70. The Valley of Vision (2)

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Hymns: RHC 263 Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken 262 I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord! 260 The Church’s One Foundation

Isaiah 22:1-8

1 The burden of the valley of vision. What aileth thee now, that thou art wholly gone up to the housetops? 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. 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. 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. 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. 6 And Elam bare the quiver with chariots of men and horsemen, and Kir uncovered the shield. 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.

The Valley of Vision (2)

OUTLINE

(1) Ironic Weakness (v1-7)

INTRODUCTION

Babylon, being a stranger to God, though rich and great, was called the desert of the sea; but Jerusalem, being entrusted with his oracles, is a valley of vision.

Blessed are their eyes, for they see, and they have seers by office among them. Where Bibles and ministers are there is a valley of vision, from which is expected fruit accordingly; but here is a burden of the valley of vision, and a heavy burden it is.

Church privileges, if they be not improved, will not secure men from the judgments of God. You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore will I punish you. The valley of vision has a particular burden. Thou Capernaum (Matthew 11:23).

Matthew 11:23 (KJV) And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

The higher any are lifted up in means and mercies the heavier will their doom be if they abuse them. [Matthew Henry]

Matthew Henry keenly observed, “Now the burden of the valley of vision here is that which will not quite ruin it, but only frighten it; for it refers not to the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, but to the attempt made upon it by Sennacherib, which we had the prophecy of (Isaiah 10), and shall meet with the history of (Isaiah 36). It is here again prophesied of, because the desolations of many of the neighbouring countries, which were foretold in the foregoing chapters, were to be brought to pass by the Assyrian army. Now let Jerusalem know that when the cup is going round it will be put into her hand; and, although it will not be to her a fatal cup, yet it will be a cup of trembling.”

Why is Jerusalem in such terror? Her slain men are not slain with the sword, but with famine; or, slain with fear, disheartened. Their rulers fled, but were overtaken. The servants of God, who foresee and warn sinners of coming miseries, are affected by the prospect. But all the horrors of a city taken by storm, faintly shadow forth the terrors of the day of wrath (v1-7).

The weakness of Judah now appeared more than ever. Now also they discovered their carnal confidence and their carnal security. They looked to the fortifications. They made sure of water for the city. But they were regardless of God in all these preparations. They did not care for His glory in what they did. They did not depend upon Him for a blessing on their endeavours. For every creature is to us what God makes it to be; and we must bless Him for it, and use it for Him.

Psalm 127:1-2 (KJV) A Song of degrees for Solomon. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.

This 8th Psalm of degrees was for Solomon. He was the recipient of this psalm for a good purpose because he was tasked of God to build Israel’s Temple. Not by his own strength and wisdom is he to build but be reliant on God’s strength and wisdom. And not by his strength to protect for the LORD will protect it. This charge to build the house for the LORD was given to him by David, his father.

It was a glorious temple for God’s presence was there with His people – 1 Kings 8:10-11 (KJV) And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.

This picture of industriousness is tinged with a strong sense of reliance on God’s providence for true success.

The conditional clause “except” or “im” in Hebrew used twice is a real condition that will be fulfilled. It will be an undeniable fact that if God is not in the building equation, this project will fail, by the double use of the negative “not” or “lo” in Hebrew. If God does not protect the city, it will fall. This is the word “vain” or “empty”, in other words, will amount to nothing at the end of the process. This word “vain” is again repeated twice. The same word vanity that Solomon repeatedly uses in the book of Ecclesiastes to describe all endeavours under the sun without God.

Remember the rich man that our Lord Jesus spoke of who wanted to build a greater barn without God’s blessing?

Luke 12:18-21 “And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

His soul was taken that very night.

Remember also Belshazzar, the last Bayalonian king, so did not acknowledge God? God sent His judgment by His own hand written on the wall of the banquet hall.

Belshazzar, blasphemed God by using the vessels taken from the Temple in Jerusalem to drink wine – 25 And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. 26 This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. 27 TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. 28 PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians. Daniel 5:25-28 (KJV)

God’s judgment came upon him at very night – 30 In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. 31 And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old. Daniel 5:30-31 (KJV)

(1) Ironic Weakness (v-17)

1 The burden of the valley of vision. What aileth thee now, that thou art wholly gone up to the housetops? 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. 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. 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 Isaiah 21, we are given the oracles with Babylon, Edom (Dumah) and Arabia, the first three heathen lands, whereas the last is the dwelling place of God.

The city of worldly power, includes two districts which have felt the effects of that worldly power, and then concludes with the city of the living God.

Why the association? Because Jerusalem has looked to flesh; she has placed her confidence not in the living God whose prophets dwell in her walls, but in that mighty power of man which finally came to supreme expression in the empire whose name heads the tetralogy. [EJ Young]

Isaiah labelled the inhabitants as slain men, not slain in battle by the sword, but death comes to them by pestilence and hunger.

 Lamentations 4:9 (KJV) They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field.

The rulers should be the first to defend the people, yet they fled and were bound as prisoners, even though they had not been struck by the bow of war.

It is a picture of gloom. The city is no longer glorious; her inhabitants die of famine, and her rulers, who should take measures to defend her and abide with her to the last, flee away, even to a distance; yet all of them are captured and bound.

Thus, the theocracy does down in disgrace. The very members of the holy kingdom betrayed that kingdom, and the people of the world take captive and bind them.

Yet, the victory is still with the Lord; for from the destroyed theocracy, the first master stroke stroke accomplished by the kingdom of this world, there is in time to arise the kingdom of God, when the dispersed of the theocracy will hear the preaching of the gospel. [EJ Young]

Isaiah breaks out in grief and lamentation as he saw the vision.

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.

The Lord God of hosts is now contending with the valley of vision; the enemies with their battering rams are breaking down the walls, and we are in vain crying to the mountains (to keep off the enemy, or to fall on us and cover us) or looking for help to come to us over the mountains, or appealing, as God does, to the mountains, to hear our controversy (Micah 6:1) and to judge between us and our injurious neighbours.

6 And Elam bare the quiver with chariots of men and horsemen, and Kir uncovered the shield. 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.

The great numbers and strength of the enemy, that should invade their country and besiege their city. Elam (that is, the Persians) come with their quiver full of arrows, and with chariots of fighting men, and horsemen.

Kir (that is, the Medes) muster up their arms, unsheath the sword, and uncover the shield, and get every thing ready for battle, every thing ready for the besieging of Jerusalem. Then the choice valleys about Jerusalem, that used to be clothed with flocks and covered over with corn, shall be full of chariots of war, and at the gate of the city the horsemen shall set themselves in array, to cut off all provisions from going in, and to force their way in. What a condition must the city be in that was beset on all sides with such an army! [Matthew Henry]

To be continued…