ISAIAH LESSON 25


     We will begin this lesson in Isaiah 22:1 "The burden of the
valley of vision. What aileth thee now, that thou art wholly gone up
to the housetops?"

     It was a custom of the people in, and around, Jerusalem to rest
on the roofs of their houses. It appears much of their recreation took
place there, as well. We remember from another lesson that we decided
that "burden" meant prophecy. It appears that Isaiah had seen this
vision from a low area near Jerusalem, looking up to the city. It
seems they have overlooked weightier things and become idle. They are
all on the housetop most of the time. This is describing a society
fixing its mind on worldly pleasure.

     Isaiah 22:2 "Thou that art full of stirs, a tumultuous city, a
joyous city: thy slain [men are] not slain with the sword, nor dead in
battle."

     "Stirs", in the verse above, means crashing, or loud clamor. It
appears, from this, they did not even go to fight against the enemy
that was now encamped around them. It really seems there was no armed
combat at all in the city, but they were surrounded by the enemy. The
city was wholly given to pleasure.

     Isaiah 22:3 "All thy rulers are fled together, they are bound by
the archers: all that are found in thee are bound together, [which]
have fled from far."

     It seems the rulers have given up without a fight. The rulers of
importance, here, does not just mean the ruler, but all in authority.
It really appears they quickly saw they were trapped, and tried to
escape. The enemy caught them and put leg, or arm, chains on them and
hooked them together with the others. The archers are completely
surrounding the city, so they are the ones who have captured those
fleeing the city.

     Isaiah 22:4 "Therefore said I, Look away from me: I will weep
bitterly, labour not to comfort me, because of the spoiling of the
daughter of my people."

     In the 18th chapter of 2nd kings, there is a similar time when
the land is spoiled. I am not sure that is the time this is speaking
of.  The terrible outcome of the land and the people is so great, that
Isaiah's grief is overwhelming just telling of it. In war, it seems
sometimes the women are spoiled, as well as the stealing of gold and
silver in the land. This could be one of several times, such as the
trouble Jerusalem will have at the end of the age. It is difficult to
date this. We can even apply this to the society we live in today. The
lifestyle of most is one based on pleasure of the flesh. Even much
church worship is based on an appeal to the flesh of man over the
spirit of man.

     Isaiah 22:5 "For [it is] a day of trouble, and of treading down,
and of perplexity by the Lord GOD of hosts in the valley of vision,
breaking down the walls, and of crying to the mountains."

     "Vision", in the verse above, came from a word which means
revelation. This could be a valley of prophecy. Notice, where this
perplexing is coming from, the Lord GOD of hosts. A day of trouble
could be anytime from the time Isaiah spoke this to the present. The
great day of trouble is speaking more specifically of the day of great
tribulation which comes upon the earth. The physical "breaking down of
the walls", could be speaking specifically of the wall that surrounds
old Jerusalem. In the spiritual sense, "breaking down of the walls",
could be loosening up one's moral values. "Crying to the mountains" is
speaking of hiding in the mountains for protection, in one sense. In
another sense, we are to speak to the mountain to remove it.

     Isaiah 22:6 "And Elam bare the quiver with chariots of men [and]
horsemen, and Kir uncovered the shield."

     Elam is a country thought to be opposed to Assyria. The fact that
they carried the quiver, means they were ready to fight. It appears
they were equipped for fairly far away places. They were equipped with
chariots. It, also, appears that Kir discovered their weakness.

     Isaiah 22:7 "And it shall come to pass, [that] thy choicest
valleys shall be full of chariots, and the horsemen shall set
themselves in array at the gate."

     This shows a readiness to fight, which we did not see in the
previous verses of this chapter. The difference being the others were
pleasure seekers. These Elamites were equipped for war and standing
ready. They had arranged guards to stay at their gate at all times.
They were not foot soldiers. They had horses.

     Isaiah 22:8  "And he discovered the covering of Judah, and thou
didst look in that day to the armour of the house of the forest."

     "The covering of Judah" is, possibly, speaking of the covering of
weaknesses. It, probably, has more to do with their knowing of the
weakness more than the enemy knowing their weakness. Promiscuous
living brings about weakness of character. The only connection that I
can make in the statement "house of the forest", is the trees of
Lebanon used to make the house of Solomon. It could be saying, the
armour is not very satisfactory, since it is made of wood. Wood
usually symbolizes worldliness.

     Isaiah 22:9 "Ye have seen also the breaches of the city of David,
that they are many: and ye gathered together the waters of the lower
pool."

     In verse 9 above, the breaches are speaking of the fisure, or
break. The city is not of one mind and one accord. The city of David,
of course, is speaking of Jerusalem. Jerusalem is known for its water
supply gathering. Some of the conduits are directed into holding
tanks, or pools.

     Isaiah 22:10 "And ye have numbered the houses of Jerusalem, and
the houses have ye broken down to fortify the wall."

     It seems that the houses which were not necessary for living
purposes were torn down, and the material used to fortify the
crumbling wall.

     Isaiah 22:11 "Ye made also a ditch between the two walls for the
water of the old pool: but ye have not looked unto the maker thereof,
neither had respect unto him that fashioned it long ago."

     This is a reprimand, because these dwellers in Jerusalem had not
followed God who made the water supply in the first place. It appears
they were looking for the physical use of the water, and not at the
One who provided the water in the first place. This problem has come
upon Jerusalem and the fallen away church of our day, as well, because
they have forgotten God. I can, also, see in this that they were
looking to the Old Testament {water} and not to the New Testament. The
Word of God is associated with the water.

     Isaiah 22:12 "And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to
weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with
sackcloth:"

     This is a time of mourning brought on because of their falling
away from God. Baldness and wearing of sackcloth tell us so much about
what is going on here. They tell us this is a spiritual problem. These
people, of whom much was required, were weeping and mourning because
God was allowing this to happen to cause them to repent. God was
saying to them, "Repent, and I will turn to you again". II Chronicles
7:14 "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble
themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked
ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and
will heal their land."

     Isaiah 22:13 "And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and
killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink;
for to morrow we shall die."

     This is the attitude of those who do not have a close
relationship with God. It seems to be very prevalent in our society
today. This describes a very fleshly attitude toward life. I would
call it having every thought and deed centered on self. Eat all they
want, stay drunk, and have a big time until they die.

     Isaiah 22:14 "And it was revealed in mine ears by the LORD of
hosts, Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die,
saith the Lord GOD of hosts."

     Isaiah is saying, "surely they will die in their sins". They are
not willing to repent and turn from their wicked ways. Their sins will
not be forgiven, because they have not repented and turned to God.
     Isaiah 22:15  "Thus saith the Lord GOD of hosts, Go, get thee
unto this treasurer, [even] unto Shebna, which [is] over the house,
[and say],"

     Where do you have your treasure hidden? Are you of God, or the
world?

     Isaiah 22:16 "What hast thou here? and whom hast thou here, that
thou hast hewed thee out a sepulchre here, [as] he that heweth him out
a sepulchre on high, [and] that graveth an habitation for himself in a
rock?"

      This "sepulchre" is speaking of a grave.  I believe this is
asking the question, where is your final resting place? We choose our
own eternity. The sepulchre {final resting place} will be in heaven,
or hell. We choose our destiny. If we are written in the Rock, we will
spend eternity in heaven with Jesus. This is the same meaning as the
sepulchre on high. Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. The
sepulchre, based on the earthly dwelling, leads nowhere but to the
destruction of the body. Dust you are, and to dust you shall return.

     Isaiah 22:17 "Behold, the LORD will carry thee away with a mighty
captivity, and will surely cover thee."

     It is the Lord Jesus Christ who separates the sheep {His
followers} from the goats {the lost}. Jesus, at harvest time, gathers
His own to heaven with Him. The goats, or the chaff, are gathered and
burned.

     Isaiah 22:18 "He will surely violently turn and toss thee [like]
a ball into a large country: there shalt thou die, and there the
chariots of thy glory [shall be] the shame of thy lord's house."

     This is speaking of the wrath of God. It will be such a shame
that many, who profess to belonging to the Lord, will be thrown away
in that day. Christians, there is more to belonging to God than just
joining the church.

     Isaiah 22:19 "And I will drive thee from thy station, and from
thy state shall he pull thee down."

     Notice, it is not Satan who drives the transgressors out. It is
the Lord. Notice in the next two verses, it appears that God is saying
something about law and grace. Those who were taught the law of God,
had turned away into selfishness and sin.

     Isaiah 22:20  "And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will
call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah:"  Isaiah 22:21 "And I will
clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I
will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to
the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah."

     To me, this is speaking of the robe of authority being removed
from the law and given to grace, or Jesus Christ our Lord. Eliakim, in
the furthest sense, is speaking of Jesus. The "robe" speaks of
authority, the girdle speaks of God. It is said of Jesus, "The
government shall be upon His shoulders". The true believer in Christ
is on His shoulders and on His heart. He {Jesus} is our High Priest.
He is even spoken of as Everlasting Father. There is no other way
given unto men to be saved, but through Jesus.

     Isaiah 22:22 "And the key of the house of David will I lay upon
his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall
shut, and none shall open."

     Jesus opened the door to the Father for all believers in Christ,
when the veil in the temple was torn from the top to the bottom at the
time of His crucifixion. The veil symbolized the body of Christ.
Jesus, also, took the keys to hell away from Satan. Jesus is the key
to life.  He opens, and no man can close; and closes, and no man can
open.  He is Life. He is the only Way.

     Isaiah 22:23 "And I will fasten him [as] a nail in a sure place;
and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father's house."

     Jesus is eternal. He is fastened, and no man can unfasten. Jesus
is even now seated at the right hand of the Father. We will reign with
Him. We will sit with Him at the throne of God, if we are believers.

     Isaiah 22:24 "And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his
father's house, the offspring and the issue, all vessels of small
quantity, from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of
flagons."

     The Christians will receive glory with Christ. There is no other
name. All believers in Christ are sons of God, we have been adopted
into the family of God. We are heirs with Christ. There are vessels of
silver and vessels of gold. We are not all the same, except that we
are saved.

     Isaiah 22:25 "In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall the
nail that is fastened in the sure place be removed, and be cut down,
and fall; and the burden that [was] upon it shall be cut off: for the
LORD hath spoken [it]."

     This is speaking of the time when Jesus said "It is finished".
His work is done. He is seated in heavenly places at the right hand of
the Father. We {Christians} will not be a burden to Him any longer.
The reason we know this is absolutely true, is because the LORD spoke
it. If He said it, it will come to pass. We see the full payment for
our salvation has been paid, and we are justified {just as if we had
never sinned} in Jesus.






                          Isaiah 25 Questions


1.  What was a custom highly practiced in Jerusalem pertaining to
    recreation?
2.  What does "burden" mean in verse 1?
3.  What were they doing, instead of taking care of important things?
4.  What is "stirs" in verse 2?
5.  The whole city was given over to ____________.
6.  What had those in authority done, when the enemy came?
7.  What causes the great grief of Isaiah in giving this prophecy?
8.  What kind of lifestyle do most people have today?
9.  What does "vision", in verse 5 mean?
10. What could this valley be called?
11. What 2 things could be meant by "breaking down of the walls"?
12. What does the quiver, in verse 6, show us?
13. The choicest valleys shall be full of __________.
14. What is the "covering of Judah" speaking of?
15. What is "house of the forest" speaking of?
16. What does wood symbolize?
17. What had been used to fortify the wall?
18. What prophetic meaning of the water, in verse 11, is possible?
19. What is the time of mourning brought on by in verse 12?
20. What do "baldness and wearing of sackcloth" signify?
21. Quote 2 Chronicles chapter 7 verse 14.
22. What is verse 13 describing?
23. This iniquity will not be purged from them, until they _____.
24. Where do you have your treasure hidden?
25. What is the "sepulchre" in verse 16?
26. What are two possibilities for a final resting place?
27. Who separates the believers from the non-believers?
28. What is verse 18 speaking of?
29. Who drives the transgressors out?
30. What is the "robe" speaking of in verse 21?
31. Who is the true High Priest?
32. Who opens, and no man can shut?
33. The steadfastness of Jesus is shown as what in verse 23?
34. Christians have been __________ into the family of God.