Nail in a Sure Place

All references NIV unless otherwise stated

“Grace hath been showed us from the LORD our God...to give us a nail in his holy place.” (Ezra 9:8 KJV).

Much has been written on the workmanship, structure, furniture, and vessels of the Tabernacle. In the Holy of Holies were the Ark of the Covenant, mercy seat, table of the shewbread, lampstand and altar of incense; all speak prophetically and typically to us of the manifold roles of the Lord Jesus in bringing redeemed men into the presence of God so that they might worship Him. The elements themselves are but a shadow of the truths and principles behind the true and spiritual worship promulgated by Christ in the gospel age. (Heb.8:5). Hidden amongst the gold and richness of the glory of God’s dwelling place on earth is an ordinary nail or tent peg. Although easily overlooked it is of supreme importance in the structure of the Tabernacle, and for us as partakers of the new covenant.

This importance is illustrated by a detailed consideration of Isaiah 22:15-24. The account draws a contrast between two people, Shebna and Eliakim. Analysis of these characters emphasises the gulf between the carnal nature and the spiritual man exemplified by Christ.

The account opens with a picture of Shebna, whose name means “youthfulness.” While youth carries connotations of strength and vigour, scripture often refers to its headstrong passions and identifies it as the period of our most wayward inclinations. Paul’s advice to Timothy was to “flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” (2 Tim.2:22) The Lord spoke to Noah in Gen.8:21, saying that “every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood.” Several Biblical characters, including Job, referred to the sins of their youth. Note in passing here that Jesus lived through all the challenges of physical and emotional development, but never succumbed to the sinful passions of youth.

Shebna was treasurer to Hezekiah; he took charge of palace affairs and was steward of the King’s resources. Mankind was originally placed as steward of God’s creation. “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea...” (Gen.1:28). Man lost his position of dominion and responsibility through sin. Shebna speaks to us of fallen man.

As treasurer, Shebna was an educated man. He would have been used to careful and efficient administration, making best possible use of resources, time, and energy. Knowing what it was to hold a position of trust and authority, he must have paid care and attention to the disciplines of investment. From such training, one would expect him to be equally parsimonious (frugal) in his own affairs.

Isa.22:16 reveals, however, that the height of his personal investment was a grave. He marked out and purchased for himself a sepulchre near Jerusalem. He spent money, time and energy in preparation for death. We need to prepare for death, both in ensuring our eternal rest, and in providing for our families. (Prov.13:22). Shebna’s pre-occupation and level of commitment to his grave was dishonourable.

He sited his resting place “on the height.” (Isa.22:16). He chose a lofty place where passers-by would clearly see his sepulchre. In life he held a position above many; even in death he would be of elevated position. In this regard, Shebna shows himself to be a child of Satan; as Lucifer he also aspired to a lofty place. (Isa.14:13).

Shebna hewed his tomb out of solid rock. It’s durability was ensured—generations to come would have to look up to the grave of Shebna. Part of the inscribed lintel from his tomb has been recovered (Avigad, N.1953, Israel Exploration Journal, vol.3, pp.137-152; Wiseman, D.J..1958, Illustrations from Biblical Archaeology, p.59). In death, his name was assured a lasting monument to his greatness, and would be lifted high (cf. also Absalom’s pillar in 2 Sam.18:18). His approach to death was one of great pride, and his post-mortem investment was in a high, deeply etched inscription testifying to his importance.

How this contrasts with the attitude of the Lord Jesus! He came to death with no pride at all. Indeed, “he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” (Phil.2:8 KJV). Far from spending all his energies in preparing a resting place for himself. Jesus was buried in a tomb which was prepared for another man. He took no glory in the grave—he would only require it for 3 days! Rather than spending his efforts toward death, He came to give us life in superabundance. (John 10:10)

Although the resurrection of the dead was a central doctrine, Shebna’s expectations of God were very low. If it entered his mind at all, resurrection must have been a very distant horizon. In preparing a rocky tomb, his efforts were for durability and safety for his resting place in death. He was preparing for a long stay!

He prepared for glory in death, yet we are reminded that there is no glory except for that of God. “Let him who boasts boast about this, that he understands and knows me.” (Jer.9:24). There can be no glory in death because it is swallowed up in the victory of the resurrection of the sinless Christ. All glory must go to Him who vanquished death. It is not a tomb that man should labour for and set his ambitions on, but pursuit of God’s kingdom and everlasting life.

The focus of Shebna’s life was the grave. Jesus taught that “where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matt.6:21 KJV). Shebna’s aspirations were limited to death. He valued the grave and accorded death an opportunity for sustained glory. This is a vastly different view to the perspective of God’s children, in which death is merely the wages of sin.

God, speaking through Isaiah. having identified Shebna’s sinfulness, impeaches him with the question, “What are you doing here and who gave you permission”? (Isa.22:16). Hear the righteous indignation in God’s voice at the affront to his established order of priorities! The result is the promise of expatriation, disgrace, and deposition.

It is to Eliakim that God will look. Eliakim means “My God shall establish” or “my servant.” He was son of Hilkiah—“the portion of Jehovah.” These names find their fullest import in the Lord Jesus, the suffering servant who has been established by God in the heavens, having made God his portion whilst on earth. Jesus, the servant of God, came to administer grace to fallen humanity. In a way, he was God’s treasurer, the steward of the riches of glory, liberally distributing the King’s resources amongst his people—sight for the blind, health for the sick, life for the dead, strength for the weary, hope for the hopeless, and redemption for the fallen.

Jesus is, in a sense “a father to those who live in Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.” (Isa.22:21) Because of his death, resurrection, and exaltation, praises ring in the house of Judah (literally, house of praise), and the very centre of the Kingdom of God. In Jesus came the spiritual fulfilment of all the natural order. God’s nation on earth pointed to the spiritual Israel, and the hope of a new Jerusalem with Jesus its creator and sustainer. Further, the mission of Jesus fathered “many sons to glory.” (Heb.2:10). His response to his Father would be to “declare your name to my brothers; in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises.” (Heb.2:12, quoting Psa.22:22).

“I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.” (Isa.22:22) The form of this promise to Eliakim recalls those to Jesus, “great David’s greater Son.” He holds the keys to the kingdoms “of death and Hades” (Rev.1:18), and delivered the keys of Heaven to the Church via Peter. (Matt.16:19). His also are the keys to the 7-sealed scroll (Rev.6:1) whose opening releases the 4 horsemen, the souls of the testifying saints beneath the altar, the earthquake, and its attendant signs followed by the sealing of the 144,000, and the great silence followed by the destruction of one third of the earth. The authority of Jesus for binding and loosing is unique and unassailable.

“I will drive him like a peg into a firm place.” (Isa.22:23). There is no word for “like” in the Hebrew, it being inserted to improve syntax. The implication in the original is that Eliakim himself would be the peg or nail. Bearing in mind the pointers to Jesus, this refers back to our text in Ezra 9:8, that God would provide a nail in his holy place. The prophecy in Zech.10:4 is also relevant here, “From Judah will come the cornerstone” of his Kingdom (Isa.28:16; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; 1 Peter 2:7 etc.); in Rev.6:1-2 the conqueror on the white horse was released as the Lamb of God opened the first of the 7 seals, and a battle bow (Gk. toxon) was in his hand. Thus, it is not surprising to see Christ represented as the nail or peg in this verse.

Our nail is Jesus, and he is in “his holy place.” By referring back to Exod.27:19 and Exod.38:20, we understand that the pins, nails, or tent-pegs (depending on the translation) of the tabernacle were to be made of brass. They were placed in brass sockets and served to secure the tabernacle to the ground in the wilderness. The tabernacle housed the very presence of God. There is a pin which holds the transcendent spiritual glory of the God of Heaven in the proximity of love to His creation. The peg that can hold heaven to earth is Jesus Christ. He is the only means of access from earth to heaven, the one mediator between God and man.

Just as the peg was needed to secure the tabernacle in times of storm, flood, and desert wind, so Jesus Christ is needed as the pinion of heavenly glory in the Church to stabilise against the fierce attacks of the tempter, and the storms of God’s wrath upon man’s sin as laid upon him (cf. Psa.55:1-8). How could God in all his glory become allied to man with all his shifting sands of mortality, selfishness, changeable loyalties, and sinful pride? Man lacks the integrity and stability for occupation by the God of the universe. Only the stake of Jesus is sufficient to anchor God and allow his filling of peoples lives, making them temples of the Holy Spirit.

The brass nature of the pegs speaks of judgment (Num.21:9; Deut.28:23; Judges 16:21 etc.); brass is a mixture of copper and zinc forged at high temperatures. Only in the perfect man Jesus is there an alloy of earth and heaven fired under the judgment of the Father; only in him are met all the necessary ingredients for the forging of a nail to be placed in the holy of holies.

The Hebrew word for “firm” or “sure” place is aman, (Isa.22:23) a derivative of Amen. “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.” (2 Cor.1:20 KJV). Jesus is sole means for communicating the fulfilment of God’s promise, spoken from his holy place, to us.

“He will be a throne of honour for the house of his father.” (Isa.22:23 NIV margin). God has given Jesus the throne of his earthly ancestral father David (Luke 1:32-33; Acts 2:29-30; Heb.8:1; Rev.22:3 etc.) and has him rule over the kingdom of his heavenly Father. Honour belongs to the Lamb who sits upon the throne. (Rev.5:12,13).

“All the glory of his family will hang on him: its offspring and offshoots—all its lesser vessels, from the bowls to all the jars” (Isa.22:24) the entirety of his adopted family from the greatest to the smallest vessel, to be hung upon him. Only Jesus can bring the eternal weight (kahod) of the glory of heaven and sinful man together in stable union.

“We have....an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf.” (Heb.6:19-20).

November/ December 1989