Isaiah 10

Isaiah connects the information of this chapter to the previous one in which the Executive Judgment of God is detailed and he pronounced “woe to those who [constantly] enact evil statutes and to those who constantly record unjust decisions” (v. 1a-b). He speaks of the power of empires in his own day, before his own day, after his own day, in fact history from eternity to eternity. They “deprive the needy of justice” (v. 2a); they rob the poor of the Remnant seed of rights (v. 2b); widows are their spoil (v. 2c); they plunder orphans (v. 2d). Isaiah wants to know what they are going to do in the Day of punishment or the Executive Judgment of God (v. 3a). That is the day in which the “devastation” will “come from afar” (v. 3b). It will come from God Almighty. Where will they flee for help? (v. 3c). Where will they leave their wealth and capital safely? (v. 3d). They can just crouch among the captives or fall among the slain (v. 4a-b). Even though the Lord can see all this in advance as reality before it happens, His anger does not turn away in Isaiah’s day and His hand is still stretched out throughout history until the Door of Mercy closes shortly before eternity starts (v. 4c-d). God has a case against Assyria of Isaiah’s day because this empire has given trouble to Israel for nearly two centuries on and off. In fact, while Isaiah is writing here, the troubles of Assyria with the remnant seed are not complete yet. There were more to come. But, God is angry with Assyria since they were used like a rod in His hand for a purpose but they syndrome of Lucifer came over them and He had to turn against them and punish them for this arrogance. Assyria served a purpose as punishment rod in the Hand of God (v. 5a-b). God sent Assyria “against a godless nation” which was against the remnant weed of Israel since they denied worshipping God with their actions (v. 6a). Assyria’s commission was to capture booty and to seize plunder (v. 6b-c); to trample them down like mud in the streets (v. 6d). God did not intend this nor plan this in His heart since it is foreign to His blueprint but He has to do it for they violated His commands (v. 7) so it is God purpose to destroy and cut off many nations by using Assyria’s evil urges (v. 7c-d). The problem is that Assyria says “are not my princes all kings?” in which they boast about the perpetuity of their kingship (v. 8a). They introduced their culture in these cities and say that Calno is Assyrian like Carchemish is Assyrian and strong Assyrian elements are in Hamath like Arpad also and Samaria is Assyrian when Ahaz copied the altar from Damascus (v. 9a-c). God is indicating that just as He has a hand that can reach the kingdoms of idols or heathen nations so He can also reach Samaria and Jerusalem in Isaiah’s day (v. 10-11a-b). God has punished sometimes the “graven images” or idols of the heathen nations (v. 10). “And it was when the Lord has completed all His work” for the Investigative Judgment since 1844 [calculating with a year-day principle using Daniel 8:14 and convert the 2300 days in years and finding the starting of it in Ezra 7 in 457 BCE] when this intercessory work of Christ is completed “on [heavenly] Mount Zion and on [heavenly] Jerusalem” (v. 12) that it is then that He will say to Himself to punish Assyria in the Executive Judgment after the Second Coming of Christ and the millennium in what is seen in the Bible as the Hell (v. 12 last part). The heart of Assyria shows resemblance to the Fall of Lucifer with his arrogant heart (v. 12) for Assyria also said “by the power of my hand and by my wisdom I did” (v. 13b); I have understanding (v. 13c); I did unilateral landgrab actions (v. 13d); I confiscated treasures of nations (v. 13e); I brought down inhabitants with migrations (v. 13f); I changed private ownership into state ownership (v. 14a); “as one gathers abandoned eggs, I gathered all the earth” (v. 14b); no one resisted my military (v. 14c). God is angry with Assyria of Isaiah’s as empire used by God for “is the axe [Assyria] to boast itself over the One [God] Who chops with it?” (v. 15a). That is why God intended to send a disease among his stout warriors and this was done in the days of Sennacherib shortly before his assassination during the Second approach of Jerusalem ca. 689 BCE (v. 16). But this is not enough, an Executive Judgment will await Assyria still “and his glory a fire will be kindled like a burning flame” and the Holy One of Israel “a flame” (v. 17a) and in the Hell “it will burn and devour his thorns and his briars in a single day” (v. 17b). The metaphors are used of Assyria because they burn very well and fast. The glory of Assyria will all be brought down (v. 18-19). Just like when a child can count easily a few trees so Assyria’s glory will be reduced. Children did write in Isaiah’s day in schools (v. 19b). The education system was not only one of reading and listening but also writing. Just in case people want to assign the whole chapter to the time of Isaiah in a preteristic way, we need to stop the bus due to the next section. On “that day” the remnant of Israel and those who escaped “will not again anymore” [lo yosiph od] rely on the one who struck them [the persecutor] “but will truly rely on the Lord the Holy One of Israel” (v. 20). This is eternity starting and no longer history. “A remnant will return … to the mighty God” (v. 21) because the mighty Christ, King of Kings will come at the Second Coming to fetch them. Although Israel through the ages or the remnant through the ages were “like the sand of the sea” it is only “a remnant [seed] within them [the total remnant also including the remnant weed] will return” (v. 22b). A destruction after the Second Coming “is determined, overflowing with righteousness” (v. 22c) for Christ our Righteousness is the Warrior Messiah of the Day of the Lord event or Hell or Executive Judgment. For a complete [kala] destruction and that decreed, the Lord of Hosts [angels] will execute in the midst of all the earth (v. 23). It is not only John in Revelation that knows about the Hell. Isaiah then opened a panel with a special message to the Remnant seed “O My people who dwell in [spiritual = the already but not yet] Zion, do not fear the Assyrian who strikes you with the rod” (v. 24). For although Tilath-Pilezer III came in 727 BCE and Shalmanezer V came in 723-721 BCE to strike Samaria “in a very little while My indignation will be spent and My anger to their destruction” (v. 25). In verse 26 the way that will be lifted up in Egypt is probably a reference to Tirhaka the Ethiopian pharaoh that came against Sennacherib in his Second Campaign against Jerusalem in 689 BCE. In the history of Hezekiah God will cause “his [Assyria’s] burden will be removed from your shoulders and his yoke from your neck” (v. 27). Tribute and taxes had to be paid by all nations including Israel and Judah. Then Isaiah provides a list of places where the Assyrian king in Isaiah’s day came. If we look at the signals so far, the disease to soldiers in verse 16 then one may think of Sennacherib’s route around Jerusalem (v. 32b) “he [Assyrian king] shakes his fist at the mountain of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem”. Before that he came to Aiath just north east of Bethel (v. 28). Then to Migron which must have been between Aiath and the next place Michmash (v. 28c) north of the Wadi Suweinit. There he deposited his “baggage”, probably a resting place or storage place for his rations for the trip (v. 28c). He was going parallel with Jerusalem but from Michmash they when through the pass to lodge in Geba on the southern side of the Wadi Suweinit (v. 29a). Ramah to the west is terrified (v. 29c) and Gibeah of Saul between Geba and Jerusalem “has fled” (v. 29c). In line with Gibeah to Anathoth would have been Gallim “cry aloud” (v. 30a). Also in that area would have been Laishah who should pay attention (v. 30b) and Anathtoh which is “wretched” (v. 30b). Then suddenly south of Jerusalem, where Hebron is and south of Hebron where Madmenah is, they “fled” (v. 31a). It means that the Assyrian forces bypass Jerusalem and went on the highway in the direction of Beersheva in the Eastern Negev. The inhabitants of Gebim was in the area of Madmenah as well and they sought refuge (v. 31). “Unto the day [od hayyom] in Nob to stand” was Sennacherib’s dream. Nob was known to be the ancient Egyptian capital Noph or Memphis. But, Tirhakah would come and change his mind and that to the rescue of Jerusalem. So turning around and fleeing back “he [Sennacherib] shakes his fist at the mountain of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem” (v. 32b). In the Eschaton the Lord will break the boughs with a terrible crash in the Executive Judgment (v. 33). “Those who are tall in stature will be cut down” (v. 33b). “Lebanon will fall by the Mighty One” for “those who are lofty will be abased” (v. 33c). They share the Lucifer syndrome of arrogance and in the Executive Judgment they will be cut off.

Dear God

Empires have come and go and still there are new ones trying their luck day by day. But all of them come to an end. Grant that You, who holds history in Your hands will preserve us also as Your Remnant seed, safe and secure as in the days of Isaiah. Amen.

Koot van Wyk, (DLitt et Phil; ThD) Kyungpook National University, Department of Liberal Education, Sangju, South Korea; conjoint lecturer of Avondale College, Australia