Isaiah 22:15-25

Remember Haman, and be careful not to live for your own honour. No position is permanent. Death will remove some from what they are currently doing. Retirement will come for many. But also there will be those who find themselves forcibly removed from the roles they love and benefit from, by the Hand of Almighty God. At this point in chapter 22 Isaiah’s vision changes abruptly. It narrows down to focus on one man, ”Shebna”, who was an official of King Hezekiah (15-19). In his pride, he prepared a tomb for himself fit for a king. But instead of having a royal burial in Jerusalem, Isaiah saw that he would be sent away to die in a foreign land (17-19). He would become an exile. ”Man proposes, but God disposes.” ”You’re an outsider here and yet you act like you own the place, make a big, fancy tomb for yourself where everyone can see it, making sure everyone will think you’re important. GOD is about to sack you, to throw you to the dogs. He’ll grab you by the hair, swing you round and round dizzyingly, and then let you go, sailing through the air like a ball, until you’re out of sight. Where you’ll land, nobody knows. And there you’ll die, and all the stuff you’ve collected heaped on your grave. You’ve disgraced your master’s house! You’re fired – and good riddance!” The Message.

There is nothing surer than that one day you will be replaced (20 -25). This is true of good and faithful leaders as well as the Shebna’s of this world, who strut in the glare of the spotlight. But Shebna was to have his place filled by a man called ”Eliakim”. The latter would be held in high honour, and all his family would benefit as well (2 Kings 18:18), but eventually his honour would be taken from him (25). All worldly honour is temporary and will blow away like smoke on the breeze. Even the most famous are really only ‘famous for five minutes’. But the honour that comes from God is permanent. ”He’ll have the run of the place – open any door and keep it open, lock any door and keep it locked. I’ll pound him like a nail into a solid wall. He’ll secure the Davidic tradition. Everything will hang on him – not only the fate of Davidic descendants but also the detailed daily operations of the house, including cups and cutlery. ”And then the Day will come…when that nail will come loose and fall out, break loose from that solid wall – and everything hanging on it will go with it.” ” The Message.

The ”key to the house of David” can be understood both literally and symbolically. The steward of a king had the power to ‘open and close’ doors – to make decisions on behalf of the king. The key, therefore, symbolised the authority of the steward. Both Shebna and Eliakim, it appears, misused their authority, and it was taken from them. Jesus, the true and final heir to David’s throne, is the rightful possessor of the ”key of David” (Rev.3:7). He has given that ‘key’ (authority) to His church (Mt.16:19; 18:18). We must not use it to advance our own glory, but the glory of the true owner of the key, the Lord Jesus Christ. If we misuse our authority, we can’t expect to get away with it. All stewards will be held accountable (Mt.24:45-51).

Prayer: Thank you Lord for the role you have given me by which to serve you. Help me to live for your glory, and not cling to a sense of power and status for any egotistical reasons. Help me to always remember that the highest position on offer in the Kingdom of God is the lowest: that of a servant