Isaiah 22: 1-14 – Knowing God and seeing from His perspective

 In Isaiah 22, the prophet brought a message concerning Jerusalem. Here Isaiah referred to her as the valley of vision. Though located on Mount Zion he called her a valley. Isaiah was probably being sarcastic. Why? Instead of being able to see clearly and discerningly the reason they were going through all the tough circumstances that God had allowed to fall upon them, they remained totally oblivious, blind, and undiscerning. Giving his messages to those who were sent to Babylon, Dumah, and Arabia was indicative of what he thought of Jerusalem. Spiritually speaking, the people of Jerusalem were no better than the nations which he had pronounced judgments on. For Judah was no better, she had acted like those heathen nations and therefore would share the same outcome as they.

The people of Jerusalem were oblivious of what was coming. Verses 1-2 described them as celebrating boisterously on their housetops. This could be the temporary relief from the oppression of the Assyrians. Undiscerningly and unrepentantly they celebrated and rejoiced, thoughtless of God’s plan for them through it all. However, Isaiah saw no reason why they should be so jubilant. He foresaw a coming siege by Babylon. He saw the people dying of starvation and not by the sword. He saw the rulers fleeing and the people of God taken captives to a faraway land. Seeing what would be happening to Jerusalem, the prophet wept.

Verses 5-7 described what would happen further to Jerusalem. He saw the beloved city besieged, the people dominated, and the place in great mayhem. Walls were seen broken down. Archers from Elam were seen steadying their arrows to shoot, and the army from Kir with their chariots, infantryman, and horsemen with the swords off their sheaths, ready to conquer. All escape routes were sealed. Then in verses 8-11, Isaiah described the desperate people of Jerusalem trying to prepare for the siege. They failed to realize how futile their efforts were because they did not turn to God who was bringing all these upon them.

In verses 12-14, Isaiah seemed to have returned to address their needless jubilation described in verses 1-2. Their couldn’t-care-a-damn mentality caused them to develop a carefree attitude leading to careless behaviours. Their unrepentance had left them unforgiven. Hence, they were virtually living under a death sentence.

Jerusalem could not see clearly because God was not in their hearts. Hence, He was not in their perspective. Without mincing words, Isaiah told them in verse 11 saying “But you did not depend on Him who made it, nor did you take into consideration Him who planned it long ago.” The people had not factored God into all that they were experiencing. Without God in our life, we will have no light and no clear vision. We need to have God in the heart so that we will have bright light and clear vision. Make sure His light is ever shining in our lives!