Isaiah 22:15-24 - Homiletics

Shebna and Eliakim: an allegory.

Shebna, set over the house of the king by the king himself, but unfaithful in his office, worldly, carnal, fond of grandeur and display, typifies the old covenant, and the priesthood to which it was committed—a priesthood which looked more to the enrichment of the treasury than to the pure service of God ( Mark 7:11 ), and which was not above the weakness of raising up grand sepulchers for its members in a conspicuous place (1 Macc. 13:27-30). This priesthood, found wanting, had to be cast away, and a better priesthood, after a different order, to be instituted. Eliakim typifies this new priesthood—a priesthood "made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life" ( Hebrews 7:16 ). Primarily, he typifies Christ himself, the true "Servant of the Lord" ( Isaiah 42:1-4 ; Isaiah 43:10 ; Isaiah 49:3 , Isaiah 49:6 ; Isaiah 52:13 , etc.), the perpetual High Priest of his Church, the eternal Possessor of "the key of David, who openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth" ( Revelation 3:7 ), who "hath the keys of hell and of death" ( Revelation 1:18 ). Eliakim was "a father" to Judah and Jerusalem; among Christ's names is that of "Everlasting Father" ( Isaiah 9:6 ). Eliakim was "as a nail fastened in a sure place;" Christ is gone up where he " forever sitteth on the right hand of God" ( Hebrews 10:12 ). Eliakim had a "glorious throne;" Christ's throne is that "great white" one, which is set in heaven ( Revelation 20:11 ), out of which "come lightnings, and thunderings, and voices" ( Revelation 4:5 ). On Eliakim hung all the members of his father's house; on Christ depends, for pardon, for peace, for life, for glory, every true Christian. Secondarily, Eliakim may be regarded as typifying the faithful minister of Christ, to whom the power of the keys is communicated in a certain modified sense ( Matthew 16:19 ), who, binding and loosing according to Christ's ordinance, binds and looses effectively, so that none can undo his work, and, as a faithful steward in the household of Christ, dispenses the good things committed to his charge by his King and Master. The faithful minister will not blench before the powers of evil, any more than Eliakim did before Rabshakeh ( Isaiah 36:11 , Isaiah 36:21 ); he will be "a father" to the people of God, i.e. a protector, a guide, a friend; and with those who "hang upon him" he will always be ready to share both his material and his spiritual blessings.