I will drive him, like a peg, into a firm place. He will be a throne of honor for his father’s family. Isaiah 22:23
A s far as I’m concerned, the most grueling and uncelebrated competitive high school and college sport is wrestling. Now, I am not talking about the grunting, glossy gargoyles on television who make first-century gladiators look like prepubescent choir boys. I’m not talking about televised theatrics; I’m referring to real wrestling. If you’ve ever tried your hand at the sport, you know what I mean. It’s brutal. One of my teeth is permanently chipped because Mark Wheeles slammed me to the mat in seventh grade. Because this happened at the end of our three-round match, he received two points and the victory. Because I wasn’t wearing a mouth guard, I received a visit to the dentist and Novocain.
One of the interesting rules in tournament wrestling is the “wrestle-back.” Do you know about this rule? If you are paired with a superior wrestler in the first round and lose, you aren’t officially out of the tournament until he loses to someone else. As long as the guy who beat you keeps winning, you can keep wrestling in the tournament until you lose again. In fact, at times it’s possible to lose the first match, win the rest, then face your original opponent in the final match. When he keeps winning, you’re still alive. This is the only sport I know of where this rule applies.
Eliakim was the second in command in Judah, sort of like a prime minister directly under the king. Among other things, it was his responsibility to screen visitors and, if they were cleared, usher them into the throne room. The text gives us a terrific word picture to understand Eliakim’s role and what kind of person he was . . . at least initially.
“I will drive him, like a peg, into a firm place. . . . They will hang on him all the glory of his father’s family” (vv. 23–24). The king was like a firm wall. Eliakim was a “peg,” tightly fastened to this wall just inside the back door. And the people—Eliakim’s fam- ily—were like the stack of coats safely hanging on this peg. Do you have this picture in mind? The peg counted on the firmness of the wall, and the coats counted on the dependability of the peg. As long as the peg held, they were safe.
Unfortunately, Eliakim couldn’t handle the load. And because of his failure, his “family” fell as well. Eliakim was like the wrestler, victorious in the first round, holding his family who counted on him not to lose his grip. They knew that if he failed, their fall would be certain.
If you have kids, can you believe what an incredible picture this is of your role as a dad? Your heart is firmly grounded in the covenant promises of the King of kings. Your family depends on this security. As long as you hold firm, they are safe. When you fail, the impact on them is sure.
Here it is again, just so we don’t miss it. Our sin has defeated us. We are completely dependent on the firmness of our heavenly Father’s faithfulness. And His word is sure. Now we have the responsibility to pass on this same assurance to our families. They are counting on our love and discipline.
Second lieutenant Eliakim couldn’t handle the load. Even though the king stood firm, Eliakim failed. Too bad for this guy. Too bad for his family. The tournament’s over for them. So, how is it with you and me?