ISAIAH CHAPTER 10

OBSERVATION STAGE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The purpose of the observation stage is to maintain focus on the text at hand within the normative rules of language, context and logic . .This limits the observer to the content offered by the book of Isaiah. This will serve to avoid going on unnecessary tangents elsewhere; and more importantly, it will provide the framework for a proper and objective comparison with passages located elsewhere in Scripture.

Remember that something elsewhere may be true, but in the text at hand it may not be in view.

Chapter 10 verses 1-4 continue the context of chapter 9 of the LORD's judgment upon the Northern Kingdom of Israel. The last verse in 10:1-4 ends with the phrase, "In all this, His anger is not removed [lit., turned back], and His hand is still raised [stretched out (to strike again)]" - the same declaration that ends the previous four sections in chapter 9. Hence an examination of the previous content of Isa 9:8-21 is included here:

******* EXCERPT FROM ISAIAH CHAPTER 9 *******

Or skip to the beginning of chapter 10:

(9:8-10:4) THE CONTEXT OF ISAIAH 9:1-7 OF THE AGE OF THE ETERNAL KINGDOM OF GOD, MOVES BACK IN TIME IN VERSES 9:8 THROUGH 10:4 TO THE PERIOD OF THE GENERATIONS OF ANCIENT ISRAEL WITH A FOCUS ON THE NORTHERN KINGDOM, BUT WITH JUDAH IN SIGHT. THIS INCLUDES THE DAYS OF ISAIAH THE PROPHET. THE MESSAGE WAS ONE OF COMING JUDGMENT UPON THE NORTHERN KINGDOM. AND ALL THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL HAVE KNOWN THIS MESSAGE: THAT FURTHER DESOLATION WOULD COME UPON THEM IF THEY DID NOT TURN BACK TO THE LORD. BUT THEY WERE ARROGANTLY CONFIDENT THAT DESPITE THE DESOLATION THEY WOULD INCUR, THEY WOULD REBUILD THEIR KINGDOM WITH THEIR OWN HANDS - WITHOUT THE LORD'S HELP - EVEN BETTER THAN BEFORE. AS A RESULT OF THIS UNREPENTANT ARROGANCE TOWARD THE LORD; HE WOULD BLOCK EPHRAIM'S ALLY, REZIN, KING OF ARAM FROM WAGING WAR UPON THEIR COMMON ENEMIES, LEAVING THE NORTHERN KINGDOM VULNERABLE TO ATTACK AND FURTHER DESOLATION. IN ALL THIS, THE LORD'S ANGER WAS NOT REMOVED AND HIS HAND WAS STILL RAISED TO STRIKE AGAIN BECAUSE THE PEOPLE REFUSED TO REPENT. SO THE LORD WOULD DESTROY THE WHOLE KINGDOM BECAUSE THE LEADERS CAUSED THE PEOPLE TO SIN. ALL WERE GUILTY AND ALL WOULD BE DESTROYED. THE LAND OF ISRAEL WOULD BE BURNED UP. ITS PEOPLE WOULD BE THE FUEL FOR THAT FIRE. IN ADDITION TO DESTRUCTION FROM THE OUTSIDE, THERE WOULD CIVIL WAR - BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER

******* END OF EXCERPT FROM ISAIAH CHAPTER 9 *******

I) [Isa 10:1-4]:

A) (10:1-4) THE CONTEXT OF ISAIAH 9:1-7 OF THE AGE OF THE ETERNAL KINGDOM OF GOD, MOVES BACK IN TIME IN VERSES 9:8 THROUGH 10:4 TO THE PERIOD OF THE GENERATIONS OF ANCIENT ISRAEL WITH A FOCUS ON THE NORTHERN KINGDOM, BUT WITH JUDAH IN SIGHT. THIS INCLUDES THE DAYS OF ISAIAH THE PROPHET. THE MESSAGE WAS ONE OF COMING JUDGMENT UPON THE NORTHERN KINGDOM. AND ALL THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL HAVE KNOWN THIS MESSAGE: THAT FURTHER DESOLATION WOULD COME UPON THEM IF THEY DID NOT TURN BACK TO THE LORD. BUT THEY WERE ARROGANTLY CONFIDENT THAT DESPITE THE DESOLATION THEY WOULD INCUR, THEY WOULD REBUILD THEIR KINGDOM WITH THEIR OWN HANDS - WITHOUT THE LORD'S HELP - EVEN BETTER THAN BEFORE. AS A RESULT OF THIS UNREPENTANT ARROGANCE TOWARD THE LORD; HE WOULD CAUSE DESOLATION TO VISIT AND REVISIT THE PEOPLE. AND YET, IN ALL THIS, THE LORD'S ANGER WAS NOT REMOVED AND HIS HAND WAS STILL RAISED TO STRIKE AGAIN BECAUSE THE PEOPLE REFUSED TO REPENT. SO THE LORD WOULD DESTROY THE WHOLE KINGDOM BECAUSE THE LEADERS CAUSED THE PEOPLE TO SIN. ALL WERE GUILTY AND ALL WOULD BE DESTROYED. THE LAND OF ISRAEL WOULD BE BURNED UP. ITS PEOPLE WOULD BE THE FUEL FOR THAT FIRE. IN ADDITION TO DESTRUCTION FROM THE OUTSIDE, THERE WOULD CIVIL WAR - BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER

IN CHAPTER TEN VERSES 1-4, THE LORD WOULD CONTINUE TO CHARGE THE RULERS OF THE NORTHERN KINGDOM WITH AFFLICTING THE PEOPLE, CAUSING THEM TO SIN. THEREFORE, TOTAL DESTRUCTION WOULD NOW COME FROM AFAR - FROM ASSYRIA

II) [Isa 10:5-19]:

A) (10:5-19) CHAPTER TEN MOVES TO THE ROD OF THE LORD'S ANGER AND WRATH AGAINST HIS UNGODLY PEOPLE FROM THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM OF JUDAH: ASSYRIA, WHOM HE SENT TO TREAD THEM DOWN AND SEIZE THE SPOILS. THE ASSYRIAN KING WAS ARROGANT AND CONSIDERED THAT THE CONQUEST OF MANY NATIONS WAS SOLELY BY HIS OWN WISDOM AND STRENGTH. HE CONSIDERED THAT TO CUT DOWN MANY NATIONS WAS HIS DESTINY AND THAT HE WAS DEPENDENT UPON NO GOD. HE CLAIMED THAT HIS POWER WAS GREATER THAN ANY OF THE IDOLS WHOM THE CONQUERED NATIONS WORSHIPPED; AND THE IDOLS OF THOSE NATIONS HE CONSIDERED EXCELLED THOSE OF JERUSALEM AND SAMARIA (THE NORTHERN KINGDOM) BECAUSE OTHER NATIONS WHICH ASSYRIA HAD CONQUERED DEMONSTRATED SUPERIOR MILITARY POWER AGAINST JUDAH AND ISRAEL! SO WHEN THE WORK OF THE LORD UPON MT. ZION AND JERUSALEM WAS FINISHED, THE LORD WOULD DESTROY ASSYRIA

III) [Isa 10:20-23]:

A) (10:20-23) THE CONTEXT OF CHAPTER TEN MOVES TO THE DAY OF THE LORD WHEN THE REMNANT OF ISRAEL - THE HOUSE OF JACOB - WILL RETURN TO THE LORD AND NEVER AGAIN DEPEND UPON ANYONE BUT THE LORD. THE PEOPLE WILL SUFFER THROUGH A COMPLETE DESTRUCTION, BUT A REMNANT WILL SURVIVE TO RETURN

IV) [Isa 10:24-34]:

A) (10:24-34) THE CONTEXT OF CHAPTER TEN MOVES FROM THE DAY OF THE LORD WHEN THE REMNANT OF ISRAEL - THE HOUSE OF JACOB - WILL RETURN TO THE LORD AND NEVER AGAIN DEPEND UPON ANYONE BUT THE LORD; WHEN THE PEOPLE WILL SUFFER THROUGH A COMPLETE DESTRUCTION, BUT A REMNANT WILL SURVIVE TO RETURN - IN LIGHT OF THIS PROMISE, THE CONTEXT IN ISAIAH CHAPTER TEN MOVES TO:

THE ANCIENT TIMES OF JUDAH AND ASSYRIA. THE PEOPLE WHO DWELT IN ZION WERE NOT TO BE AFRAID OF THE ASSYRIANS. FOR YET A VERY LITTLE WHILE AND THEIR DESTRUCTION WOULD CEASE. THE FORCES OF ASSYRIA WOULD HAVE CIRCLED ALL AROUND JERUSALEM IN THEIR CONQUEST OF JUDAH'S CITIES; BUT THEN THE LORD OF HOSTS WOULD CUT ASSYRIA DOWN BEFORE THE GATES OF JERUSALEM, WITH ONLY A FEW SURVIVORS LEFT

CONTINUE TO ISAIAH CHAPTER 11