If you wanted to gain a better long-range view of your surroundings, where would you go: to a valley or to a mountain? Surprisingly, Isaiah entitles this prophetic word against Judah, “the valley of vision” (v 1, 5). But this ironic phrase is meant to condemn the people for their lack of vision! They claim to know God and His ways, but their behavior makes it evident they do not. Instead of standing on a mountaintop where they could have seen clearly, they are in the bottom of a valley, having lost all perspective on reality. At the start of Isaiah 22, the people of Judah are rejoicing and celebrating a supposed victory. As inhabitants of “the valley of vision,” all they can see is short-term relief. At the moment, Babylon has helped them to ward off the Assyrian threat. But Isaiah weeps bitterly as he sees not only that Babylon can provide no real assistance, but that Babylon itself will be the cause of Judah’s destruction 125 years later. Isaiah sees what they cannot (v 1-4). In the distant future, when besieging armies are encamped around the city of Jerusalem, all the shallow frivolity will be over. In that hour there will be no more rejoicing in “the valley of vision,” but only confusion and terror (v 5-7). Why would the LORD schedule this day of defeat for Judah at the hands of foreign enemies? It is because they do not treat Him as real, but only busy themselves with their own strategies for self-rescue. Note the verbs indicating where Judah is looking and what they have seen. God’s people are always in danger when temporal realities have replaced eternal ones (v 8-11). While Judah parties, the prophet grieves. They are unable to see their need for humble self-examination and repentance. They have no interest in getting right with God. After all, there is fun to be had! Unless this outlook changes, there is no possibility for the sins of the nation to be “atoned for” (v 12-14). To reinforce his point, Isaiah uses two examples. Shebna is a high-ranking officer who should have been concerned for the well-being of his country. Instead, he is selfishly building himself a fine rock tomb so future generations will see him as important. Isaiah sees him as a disgrace. Shebna will be wadded up and thrown away like an old rag (v 15-19). Eliakim, on the other hand, is a servant of the LORD, providing father-like leadership for the people he cares about. But sadly, he too is unable to withstand the pressure when everyone becomes dependent on him. How we need Jesus, the final and true son of David, the perfect Servant-Leader, who will come to unlock the King’s throne room for all His people (v 20-25). For further meditation: