The nation of Judah, despite God's insstructions and warnings, refused to trust God. Judah rebelled and sinned like her pagan neighbors and now faced judgement for their unbelif and unfaithfulness.
Judah no longer had God's sheld of protection because they "do not look to the One who made it, or have regard for the One whoplanned it long ago" [speaking of the city's resevoir]. When Jerusalem was faced with this subsequent attack, they prepared the city for battle and for siege, strengthening the wall of the city and making sure there was adequate water for a siege.
It wasn't that their actions were wrong. God expects us to utilize our minds and resources, but the goal is not self-sufficiency. The Lord grants favor and establishes the work of our hands. (Psalm 90:17) God's chosen people neglected their most powerful ally — the One who could save them. Their complete disregard for Him was their undoing. (Isaiah 22:11)
All their care in defending the city would not matter, because God had removed the protection of Judah. Instead of preparing Jerusalem for an attack, they should have turned their hearts in humble repentance to the LORD. Jerusalem was doing everything except the essential thing they had to do to prepare for the attack, and because they rejected the LORD, there would be no atonement for them.
Part of Judah's leadership was also guilty of misdirected trust. The second part of Isaiah's prophecy foretells God's replacement of the self-seeking Shebna with the godly, respected Eliakim, whose name means "God will raise up." Both men were assistants to the king, but they were opposite in character, intent and priorities.
Shebna and Eliakin were both assistants of King Hezekiah (2 Kings 18:18, 37). Shebna was proud and did not follow Hezekiah's example of godly principles. Instead of heeding Isaiah's prophecy of Juda's exile, Shebna build a prestigious tomb. Having a tomb was a display of power and wealth and also represented Shebna's defiance indicating that he planned to live and die in Jerusalem.
Unlike Shebna, who saught after selfish ambition, Eliakim followed the Lord. God would remove Shebna from his position, strip him of authority and give it to Eliakim. Shebna saught to make a name for himself but Eliakim sought God through humble leadership.
God established Eliakim to bear honor and influence. (Isaiah 22:21-24). The place of Eliakim before Hezekiah is somewhat obscure in the Scriptures; he is only mentioned in six passages, and the only description of him is that he was over the household (2 Kings 18:18, 37 and Isaiah 36:3, 22). But Eliakim was famous in heaven! He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. The LORD would take the office and authority of the unfaithful Shebna and give it to Eliakim instead. God will get His work done! If a Shebna is unfaithful, the LORD will remove him from his office, strip him of his authority, and give it to another. Because Eliakim is the LORD’s servant, the LORD will give him great authority. In that day, the chief royal steward would have the large master key of the palace fastened to the shoulder of his tunic. The key was a picture and demonstration of the authority of the chief steward. Here, the LORD gives Eliakim the authority to open and shut as the LORD’s representative, which no man can oppose. But he ultimately couldn't support the weight of Judah's sin. (Isaiah 22:25) Only one Man would eventually be able to bear the crushing weight of sin for all. The anticipated Messiah would become the permanent, secure peg on which we can hang all our burdens and iniquities.
In this, Eliakim becomes a prophecy of the Messiah, because Jesus told us this passage spoke of Himself: These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens.” (Revelation 3:7) Jesus is the one with the keys of Hades and of Death (Revelation 1:8), who has all authority both in heaven and on earth. Jesus delegates this authority as it pleases Him (Matthew 16:19).
I will fasten him as a peg in a secure place: Because the LORD established Eliakim’s authority, it was secure. In those days, houses didn’t really have cupboards or storage closets as we think of them. Things were stored on pegs set up all around the room. If something was on its peg, it was safe and secure, stored properly and ready for use at the appropriate time. There are many different vessels in the LORD’s house, with many different sizes and purposes. But they all must hang on the same peg! All are equally wrecked if they drop from the peg. The safety isn’t in the size or the quality of the vessel, but in its attachment to the peg.