Bible Commentaries
Isaiah 22

Verse 18

THE IRRESISTIBLENESS OF GOD’S JUDGMENTS

Isaiah 22:18. He will surely violently turn and toss thee like a ball into a large country.

Such was the prophet’s message to a haughty statesman who prided himself on his power. Learn from it—

1. The ease with which God effects His judgments. There are many things we wish to do which require great preparations and extensive machinery; but to toss a ball from the hand is an easy matter, mere child’s play. He who takes up the isles as a very little thing, performs all His works with an ease which cannot be baffled or disturbed.

2. The utter uselessness of any resistance to the Divine judgments. As surely as a ball must follow the line of projection, so surely must we go whither the judgments of God carry us when His set time to visit us is come (H. E. I., 2269, 4960).

3. The awfulness of falling into the hands of the living God.—William Manning.

Verse 24

THE GLORY OF THE MESSIAH

Isaiah 22:24. And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father’s house—

As on the nails or spikes fixed in the walls of the ancient temples and palaces it was customary to hang suits of armour, shields, helmets, swords, &c., that had been taken in war as spoils of victory, or that had been used by illustrious ancestors. The declaration is made concerning Eliakim, and the meaning of it is, that all his relatives would connect with him all they deemed illustrious, and would rest upon him as their common support. Some of the expressions used concerning him are appropriated by our Redeemer to Himself (comp. Isaiah 22:22 and Revelation 3:7); and, without adopting the view that Eliakim was a type of Christ, we may say that, true as this declaration was concerning Eliakim, it is still more eminently true of Him to whom “the key of David” belongs by right. Upon Him they shall hang all the glory of His Father’s house.”

I. THE GLORY THAT IS PLACED UPON CHRIST. Applying the text to Christ, the phrase “His father’s house” acquires a new and more glorious significance, even that of the Church of the living God, the one family in heaven and on earth. All the glory of that spiritual and eternal house depends upon and is justly ascribed to Christ.

1. All the glory of purchasing the Church. All the persons of whom it is composed were in circumstances of bondage and misery, yea, under sentence of death, from which He ransomed them at inconceivable cost (1 Peter 1:18-19).

2. All the glory of redeeming the Church. This is not a mere repetition of what has just been said. We are the subjects of a twofold redemption—a redemption of price and a redemption of power. From the penalties of sin Christ redeemed us by His blood; from the power of sin, by His Spirit. A supremely difficult and an eternally glorious task is that which He thus undertook and has accomplished.

3. All the glory of preserving the Church. What a marvellous history of dangers and deliverances it has had!

4. All the glory of perfecting the Church. It shall be complete in number, complete and resplendent with every spiritual grace. Remember what marvellous symbols are employed to set forth the beauty and the preciousness of its component parts, what treasures of spiritual wisdom and grace are already included in it. Hereafter, when it shall stand in all its radiance, the wonder and the admiration of all heavenly intelligences, all the glory of it shall hang upon Christ.

II. THE PERSONS WHO UNITE IN PLACING THIS GLORY ON CHRIST. “They shall hang,” &c. The penitent sinner hangs upon Christ all the glory of his hope of acceptance with God.

2. The justified believer hangs upon Him all the glory of the favoured position in which he stands.
3. The spiritual veteran hangs upon Him all the glory of His triumphs.
4. The dying Christian hangs upon Him all the glory of the calmness and courage with which he advances to the final victory.
5. The glorified Church hangs upon Him all the glory of its perfected salvation.

6. Angels and archangels, though they were not the subjects of redemption, join in the song of salvation (Revelation 5:11-13), and ascribe to Him all the splendour in which they shine.

7. GOD exalted Him to the right hand of power, and gave Him a Name above every name (Philippians 2:9-11).

“Oh that with yonder sacred throng
We at His feet may fall,
Join in the everlasting song,
And crown Him Lord of all!”

—George Smith, D.D.