The Lord impressed heavily upon my head to turn to Isaiah 22. I’ve read it a dozen or more times in the last 24 hours. It is a difficult passage to read and to get one’s head around. It’s very disheartening–but the Love of the Lord shows through even in the terrible time and happening of these events.

Isaiah 22:1 A pronouncement concerning the Valley of Vision: What’s the matter with you? Why have all of you gone up to the rooftops?   2 The noisy city, the jubilant town, is filled with celebration. Your dead did not die by the sword; they were not killed in battle.  
This is a very interesting situation. Isaiah here is describing an area, the “Valley of Vision” or as Avraham Gileadi translates it, the “Arena of Spectacles”. It appears to be the Lord’s people living in a place of jubilation and celebration. War has not come upon them as those who did are not dying “by the sword” or “in battle”. But still something occurs which causes rulers and others to attempt to flee as we see in v3 – 

3 All your rulers have fled together, captured without a bow. All your fugitives were captured together; they had fled far away.  
Despite trying to run and hide – seeking the refuge of the “mountains” and “forests” as we see in v5 and v8. But fleeing doesn’t help. They are captured “without a bow”. Interesting that whatever is befalling them and causing the deaths amongst them is still seen as not being related to battle or weapons. Yet they are “captured” nevertheless. 

4 Therefore I said, “Look away from me! Let me weep bitterly! Do not try to comfort me about the destruction of my dear people.” 
The Lord is very upset about the situation. Here he calls the people going through this “my dear people”. This is very difficult for the Lord, but clearly something has occurred which does not allow him to intervene in their behalf. The Lord is so distraught about it that he doesn’t even want to be looked upon!

5 For the Lord GOD of Armies had a day of tumult, trampling, and confusion in the Valley of Vision — people shouting and crying to the mountains;  
When what befalls this people happens the times of celebration turn to “tumult”, “trampling”, and “confusion”. They turn to the mountains and are apparently trying to flee to them for safety and protection. 

6 Elam took up a quiver with chariots and horsemen, and Kir uncovered the shield.  
Elam is in modern day Iran, Kir in modern day Jordan. Somehow these two are involved in whatever is causing the life threatening situation. A quiver of chariots and horsemen and an uncovered shield are all war/weapon related implements, but they appear to be being used in different or odd ways. It leaves their involvement a little confusing. 

7 Your best valleys were full of chariots, and horsemen were positioned at the city gates.  
This is some kind of invasion—with the city gates being blocked so that the Lord’s people can’t get out of the “best valleys”. Perhaps whatever has happened has caused some kind of foreign intervention? Or perhaps this is some kind of disease/plauge or biological event? 

8 He removed the defenses of Judah. On that day you looked to the weapons in the House of the Forest. 
The condition of the people is clearly one of being without defenses—they looked to their own weapons or protection in the forest—perhaps this is some counter action upon which they are relying. Forests can imply people or nations—so it could be that the weapons they thought would defend them turn out to be useless against whatever attack is occurring. 

9 You saw that there were many breaches in the walls of the city of David. You collected water from the lower pool.  10 You counted the houses of Jerusalem so that you could tear them down to fortify the wall.  11 You made a reservoir between the walls for the water of the ancient pool, but you did not look to the one who made it, or consider the one who created it long ago.  
The Lord’s people see that there are problems—breaches in their defense. They do what they can to prepare themselves after the fact—trying to store up water and fix breaches in their walls…but they do not turn to the Lord or trust in him.  

12 On that day the Lord GOD of Armies called for weeping, for wailing, for shaven heads, and for the wearing of sackcloth.   13 But look: joy and gladness, butchering of cattle, slaughtering of sheep and goats, eating of meat, and drinking of wine — “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die! “  
When they could have turned to the Lord and repented—fasting, praying, calling upon the Lord leaving off their foolishness; but, instead they lived “high on the hog”—eating, drinking, and partying. 

14 The LORD of Armies has directly revealed to me: “This iniquity will not be wiped out for you people as long as you live.” The Lord GOD of Armies has spoken. (CSB version)
Because of this the pronouncement upon this people is death—their iniquity takes them to the grave. It is a sad and terrible condition for a people whom the Lord loved dearly. 

Thoughts –
Knowing that this was foreseen by Isaiah, what people is the Lord talking about? If us (LDS/American people) then what should we do to avoid the calamity coming? How are we reacting to things like economic upheavals, pandemics, etc? What should our reaction be?