Isaiah Chapters 10-11/Commentary

Isaiah Chapters 10-11

10:1-4 Here is section that was aimed at the leaders in Judah, and continues the judgment recorded in 9:8-21. Notice how God condemns evil statues and unjust decisions. God does take a close look at what laws a nation has on its books and God also judges a nation according to the justice or injustice that is present in its court system. “And so, in harmony with the principle of reaping what one sows, what would these evil rulers do when God’s ‘day of visitation’ was come upon them from afar (i.e. Assyria-5:26ff; 10:5ff)” (Jackson p. 26). All the wealth they had accumulated in cheating others would be left and they would find themselves either crouching among the captives or slain. In spite of such a punishment, God would still be angry.

10:5 “Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger”: “Chapter 10:5ff is one of the great biblical narratives revealing the Creator’s use of His providential might in national affairs. The Assyrian power will be used against the Hebrews as an instrument of Jehovah’s wrath, although that fierce nation will have no idea that they are being employed in such a fashion (5-7)” (Jackson p. 26). Compare with Jeremiah 25:12; Hab. 1:6-17 10:6 The godless nation that God is sending Assyria against is Israel!

10:7 “Yet it does not so intend, nor does it plan in its heart”: God used Assyria to punish a wicked people, yet the Assyrians do not share this outlook.

“She thinks her military accomplishments are of her own skill” (Jackson p. 26).

Assyria has no interest in serving Jehovah, and yet she will be accomplishing His purposes nonetheless. “Rather it is its purpose to destroy”: Assyria has no interest in bringing a judgment that moves Israel to repentance, rather this nation is bent on world conquest. “Though God was using Assyria, her motives were purely political and expansionist” (Bible Knowledge Comm. p. 1055). This empire did not give glory to God as the One behind its success, instead it boasted a proud self-sufficiency “as it moved from one city to another conquering everywhere it went” (Harkrider p. 33).

10:8-11 The Assyrians boasted of past victories, and pledges to destroy Jerusalem as well. She had conquered the Aramean cities of Calno (Calneh), Carchemish, Hamath, Arpad, and hence she thought that taking the Israelite cities of Samaria and Jerusalem would be easy, since these other conquered 1

cities had mightier gods in the minds of the Assyrians. Compare with Isaiah 36:19-20; 37:12. Carefully note that the Assyrians considered the God of Israel as just another “idol” (10:11).

“Oriental monarchs looked upon their victories or defeats as expressions of the strength of weakness of the nation’s gods. The idols of the conquered cities excelled those of Samaria and Jerusalem in exquisite design and workmanship, as well as in number. Having easily taken Samaria, the king thought that the taking of Jerusalem would be easy. His boast was blasphemous, for it put Jehovah, the mighty God, in the category of the heathen idols, which were empty vanities” (Hailey p. 114).

10:12-14 Once God is finished with this tool, He will punish the Assyrians as well because they were arrogant. The boasting of the Assyrian king is found in the next section (10:13-14). He took other nations and their wealth as easily as a person takes eggs from an abandoned nest. Six times the king will say “I”.

10:15 “But the foolishness of Assyria’s boasting is compared to that of a lifeless ax, saw, rod, or staff claiming to be self-sufficient without someone taking them up and using them as an instrument of service” (Harkrider p. 34). “There is a lesson that Assyria (and all other nations) desperately needed to learn. The instrument is not greater than He who uses it” (Jackson p. 26).

10:16-19 As a result God will come against Assyria and destroy it like burning a patch of thorns. The nation will be leveled, both body and soul. Those remaining will be so few that even a child could count them. “One cannot but think of that fateful night when 185,000 Assyrian soldiers were felled with one swift stroke (37:36-37)” (Jackson p. 27). In 609 B.C. the Assyrian empire would fall.

The Remnant 10:20 “Now in that day”: After Israel has been judged, and after the Assyrian empire has fallen, God will bring back a remnant. Captivity will teach this remnant never again to rely upon earthly alliances and empires for protection and deliverance. Prior to the captivity both Israel and Judah were always tempted to place their trust in alliances with such nations as Egypt, or Assyria. 10:21-22 Only a very small portion of the nation would return. 10:24-27 Here the faithful are addressed in Jerusalem, even though Assyria would overrun Israel and grab Judah by the neck and surround Jerusalem itself, God would intervene. “Just as Midian of an earlier era was judged (Judges 7:25), and God’s people will be delivered as they were during the time of the Exodus. Yes the time is coming when Assyria’s yoke will be lifted from Israel’s neck” (Jackson p. 27).

10:28-32 Here is a description of the Assyrian invasion to come in 701 B.C. It would come from the north, against cities such as Aiath (another name for the city of Ai some eight miles north of Jerusalem). Finally they stop at Nob, possibly

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within sight of Jerusalem (about two miles north). Here the Assyrian king will shake his fist at the city of Jerusalem which under the leadership of Hezekiah will defy him and frustrate his plans.

10:33-34 The Assyrian army, proud like the tall cedars in the forests of Lebanon, will be cut down to size.

Chapter 11 11:1 “Then”: Following the judgment of the Assyrian empire and the restoration of the remnant to the land, God would set up another kingdom with the arrival of the Messiah. Note, modern denominations seek to place this set of passages far into the future, thousands of years after the coming of Jesus during some supposed Millennial kingdom, but such violates the context.

11:1 “A shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse”: In the previous chapter we learned that the Assyrian empire would be completely cut down, with no hope for renewal, in contrast, such would not be the case with Judah. A remnant would return to the land, and a shoot from the family of Jesse (David’s father) would come forth, namely Jesus. “Note: In order for the fulfillment of this prophecy to be established, the genealogical records tracing the lineage from David to Jesus must remain in tact. Since all of those records were destroyed with the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, it is evident that the Messiah must appear before that time.

This is a powerful argument against those Jews who still await His first coming” (Jackson p. 27).

11:1 “And a branch from his roots will bear fruit”: When Judah finally fell, the royal family line of David was cut down to a stump. But that stump would send forth a shoot or branch, that branch is Jesus (Revelation 22:16; Jeremiah 23:5; Zechariah 6:12).

11:2 “The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him”: The Spirit would come upon Jesus at His baptism (Matthew 3:16-17; John 3:34; Acts 10:38). Jesus would be wise and understanding (Colossians 2:3), He would bring divine counsel to mankind, and He would display divine power, omniscience and a deep respect for the Father.

11:3 “He will delight in the fear of the Lord”: Compare with John 8:29; Psalm 40:8. “To fear God is to respond to Him in awe, trust, obedience, and worship.

The Messiah constantly seeks to do what God the Father wants Him to do” (Bible Knowledge Comm. p. 1056).

11:3 “He will not judge by what His eyes see, nor make a decision by what His ears hear”: He will not be limited in knowledge, dependent upon others for

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information, rather He will have divine omniscience (Matthew 9:4; John 2:25).

Again, it is clear that the Messiah will not be a mere man.

11:4 His rule will be characterized by righteousness. He will deal fairly and justly, neither will He abuse the poor or the afflicted. Yet, the wicked will be justly punished! Carefully note that a God that does not punish the wicked would not be a righteous God. Righteousness or fairness involves both having mercy on the faithful and punishing the unfaithful.

11:4 “With the rod of His mouth”: Compare with Psalms 2:9; 2 Thessalonians 2:8; Revelation 1:16; 2:16; 2:27; 12:5; 19:15. In the end what will condemn the wicked is their violations of the Word of God. This infers that God is going to judge all mankind on the basis of how they measured up to His law (John 12:48).

This includes non-Christians as well.

11:5 Jesus will come thoroughly prepared. He will be clothed in righteousness and faithfulness and such attributes will support Him in every conflict with evil.

He will conform to God’s will in all things and He will never waver. “In the confidence and strength of these attributes He challenges and meets the wicked” (Hailey p. 122). Compare with Revelation 19:11. This also means that He is qualified to judge the world (2 Corinthians 5:10), and inform the human race concerning what is right and wrong (Matthew 19:9 “And I say to you”).

11:6 “And the wolf will dwell with the lamb”: From a description of the King, now the Holy Spirit turns to a description of the kingdom of God to be established. This is the same kingdom or house mentioned in Isaiah 2:2-4.

Please note that Isaiah is speaking of a change that will take place “in all My holy mountain” (11:9). These passages are not teaching a period of utopian peace where even all the animals get along, rather, they are describing the radical transformation that the gospel message will have on good and honest hearts (1 Corinthians 6:9-11; 2 Corinthians 5:17). Former hereditary enemies, (such as Jews and Samaritans or Jews and Gentiles) will have peace in Christ (Ephesians 2:11ff). “The old man has been crucified with Christ, and the new man is led by a childlike spirit, a simple alertness to hear and learn, and a readiness to obey (Matthew 18:3)” (Hailey p. 122).

11:9 “For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea”: This happened when the gospel message was sent to every nation (Acts 17:6; Romans 10:18; Colossians 1:6,23).

Carefully note that while upon the earth Jesus did not promise peace to people who remain unbelievers (John 15:18; Matthew 10:34-36).

11:10 “Then in that day”: The very same period of time that verses 6-9 are being fulfilled. This is a very important passage in helping us interpret the previous verses. “In that time Christ would function as a rallying banner (John

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3:15) and would the nations (Gentiles) seek for glorious rest. It is certainly strange that some premillennial commentators, in discussing this context, neglect to mention Paul’s application of this passage to the gospel age (Romans 15:12)” (Jackson p. 28).

If the inspired apostle Paul applied Isaiah 11:10 to the first century when Gentiles heard the gospel and embraced it (Romans 15:12), then Isaiah 11:6-9 applies to the same period of time and not to a period following the end of time. Thus the peace mentioned here and in Isaiah 2:2-4 only occurs in the church, among those truly converted, and happens at the same time that Gentiles are embracing Christ as their Savior.

In our study of Revelation we also learned that the supposed Millennium does not fit Isaiah 2:4 or 9:6-9. For even Premillennialists admit that this supposed period will not be the end of war or sin, because at the end of their supposed Millennium there is a huge battle (Revelation 20:7-9). Thus, is the wolf only lying down with the lamb because he is forced to? Does he still really want to eat the lamb?

11:11 “On that day”: This will be during the exact same time period that Gentiles are coming to Christ.

11:11 “The Lord will again recover the second time with His hand the remnant of His people”: The first remnant will be gathered the Babylonian captivity during the lifetimes of Ezra and Nehemiah. This is a second gathering.

No, it does not apply to when Israel had a homeland again in 1948, rather it applied to the same period of time that the nations are coming to Christ. This passage is referring to God gathering faithful Jews during the preaching of the gospel, see Romans 11:5; Acts 2:1ff; Romans 9:24-27.

11:12 “And He will lift up a standard for the nations”: John 12:32 11:13 When this happens all the former jealousies and hatred of the past will be forgotten. Jews who had become Christians will truly be converted and not only love each other, but Gentile converts as well.

11:14 The enemies of the church, typified here by the ancient foes of Israel, will not prevail against her. “That this cannot literally refer to some future restoration of Israel to Palestine, as millennialists argue, is evidenced by the fact that these national enemies of Israel have long ago perished from the earth” (Jackson p.

29).

11:15-16 Just like when God will bring back the captives under Ezra and Nehemiah, or just like when God delivered Israel from Egypt, there will be deliverance during the gospel age for any who wants salvation. There will be a clear highway to God, that is, Jesus Christ and the gospel message (John 14:6).

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The way to God will be clearly marked! It will not be a human highway, but a divine one. The expression “tongue of the Sea of Egypt” probably refers to the waters that confronted Israel as the people fled from Egypt. It would be destroyed, and the River (Euphrates) would be dried up. These events signify not only the removal of all obstacles to the remnant’s return, but also the removal of all tribal and national boundaries. Under this new order all barriers will be removed by the power of Jehovah” (Hailey p. 125).

This informs us that God does not see any reason why a person cannot obey the gospel, even if they are a Gentile or a Jew. The gospel message should break down all our excuses for not serving God.

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