Isaiah 22:20-25 - Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary

The Prophet gives, in these verses, a very pleasing account of the character of Eliakim, and of the Lord's approbation of him. I confess myself inclined to drop all considerations of the servant, to look at the master; for very certain it is, a greater than Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, is here typically represented. I venture to set this down as a fixed and certain thing, because the Lord Jesus himself, when making himself known to his servant John and sending him to communicate what he saw and heard to the churches, declared who he was by this very insignalia, of the key of David, Revelation 3:7. And, Reader! do observe how the outlines of the Redeemer's office-character, are sketched in those of Eliakim. I will call my servant Eliakim, son of Hilkiah. And who was it that called the Lord Jesus to the service of redemption, and placed him as lord-treasurer over his house? The Holy Ghost expressly tells the church, that Christ glorified not himself to be made an high-priest, but was called of God, as was Aaron, Hebrews 5:4-5. See Isaiah 42:1-6; Matthew 17:5. And if Eliakim was invested with the robe, and the girdle, and all the government put into his hand, so as to be made a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the house of David; if Eliakim had power to open and shut; and shut, that none should open; if Eliakim was fastened as a nail in a sure place, and became a glorious throne to his father's house, so that all glory should rest upon him; can we refrain a moment, from having our very souls led, instinctively as it were, to all precious, all-glorious Jesus; whose robe of salvation is the everlasting clothing and glory of his redeemed; and whose girdle the faithfulness of the whole covenant, for his people to lay hold of, and hang by in time, and to all eternity? Who but Jesus hath indeed the key of the house of David? Who can open, if he shuts, or who can shut if he opens? Eliakim had but the doors of entrance or exclusion in the palace, or the church, to command; but our Eliakim, the Son of God, hath the key of all hearts, the key of his word, the keys of heaven, death, hell, and the grave. Precious consideration to the believer, and not to be parted with for a thousand worlds. He is a nail indeed, and in a sure place: for on him, Jehovah, our God and Father, hath fastened all the persons, mercies, appointments, blessings temporal, spiritual, and eternal, of his church and people, from all eternity. And on the earthly Eliakim the whole was but hung; it was not his own; neither could he long keep it; for himself and all his appendages had but a day of duration. But with the Eliakim came down from heaven, all the glory which was put upon him, was his own before. For as the Son of God, being one with God, everything which constitutes the Godhead was his, essentially so, in common with the Father and the Holy Ghost: and as God-man Mediator, all power and glory was and is his, both by purchase and by gift, and must be so forever. Surely then, are his people, all his redeemed, will joyfully, and with the most lively acknowledgments of love and praise from the lowest vessel of mercy, to the highest flaggons of servants, who minister before him, hang upon Jesus all the trophies of redemption; crying out with the church, both above and below, worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive honour, and glory, and power, and majesty; for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood! Revelation 5:9. And as the chapter closeth, when in that day, the nail fastened in a sure place shall be removed, cut down, and fall; and the burden also upon it, fall together with it; oh! what blessedness is discoverable, in this sweet relation also. For who doth not see in this prophecy, all the great leading characters of redemption by Jesus? He who another prophet saith, was to be anointed as the most Holy, and to be cut off, but not for himself, when finishing sin and transgression? Daniel 9:24-25. Precious Lord Jesus! thou didst bear the sins of thy people in thine own body, on the tree; and when thou wert cut off, and hadst made thy grave with the wicked, and with the rich in thy death; then was that blessed promise to be fulfilled; to see of the travail of thy soul, and be satisfied; and as thy Father's servant, to justify many in having borne their iniquities! Isaiah 53:9-12.