Isaiah 22 – Jerusalem’s Indifference

LINK: Isaiah 22 

BACKGROUND

The “Valley of Vision” (22:1) mentioned here refers to Jerusalem because the hill where Jerusalem sits is surrounded by valleys, with higher hills beyond them. It is also called this because the temple in Jerusalem was the place where God revealed Himself to His people giving them a vision for the future.

We do not know which Assyrian invasion is being discussed here, but it could be Sennacherib’s invasion in 701 B.C. (Isaiah 36-37). In this invasion, the entire Assyrian army, including the vassals of Elam and Kir (22:6) took part. God’s purpose in having Assyria invade was to encourage Judah to turn to Him and repent of her sinful ways. Despite Isaiah’s warnings, they responded with indifference, used it as a time of revelry (22:2, 13), and trusted in their own defenses (22:8-11). The New Living Translation sums it up perfectly in 12:11b:

But all your feverish plans are to no avail 

because you never ask God for help.

For the background story that includes Shebna and Eliakim (22:15-25) go to 2 Kings 18-19: Isaiah 36-37.

REFLECTION and APPLICATION

The July 2008 entry from the Daily Walk says it so well:

One man walks with careless abandon along the edge of a sheer cliff and slips to his death; another leaps from the same cliff in a suicidal plunge. Is there any difference between the two? 

Not as far as the outcome is concerned! The net result is the same: death and destruction. But the careless accident lacks intent. The casual cliff walker had no intention of trying to end his life. And yet, carelessness led to a fall that was just as fatal as if he had masterminded his own death. 

No nation plans to collapse. There has yet to be a meeting of heads of state to begin with these words: “Gentlemen, we are here to discuss how to destroy our country.” More often than not, the spiritual collapse of a nation, a family, or an individual is due to a slow leak, rather than a blowout; just careless little things – neglecting time with God or compromising spiritual standards or failing to build spiritual values into the next generation. 

Check for slow leaks in your own spiritual life. Is there a careless habit that is threatening the spiritual health of you or your family members? Deal with it as you would a dangerous precipice, because that is exactly what it is. 

“What people commonly call their ‘fate’ 
is mostly their own foolishness”

PRAYER

Lord, keep us from indifference toward You! In Jesus’ name, Amen.