The Prophet and His Day: Isaiah 1-39 - Free Bible Commentary

10:2 Things are so upside down that the very ones YHWH seeks to protect (i.e., widows and orphans)have become the spoil and plunder!10:3 A series of questions spells out the fate of these exploiters! One day, whether temporally oreschatologically, the Creator will call His creatures, made in His image and likeness, to give an accountof the stewardship of the gift of life (cf. v. 4). YHWH is a moral, ethical, compassionate Deity and Hedemands these characteristics in His covenant people so that “the nations” may know and come toHim!! Israel was giving a false message!10:4 “His hand is still stretched out” This is a recurrent phrase in this literary unit (cf. 9:12,17,21). Itis an anthropomorphic (see Special Topic at 6:1) way of expressing God’s unrelenting judgment.NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 10:5-115Woe to Assyria, the rod of My angerAnd the staff in whose hands is My indignation,6I send it against a godless nationAnd commission it against the people of My furyTo capture booty and to seize plunder,And to trample them down like mud in the streets.7Yet it does not so intend,Nor does it plan so in its heart,But rather it is its purpose to destroyAnd to cut off many nations.8For it says, "Are not my princes all kings?9Is not Calno like Carchemish,Or Hamath like Arpad,Or Samaria like Damascus?10As my hand has reached to the kingdoms of the idols,Whose graven images were greater than those of Jerusalem and Samaria,11Shall I not do to Jerusalem and her imagesJust as I have done to Samaria and her idols?"10:5-19 This is a literary unit on God’s activity in the nation of Assyria. It was the cruelest ANE power.It was brutal toward captive people groups. YHWH will use this godless pagan nation to accomplishHis purposes (cf. vv. 5b; 6b; as Hab. 1:12-17 asked God about His use of the Babylonian exile). Goduses evil to do His biding! He did not make them (i.e., Satan, demons, fallen angels, evil empires), butHe directs them for the larger good (cf. Job 12:23; Ps.47:7-8; 66:7; Dan. 2:21; Acts 17:26, i.e., Hisuniversal redemptive plan, see Special Topic at 1:3).However, evil reaps the consequences of their acts. One day they, too, will be judged (cf. Deut.32:34-43; Isa. 14:24-27; 30:27-33; 31:5-9). What Assyria did to others, Babylon (cf. 13:5) will do tothem!10:5 “Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger” God’s tool for punishing His people’s rebellion was thecruel nation of Assyria (cf. 7:17; 8:7). However, they were responsible for their acts (cf. 10:24-27).The arrogance of Assyria is seen in vv. 8-11,12.130