Isaiah 10:12-17, 20-22, 24-25

Isaiah 10:12-17, 20-22, 24-25 NIV

When the Lord has finished all his work against Mount Zion and Jerusalem, he will say, “I will punish the king of Assyria for the willful pride of his heart and the haughty look in his eyes. For he says: “ ‘By the strength of my hand I have done this, and by my wisdom, because I have understanding. I removed the boundaries of nations, I plundered their treasures; like a mighty one I subdued their kings. As one reaches into a nest, so my hand reached for the wealth of the nations; as people gather abandoned eggs, so I gathered all the countries; not one flapped a wing, or opened its mouth to chirp.’ ”

Does the ax raise itself above the person who swings it, or the saw boast against the one who uses it? As if a rod were to wield the person who lifts it up, or a club brandish the one who is not wood!

Therefore, the Lord, the Lord Almighty, will send a wasting disease upon his sturdy warriors; under his pomp a fire will be kindled like a blazing flame. The Light of Israel will become a fire, their Holy One a flame; in a single day it will burn and consume his thorns and his briers.

In that day the remnant of Israel, the survivors of Jacob, will no longer rely on him who struck them down but will truly rely on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. A remnant will return, a remnant of Jacob will return to the Mighty God. Though your people be like the sand by the sea, Israel, only a remnant will return. Destruction has been decreed, overwhelming and righteous.

Therefore this is what the Lord, the Lord Almighty, says: “My people who live in Zion, do not be afraid of the Assyrians, who beat you with a rod and lift up a club against you, as Egypt did. Very soon my anger against you will end and my wrath will be directed to their destruction.”

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Isaiah 10 continues with an oracle against Assyria. Though God is using Assyria to punish Israel and Judah for their idolatry and wickedness, God will turn His wrath from His chosen toward the arrogant Assyrians. The king of Assyria does not honor God. He thinks his own might has made him successful in military conquest. So God will humble the nation of idol worshipers. He will lop off the tree tops, which is a way of saying God will destroy the leadership of Assyria. The nobles and the king's court will meet their end. The Assyrian empire will come to an end and a remnant of the Israelites who were taken captive will return to their homeland and to obedience to God.

This pattern is repeated later with Babylon. This pattern emerged first in the days of the judges. The people turned away from faithfulness to Yahweh and worshiped other gods, following the customs of neighbouring peoples. God raised up an enemy force to chastise His disobedient children. Then when they cried out for mercy with repentant hearts, God raised up a deliverer among them to lead the Israelites from the oppression of their enemies and to establish the nation once again in righteousness.

Judges 2:11-14, 16, 18-19 NIV

Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baals. They forsook the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them. They aroused the Lord ’s anger because they forsook him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. In his anger against Israel the Lord gave them into the hands of raiders who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist. Then the Lord raised up judges, who saved them out of the hands of these raiders. Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the Lord relented because of their groaning under those who oppressed and afflicted them. But when the judge died, the people returned to ways even more corrupt than those of their ancestors, following other gods and serving and worshiping them. They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.

The pattern of disobedience and idolatry continued throughout the divided monarchy. There were bad kings who led Israel astray into idol worship and other sins. God chastised them with an enemy force or some other challenge like diseases, famine, or inner strife. The people would groan under the oppression. God would show compassion by raising up a righteous leader to save them. The nation would return to faithfulness to the law of Moses. But when the good king died, they eventuality slip back into idolatry, influenced by the pagans among them.

Does this pattern hold true to your own experience? Has God dealt with you in a similar way? I know my sins have caught up with me more than once. I was oppressed by the consequences. I was humbled and broken. Then I cried out to God for help. I repented of my sinful habits and returned to right living according to God's word. It seems my journey of discipline continues through the years as God works within me to teach and train my heart for righteousness.

The wonderful news is that the teacher lives within me. It is His righteousness that empowers me through the Spirit. God raised up a deliverer once and for all in His Son, Jesus Christ.

Do do not fear times of chastisement. God is training you for righteousness. Do not harden your heart, but open up to the loving direction of Mighty God. Look to your savior king, Jesus and follow in His way. Then you shall be free of oppression.

John 8:36 NIV

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.