Isaiah 22:18
roll you into a ball, and sling you into a wide land. There you will die, and there your glorious chariots will remain--a disgrace to the house of your master.
roll you into a ball,

The LORD declares that Shebna, the royal steward in Jerusalem, will be forcibly removed from his position. His power, influence, and self-exalting plans will not preserve him from judgment.

Isa 38:12 My dwelling has been picked up and removed from me…
Jer 10:18 For this is what the LORD says: “Behold, at this time…”…
1Sa 25:29 And should someone pursue you and seek your life…

and sling you into a wide land.

He will be driven from Jerusalem into a distant foreign land, cut off from the city and authority he used for his own honor.

Jer 22:26 I will hurl you and the mother who gave you birth…
Deu 28:64 Then the LORD will scatter you among all the nations,…
Ezk 12:15 And they will know that I am the LORD, when I disperse them…

There you will die,

Shebna’s end will come in exile rather than in the place where he sought lasting status and remembrance.

Ezk 12:13 But I will spread My net over him, and he will be caught…
Jer 22:12 but he will die in the place to which he was exiled;…
Jer 44:12 And I will take away the remnant of Judah…

and there your glorious chariots will remain—

The chariots that displayed his wealth and rank, symbols of power and military might, will become useless reminders of his fallen pride.

Psa 46:9 He makes wars to cease throughout the earth;…
Isa 31:1 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help…
Psa 20:7 Some trust in chariots and others in horses…

a disgrace to the house of your master.

Shebna’s conduct dishonors the king he served and brings shame upon the royal household.

Pro 14:35 A king delights in a wise servant, but his anger falls…
Pro 17:2 A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son…
1Ki 14:10 Because of all this, behold, I am bringing disaster……

Persons / Places / Events
1. Isaiah
The prophet who delivered God's messages to the people of Judah and Jerusalem, warning them of impending judgment due to their unfaithfulness.

2. Shebna
The steward or official in the royal court of Judah, likely the subject of this prophecy, who was rebuked for his pride and self-glorification.

3. Jerusalem
The city where these events are taking place, representing the center of Judah's political and spiritual life.

4. The House of Your Master
Refers to the royal house of Judah, indicating the disgrace brought upon it by the actions of its officials.

5. A Wide Land
Symbolizes exile and displacement, a common theme in prophetic literature as a consequence of disobedience to God.
Teaching Points
The Consequences of Pride
Pride and self-exaltation, as seen in Shebna's actions, lead to downfall and disgrace. Believers are called to humility and service.

The Certainty of God's Judgment
God's warnings through prophets are not to be taken lightly. Ignoring them leads to inevitable consequences.

Leadership Accountability
Those in positions of authority are held to high standards. Their actions can bring honor or disgrace to their community and to God.

The Reality of Exile
Spiritual exile occurs when we distance ourselves from God's will. Restoration requires repentance and a return to God's ways.

Hope Beyond Judgment
While judgment is certain for disobedience, God's ultimate desire is for restoration and redemption for those who turn back to Him.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the imagery of being "rolled up tightly like a ball" reflect the certainty and completeness of God's judgment?

2. In what ways can pride manifest in our own lives, and how can we guard against it?

3. How does the concept of exile in Isaiah 22:18 relate to spiritual exile in the New Testament, and what steps can we take to return to God?

4. What lessons can we learn from Shebna's example about the responsibilities of leadership and the impact of our actions on others?

5. How can we find hope and assurance in God's promises of restoration, even when facing the consequences of our actions?
Connections to Other Scriptures
2 Kings 18-19
Provides historical context for the events in Isaiah, including the political and spiritual climate of Judah during Isaiah's ministry.

Isaiah 36-37
Further details the interactions between the Assyrian empire and Judah, highlighting the consequences of leadership failures.

Jeremiah 22
Offers a parallel in the rebuke of leaders who fail to uphold justice and righteousness, leading to national disgrace.

Ezekiel 12
Discusses the theme of exile and the consequences of ignoring prophetic warnings, similar to the fate described in Isaiah 22:18.
God's Violent ProvidencesR. Tuck Isaiah 22:18
RetributionIsaiah 22:18
Shebna's DoomProf. G. A. Smith, D. D.Isaiah 22:18
Shebna's DoomProf. G. A. Smith, D. D.Isaiah 22:18
Shebna's EjectionJ. A. Alexander.Isaiah 22:18
The Irresistibleness of God's JudgmentsW. Manning.Isaiah 22:18
Denunciation of ShebnaE. Johnson Isaiah 22:15-19
ShebnaB. Blake, B. D.Isaiah 22:15-19
Shebna a ForeignerProf. S. R. Driver, D. D.Isaiah 22:15-19
Shebna's TombSir E. Strachey, BartIsaiah 22:15-19
Shebna's Vain ExpectationF. Delitzsch.Isaiah 22:15-19
The Prophecy Concerning ShebnaProf. S. R. Driver, D. D.Isaiah 22:15-19
Human Reckoning and Divine InterruptionW. Clarkson Isaiah 22:15-25
People
Aram, David, Elam, Eliakim, Hilkiah, Isaiah, Shebna
Places
Elam, House of the Forest, Jerusalem, Kedar, Kir
Topics
Babbler, Ball, Broad, Carriages, Cast, Chariots, Completely, Coverer, Covering, Die, Diest, Disgrace, Glory, Honour, Large, Lord's, Master's, O, Pride, Roll, Rolling, Round, Shame, Sides, Splendid, Surely, Throw, Tightly, Toss, Turn, Twisting, Vast, Violence, Violently, Whirl, Wide, Wind, Wrappeth, Wrapping
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Isaiah 22:18

     5252   chariots

Library
Prevailing Prayer.
Text.--The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.--James v. 16. THE last lecture referred principally to the confession of sin. To-night my remarks will be chiefly confined to the subject of intercession, or prayer. There are two kinds of means requisite to promote a revival; one to influence men, the other to influence God. The truth is employed to influence men, and prayer to move God. When I speak of moving God, I do not mean that God's mind is changed by prayer, or that his
Charles Grandison Finney—Lectures on Revivals of Religion

Sundry Sharp Reproofs
This doctrine draws up a charge against several sorts: 1 Those that think themselves good Christians, yet have not learned this art of holy mourning. Luther calls mourning a rare herb'. Men have tears to shed for other things, but have none to spare for their sins. There are many murmurers, but few mourners. Most are like the stony ground which lacked moisture' (Luke 8:6). We have many cry out of hard times, but they are not sensible of hard hearts. Hot and dry is the worst temper of the body. Sure
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

Gihon, the Same with the Fountain of Siloam.
I. In 1 Kings 1:33,38, that which is, in the Hebrew, "Bring ye Solomon to Gihon: and they brought him to Gihon"; is rendered by the Chaldee, "Bring ye him to Siloam: and they brought him to Siloam." Where Kimchi thus; "Gihon is Siloam, and it is called by a double name. And David commanded, that they should anoint Solomon at Gihon for a good omen, to wit, that, as the waters of the fountain are everlasting, so might his kingdom be." So also the Jerusalem writers; "They do not anoint the king, but
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Sennacherib (705-681 B. C. )
The struggle of Sennacherib with Judaea and Egypt--Destruction of Babylon. Sennacherib either failed to inherit his father's good fortune, or lacked his ability.* He was not deficient in military genius, nor in the energy necessary to withstand the various enemies who rose against him at widely removed points of his frontier, but he had neither the adaptability of character nor the delicate tact required to manage successfully the heterogeneous elements combined under his sway. * The two principal
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 8

The Call of Matthew - the Saviour's Welcome to Sinners - Rabbinic Theology as Regards the Doctrine of Forgiveness in Contrast to the Gospel of Christ
In two things chiefly does the fundamental difference appear between Christianity and all other religious systems, notably Rabbinism. And in these two things, therefore, lies the main characteristic of Christ's work; or, taking a wider view, the fundamental idea of all religions. Subjectively, they concern sin and the sinner; or, to put it objectively, the forgiveness of sin and the welcome to the sinner. But Rabbinism, and every other system down to modern humanitarianism - if it rises so high in
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Third Withdrawal from Herod's Territory.
Subdivision B. The Great Confession Made by Peter. (Near Cæsarea Philippi, Summer, a.d. 29.) ^A Matt. XVI. 13-20; ^B Mark VIII. 27-30; ^C Luke IX. 18-21. ^b 27 And Jesus went forth, and his disciples, into the villages of Cæsarea Philippi [The city of Paneas was enlarged by Herod Philip I., and named in honor of Tiberias Cæsar. It also bore the name Philippi because of the name of its builder, and to distinguish it from Cæsarea Palestinæ or Cæsarea Strotonis, a
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Isaiah
CHAPTERS I-XXXIX Isaiah is the most regal of the prophets. His words and thoughts are those of a man whose eyes had seen the King, vi. 5. The times in which he lived were big with political problems, which he met as a statesman who saw the large meaning of events, and as a prophet who read a divine purpose in history. Unlike his younger contemporary Micah, he was, in all probability, an aristocrat; and during his long ministry (740-701 B.C., possibly, but not probably later) he bore testimony, as
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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