Isaiah 10

Isaiah 10:1-4

The prophet in this chapter threatens, 1. The proud oppressors of his people at home, ver. 1—4. 2. Somewhere their crowned navy; concerning whom observe, (1.) The commission given him to invade Judah, ver. 5, 6. (2.) His pride and insistence in the execution of that commission, ver. 7—11, 13, 14. (3.) A rebate given to his hanghtiness, and a threatening of his ruin, ver. 12, 15—19. (4.) A promise of grace to the people of God, to enable them to bear up under the affliction, ver. 20—23. (5.) Great encouragement given to them not to fear this threatening storm, for there is yet hope, ver. 24—34.

1. W O unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed: 2. To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless. 3. And what will ye do in the way of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory? 4. Without me they shall bow down a under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the flats: for all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

God proceeds in his controversy with Israel in these four verses, which might more properly have concluded the foregoing chapter.

1. He accuses their governors of oppression and injustice, by framing such laws as immediately tended to distress the poor; or by making the proceedings so tedious and expensive, that the needy never could afford to maintain his right, or in their administration they were so corrupt, that they enriched themselves with the spoil of the fatherless and widows, and heared not to rob and plunder those who were too weak to resist, v. 1, 2. Note, There is a lawgiver, to whom the oppressed may appeal, and we to those whose unrighteous decrees shall come before his bar.

2. He warns them of the folly, sin, and danger of their ways. They braved it out now, but what will ye do in the day of visitation, when God rises up to judge? and in the desolation which shall come from far? from the king of Babylon: to whom will ye flee for help, in that day of calamity? and where will ye leave your glory? the riches, which they accounted their great support, but in that day would perish irrecoverably. Without me, when forsaken of my help, they shall bear down under the prisoners, or among the prisoners, and shall fall under, or among the slaves; either in chains led captive, or left dead by the enemies found; and after all, greater judgments are still in force, v. 4. Note, (1.) As there is an awful day of enquiry approaching, it becomes every soul seriously to consider what he shall then do, and how he shall be able to stand before the eternal judge. (2.) Whatever greatness and glory a sinner may acquire, he must have it all behind, and go a naked criminal to a righteous bar, where no covering or excuse can hide his iniquities, and from whence there lies no appeal. (3.) They who live without God, will die without hope, the prisoners

The Church of the grave, and lying down among the Stain to the second death. (4.) It will be the consummation of mercy to the damned, that no gleam of hope will ever cheer their darkness, nor the least prospect appear of God’s anger being ever turned away.

5. ¶ O Affyrian, * the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. 6. I will send him against an hypocritical nation; and against the people of my wrath? will I give him a charge to take the pool, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. 7. * Howbeit, he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so, but it is in his heart to destroy, and cut off nations not a few. 8. For he saith, Are not my princes altogether kings? 9. Is not Calno, * as Carchemish? is not Hamath, as Argeal (or not Samaria, * as Damuscus? 10. As my hand hath found the kingdoms of the idols, and whole graven images did excel them of Jerusalem, and of Samaria: 11. * Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols? 12. Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work: upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, * I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Affyria, and the glory of his high looks. 13. For he saith, * By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man. 14. And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathered eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth, and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped. 15. Shall the ax boast itself against him that heweth therewith? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that thakein it? as if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself? as if it were no wood. 16. Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of both, send among his fat ones leanness, and under his glory he shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire. 17. And the light of Israel * shall be for a fire, and his holy One for a flame: and * it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briars in one day: 18. And shall consume the glory of his foref, and of his fruitful field, both foul and body: and they shall be as when a standard-bearer fainteth. 19. And the rest of the trees of his fureth shall be few, that a child may write them.

Isaiah 10:5-19

Defolations upon Israel being accomplished, let not Judah think to go unpunished: Sennacherib is commissioned to shake the rod over them; yet God prescribes bounds to his pride, and saith, Hitherto shall thou come, and no further. 1. The Jews are described as an hypocritical nation; for though they complied with the reformation of Hezekiah, their hearts remained unchanged, and their religious services were but vain formality, and therefore they are called, The people of my wrath; nothing being in God’s light more detestable than hypocrisy, yet no sin so common among professors. 2. God hath a rod prepared to scourge them; the Affyrian monarch is commissioned from him to ravage and spoil their country, and as mine in the streets to tread them under foot, v. 6. Note, (1.) The tyrants of the world are but the tools of providence. (2.) They who most impiously employ their power against God, receive it from him, and he can make their wickedness histrervere to his glory. (3.) When God chastises his own children, he intends their prothing, not their perdition. 3. The proud instrument employed, thinks not who employs him, nor means to answer God’s purposes but his own, v. 7. to establish universal monarchy, and to gratify his ambition: boasting therefore his power and conquests, he promises himself success against Jerusalem, as well as the other cities he had taken; his princes, equal to kings, were able to supply his army for the accomplishment of the extensive conquests he meditated, v. 8. A variety of states, the capitals of vanquished countries, he enumerates, over which his arms had proved successful, v. 9. and whole inhabitants he had transformed into other countries, v. 13. After having plundered their houses of their treasures, as eggs taken from the nest whilst the dam is ablest, so that no resistance was made, and none able to withstand him of all the nations he or his predecessors had invaded, v. 14. and this he vainly imputes to his own strength and wisdom, as if his politics none could defeat, and his power none could withstand, v. 13. From whence he concludes, that as the graves images of the heathen he had fuddoed, were

more and more precious than the gods of Jerusalem and Samaria, v. 10. and the latter already fallen a prey, the former would afford him as early a victory; blasphemously comparing Judah’s God to the idols of the nations, and supposing him equally unable to protect his votaries, v. 11. Note, (1.) Nothing is farther from the hearts of sinners than to serve God’s designs; but whilst they mean only their own ends, they are made to answer his. (2.) What is a worm of earth, though princes bow before him, compared with him, whom angels, principalities, and all the powers above obey? (3.) To leave out God in the account of our gains, and to scribe them to our own prudence, is direct attention. (4.) Variety and self-sufficiency generally issue in shame and disappointment.

4. God by his prophet rebukes the indolent beafter, and foretells his approaching ruin. Not more absurd would be the boast of the ax or saw in the craftsman’s hand, as if the work done was there, not his who sited them, than for this proud king, the rod of God’s anger, to vaunt his conquests, or for this staff of God’s indignation to arrogate the glory of his violence to himself, as if not an instrument, but the self-sufficient agent in those achievements: but God will make him know his folly in his fall; when he hath done his work of chastising and correcting God’s people, for which he is employed, v. 12. then shall his pride and haughtiness be humbled; his mighty army, the glory of his strength, like a body emaciated with consumption, shall pine away, and as fast for the fire shall be burnt to ashes, v. 16. God, the light and holy One of Israel, the Messiah, shall, by his angel, in one day consume the whole army, as easily as briars and thorns fall before the devouring fire, v. 17. Though thick as a foref his tents, or the javelies of his soldiers, and tall as cedars his mighty captain, they shall be consumed together, body and foul, as when a standard-bearer fainteth, and the rout is universal: or it may be rendered, in the doof of the worm that can souse, to easily and utterly would they be destroyed, v. 18. and to few escape the general ruin, that instead of a matter-matter, a little child might number them, v. 19. Note, (1.) The most proud and indolent, God can abate. (2.) In all the refutations on his people, God hath done gracious design to answer; when that is done, the rod will be burnt. (3.) In the midst of our trials, if God be our light, we shall see a door of escape, or be comforted with his presence, which can make the heaviest afflictions light. (4.) None ever hardened his heart against him and prospered. (5.) When God settles to judge the wicked, he will defray both body and foul together in hell.

5. ¶ And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, * shall no more again stay upon him that is none them; but shall stay upon the LORD the holy One of Israel in truth. 21. * The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto * the mighty God. 22. For * though thy people Israel be as she land of the sea, * yet a remnant of them shall return: * the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness. 23. For the Lord GOD of both shall make a consumption, even determined in the midst of all the land.

Isaiah 10:20-23

When judgment is executed on the enemies of God’s church, mercy is reserved in store for his own people. Amidst the general defolations, a remnant should be preferred, and return to their old habitations after Sennacherib raised the siege of Jerusalem, or from the Bishylouah captivity: but this prophecy looks farther also, and especially regards the times of the Messiah, Rom. ix. 27.

1. A remnant of Israel should then be saved, escaping from the general blindness and unbelief which were upon the rest of their countrymen; renouncing their vain confidence, as now they were taught by sad experience the vanity of routing on Affyria for help; and therefore, in faith and truth placing all their hopes of salvation on the power and grace of these Redeemer alone, v. 21. Note, (1.) Among the numbers of religious professors, the chosen and faithful are but few. (2.) When we return to God, renouncing our self-dependance and our sins, God will return to us in pardon and peace.

2. When the mighty God the Saviour hath secured his own people, the remnant of Jacob, v. 21. then vengeance well, according to God’s decree, be executed on the more numerous part of Israel that have rejected his salvation: the consumption is decreed; the exact time and number are fixed of those appointed unto destruction; and herein God will abundantly manifest his righteousness, when in all the land a consumption shall be made of the obstinately unbelieving, v. 22, 23. Some understand these words in a different sense, and interpret the consumption decreed, &c. as God’s decree for the salvation of his people, wherein his righteousness shall be gloriously manifested; and apply it as speaking comfort to the chosen few, in the view of the certainty of their salvation: but the former sin’s stems preferable.

3. ¶ Therefore thus faith the Lord GOD of hosts, O my people that dwelleth in Zion, ‘be not afraid of the Affyrian: he shall smire thee with a rod, and shall sal up his staff against thee, ‘after the manner of Egypt. 25. ¶ For yet a very little while, and ’the indignation shall ceass, and mine anger in their destruction. 26. And the LORD of hosts shall sir up ‘a scourge for him, according to the slaughter of ‘Midian at the rock of Oreh: and ‘at his rod was upon the sea, so shall be lift it up after the manner of Egypt. 27. And it shall come to pass in that day, that ‘his burden 3’ shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed ‘because of the anointing. 28. He is come to Aiaith, he is pasted to Migeon: at Michmash he hath laid up his carriages. 29. They are gone over ’the pastage: they have taken up their lodging at Geba; Ramah is afraid, ‘Gibeah at Saul is sied. 30. ¶ Lift up thy voice, O daughter of ‘Galim: cause it to be heard unto ‘Lailh, ‘O poor Anathoth. 31. ‘Madrhenah is removed, the inhabitants of Gehim gather themselves to flee. 32. As yet shall he remain ‘at Nob that day: he shall shake his hand against the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem. 33. Behold, the LORD, the LORD of hosts shall lop the bough with terror: and ’the high men of Hauze shall be hewn down, and ’the haughty shall be humbled. 34. And ‘he shall cut down the thickets of the foref with iron, and Lebanon shall ‘fall by a mighty one.

Isaiah 10:24-34

Since God was determined to save a remnant for himself, he here,

1. Reenourages them to trust, and not be afraid: terrible as Sennacherib’s invasion appeared, God had set bounds to his ambition; though for a while they should fusser, as when their fastions were in Egypt, under the scourge, or be destressed as at the red sea, when the Egyptians pursued them, v. 24. yet in a moment the cause of their fears would cnase, and God’s anger, which seemed to threaten them in this invasion, be removed by the destruction of the Affyrians, v. 25. A destroying angel, his scourges, should pass through their host with fudsen and terrible destruction by night, as the sword of Gideon smote the Meliaanse, and the sea feaslowed up the Egyptians, when Moies strecched out his rod, v. 26. Their enemies defeated, the burden of tribute impsed on them, 2 King: xviii. 14. would be taken off, and their yoke of bondage to Affyria be destroyed, because of the anointing, for the sake of the redeemed, who have an unction from the holy One; or for the sake of the Messiah, who is the author of every mercy and blesting which defends on his people. Nate, (1.) God’s people need never bear with any amazement, there is hope for them in the dark-ell day. (2.) The unsastsesures of God’s own people provokes his solplesure; but it is sham, and in wrath be remembers mercy. (3.) Though believers now groan, being burdened under their sins and corruptions, the redemption of their souls is secured, and shall quickly be perfected; when every yoke shall be broken for ever from their necks, by the grace of the anointed Jessus, and by the power of the anointing Spirit.

2. He describes the rapid progress of the Affyrian king advancing to the singe, and the ravages and disteny which he shall spread around him: without the least ressance he marches from Aiaith to Migeon, and thence to Michmash, where he essablishes his magazines, v. 29. and hastening through the noted pass, 1 Sam. xiv. 4. occasque for a night at Geba in Benjamin. Feighted at his approach, the inhabitants fought only to save themselves by flight; which detachments from his army ravaged the country, and the cries of the poor people, plundered by the soldiers, were heard from one end of Judea so the other, v. 30, 31. Nob was his sast station, where he hasted within sight of Jerusalem, and, shaking his hand in threatening, promifid himself a specsy conqust of their high hautements. Nate, Sucecss is apt to intoxicate, and the confidence of the proud turns to their destruction.

3. His overthrow is determined. The Lord, the Lord of hosts, before whom the mightist are but as dost before the whirlwind, will stereth out his hand, consound his abpiring hopes, and all his army and chief captains, as the cosars of Lebanon fall under the stroke of the ax, shall persth by the sword of the destroying angel. Nate, (1.) The armies of God in the day of wrath, will overwhelm the proudself, and sink the mightist in despair. (2.) None ever persecuted God’s church and people with impunity.