Isaiah 22:1-14

In verses 1 to 14 Isaiah sees a vision of Jerusalem as it is being besieged by the Babylonian army; a siege that took place more than a century after Isaiah wrote these words. Jerusalem is called the ”Valley of Vision’’ (1). This may have been a valley near Jerusalem, or a name for Jerusalem itself. Although the city was located on a hill, it was surrounded by higher hills. Isaiah foresees a city about to be destroyed but the people are feasting and grabbing their last moments of pleasure (2; also 13, 14). At the same time, the people have been dying of famine and pestilence, and not the sword (2). The leaders have run away and have been captured (3). Isaiah’s godly response to this devastating scene is recorded in (4). Perhaps it is true to say that our all too dry eyes are a rebuke to us. My attention was caught by the title of an article in a Christian magazine: ‘Make a mournful noise: How my church’s violent neighbourhood led us to discover the power of lament.’ One day recently I heard a terrible item on the morning news about the death and mayhem in Iraq. This was followed by an upbeat piece on the World Cup. It seemed so incongruous, and the world of football felt inconsequential in the face of such awful suffering. Concern for the lost should fill our eyes with tears and our prayer meetings with people, knowing that there is a worse (and eternal) destruction for those who reject God – worse than anything Isaiah could write about here. ”In the midst of the shouting, I said, ”Let me alone. Let me grieve by myself. Don’t tell me it’s going to be all right. These people are doomed. It’s not all right.” ” The Message.

Sometimes, it seems, we will do anything other than pray (5-11). Isaiah saw that the populace of Jerusalem would prepare for a long siege. I don’t think the problem was that they made extensive security preparations, but just that they did not trust in the Lord (11b) ”Those who trust in weapons and walls but not in God are doomed to be destroyed in the end.” Tom Hale: The Applied Old Testament Commentary, p.1020. ”You looked and looked and looked, but you never looked to him who gave you this city, never once consulted the One who has long had plans for this city.” The Message.

There was also the issue that the people did not turn to God in prayerful repentance (12, 13; see also Ezra 9:3; Jas.4:8-10; 1 Cor.15:32). There comes a point of no return (14; Is.6:9-13) where hearts are so hardened they cannot turn. Clearly, it was the time for prayer and not for a party! It is still the case in the church at large, sadly, that a party is preferable to a prayer meeting. This may not be true of your church, but it is the case in too many. We would rather party than pray. Yet we are surrounded by such desperate and dire need that should drive us to our knees. ”The church that is not praying is playing.” Leonard Ravenhill.

”But what do you do? You throw a party! Eating and drinking and dancing in the streets! You barbecue bulls and sheep, and throw a huge feast – slabs of meat, kegs of beer. Seize the day! Eat and drink! Tomorrow we die!” The Message.

Prayer: ”Lord crucified, give me a heart like thine. Teach me to love the dying souls of men…Give me love, pure Calvary love…”