The Book Of Isaiah. Day 95, A Prophecy Against Jerusalem, Part Seven

We are concluding Chapter 22 today with a prophecy that is twofold, as we discussed yesterday. In Isaiah's day it involved a man named Eliakim who would be promoted to overseer of the king's household. But this prophecy also involves a future day when the Messiah will reign over the earth.

The Lord stated His intention to remove Shebna as the king's top official and to replace him with Eliakim. The Lord said He would place upon Eliakim's shoulder the key to the house of David. We discussed the ancient custom of wearing the keyring pinned to the shoulder of the robe. The man who wore the keyring had authority over all that belonged to the king. He could lock or unlock doors that no one else except his master could lock or unlock.

The same is true of the Lord Jesus Christ. He will be given a position of top authority. He will be able to lock or unlock things that no one else except God the Father can lock or unlock. 

The Lord Jesus Christ, in the revelations He made to the Apostle John, took this passage of Isaiah and applied it to Himself, saying: "These are the words of Him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What He opens no one can shut, and what He shuts no one can open." (Revelation 3:7)

When the Lord spoke of how He would depose Shebna from his position and put Eliakim in his place, He said that Shebna would die in a foreign land and that the tomb he carved out for himself and his progeny would not be used by them. In contrast, the position of Eliakim will be firmly established. "I will drive him like a peg into a firm place; he will become a seat of honor for the house of his father. All the glory of his family will hang on him: its offspring and offshoots---all its lesser vessels, from the bowls to all the jars." (Isaiah 22:23-24) 

In ancient times people often hung cooking pots and jars on pegs. This is a picture of the family of Eliakim being able to look to him as an example of godly leadership. The same cannot be said for the untrustworthy and prideful Shebna. About him the Lord says this: "'In that day,' declares the Lord Almighty, the peg driven into the firm place will give way; it will be sheared off and will fall, and the load hanging on it will be cut down.'" (Isaiah 22:25) As we discussed earlier in the week, Shebna was concerned with magnifying and exalting himself; therefore, he will be removed and another will take his place---Eliakim who is concerned with magnifying and exalting the Lord.

When we push the Lord aside and exalt ourselves, He must humble us. But when we honor Him, he honors us.