2 Kings 18:17-18, Isa. 22, Civil Servants with Integrity

The story begins with the King of Assyria sending some of his officers to Jerusalem.  That’s what 2 Ki. 18:17 says.  It appears (experts are not certain) “the Tartan, the Rabsaris, and the Rabshakeh” are official titles.  The NKJV has a footnote for each as probably referring to a Commander in Chief, Chief Officer and Chief of Staff or Governor. 

These officers are backed up with “a great army.”  And in the minds of the people inside Jerusalem, they also are backed up by a reputation.  They have made a whirlwind trip through the other walled cities of Judah, besieging and taking one after another.  And now here they are, at the capital city.  Using the accompanying map, it seems they are in the Kidron Valley down in the area of the Old Jebusite City (today’s “City of David”).

Wisely,  Hezekiah did not engage them in the conversation but sent three of his advisors: “Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder.”  Perhaps you have never heard of these men; they would have fit well in our recent series of posts called “Lessons from Obscurity.”  But believe it or not, we have some important background on Eliakim and Shebna in Isaiah 22.  (And I am relying somewhat on my favorite friend in the study of Isaiah, Victor Buksbazen, The Prophet Isaiah: A Commentary). 

Isa. 22 almost certainly is a prophecy written against the backdrop of the time in Judah of the Assyrian invasion.  Isaiah describes the damage done to Judah (22:1-8).  People are on their housetops, seeking to defend themselves.  The walls of the important cities are broken down.  The choicest valleys (perhaps those of the Shephelah, valleys of Ayalon, Elah, Sorek and Lachish) are filled with chariots and horsemen of Assyria.  Then Isaiah describes the fear in Jerusalem and the preparation taken to defend the city (22:9-14).  This included fortifying the wall in the Ophel area and the tunnel that routed the waters of the Gihon Spring into pools inside the city.  Isaiah was not upset with the reasonable preparations that were made, but rather with the fact that in doing this they “did not look to its Makes, nor did you have respect for Him who fashioned it long ago” (22:11).

But as our story will demonstrate, a change took place.  At Isaiah’s encouragement Hezekiah leads the people to make their plea to the LORD for protection.  The rest of Isa. 22 seems to anticipate this change, and to prophecy that God will in fact protect Jerusalem.  The prophecy revolves around the two men, Shebna and Eliakim.  In 22:15 it is Shebna who is the “steward” and “is over the house.”  He is criticized for taking care of himself and not caring for the people, which was the responsibility of the steward who is over the house (22:15-19).  God will drive Shebna from his position to a lesser position (scribe, 2 Ki. 18:18) and will call “My servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah” and will give him responsibility of caring for the people (22:20-25).  He will be like a father to the people (v21) rather than being self-serving like Shebna.  The ”key of the house of David” refers to authority over Jerusalem, the City of David.  Eliakim will be highly honored for his selfless service. 

He may serve as a picture of Messiah, who is the “tent peg” of Israel in Zech. 10:4.  That may be what 22:24-25 is referring to when it says “in that day.”  The time would come when Messiah would be “removed … cut down and fall.”  Or it may refer to the further future time when, God having delivered Jerusalem from the Assyrians, the city is then destroyed by the Babylonians.

These three men, Eliakim, Shebna and Joah, are what we would call “public servants.”  They serve the king but their responsibilities are to make provision for the people of Jerusalem.  I am reminded of Ezek. 34 where God judges the self-serving shepherds of Israel.  They have not cared for the sheep but instead have gotten fat off of the sheep.  God’s promise in Ezekiel is that these shepherds will be removed and in their place God will feed His flock and make them lie down.  He will do this with His “Good Shepherd,” the Messiah!