Isaiah 22
SIBIsaiah 22:1-3
The heavy judgments of Jerusalem, which is surrounded with mountains, and favoured with God’s revelations and ordnances. Ye inhabitants, what is become of all your former security and confidence when ye made light of God’s threatenings, that ye are gone to the house-tops to view the approaching army, or to hide yourselves? There is now nothing but doleful outcries and confusion, instead of the wonted shouts of mirth. The men of war die by famine and pestilence, or by their own fears. The rulers have fled; but, being overtaken, they and others are chained for prisoners
Isaiah 22:6
The Persians and Medes served in the Assyrian and Chaldean armies
Isaiah 22:8-14
When Sennacherib had dismantled the fortified cities of Judah, he provided armour, repaired your walls, or built new ones, pulling down part of the houses, for that purpose, and conveyed all the water into the city; but ye never applied, by prayer or fasting, to God who formed your city, but, instead thereof, spent the little time you had reason to expect in profane revelling and mirth: which impudent contempt of God and his judgments shall never be forgiven you
Isaiah 22:15-19
And you, Shubna, what property or relations have you, a foreigner here, that you should build a stately palace or tomb for yourself? Behold, God shall, in an irresistible manner, drive you into captivity, and overwhelm you with shame and contempt. In a distant country thou shalt live and die obscurely; and your stately chariots, and other marks of honour, shall remain, to the reproach of king Abaz, who preferred so worthless a wretch
Isaiah 22:20-24
Eliakim shall be advanced into thine office, and tenderly govern the people. He shall have the supreme government of the king’s court and family, and dispose of every thing belonging to them. He shall be established in his office; and, by his prudent carriage, shall procure respect to himself and his relations:—all of whom, from the highest to the lowest, shall be advanced by him, and own their dependance on him
Isaiah 22:25
But you, Shubna, who now appear so firmly fixed in honour, shall then be disgraced and ruined, and all your dependants along with you
REFLECTIONS UPON CHAP. XXII.—How unbounded is the knowledge of God! Not a motion in our course, not a word in our tongue, not a thought in our heart, but he knows it long before hand! How severe are God’s corrections of his own professed people! Pious men, and especially faithful ministers, will be distinguished patterns of grief for public calamities, and of eyeing the hand of God therein. In times of peace many things lie quite neglected. And even in danger many mind nothing but external means of relief, atheistically overlooking God himself. Nor can the best of rulers reform the hearts of their subjects. Luxury leads to infidelity. But how dreadful is it when professors riot in revelings and mirth when God is calling them to uncommon humiliation for sin! Alas! such luxurious feasts and frothy songs issue in everlasting damnation! It is very rash for court favourites to pride themselves in their station, or to tyrannize over others. God may suddenly displace and debase them. Preferment is only honourable when it is obtained unsought for, and when it is wholly improved to the glory of God and the benefit of mankind. It is a great mercy for churches and nations to have men prudent, active, and faithful, in the principal places of government, especially after almost every thing has been mismanaged by others. And, above all, infinite is the mercy of JEHOVAH, in setting up Jesus Christ a Saviour to restore what he took not away; and that he has intrusted him with the whole concerns of his own glory and of our eternal happiness!