Read: Isaiah 22
Jerusalem, the pride and joy of the Chosen People has lost its way. Isaiah’s words are hard and to the point, the voice of the Lord reveals that Jerusalem is out of step with God, out of sync with his plan. As we read this chapter, let us look introspectively to discover where we are out of step with Christ and let us remember the One who calls us daily.
Under the leadership of King Hezekiah, Jerusalem withstood Sennacherib’s taunting and his attempted siege (2 Kings 19):
You built a reservoir between the two walls
for the water of the Old Pool,
but you did not look to the One who made it,
or have regard for the One who planned it long ago.
Isaiah 22:11
Assuming this refers to the time alluded to in 2 Kings 10, they were able to withstand the siege because of the Old Pool, the access to water. King Hezekiah was a good king and the angel of the Lord delivered them because of his faithfulness.
However, this would not last for long. Isaiah’s words remind us that the legacy of a good king was short lived:
The Lord, the Lord Almighty,
called you on that day
to weep and to wail,
to tear out your hair and put on sackcloth.
But see, there is joy and revelry,
slaughtering of cattle and killing of sheep,
eating of meat and drinking of wine!
“Let us eat and drink,” you say,
“for tomorrow we die!”
The Lord Almighty has revealed this in my hearing:
“Till your dying day this sin will not be atoned for,”
says the Lord, the Lord Almighty.
Isaiah 22:12-14
The people in Jerusalem are acting like their neighboring countries, insanely eating and drinking “for tomorrow we die” rather than reverently worshiping the Lord. Ouch! Acting like a fool when the time called for somber reflection. In my imagination, I can see these words read aloud in a noisy room which suddenly becomes quiet. The revealing of sin is never joyful. This comes at the worst time.
Be patient with us Lord as we try to get our act together! Help us to see the disconnects, to put the pieces together as we try to do life together.
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Let the Word evoke words. May your life encourage lives.