ISAIAH - CHAPTER 22 KJV

v.1 "The burden of the valley of vision. What aileth thee now, that thou art wholly gone up to the housetops?"

"Up to the housetops" represents the intense interest of the people of Israel watching the unfolding war.

v.2 "Thou that art full of stirs, a tumultuous city, a joyous city: thy slain men are not slain with the sword, nor dead in battle."

Israel, once a joyous city, but now in tumult! This is not a typical war that Isaiah sees. The men are not "slain with the sword, nor dead in battle." How are they killed?

v.3 "All thy rulers are fled together, they are bound by the archers: all that are found in thee are bound together, which have fled from far."

The rulers and people flee together, even far from the borders of the nation. They are bound together because of "the archers." These archers' fire missiles not shoot arrows. Israel will fee from missile attacks and huddle together for safety as destruction is hurled upon their borders.

v.4 "Therefore said I, Look away from me; I will weep bitterly, labour not to comfort me, because of the spoiling of the daughter of my people."

Isaiah weeps in sadness as he sees his people spoiled and destroyed.

v.5 "For it is a day of trouble, and of treading down, and of perplexity by the Lord GOD of hosts in the valley of vision, breaking down the walls, and of crying to the mountains."

It is a "day of trouble." It is "the valley of vision, breaking down the walls, and of crying to the mountains." Israel's borders suffer destruction while the nation cries to stronger nations like America to help them.

v.6 "And Elam bare the quiver with chariots of men and horsemen, and Kir uncovered the shield."

Elam is Iran. Kir is the origin of the Syrian people. Iran will "bare the quiver" of arrows or rain missiles down upon Israel. Kir, represented by the Syrian people (Amos 1:5), will uncover "the shield" or communicate the weakness of Israel's defenses to Iran.

v.7 "And it shall come to pass, that thy choicest valleys shall be full of chariots, and the horsemen shall set themselves in array at the gate."

This war will push against Israel to the very heart of the nation and "array at the gate."

v.8 "And he discovered the covering of Judah, and thou didst look in that day to the armour of the house of the forest."

The "covering of Judah" or defenses will be discovered by Iran. Israel will "look in that day to the armour of the house of the forest" or its nuclear arms. However, as Israel's allies are in the area warring against Iran, it will find no relief in using them.

The nation of Israel will do all that it can to defend itself. But its enemy Iran has seen the "breaches of the city of David, that they are many."[v9.] At this time, there will be weeping and mourning through the nation of Israel. They will say, "let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we shall die."[v13.]

v.14 "And it was revealed in mine ears by the LORD of hosts, Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die, saith the Lord GOD of hosts."

The nation of Israel is about to suffer great destruction at the hand of Iran.

Jesus once said, "For all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword." [Matthew 26:52.] Every nation has a right to defend itself. However, could Israel have taken more care in protecting innocent Palestinians while fighting against the Hamas terrorists? Could Israel have done more to promote justice and equality between themselves and the Palestinian people? This war with Iran will end horribly for Israel.

As a gentile Christian, my heart aches for Israel and innocent Palestinians. I am well aware of my Judaic roots. In the proclamation of the gospel, God intended that there should be a brotherhood between Jew and gentile in their acceptance of Christ. No one can read the New Testament and not see how the Apostle Paul promoted this goodwill between all people groups.

In verse 22, the following is stated:

"And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open."

That "key of the house of David" is the key of salvation that has been laid upon the shoulder of Christ, the Son of God, to open the way for us all. That door to the Most Holy Place where Christ has been presiding since October 22, 1844 (Daniel 8:14) is open for all who repent of their sins. But that door will not be open forever. Probation will soon close for this sinful world. And before it does, God will reveal Himself in judgments — earthquakes and weather events such as we have never before experienced! And when probation does close for every person in this world, God will pour out the seven last plagues without mercy upon those who have rejected His love (Revelation 16).

Let the event above be another warning just how close we are to that great day, the return of Christ!