Isa 22:20-21 | KingComments | STEP | When the false king of Israel, the antichrist, is dethroned, the rightful King comes to His throne. That is why Isaiah has not yet finished his message for Shebna. The second person he writes about is Eliakim. The LORD says to Shebna that Eliakim will take his place ( ). He calls Eliakim “My servant”. We come across the title “My servant” several times in the second part of Isaiah as a title of the Messiah ( ). Therefore, Eliakim is a clear type of Christ, the Messiah. Eliakim, the servant of the LORD, shall receive all the clothing of Shebna, which means that he takes over all his dignity and dominion ( ). The mention of these two persons is done here because Shebna is a type of the antichrist and Eliakim of Christ. The destruction of Jerusalem by the king of the North was allowed by the LORD to remove the antichrist from Jerusalem to make way for Christ. That is the first phase of the judgment on the antichrist. The second phase starts at the appearance of Christ. Then the Lord Jesus will throw the antichrist (just like Shebna), together with the beast, like a ball to a vast place, namely the lake of fire ( ). Eliakim “will become a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah”. This is a wonderful description for this servant of the LORD. Everything that Shebna should have been, but was not, Eliakim will be. What Eliakim takes over from Shebna shows the great power of this position. Just as Eliakim replaces Shebna, so Christ will replace the antichrist. The key power lies with Eliakim ( ). Whoever has the key is in possession of everything behind the door that can be opened with this key. It is a large key, which he carries on his shoulder. The key gives him access to all the rooms and treasure chambers of the king. The supreme authorities are in the hand of Eliakim. That Eliakim is a clear type of Christ can be seen in the way Christ presents Himself to the church in Philadelphia ( ; cf. ). The key is the key of the house of David. In the hands of Christ is the power to fulfill all the promises made to the house of David. In the end, only Christ will fully fulfill what is entrusted to Eliakim and said of him. The key gives access to the treasure house of God’s truth. Christ is the key to all the precious things God has stored in His Word. All who look to Christ as the God-given Leader and Protector will have access to that treasure house. For this purpose, He uses “heads of a household” who brings out of his treasure things new and old ( ). The condition is that the mind of the church in Philadelphia is there, the mind of brotherly love

‏ Isaiah 22:20-21

Prophecy About Eliakim

When the false king of Israel, the antichrist, is dethroned, the rightful King comes to His throne. That is why Isaiah has not yet finished his message for Shebna. The second person he writes about is Eliakim. The LORD says to Shebna that Eliakim will take his place (Isa 22:20). He calls Eliakim “My servant”. We come across the title “My servant” several times in the second part of Isaiah as a title of the Messiah (Isa 42:1 ; Isa 49:3 ; Isa 52:13 ; Isa 53:11). Therefore, Eliakim is a clear type of Christ, the Messiah. Eliakim, the servant of the LORD, shall receive all the clothing of Shebna, which means that he takes over all his dignity and dominion (Isa 22:21).

The mention of these two persons is done here because Shebna is a type of the antichrist and Eliakim of Christ. The destruction of Jerusalem by the king of the North was allowed by the LORD to remove the antichrist from Jerusalem to make way for Christ. That is the first phase of the judgment on the antichrist. The second phase starts at the appearance of Christ. Then the Lord Jesus will throw the antichrist (just like Shebna), together with the beast, like a ball to a vast place, namely the lake of fire (Rev 19:20).

Eliakim “will become a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah”. This is a wonderful description for this servant of the LORD. Everything that Shebna should have been, but was not, Eliakim will be. What Eliakim takes over from Shebna shows the great power of this position. Just as Eliakim replaces Shebna, so Christ will replace the antichrist.

The key power lies with Eliakim (Isa 22:22). Whoever has the key is in possession of everything behind the door that can be opened with this key. It is a large key, which he carries on his shoulder. The key gives him access to all the rooms and treasure chambers of the king. The supreme authorities are in the hand of Eliakim.

That Eliakim is a clear type of Christ can be seen in the way Christ presents Himself to the church in Philadelphia (Rev 3:7; cf. Rev 1:18). The key is the key of the house of David. In the hands of Christ is the power to fulfill all the promises made to the house of David. In the end, only Christ will fully fulfill what is entrusted to Eliakim and said of him.

The key gives access to the treasure house of God’s truth. Christ is the key to all the precious things God has stored in His Word. All who look to Christ as the God-given Leader and Protector will have access to that treasure house. For this purpose, He uses “heads of a household” who brings out of his treasure things new and old (Mt 13:52). The condition is that the mind of the church in Philadelphia is there, the mind of brotherly love – Philadelphia means ‘brotherly love’.