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Trouble in Vision Valley
1This is a message about Vision Valley:
Why are you celebrating
on the flat roofs
of your houses?
2Your city is filled
with noisy shouts.
Those who lie drunk
in your streets
were not killed in battle.
3Your leaders ran away,
but they were captured
without a fight.
No matter how far they ran,
they were found and caught.
4Then I said, “Leave me alone!
Let me cry bitter tears.
My people have been destroyed,
so don't try to comfort me.”
5The Lord All-Powerful
had chosen a time
for noisy shouts and confusion
to fill Vision Valley,
and for everyone to beg
the mountains for help.
6The people of Elam and Kir
attacked with chariots
and carried shields.
7Your most beautiful valleys
were covered with chariots;
your cities were surrounded
by cavalry troops.
8Judah was left defenseless.
At that time you trusted in the weapons you had stored in Forest Palace. 9You saw the holes in the outer wall of Jerusalem, and you brought water from the lower pool. 10You counted the houses in Jerusalem and tore down some of them, so you could get stones to repair the city wall. 11Then you built a large tank between the walls to store the water. But you refused to trust the God who planned this long ago and made it happen.
A Time To Weep
12When all of this happened,
the Lord All-Powerful told you
to weep and mourn,
to shave your heads,
and wear sackcloth.
13 But instead, you celebrated
by feasting on beef and lamb
and by drinking wine,
because you said,
“Let's eat and drink today!
Tomorrow we may die.”
14The Lord All-Powerful
has spoken to me
this solemn promise:
“I won't forgive them for this,
not as long as they live.”
Selfish Officials
15The Lord All-Powerful is sending me with this message for Shebna, the prime minister:
16Shebna, what gives you the right to have a tomb carved out of rock in this burial place of royalty? None of your relatives are buried here. 17You may be powerful, but the Lord is about to snatch you up and throw you away. 18He will roll you into a ball and throw you into a wide open country, where you will die and your chariots will be destroyed. You're a disgrace to those you serve.
19The Lord is going to take away your job! 20-21He will give your official robes and your authority to his servant Eliakim son of Hilkiah.
Eliakim will be like a father to the people of Jerusalem and to the royal family of Judah. 22 The Lord will put him in charge of the key that belongs to King David's family. No one will be able to unlock what he locks, and no one will be able to lock what he unlocks. 23The Lord will make him as firm in his position as a tent peg hammered in the ground, and Eliakim will bring honor to his family.
24His children and relatives will be supported by him, like pans hanging from a peg on the wall. 25That peg is fastened firmly now, but someday it will be shaken loose and fall down. Then everything that was hanging on it will be destroyed. This is what the Lord All-Powerful has promised.
Reflect
Isaiah now turns to prophesying about Jerusalem and Judah. He refers to these areas as the “Valley of Vision”. They were in fact the areas where the Lord himself was known. The people in these areas knew God by name and had heard the prophets’ visions.
Despite knowing God, they had neglected to follow him. Now that judgment is coming they will fail in two more ways. First they won’t turn to the Lord to save them (verse 5). They also will not be humbled by the punishment, choosing instead to “eat, drink and be merry.”
Some translations title the first section of this chapter as “The Burden of the Valley of Vision.” Burden in this case refers to the higher expectations placed on those who know the truth. In Isaiah’s time, Jerusalem and Judah fell into this category as they knew Jehovah. In our time, it could refer to those of us who have the Bible, know Jesus as Lord, and are called to share the gospel with the world.
Similarly, our Lord also places higher expectations on leaders. Starting in verse 15 Isaiah speaks out against Shebna, the prime minister. Shebna has offended God by using his position to gain favors and honors for himself, instead of taking care of his people. For this reason, the Lord will replace him with Eliakim who will be a “father” to the people.
We can see that vision and leadership come with obligation. When you know the truth of the gospel, you are called to share it. If you are in a leadership position, you are called to be a servant leader. How are you living up to those expectations today?
Respond
God of Heaven, you have revealed yourself to me and placed me to lead in certain areas. May I always remember the expectations you have that I would serve others and take seriously the responsibilities you have given. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Pam Caudill
Dr. Pamela Caudill, a Nebraska-based researcher and psychologist, writes and speaks about life transformation and spiritual growth. As the Center for Bible Engagement's Senior Researcher, Pam conducts studies on scripture engagement, church health, and life transformation. A frequent conference speaker, Pam is the author of Managing Your Family’s High Tech Habits and Better Relationships, Better Life, in addition to dozens of academic journal articles and white papers.