What are you doing here, and who authorized you to carve out a tomb for yourself here--to chisel your tomb in the height and cut your resting place in the rock? Sermons
I. MEN OUGHT TO MAKE PLANS. The Bible never opposes foresight, practical wisdom, reasonable ambitions, taking life with a strong hand, or the statesmanlike sagacity, that estimates public movements and prepares for inevitable changes, life man's ship is expected to drift anyhow; the man's hand must be always at the helm, and the man must know for what port he sails. II. MEN TOO OFTEN MAKE PLANS IN A SPIRIT OF SELF-RELIANCE. As the Apostle James (James 4:13-15) puts it, men say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into this city, and spend a year there, and trade, and get gain." The mistake lies in that will. "Whatever happens, I will." "They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare." III. MEN SHOULD MAKE PLANS IN THE SPIRIT OF DEPENDENCE ON GOD; and with due reference of every case to him. As James says (James 4:15), "For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall both live, and do this, or that." Man's will sometimes is strong, and carries him over and through great difficulties; but God is ever stronger than he, and grasps him with effectual restraints. - R.T.
Shebna. In the councils of Hezekiah there was a strong party favourable to an alliance between Judah and Egypt. At the head of the party stood Shebna. He occupied a post corresponding to that of our prime minister, and was treasurer, or chief adviser of the king. His tenure of office bode no good to Jerusalem: his pro-Egyptian policy, like the pro-Assyrian policy of Ahaz, was utterly displeasing to Jehovah, and alien to the best traditions of David's house. Against this policy Isaiah is specially commissioned to raise his voice. In the discharge of this mission he singles out Shebna, a stranger apparently, who had by ambition raised himself to high office, and was devoid of religious principle. He had been securing honour for himself, establishing his family in the land, as he thought, and, as the custom was, hewing out for himself a sepulchre. But from that high office he would soon be disgracefully ousted, when king and people would alike come to see the unworthy Character of an Egyptian alliance. And it is worthy of remark that this prophecy was speedily fulfilled. For when the Rabshakeh is met by Hezekiah's messengers, Shebna does not occupy the first place.(B. Blake, B. D.) (Prof. S. R. Driver, D. D.) (Prof. S. R. Driver, D. D.) In the rock of [the east slope of Zion] from the top downwards, the tombs of the kings were hewn. So high a position, does Shebna occupy, and so great does he think himself, that he hopes after his death to be laid to rest among kings, and by no means far down.(F. Delitzsch.) The mention of the height of Shebna's new tomb is supposed to indicate his extreme pretension to pomp and dignity. The ancients, not excepting the Jews, attached much more importance than we do to everything connected with the burial of the dead, because they were so much less able to distinguish the human person from the earthly body, or to apprehend the substantial reality of the former a part from the latter. Our burials symbolise, and express our faith in, immortality and a resurrection; but the Jews shared more or less the common feeling of antiquity that there was some real connection between a man's due obsequies and his state after death. Still their faith, though obscure, was in me main spiritual and elevating, when held as it was by David, Hezekiah, or Job. But the worldly and sense-bound man then, as indeed he does now, contemplated the costly preparations for his burial, and for the preservation of his embalmed and entombed body, as the last possible act of regard for that sensual existence which he alone cared for. It was but the consistent maintenance to the last of his sensual creed, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."(Sir E. Strachey, Bart) People Aram, David, Elam, Eliakim, Hilkiah, Isaiah, ShebnaPlaces Elam, House of the Forest, Jerusalem, Kedar, KirTopics Carve, Chiseling, Cut, Cutting, Doest, Dug, Dwelling, Grave, Gravest, Graveth, Graving, Habitation, Hast, Height, Hew, Hewed, Hewest, Heweth, Hewing, Hewn, Resting, Resting-place, Rock, Sepulcher, Sepulchre, Thyself, Tomb, WhatOutline 1. The prophet laments the invasion of Jerusalem8. He reproves their human wisdom and worldly joy 15. He prophesies Shebna's deprivation 20. And the substitution of Eliakim, prefiguring the kingdom of Christ. Dictionary of Bible Themes Isaiah 22:16 4354 rock Library Prevailing Prayer. Text.--The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.--James v. 16. THE last lecture referred principally to the confession of sin. To-night my remarks will be chiefly confined to the subject of intercession, or prayer. There are two kinds of means requisite to promote a revival; one to influence men, the other to influence God. The truth is employed to influence men, and prayer to move God. When I speak of moving God, I do not mean that God's mind is changed by prayer, or that his … Charles Grandison Finney—Lectures on Revivals of Religion Sundry Sharp Reproofs Gihon, the Same with the Fountain of Siloam. Sennacherib (705-681 B. C. ) The Call of Matthew - the Saviour's Welcome to Sinners - Rabbinic Theology as Regards the Doctrine of Forgiveness in Contrast to the Gospel of Christ Third Withdrawal from Herod's Territory. Isaiah Links Isaiah 22:16 NIVIsaiah 22:16 NLT Isaiah 22:16 ESV Isaiah 22:16 NASB Isaiah 22:16 KJV Isaiah 22:16 Bible Apps Isaiah 22:16 Parallel Isaiah 22:16 Biblia Paralela Isaiah 22:16 Chinese Bible Isaiah 22:16 French Bible Isaiah 22:16 German Bible Isaiah 22:16 Commentaries Bible Hub |
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