Valley of Vision - for all you Puritans!

Read Isaiah 22...

We had a chance to have a rooftop view from the city of David. What made that view so powerful was reading places in Scripture where the images used in the text are visible from where we were standing.

The City of David has been described as a valley even though it stands high between two other valleys. Yet the Eastern Hill and the Mount of Olives over power the hill that the City of David rests on, in a way that makes this hill seem like a valley. At the beginning of Isaiah 22, Isaiah says that this is “An oracle concerning the valley of vision”. At the time of this prophecy, the people of Jerusalem are in a state of partying and reckless living. They are on the rooftops of their houses singing and dancing, “full of shoutings” (v. 2). Though they do not realize the dark state that their spiritual lives are in, and the future judgment that Isaiah prophecies. Their vision is blind and thoughtless to what they should see. Even when the siege on the city begins they are ignorant to their self-dependency and disregard of God. They frantically start filling the holes in the wall, breaking down their own homes to do it, they look to their arsenal for any weapons they can protect themselves with, and they bring water into the walls to nourish them in case they are locked up in a siege. All this they left unattended during their times of peace. “But you did not look to him who did it, or see him who planned it long ago” (v. 11). Right now the people of this valley cannot see the vision. They are so focused on their present pleasures that they forget about God, their protector, fountain of living water, shield, rock, and strength. They forget about the sovereign God who controls the situation, and instead turn to their own self-rescue. Isaiah noticed this when he was looking out over the city, and this was his burden in the valley of vision. Jerusalem is a place that is supposed to be of vision. Even though one may be in a valley, if you align yourself to see through God’s eyes the valley will be a place of vision. If our priorities are in order, then God can open our eyes to see the vision from the valley. But, if we are relying on ourselves, living in the moment, and have no regard for reality, our valley will be one of destruction.