July 29, 2010 – Isaiah 21-22

Not sure what to make of this reading.  We have news that the Babylonians are defeated, but most of Chapter 22 talks about God seeing that Jerusalem did not have faith in Him.  They secured their borders and this and that, but did not look to God.  We know that this is not the end of the conquerors, so the celebration will be short lived because the Assyrians are going to be right on the heels of the Babylonians.  The celebration is not for a victory but more a reprieve.   Eliakim is made to be someone who will be a great leader for the future.  I can’t recall ever hearing about his name before.  But God warns them that is he should fail, things will be worse off than they would have been.  Judging by what the Assyrians do, Eliakim must not have succeeded as well as they hoped.