Isaiah 22: 19-25, "Yes, I will drive you out of office," says the LORD. " I will pull you down from your high position. and then I will call on my servant Eliakim son of Hilkiah to replace you. He will have your royal robes, your title, and your authority. And he will be a father to the people of Jerusalem and Judah. I will give him the key to the house of David - the highest position in the royal court. He will open doors and no one will be able to shut them; he will close doors, and no one will be able to open them. He will bring honor to his family name, for I will drive him firmly in place like a tent stake. He will be loaded down with responsibility, and he will bring honor to even the lowliest members of his family."
The LORD Almighty says: " When that time comes, I will pull out the stake that seemed so firm. It will come out and fall to the ground. Everything it supports will fall with it. I, the LORD, have spoken!"These were prophet Isaiah's words against Shebna, a high official in the court of King Hezekiah of Judah. Shebna was a man of great influence, but here the prophet was predicting that he would fall from power and die as an outcast because of his pride. In his place the Lord was going to appoint his humble servant Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah. This scripture caught my attention while I was going through a turbulent period in my life. God's promise to Eliakim is what caught my eye. He said about Eliakim, "He will bring honor to his family name, for I will drive him firmly in place like a tent stake. He will be loaded down with responsibility, and he will bring honor to even the lowliest members of his family."
This scripture that Isaiah wrote opened up to me through the life of David whom God called from the sheep pens to be the next king of Israel and Judah. Here was a shepherd boy who did not amount to much in the eyes of his father or brothers, but that's who God called on. Here was a shepherd boy who had to take on the responsibilities of governing a combined nation of Judah and Israel. Even though the shepherd boy David was anointed by Prophet Samuel to be the next king, we read in the books of 1 & 2 Samuel that David's life was in constant danger from King Saul's jealousy. There were many a nights God's anointed next king of Judah and Israel, David, slept in the open fields covered in dust and dew looking up at the night sky wondering what the meaning of the anointing was, wondering if there was any truth in what Prophet Samuel told him. But we read that through all dangers and threats on David's life, God kept him safe and fulfilled his promise to make him the next king. God loved David, and he loaded him down with responsibilities. God did for him what he told Eliakim, drove David down in to the ground like a tent stake, anchored him on bedrock, so that he held up under all the fury of the wind that blew against his life. God strengthened David and encouraged him when at times all seemed lost, enabling him to withstand the fury of King Saul's assault on his life. Through David, God brought honor to his family, he brought honor to the lowliest member of his family. Yes, through David, even the lowly shepherd boys, who didn't amount to much in the eyes of the world can dream of greatness. He brought honor not only to his family, but every single person in his situation, who are forgotten, whom the world pushes aside, whom the world discounts!
Whom God loves, there will be much asked of that person. Reminds me of Christ, God's son, weighed down with the responsibility for the redemption of mankind. Just before Jesus was betrayed by Judas, we read in Luke 22:41, "He walked away, about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, "Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will, not mine." Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood." Today, my savior Christ has dulled Father God's anger towards everything that is wrong about me because of what he endured for me. God drove Christ down firmly into the ground like a tent stake so that he could take upon him all the punishment that could be dished out by man and God, and give me a new life. There also was Paul, appointed by Christ as the Apostle to the Gentiles who took the message of the cross to the world at a tremendous personal cost. As Isaiah said, in whom God is pleased, s(he) will be weighed down with much responsibilities. If you think you are having hard times, you are in good company! God will guide you and strengthen you for his name's sake, for it is his promise!
“I know God will not give me anything I can’t handle. I just wish that He didn’t trust me so much.” - Mother Teresa
Brooke Fraser - Lifeline
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