Isaiah 22:15-25
15 Thus says the Lord God of hosts, “Come, go to this steward, to Shebna, who is over the household, and say to him: 16 What have you to do here, and whom have you here, that you have cut out here a tomb for yourself, you who cut out a tomb on the height and carve a dwelling for yourself in the rock? 17 Behold, the Lord will hurl you away violently, O you strong man. He will seize firm hold on you 18 and whirl you around and around, and throw you like a ball into a wide land. There you shall die, and there shall be your glorious chariots, you shame of your master’s house. 19 I will thrust you from your office, and you will be pulled down from your station. 20 In that day I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, 21 and I will clothe him with your robe, and will bind your sash on him, and will commit your authority to his hand. And he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. 22 And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open. 23 And I will fasten him like a peg in a secure place, and he will become a throne of honor to his father’s house. 24 And they will hang on him the whole honor of his father’s house, the offspring and issue, every small vessel, from the cups to all the flagons. 25 In that day, declares the Lord of hosts, the peg that was fastened in a secure place will give way, and it will be cut down and fall, and the load that was on it will be cut off, for the Lord has spoken.”
The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (Is 22:15-25). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
This is one of those texts when most people will simply pick up on the change in office and the Key of the house of David. The Key of the house is the authority and power of the house. Thus, Jesus gives the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven to the Church and its people. The office of the steward is the one who is not the King or Ruler but the one given the responsibility to act that way for a time.
But why does Eliakim get elevated in this way? What about this peg that is placed in a secure place? I think these things speak to the truth of the Christian Church. I have heard people say that we need another Walther or Luther or even Chemnitz. But isn't that the same as the people putting their trust in Eliakim. Eliakim was a very wise man and was entrusted to lead the people in truth. St Peter was entrusted by Jesus to lead the Apostles. But both of these men fall short. They will be removed and another will take there place.
In the same way one could say the Pastor of a congregation has been clothed with robe and sash and has been give authority to lead and teach Christ's people. They have been given the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven to use them wisely. But the person in that office should not think to highly of himself. He is only a steward not the King. Each of these stewards can be replaced and will eventually be the removed peg.
So I guess I still just told you about the office that constantly changes and the key of the house of David. But these are all done to point us to the true God. The God who has the power to kill and make alive does this through the proclamation of Law and Gospel. You are dead in your transgressions and alive in faith in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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