Podcast Introduction

Our reading today is Isa 18.22: Open Doors, Closed Doors. After that I’ll have some comments. Then we’ll do our “On This Day In Church History” segment, and we’ll have a short time of prayer. 

Thoughts on Isaiah 22

Jerusalem

As I said on the last Isaiah episode, Isaiah chapters 13-23 are prophesies against nations that have attacked and otherwise been troublesome for Israel and Judah. 

So what's with chapter 22? This is a message about the destruction of Jerusalem. Unfortunately for them, Jerusalem and Judah at this point in their history had again turned from God. Because of this desertion, God would send no help when Babylon attacked. Jerusalem would try to make preparations for defense, but they refused to do the one thing that would halt the destruction: they would not return to the Lord.

Shebna

In the middle of the chapter, Isaiah spoke of Shebna, who served King Hezekiah as the administrator and scribe of the palace, both very high offices. Hezekiah was a good king who honored the Lord, but neither Shebna or the people of Judah followed suit. So judgement fell on Shebna and the people.

Shebna was a proud man who only sought to bring glory to himself, so much so that he had a great tomb built for himself, which was something often done in that day to show great power and wealth. Isaiah prophesied that the people of Judah and Jerusalem would be taken away into exile, but Shebna did not believe or listen. As was prophesied, Shebna died in exile.

The Doors

Shebna's replacement was Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah. Where Shebna sought only to elevate himself, Eliakim is given an honored name by God: "my servant". What a contrast! 

God said, "I will place the key to David’s house on his shoulder; what he opens no one will close, and what he closes no one will open." "David's house" here is actually better translated as "the house of David". And this phrase is actually a prophecy of the Messiah. In Revelation 3:7 Jesus spoke of himself with these words: These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens.”

God sometimes closes doors to us, while opening others. He knows the plans He has for us, and out of love He closes doors that we think we want to go through. Closed doors are not lost opportunities, beloved. They keep us from wasted time or heartache and pain. What our prayer should be when we come to a door that is closed is, "Lord, lead me to the open door." Through that door are blessings, fulfillment, and service to God. No aspiration could be higher than that.

Today's Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 18-19 NKJV, Ch. 20-22 CEB

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