SHEBNA THE SCRIBE AND TREASURER

I believe that the Lord has directed me to a certain character in the scriptures, Shebna, who served at the time of Hezekiah, King of Judah. I believe that the scriptures fail to mention the separation of Shebna the treasure, found in Isaiah 22 and Shebna the Scribe, who appeared holy and chaste against the words of Rabshakeh, found in Isaiah 36; because they are one in the same person; so the name of our article will remain, "SHEBNA THE TREASURE AND SCRIBE". I suspect that Shebna was a Scribe at the time of Hezekiah. After Hezekiah's death, the city was under attack and coming down by the hand of the enemy, that Shebna became known as the treasurer.

If you don't know it already, it might be helpful to remind you that the end-time Anti-Christ is a direct spiritual type of the King of Assyria; if you don't believe me just read the prophet Nahum and other prophecies about this king. The King of Assyria is no doubt a type of Anti-Christ, in place of Christ. The story of this encounter with the messengers and King of Assyria can be found in 2 Kings 18 and Isaiah 36. Among the characters in this story we have a rare godly King in Judah, King Hezekiah; he did that which was right before the Lord all the days of his life; well of course he made some mistakes, but he was by far, one of the most righteous Kings who ever ruled in Judah. It wasn't until after the death of King Hezekiah, that the Babylonian armies came in and destroyed the holy land and took captive the inhabitants, along with the vessels of gold and silver from the temple and utterly destroyed the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. Need I remind you that there is a type and shadow of this same scenario presently today with us. As the New Testament scriptures declare, Christians are the Temple of Christ, and today, is it not any wonder that the Temple of the Lord is also in ruins by the hands of the spiritual forces of Babylon?

You are going to find out that each character in our story has interesting names that do mean something; even though some of the characters are just briefly mentioned in scripture; I believe that the meaning of their names in the story do stick out and give meaning to what the Holy Spirit is saying to us in the time we live in. Let us start out with the main character, King Hezekiah, which means "Jehovah is my strength". We are at a time in history when Judah had hardly any army to speak of, they were under siege by the King of Assyria to whom they had previously surrendered. King Hezekiah had previously surrendered to them and paid tribute to them by giving them all of the silver in the temple and cutting off gold from the entry way to the temple in an attempt to appease the King of Assyria. This apparently was not enough for the King of Assyria and he placed Judah under siege and sent his messenger, Rabshekeh, to the northern wall to bring fear and threats to the inhabitants of the holy land. King Hezekiah, who's name means "Jehovah is my strength", went before the Lord and did not trust in, nor was he afraid of the threats coming from Rabshekeh, instead he made the Lord his strength rather than trusting in his own strength to save him.

Now very quickly let me give you the meaning of a few other names in this story; Rabshekeh is simply the messenger of the King of Assyria, as the chief cup bearer, his name is otherwise nothing special, however, the men who were on the other side of the wall, it is their names that began to open up some understanding; Eliakim, Shebna, Joah and Asaph. Eliakim means "God raises" or "God sets up", Shebna means "vigour", Joah means "Jehovah is brother" and Asaph means "Gatherer". The character, Shebna, in our story, who's name means "vigour" is the subject of our discourse, because he left his humility when he became treasurer and like Isaiah 22 mentions, he carved a habitation for himself in the wall of the city.

As I have sought God for wisdom on these issues over the years, it is becoming more and more apparent that we Christians have something to learn from Isaiah 22, in conjunction with the story in 2 Kings 18 and Isaiah 36. In particular I have noticed a present danger and threat coming from the "Shebnas" of Christianity today, let us start to explain as we consider in more detail Isaiah chapter 22. Below my commentary on the text.

"The burden of the valley of vision. What aileth thee now, that thou art wholly gone up to the housetops? Thou that art full of stirs, a tumultuous city, a joyous city: thy slain men are not slain with the sword, nor dead in battle. All thy rulers are fled together, they are bound by the archers: all that are found in thee are bound together, which have fled from far.

The valley of vision here is a spiritual valley, many Saints do understand what it means to be in a valley. Because of the enemy we are being driven to the seclusion of our spiritual housetops. Note that the idea of housetops are mentioned in the words of Jesus, Matt. 24. The spiritual archers are shooting their arrows, if you do not have on the true armor of God you better beware, the rulers of our people are fleeing because their armor is not the armor of God, but of their own making.

Therefore said I, Look away from me; I will weep bitterly, labour not to comfort me, because of the spoiling of the daughter of my people. For it is a day of trouble, and of treading down, and of perplexity by the Lord GOD of hosts in the valley of vision, breaking down the walls, and of crying to the mountains. And Elam bare the quiver with chariots of men and horsemen, and Kir uncovered the shield. And it shall come to pass, that thy choicest valleys shall be full of chariots, and the horsemen shall set themselves in array at the gate.

Jeremiah also spoke of this bitter weeping in lamentations, today we have the "Shebnas" of our time laboring to sent comfort to Christians, rather than showing the trouble and treading down and perplexity by the Lord. As the walls of Christianity are being broken down around us, Shebna has found himself a habitation on high. Elam and Kir are the reps of and the archers of the spiritual Kings of Media and Persia, who's device is against Babylon. It was Cyrus, God's anointed, who was the main instrument in the rebuilding of the Temple, Kir is uncovering the true shield of faith, which Babylon has greatly confused.

And he discovered the covering of Judah, and thou didst look in that day to the armour of the house of the forest. Ye have seen also the breaches of the city of David, that they are many: and ye gathered together the waters of the lower pool.

Judah has become a harlot and now is like unto Babylon. God is now discovering her covering and exposing her true nakedness. They look unto the armor that is not of God for protection, rather than putting on the armor of God. God's people today are that city set on a hill, it is the city of David and yet there are big holes and breaches in the wall, so that the enemy can get into the city. The spiritual pools of water, are they not for drinking or cleaning? Are there also spiritual waters in our day that we may drink or clean ourselves with? The water of the Word? Living Waters?

And ye have numbered the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses have ye broken down to fortify the wall. Ye made also a ditch between the two walls for the water of the old pool: but ye have not looked unto the maker thereof, neither had respect unto him that fashioned it long ago.

Shebna, who's habitation is on high, has broken down many houses to fortify the wall of Christianity. They break down this house because of that false doctrine or another false doctrine to fortify the wall of Christianity, to make Christianity look strong and to discourage the enemy. They even have dug a ditch and allowed the old water to pass over to the other pool, perhaps this would be the Old Testament into the New Testament or perhaps the old wineskins Vs the new in which new wine can be stored. Shebna who's habitation is on high keeps one foot in one pool and the other foot in the other pool, passing waters from one to the other, not knowing the Lord in truth, nor looking unto the maker thereof.

And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth: And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink; for to morrow we shall die. And it was revealed in mine ears by the LORD of hosts, Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.

Shebna, who is very vigorous to protect his habitation on high, cannot allow such weeping and mourning or baldness. Shebna only allows joy and gladness, his trust is in his riches, he is treasurer! Shebna's device is to get the people to rejoice in his prudence and wisdom, for he is a vigorous man, jealously protecting that habitation he has carved out for himself in the wall of Christianity.

Thus saith the Lord GOD of hosts, Go, get thee unto this treasurer, even unto Shebna, which is over the house, and say, What hast thou here? and whom hast thou here, that thou hast hewed thee out a sepulchre here, as he that heweth him out a sepulchre on high, and that graveth an habitation for himself in a rock? Behold, the LORD will carry thee away with a mighty captivity, and will surely cover thee. He will surely violently turn and toss thee like a ball into a large country: there shalt thou die, and there the chariots of thy glory shall be the shame of thy lord's house. And I will drive thee from thy station, and from thy state shall he pull thee down.

Shebna is the leader of this house of Christianity now, he has trusted in his riches and position and thereby hewed himself a habitation on high in the wall of Christianity, for he is vigorous, prudent and wise in his own eyes. How can you not say that he is God's man; can't you see that robe he is wearing; can't you see the obvious success he has in the collecting of money? Now hear the Word of the Lord Shebna! Your days are numbered, your rejoicing is wickedness before the Lord and he will not choose you, he will take away your office and your clothing! Is not Shebna the treasurer, like unto Judas Iscariot, the one who held the money bags among Jesus's disciples?

And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah: And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah. And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.

Eliakim, which means "God sets up", is a type of many characters in scripture, the most profound being Jesus. Joah & Asaph were also two characters in the story found in 2Kings 18, their names mean "Jehovah is brother" and "Gatherer". The scriptures say, "He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad." (Mt 12:30 av) In the letter to the Church of Philadelphia, in the book of Rev., Jesus used this exact phrase here regarding the key of the house of David. He also promised to save them from that hour of trouble that will come on the face of the earth. The Church of Philadelphia is considered the church of brotherly love, it is also said of them in the text; "you are weak but you have kept my Word".

Here is some contrast between the house of Shebna and the house of Eliakim. The house of Shebna is now the house that receives the money of the people, the house of Eliakim is weak, but has kept his Word. The house of Shebna trusts in their own vigor, prudence and wisdom and therefore they are those who have volumes of literature, volumes of books they have written, they are hard workers and sell their material for profit. The house of Eliakim does not trust in their own prudence and hard work, they are more interested in the quality of what is being said, not the volume of what is being said. It is the Shebnas of our time that measure success according to volume and position with men, just like the Scribes and Pharisees of Jesus's time; it is the wisdom of man to work hard and succeed, it is the wisdom of God to hide a matter and wait to speak that which God gives one to speak. Men who operate according to the wisdom of this world wish to reward with gold and silver, hard work and earthly prudence, yet Godly wisdom is set forth with few words and yet increasingly wise. Jesus said "when you pray, do not as the Scribes and Pharisees, for they think they shall be heard because of their many words"; the house of Shebna has many words lacking truth, the house of Eliakim has few words full of wisdom and truth; so wicked men give Shebna their money, they value volume, success and power rather than Eliakim's truth, honesty and weakness of state. Yet it is God who will set up Eliakim and those who's brother is Jehovah, those who Gather with him, rather than scatter.

Now I don't know how to bring this home in a more clear way, than to give you an example of the modern house of Shebna. It is the house of Shebna who have carved out for themselves a habitation on high in the wall of Christianity and those who aspire to be like Shebna, who desire that habitation for themselves as the walls of Christianity are being destroyed by the enemy; those who instruct God's people to rejoice when they should mourn. You have heard of Dr. John MacArthur right, and folks like that or aspire to be that? Well, welcome to the house of SHEBNA! What do you want, that habitation on high, or are you going to wait for God to set you up, as the house of Eliakim? By VIGOUR or by FAITH, you make the call! Our articles may be few, but they are profound and true, I will live by FAITH and NOT VIGOUR! No hole carved out on high in the wall of Christianity for me, how about you?

Robert Begnaud