Judgment on Assyria ProphesiedJudgment on Assyria Prophesied

Isaiah 10:5-34Isaiah 10:5-34

Review PrincipleReview Principle

Our certainty is in the LORD Our certainty is in the LORD and His Essence—and by and His Essence—and by extension His promises—not extension His promises—not our conjectures our conjectures about how He about how He will apply His essence to will apply His essence to history or fulfill His promises.history or fulfill His promises.

Woe to Assyria!Woe to Assyria!

55Woe (HOY) Woe (HOY) to Asshur, to Asshur, the rod the rod ofof my wrath my wrath And And the staff the staff it it in their hand, in their hand, my indignationmy indignation66Into a godless nation Into a godless nation I am sending themI am sending themAnd upon a people of my fury And upon a people of my fury I am commissioning I am commissioning

themthemIn order to capture booty In order to capture booty and in order to plunder plunder and in order to plunder plunder And in order to establish it as a trampled land like And in order to establish it as a trampled land like

mud on the road.mud on the road.

Arrogance = MisunderstandingArrogance = Misunderstanding

77But But hehe does not thusly does not thusly comparecompare (DAMAH) (DAMAH) And And his heart his heart does not thusly does not thusly weaveweave (CHASAB) (CHASAB)For to exterminate For to exterminate is in is in his hearthis heartAnd to thoroughly cut-off nationsAnd to thoroughly cut-off nations not a few not a few88For he says, “For he says, “Are not my princesAre not my princes at the same time at the same time

kings?kings?99”Is not like Karkemiysh ”Is not like Karkemiysh Kalno,Kalno,Certainly like Arpad Certainly like Arpad is Hamath!is Hamath!Certainly like Dammeseq Certainly like Dammeseq is Shomron!is Shomron!

Keep Your Eye on Kingdoms and Keep Your Eye on Kingdoms and DeitiesDeities

1010Just as Just as my hand found my hand found the the kingdomskingdoms of the of the vain deitiesvain deities,,AndAnd their their carved images carved images were greater than were greater than Yerushalam and Yerushalam and Shomron,Shomron,

1111Will not just as Will not just as I did I did to Shomron to Shomron and and to her vain deitiesto her vain deities, ,

LikewiseLikewise I do I do to Yerushalam to Yerushalam and and to her idolsto her idols?”?”

The Master Speaks about ComparisonsThe Master Speaks about Comparisons

1212And so it will be And so it will be

when He shall bring to completion (BATSA), when He shall bring to completion (BATSA), the Master (Adonai)the Master (Adonai), all his works in Mount , all his works in Mount Tsion and in Yerushalam:Tsion and in Yerushalam:

““I will visit uponI will visit upon the fruit the fruit of the of the greatness of greatness of heart heart of the king of Assyria of the king of Assyria

and and

uponupon the glory the glory of the of the height of his eyes.height of his eyes.

v13v13

For he has said,For he has said,

““In the power of my hand I have doneIn the power of my hand I have done

And in my wisdom for I am discerning.And in my wisdom for I am discerning.

And I cause to turn the borders of peoples And I cause to turn the borders of peoples

And their stores I have plunderedAnd their stores I have plunderedAnd I cause to bring down like a mighty And I cause to bring down like a mighty despot those who dwell there.despot those who dwell there.

v13v13

For he has said,For he has said,

““In the power of my hand In the power of my hand I have doneI have done

And And in my wisdom in my wisdom for I am discerningfor I am discerning..

And And I cause to turn I cause to turn the borders of peoples the borders of peoples

And And their stores their stores I have plunderedI have plunderedAnd And I cause to bring down I cause to bring down like a mighty like a mighty despotdespot those who dwell therethose who dwell there..

Misinterpretation of HistoryMisinterpretation of History

1.1. The Assyrian mistakenly relates success in The Assyrian mistakenly relates success in conquest to his own self-worth.conquest to his own self-worth.

2.2. This statement demonstrates his arrogance This statement demonstrates his arrogance mentioned in v12.mentioned in v12.

3.3. He incorrectly assigns a cause-effect relationship He incorrectly assigns a cause-effect relationship between his battlefield victories and his talents—between his battlefield victories and his talents—physical might and intellectual wisdom.physical might and intellectual wisdom.

4.4. The starting point for this completely erroneous The starting point for this completely erroneous view of history is a lack of fear of the LORD.view of history is a lack of fear of the LORD.

5.5. In our day, most interpreters of current historical In our day, most interpreters of current historical events also begin with this faulty reasoning.events also begin with this faulty reasoning.

v14v14

And then it found like a bird’s nest, my hand, the And then it found like a bird’s nest, my hand, the wealth of the peopleswealth of the peoples

And like the gathering of eggs that have been And like the gathering of eggs that have been abandoned, so all the earth abandoned, so all the earth II gathered. gathered.

And there was not the flapping of a wing or And there was not the flapping of a wing or opening of a mouth or chirping.opening of a mouth or chirping.

v14v14

And then And then it foundit found like a bird’s nest like a bird’s nest my hand my hand the the wealth of the peopleswealth of the peoples

And like the gathering of eggs that have been And like the gathering of eggs that have been abandoned, abandoned, so all the earth so all the earth II gathered gathered..

And there was not the flapping of a wing or And there was not the flapping of a wing or opening of a mouth or chirping.opening of a mouth or chirping.

The Comparisons ContinueThe Comparisons Continue

1.1. The reconstruction of recent historical events for The reconstruction of recent historical events for the Assyrian is not inaccurate in v14.the Assyrian is not inaccurate in v14.

2.2. However the However the reason why reason why he had such ease in he had such ease in conquest is the central problem of his conquest is the central problem of his understanding.understanding.

3.3. Whereas he thinks his success is because of his Whereas he thinks his success is because of his own inner worth and outer prowess, he is 100% own inner worth and outer prowess, he is 100% wrong.wrong.

4.4. Notice again the nature of his comparison: who Notice again the nature of his comparison: who is he and what are the nations like?is he and what are the nations like?

v14v14

And then And then it foundit found like a bird’s nest like a bird’s nest my hand my hand the the wealth of the peopleswealth of the peoples

And like the gathering of eggs that have been And like the gathering of eggs that have been abandoned, abandoned, so all the earth so all the earth II gathered gathered..

And there was not the flapping of a wing or And there was not the flapping of a wing or opening of a mouth or chirping.opening of a mouth or chirping.

The Assyrian Metaphor of v14The Assyrian Metaphor of v14

The MetaphorThe Metaphor

• The hand of someone who The hand of someone who finds a bird’s nestfinds a bird’s nest

• The birds’ nestsThe birds’ nests

• The birds’ eggsThe birds’ eggs

• The person gathering eggsThe person gathering eggs

• The lack of flapping The lack of flapping wings/opening wings/opening mouth/chirpingmouth/chirping

The ReferentThe Referent

• The Assyrian’s strengthThe Assyrian’s strength

• The nationsThe nations

• The wealth of the nationsThe wealth of the nations

• The Assyrian himselfThe Assyrian himself

• The completeness of The completeness of desolationdesolation

v15v15

Shall it boast itself against, the axe, the One who Shall it boast itself against, the axe, the One who cuts with it?cuts with it?

Will it exalt itself, the saw, upon the One who Will it exalt itself, the saw, upon the One who moves it to and fro?moves it to and fro?

Like the moving to and fro a rod, even the one Like the moving to and fro a rod, even the one who raises it who raises it

Like the raising up, a club, not woodLike the raising up, a club, not wood

v15v15

Shall it boast itself againstShall it boast itself against, , the axethe axe, the One who , the One who cuts with it?cuts with it?

Will it exalt itselfWill it exalt itself, , the sawthe saw, upon the One who , upon the One who moves it to and fro?moves it to and fro?

Like the moving to and fro Like the moving to and fro a roda rod, also the One , also the One who raises it who raises it

Like the raising upLike the raising up, , a cluba club, not wood, not wood

YHWH’s ComparisonYHWH’s Comparison

The MetaphorThe Metaphor

• The AxeThe Axe

• The One who wields the axeThe One who wields the axe

• The SawThe Saw

• The One who uses the sawThe One who uses the saw

• The RodThe Rod

• The One who raises itThe One who raises it

• The ClubThe Club

• Not WoodNot Wood

The ReferentThe Referent

• AssyriaAssyria

• The LORDThe LORD

• AssyriaAssyria

• The LORDThe LORD

• AssyriaAssyria

• The LORDThe LORD

• AssyriaAssyria

• The LORDThe LORD

Exalting and WieldingExalting and Wielding

1.1. The LORD’s assessment leaves no middle The LORD’s assessment leaves no middle ground.ground.

2.2. The creature is either submissive to the Creator The creature is either submissive to the Creator or in out-right rebellion against Him.or in out-right rebellion against Him.

3.3. Notice the difference in comparison: Notice the difference in comparison: – The Assyrian sees himself as gathering the nations.The Assyrian sees himself as gathering the nations.– The LORD sees the Assyrian as rebelling against The LORD sees the Assyrian as rebelling against

Him. Him.

4.4. What is the nature of the LORD’s charge against What is the nature of the LORD’s charge against Assyria?Assyria?

5.5. Answer: They are arrogant.Answer: They are arrogant.6.6. This has been the problem with every recipient This has been the problem with every recipient

of Divine Judgment in Isaiah 1-10. of Divine Judgment in Isaiah 1-10. 7.7. How does the Righteous Reign of Messiah How does the Righteous Reign of Messiah

compare with this arrogance?compare with this arrogance?8.8. Answer: The Second Person of the Trinity Answer: The Second Person of the Trinity

executes the plans of the First Person of the executes the plans of the First Person of the Trinity.Trinity.

9.9. Jesus Christ will rule perfectly in submission to Jesus Christ will rule perfectly in submission to the Father.the Father.

v16v16

For this reason He will send, the Master, YHWH For this reason He will send, the Master, YHWH of the Armies, to his healthy ones leannessof the Armies, to his healthy ones leanness

And beneath his glory it will burn, a burning, And beneath his glory it will burn, a burning, like the burning of fire.like the burning of fire.

v16v16

For this reason For this reason

He will send, the Master, YHWH of the Armies, He will send, the Master, YHWH of the Armies, to his healthy ones leannessto his healthy ones leanness

And And beneath his glory beneath his glory it will burn, a burning, it will burn, a burning, like the burning of fire.like the burning of fire.

Closing PrincipleClosing Principle

The overestimation of a creature’s innate value, The overestimation of a creature’s innate value, prowess, or sufficiency relative to the Creator prowess, or sufficiency relative to the Creator is sufficient grounds for the crushing force of is sufficient grounds for the crushing force of God’s judgment. God’s judgment.

This is a major principle of the Word of God, This is a major principle of the Word of God, and it points to the original rebellion of Satan and it points to the original rebellion of Satan against God and the question of who has the against God and the question of who has the right to rule.right to rule.