to one last fling, which leads to nothing but a worse and worse existence.  They are unable to face the realities, and so they look to hide themselves from any and all responsibility.  It is an ‘Oh well,’ attitude.   Which means that you have given up.

A spiritually growing believer, never gives up. They persevere in life believing that God is there close by, that whatever the problems are, there is a  solution close by as well, and even if not, the end is always going to be with God one way or another, and that is always a winning situation.

The growing believer knows that God has a plan and that God wants the believer to advance to maturity.  So … there must be a solution.

When David was selected as king, he was just a boy.  He had to live a long time before he actually became king.  He faced many hardships and challenges, but he had Gods promise that he was going to be the king.  That means he had to be alive for that to happen.

He did not make foolish decisions, even when he faced Goliath.  All of his life as a shepherd boy he practiced with that slingshot and became proficient.  He was prepared before he faced Goliath.

So the spiritual life is a preparation, and it also teaches preparation.  Apply this to your life.  Before you can do something, you have to be prepared, you have to learn, you have to train, you have to do things over and over, until you become proficient.

Your alternative is to waste your life away and then what do you have?

But as a prepared believer, then God can actually use you.  And when you face the Goliath of your life, you will come out of it a winner.  Perhaps even impressing someone else, besides yourself.  And when you stand before Christ, you can stand tall and confident as He actually praises you and rewards you, because the story of your life will be a great one.

But these folks have given up and their destiny is an empty life, and nothing after that.

A party and laughing and having a good time are good things, but they have their place in life.  We all have to come back to reality and work and make a living and get along in life, and keep looking to Christ through doctrine.

Isaiah 22:12

Copyright Ó 2014 J. Neely

Isaiah 22:12ues

http://www.dailybiblestudy.org

12 And in that day [yowm] did the Lord ['Adonay] GOD [Yahovih] of hosts [tsaba'] call [qara'] to weeping [Bakiy], and to mourning [micepd], and to baldness [qorchah], and to girding [chagar] with sackcloth [saq]:   KJV-Interlinear

12 In that day the Lord God of hosts called for weeping and mourning, for baldness and wearing sackcloth;  ESV

In that day, is a general reference for the time in which these events will occur.  Note that these events will occur.  Note too that all peoples have been given notice of their occurrence.  Note too, that ignoring them, is not Gods fault, but mans fault.

This is a time of extremes.  And the extremes are not something that you will ever experience, for this is a time of trememdous hardship and suffering and pressure, both mental and physical.

The combination of weeping, and baldness, and sackcloth, point to a time when the elements of life are far beyond anything that people can bear.

Weeping is extreme sorrow.  Baldness is an extreme pressure from worry and the burdens of life.  Sackcloth is a time of grieving for the loss of not only family or friends, but things like property or employment.

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All of the above will inundate the people of the Tribulation.

Be ever so grateful that you have believed in Christ and that you will not live during these extremely hard times.

No believer in our dispensation, will go into the Tribulation.  The Rapture will remove all believers who are alive at that time.  And of course those believers who have already died over the last couple of thousand years will not live in it either.  That is probably obvious.  But surprisingly there are some who will argue over even that point.

During the last couple of thousand years, during our dispensation, which we call the Church Age, or the Age of the Royal Family, or the Age of the Bride of Christ, all of these are synonymous terms, there have been lots of difficult times.

The dark ages, the crusades, the times of great famines, the times of world wars, the times of many atrocities, the times of economic depressions and so forth.  All of these point to great corrections and negative volition toward God and Christ.  They can be seen as times of apostasy.

But Jesus and Paul both state that at the end of our dispensation there will be a great apostasy.  Emphasis on the word, great.

In all of the others spiritually down periods, there was a repentance and a recovery and so the years continued.

What will be different in the last and greatest apostasy, is that there will not be a recovery, thus the need for the removal of all believers in the Rapture, and then further proof of a massive rejection of Christ during the Tribulation, wherein humanity itself will nearly put itself into extinction.

God gives humanity only seven years to recover or self-destruct.  Most will choose self-destruction.  And thus the story of the Tribulation develops.  Man rejects Gods mandates.  Are you among that crowd?