Isaiah 10:5-15 Word to Israel, Judgement (on Judah, Israel, and Assyria)
This is a key passage in Scripture. (See also Ch 37.) How does God’s sovereignty work in history and in a world where people have free will? How does God use sinful people and nations to accomplish His plans?
Here Isaiah pronounces judgement on Judah (as he has been throughout), AND Israel, AND Assyria. Assyria is the instrument of God’s judgement on His people, but at the same time, Assyria is going to be judged for its ungodliness. Being used by God does not automatically mean one is on God’s side.
God is going to use Assyria as His instrument (v.5). God’s intention is to punish and discipline His people for their rebellion (v. 6). That is NOT Assyria’s intention. Assyria thinks that it is godlike, that it has power, that it can destroy and dominate the earth (vv. 7-11). When God has used Assyria’s pride and arrogance for His purposes, HE will punish Assyria for its pride and its heart bent on world domination (v. 12). Assyria’s thoughts (vv. 13, 14) are those of all who rebel against God and elevate themselves to God’s place.
Verse 15 is a great explanation of what God is doing. The creation being used by the Creator should not and can not take the Creator’s place. And God can use violent and even sinful dispositions in His creation for His ends. That does not justify those sins, not excuse the sinners being unwittingly used by God. In Chapter 37, Isaiah will compare Assyria with a horse. God can ride and use a willful, violent, rebellious horse—because He is in control—and that does not make the horse a well-intentioned creature.
God is in control over His world, even as HE allows people to have free will and attempt to work against Him. He is irresistible, and He accomplishes his purposes. In Judah’s case in Isaiah’s day, this meant that Judah should turn from sin and trust Him, not Assyria to save them. Instead, Assyria WOULD punish Israel for her sins but would also chasten Judah before succumbing to its own punishment from God.
Today this prophecy is still helpful to God’s people. We should always trust God and not turn to worldly protections from idols promising to deliver whatever it is we need. When we turn to idols rather than God, not only do those idols not deliver, they become a source of our own discipline and correction.
Here Isaiah pronounces judgement on Judah (as he has been throughout), AND Israel, AND Assyria. Assyria is the instrument of God’s judgement on His people, but at the same time, Assyria is going to be judged for its ungodliness. Being used by God does not automatically mean one is on God’s side.
God is going to use Assyria as His instrument (v.5). God’s intention is to punish and discipline His people for their rebellion (v. 6). That is NOT Assyria’s intention. Assyria thinks that it is godlike, that it has power, that it can destroy and dominate the earth (vv. 7-11). When God has used Assyria’s pride and arrogance for His purposes, HE will punish Assyria for its pride and its heart bent on world domination (v. 12). Assyria’s thoughts (vv. 13, 14) are those of all who rebel against God and elevate themselves to God’s place.
Verse 15 is a great explanation of what God is doing. The creation being used by the Creator should not and can not take the Creator’s place. And God can use violent and even sinful dispositions in His creation for His ends. That does not justify those sins, not excuse the sinners being unwittingly used by God. In Chapter 37, Isaiah will compare Assyria with a horse. God can ride and use a willful, violent, rebellious horse—because He is in control—and that does not make the horse a well-intentioned creature.
God is in control over His world, even as HE allows people to have free will and attempt to work against Him. He is irresistible, and He accomplishes his purposes. In Judah’s case in Isaiah’s day, this meant that Judah should turn from sin and trust Him, not Assyria to save them. Instead, Assyria WOULD punish Israel for her sins but would also chasten Judah before succumbing to its own punishment from God.
Today this prophecy is still helpful to God’s people. We should always trust God and not turn to worldly protections from idols promising to deliver whatever it is we need. When we turn to idols rather than God, not only do those idols not deliver, they become a source of our own discipline and correction.
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