Latest / Marriage Life and More and Bible Study / Isaiah 10:1-16 - Big Empire, Bigger Mouth - Pride Before the Faceplant - 334

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Isaiah 10:1-16 - Big Empire, Bigger Mouth - Pride Before the Faceplant - 334 · Marriage Life and More and Bible Study

• 0:06
  Daniel Moore: So Judah wrote laws to protect themselves and then acted surprised when God actually read the fine print?
• 0:12
  Daniel Moore: And did they really think God would look at all the corruption and say, well, at least their paperwork is in order?
• 0:19
  Daniel Moore: Have you ever noticed how some people get a little bit of authority and suddenly act like they're running the universe?
• 0:24
  Daniel Moore: Maybe it's the guy who becomes the assistant manager and starts walking around like he's the CEO.
• 0:29
  Daniel Moore: Maybe it's the person who gets one ounce of power and begins making rules for everyone else.
• 0:34
  Daniel Moore: Well, Isaiah 10 introduces us to leaders who are abusing their power and writing laws that benefited themselves while crushing the people they were supposed to serve.
• 0:42
  Daniel Moore: God sees every bit of it, and he's not impressed.
• 0:46
  Daniel Moore: And just when you think the spotlight is only on Israel, God turns his attention to Assyria.
• 0:51
  Daniel Moore: Astyria was the superpower of the day, and God was using them as an instrument of judgment against his people.
• 0:58
  Daniel Moore: The problem?
• 0:58
  Daniel Moore: Astyria started believing its own press releases.
• 1:02
  Daniel Moore: Instead of recognizing that God was using them, they assumed their victories were the result of their own greatness, intelligence, and military genius.
• 1:09
  Daniel Moore: They became the ancient version of the guy who borrows someone else's chainsaw, cuts down a tree, and then starts bragging about what an amazing lumberjack he is.
• 1:18
  Daniel Moore: Well, Isaiah 10 reminds us of two timeless truths.
• 1:21
  Daniel Moore: God holds people accountable for how they use authority, and he is never impressed by human pride.
• 1:27
  Daniel Moore: Whether it's corrupt leaders who exploit the vulnerable, or powerful people who think they've become self-made successes, God has a way of reminding everyone who's really on the throne.
• 1:37
  Daniel Moore: Let's get to it.
• 1:39
  Daniel Moore: Welcome to Connecting the Gap.
• 1:47
  Daniel Moore: This is a podcast about marriage, Bible, and book studies.
• 1:50
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• 1:52
  Daniel Moore: I'm Daniel Moore, your host.
• 1:53
  Daniel Moore: Thank you guys for joining us this week.
• 1:55
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• 2:18
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• 2:21
  Daniel Moore: Well, welcome once again to this week's study.
• 2:25
  Daniel Moore: As we are starting chapter 10 in Isaiah, we're going to go ahead and get into it.
• 2:30
  Daniel Moore: We're going to try to cover some more territory this week.
• 2:33
  Daniel Moore: And it might take us just a little bit longer to get through the episode.
• 2:35
  Daniel Moore: I'm going to try to do chapter 10 in two weeks.
• 2:38
  Daniel Moore: So this week, we're going to go ahead and try to get through Isaiah chapter 10, verses 1 through 16.
• 2:45
  Daniel Moore: So to get started this week, let's go ahead and grab your Bibles, your coffee, have a seat, crack them open.
• 3:05
  Daniel Moore: We're going to go ahead and read our text that we're going to be covering this week as we dig into Isaiah chapter 10.
• 3:11
  Daniel Moore: It says, Woe to those who decree iniquitous decrees and the writers who keep writing oppression, to turn aside the needy from justice, and to rob the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make the fatherless their prey.
• 3:27
  Daniel Moore: What will you do in the day of punishment, in the ruin that will come from afar?
• 3:31
  Daniel Moore: To whom will you flee for help?
• 3:33
  Daniel Moore: And where will you leave your wealth?
• 3:36
  Daniel Moore: Nothing remains but to crouch among the prisoners or fall among the slain.
• 3:40
  Daniel Moore: For all this his anger has not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still.
• 3:46
  Daniel Moore: Woe to Assyria, the rod of my anger, the staff in their hands is my fury.
• 3:51
  Daniel Moore: Against a godless nation I send him, and against the people of my wrath I command him, to take spoil and seize plunder, and to tread them down like the mire of the street.
• 4:02
  Daniel Moore: But he does not so intend, and his heart does not so think, but it is in his heart to destroy and to cut off nations, not a few.
• 4:10
  Daniel Moore: For he says, Are not my commanders all kings?
• 4:12
  Daniel Moore: Is not Kano like Karkamesh?
• 4:15
  Daniel Moore: Is not Hamath like Arpad?
• 4:16
  Daniel Moore: Is not Samaria like Damascus?
• 4:19
  Daniel Moore: As my hand has reached to the kingdom of the idols, whose carved images were greater than those of Jerusalem and Samaria.
• 4:26
  Daniel Moore: Shall I not do to Jerusalem and her idols as I have done to Samaria and her images?
• 4:31
  Daniel Moore: When the Lord has finished all his work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, he will punish the speech of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the boastful look in his eyes.
• 4:41
  Daniel Moore: For he says, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom, for I have understanding.
• 4:47
  Daniel Moore: I remove the boundaries of people and plunder their treasures, like a bull I bring down those who sit on thrones.
• 4:54
  Daniel Moore: My hand was found like a nest, the wealth of the peoples, and as one gathers eggs that have been forsaken, so I have gathered all my earth.
• 5:02
  Daniel Moore: And there was none that moved a wing, or opened the mouth, or chirped.
• 5:07
  Daniel Moore: Shall the axe boast over him who hews with it, or the saw magnify itself against him who wields it?
• 5:13
  Daniel Moore: As if a rod should wield him who lifts it, or as if a staff should lift him who is not wood?
• 5:19
  Daniel Moore: Therefore the Lord God of hosts will send wasting sickness among his stout warriors, and under his glory a burning will be kindled like the burning of fire.
• 5:29
  Daniel Moore: So as we get started, let's go ahead and jump into chapter ten.
• 5:35
  Daniel Moore: This chapter here continues the prophet's strong denunciation of injustice and oppressive leadership in Israel.
• 5:41
  Daniel Moore: It begins with the warning to those who write and enforce unjust laws, exploiting the poor and vulnerable for personal gain.
• 5:48
  Daniel Moore: The chapter then shifts focus to Assyria, a powerful nation God uses as an instrument of judgment.
• 5:55
  Daniel Moore: However, while Assyria is used to carry out divine purposes, they are ultimately condemned for their arrogance and pride, believing their conquest are by their own strength.
• 6:05
  Daniel Moore: This chapter concludes with the promise of hope, a remnant of Israel will return to the Lord, and God's judgment will purify his people.
• 6:13
  Daniel Moore: Isaiah ten blends themes of justice, divine sovereignty, and hope, emphasizing that while God may use nations to fulfill his plans, he also holds them accountable for their intentions and actions.
• 6:25
  Daniel Moore: So to go ahead and jump into it here, we'll go ahead and start with verse 1 in chapter 10.
• 6:33
  Daniel Moore: It says, Woe to those who decree iniquitous decrees, and the writers who keep writing oppression.
• 6:40
  Daniel Moore: This verse serves as a sharp condemnation of corrupt lawmakers and officials in the kingdom of Judah, especially in the southern kingdom during the eighth century BC.
• 6:50
  Daniel Moore: Isaiah opens this section with the pronouncement of woe, a prophetic term denoting sorrow and judgment.
• 6:57
  Daniel Moore: The phrase iniquitous decrees refers to laws and policies crafted not in justice or righteousness, but for the purpose of exploitation and oppression.
• 7:06
  Daniel Moore: The expression the writers who keep writing oppression points out the persistence and systematic nature of such corruption.
• 7:14
  Daniel Moore: These individuals use their legal authority to institutionalize injustice.
• 7:19
  Daniel Moore: This could include judges, scribes, and officials who drafted legislation that served the interest of the elite while harming the marginalized.
• 7:28
  Daniel Moore: According to the expositor's Bible commentary, Isaiah focuses here on how leadership used legislative power for personal and corporate gain, highlighting moral decay in the society.
• 7:41
  Daniel Moore: Verse two, to turn aside the needy from justice and to rob the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make the fatherless their prey.
• 7:54
  Daniel Moore: Here Isaiah specifies whom these unjust laws are harming the needy, the poor, widows, and orphans.
• 8:02
  Daniel Moore: Those are the ones that are most vulnerable in ancient society.
• 8:06
  Daniel Moore: Strong moral and legal obligations to protect these groups were embedded in the Mosaic Law.
• 8:12
  Daniel Moore: If you remember we've talked about before you look at Exodus chapter twenty two, verse twenty two, and Deuteronomy twenty seven, nineteen, Exodus says you shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child.
• 8:24
  Daniel Moore: Then Deuteronomy echoes, Curse be anyone who perverts the justice due to the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, and all the people shall say, Amen.
• 8:35
  Daniel Moore: These scriptures are talking about those that are failing to uphold these statutes, and they were seen as opposing God Himself.
• 8:44
  Daniel Moore: By turning aside justice, they actively divert rightful aid to protection from the needy.
• 8:50
  Daniel Moore: Isaiah condemns that these acts not just as social injustices but spiritual crimes.
• 8:56
  Daniel Moore: The reference to widows and fatherless becoming spoil and prey illustrates how the vulnerable were being plundered like war booty.
• 9:04
  Daniel Moore: The Tyndale Old Testament commentary notes that the oppression was not accidental or occasional, but premeditated and systematic.
• 9:12
  Daniel Moore: As we continue to verse three, it says, What will you do on the day of punishment?
• 9:17
  Daniel Moore: In the ruin that will come from afar, to whom will you flee for help?
• 9:21
  Daniel Moore: And where will you leave your wealth?
• 9:24
  Daniel Moore: Isaiah challenges these corrupt leaders with the rhetorical question, what will become of them when God's judgment arrives?
• 9:31
  Daniel Moore: This is a prophetic warning that retribution is inevitable.
• 9:35
  Daniel Moore: The day of punishment and the ruin that will come from afar possibly allude to the Assyrian invasion which would devastate both the northern kingdom or Israel and later threaten Judah.
• 9:46
  Daniel Moore: The question to whom will you flee for help emphasizes that their alliances, wealth, or statues will not save them in the day of divine judgment.
• 9:55
  Daniel Moore: The wealth they have accumulated unjustly will not provide security.
• 10:00
  Daniel Moore: The New International Commentary on the Old Testament emphasizes that Isaiah is disclosing the futility of earthly resources when confronted by God's judgment.
• 10:10
  Daniel Moore: Verse 4 Nothing remains but to crouch among the prisoners or fall among the slain.
• 10:16
  Daniel Moore: For all this his anger has not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still.
• 10:22
  Daniel Moore: Here Isaiah ends this section by presenting an image of total defeat.
• 10:27
  Daniel Moore: The leaders and elites who once prospered through injustice will either be taken as prisoners or die in battle.
• 10:33
  Daniel Moore: The phrase crouch among the prisoners suggests captivity and humiliation, while fall among the slain implies death and warfare.
• 10:42
  Daniel Moore: The chilling refrain, his anger has not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still, as we've seen before, is repeated throughout Isaiah.
• 10:50
  Daniel Moore: We've seen it in nine twelve, nine verse seventeen, and chapter nine verse twenty one.
• 10:55
  Daniel Moore: It indicates that despite partial judgments, God's wrath continues because the people's hearts remain unrepentant.
• 11:02
  Daniel Moore: According to the NIV application commentary, this repeated phrase adds a sense of urgency and gravity, underscoring that unless true repentance occurs, more judgment will follow.
• 11:14
  Daniel Moore: As we summarize Isaiah ten verses one through four, it's a powerful prophetic denunciation of societal leaders in Judah for legal oppression and exploitation of the most vulnerable.
• 11:26
  Daniel Moore: It warns of inevitable divine judgment, likely through foreign invasion, where wealth, privilege, and status will offer no refuge.
• 11:35
  Daniel Moore: Through this passage, Isaiah affirms God's justice and intolerance for systematic evil.
• 11:41
  Daniel Moore: As we move to verse five, we start talking about Assyria, the instrument of wrath.
• 11:48
  Daniel Moore: This verse says, Ah, Assyria, the rod of my anger, the staff of their hands is my fury.
• 11:56
  Daniel Moore: So this verse here begins a denunciation of Assyria, even though God had used this empire as his instrument of discipline against Israel and Judah.
• 12:05
  Daniel Moore: The phrase the rod of my anger and the staff in their hands is my fury symbolizes how God uses Assyria as a toll or weapon to express his divine wrath against his own people.
• 12:16
  Daniel Moore: Despite Assyria's ungodly nature, it becomes a temporary executor of divine justice.
• 12:22
  Daniel Moore: From a historical standpoint, Assyria in the 8th century BC was an expanding empire under kings such as Tiglath Pelezer III, Shalmaneser V, and Sargon II, who executed aggressive military campaigns that destroyed the northern kingdom of Israel and severely threatened Judah.
• 12:41
  Daniel Moore: According to the ESV study Bible, this verse reflects a key theological point.
• 12:46
  Daniel Moore: God is sovereign over even wicked rulers and nations.
• 12:50
  Daniel Moore: John Calvin explained that although Assyria intended evil, its actions unwittingly fulfilled God's divine purposes.
• 12:58
  Daniel Moore: Alec Mocher points out in his commentary that the use of rod and staff echoes divine discipline, similar to the language used by David in Psalm twenty-three.
• 13:08
  Daniel Moore: However, here it is not meant for comfort, but for judgment.
• 13:13
  Daniel Moore: Verse six of chapter ten Against a godless nation I send him, and against the people of my wrath I command him, to take spoil and seize plunder, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.
• 13:26
  Daniel Moore: This verse clarifies that God sends Assyria against a godless nation, generally considered to be Israel or specifically the northern kingdom, and perhaps even Judah by extension.
• 13:38
  Daniel Moore: This terminology reflects God's disappointment and anger toward his covenant people who had abandoned him for idols and pagan practices.
• 13:47
  Daniel Moore: The command to take spoil and seize plunder is reminiscent of earlier prophetic language in Isaiah, and you can see in Isaiah eight verses one through four.
• 13:56
  Daniel Moore: These military terms convey the idea of total conquest and humiliation.
• 14:01
  Daniel Moore: The imagery of being tread down like the mire suggests absolute degradation.
• 14:06
  Daniel Moore: Israel, once chosen and set apart, is now lowered to the status of dirt, a powerful illustration of their fall from grace.
• 14:15
  Daniel Moore: Historically, this was fulfilled in the Assyrian conquest that began with Tiglith Pelezer III and culminated in the fall of Samaria in 722 BC under Sargon II.
• 14:26
  Daniel Moore: According to Assyrian records, tens of thousands were deported and the land was repopulated with foreigners effectively ending the northern kingdom.
• 14:36
  Daniel Moore: Albert Barnes comments on this passage, noting that the term godless nation is particularly severe given Israel's privileged position in receiving God's law.
• 14:46
  Daniel Moore: The people of his wrath implies that the judgment is not haphazard, but deeply personal.
• 14:52
  Daniel Moore: Isaiah ten verse seven.
• 14:55
  Daniel Moore: But he does not so intend, and his heart does not so think, but it is in his heart to destroy and to cut off nations not a few.
• 15:03
  Daniel Moore: This verse introduces the key tension in this prophetic oracle.
• 15:07
  Daniel Moore: Although God is using Assyria as his instrument, the Assyrian motive is not aligned with God's purposes.
• 15:13
  Daniel Moore: The Assyrian king is not acting out of obedience to divine will, but from his own ambition and violence.
• 15:20
  Daniel Moore: To cut off nations not a few points to Assyria's aggressive imperialism, a historical reality reflected in the numerous campaigns recorded in Assyrian annals.
• 15:31
  Daniel Moore: Many nations, such as Amram, Israel, Philistia, Edom, and even parts of Egypt, suffered under Assyrian attacks.
• 15:39
  Daniel Moore: Their real goal was conquest and domination, not divine justice.
• 15:43
  Daniel Moore: John Oswalt and other scholars point out that Isaiah distinguishes between Assyria's role in God's plan and Assyria's intention.
• 15:51
  Daniel Moore: Though used for judgment, Assyria sins by acting from pride and self-interest.
• 15:57
  Daniel Moore: This sets the stage for Assyria's own judgment in succeeding verses as we reach Isaiah ten verses twelve through nineteen.
• 16:04
  Daniel Moore: This verse highlights one of Isaiah's most important theological themes.
• 16:09
  Daniel Moore: God's sovereignty does not override human responsibility.
• 16:13
  Daniel Moore: Assyria is accountable for its destructive intent, even while unknowingly serving God's design.
• 16:19
  Daniel Moore: Verse 8 in chapter 10 says, For he says, Are not all my commanders all kings?
• 16:26
  Daniel Moore: Here the Assyrian king boasts arrogantly, believing that his military governors have the status and power of kings.
• 16:34
  Daniel Moore: This statement reflects the pride and hubris of the Assyrian monarch, who views his empire as so superior that his subordinates are themselves kings compared to the rulers of other nations that he has conquered.
• 16:46
  Daniel Moore: Historically, this is consistent with the Syrian inscriptions.
• 16:51
  Daniel Moore: For example, Sennacherib and other kings referred to the rulers of subject territories as vassals or governors under their control.
• 16:59
  Daniel Moore: It shows how imperial policies of domination bred arrogance.
• 17:04
  Daniel Moore: The pulpit commentary notes that this verse shows the spiritual blindness of Assyria.
• 17:09
  Daniel Moore: Instead of recognizing God's sovereignty and seeing their campaigns as under divine control, they attribute their success to their own power and greatness.
• 17:17
  Daniel Moore: It is this pride that leads to the divine judgment later in the chapter.
• 17:22
  Daniel Moore: Alec Mocher emphasizes that this verse parallels the Tower of Babel narrative.
• 17:27
  Daniel Moore: Human pride reaching to the heavens, resisting God's authority.
• 17:32
  Daniel Moore: The Assyrian king elevates his commanders above the kings of other nations, reflecting a deep-seated belief in their racial and political superiority.
• 17:41
  Daniel Moore: As we summarize verses 5 through 8, they present a powerful theological and historical statement.
• 17:48
  Daniel Moore: Assyria, though ungodly, is used by God to judge Israel, yet its motives are wrong and full of pride, leading to its eventual judgment.
• 17:57
  Daniel Moore: The entire section reinforces themes of divine sovereignty, human accountability, and the certainty that God will judge pride and wickedness in all nations, including those he uses instrumentally.
• 18:08
  Daniel Moore: As we move on to chapter ten, verse nine, is not Kalno like Karkamesh?
• 18:14
  Daniel Moore: Is not Hamath like Arpod?
• 18:16
  Daniel Moore: Is not Samaria like Damascus?
• 18:18
  Daniel Moore: In this verse, Isaiah continues quoting the boastful speech of the Assyrian king who compares several conquered cities to Jerusalem, implying their inevitable fall.
• 18:28
  Daniel Moore: The cities listed Kalno, Carkamesh, Harmoth, Arpad, Samaria, and Damascus, were all significant centers in the ancient Near East and had fallen to Assyria by the time of Isaiah's writing.
• 18:42
  Daniel Moore: The rhetorical question format underscores the king's arrogance and overconfidence.
• 18:47
  Daniel Moore: Historically, these cities were powerful urban centers.
• 18:52
  Daniel Moore: Kalno was believed to be in northern Syria, and possibly the same as the biblical Kalnae, which you see in Genesis 10, verse 10.
• 19:02
  Daniel Moore: Karchamesh was a major city on the Euphrates River, a stronghold of the Hittites and later important and Neo-Assyrian military campaigns.
• 19:10
  Daniel Moore: Hamathan Arpad were major cities in Aram or Syria, both mentioned in connection with rebellion and conquest, if you look at 2 Kings 18, verse 34.
• 19:21
  Daniel Moore: Samaria was the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel.
• 19:25
  Daniel Moore: It fell to Assyria in 722 BC.
• 19:28
  Daniel Moore: And Damascus was the capital of Aram, conquered by Tiglath Pelezer III around 732 BC.
• 19:36
  Daniel Moore: The Assyrian king argues that since these cities fell, why should Jerusalem be any different?
• 19:42
  Daniel Moore: According to the ESV Study Bible, this demonstrates the king's failure to distinguish between nations with pagan gods and Jerusalem, the city of the living God.
• 19:52
  Daniel Moore: His error is not just military arrogance, but theological ignorance.
• 19:57
  Daniel Moore: John Oswald comments that the pride of the Sicyrian leader overlooks God's covenant with Jerusalem, demonstrating the difference between human perception and divine reality.
• 20:08
  Daniel Moore: Isaiah 10 verse 10 As my hand has reached to the kingdoms of the idols, whose carved images were greater than those of Jerusalem and Samaria.
• 20:18
  Daniel Moore: Here the king claims that even nations whose idol images were grander and more numerous than those in Jerusalem and Samaria could not resist him.
• 20:28
  Daniel Moore: Therefore, he reasons, Jerusalem and its God will be just as impotent.
• 20:34
  Daniel Moore: This language reveals a critical theological misunderstanding.
• 20:38
  Daniel Moore: The Assyrian king views Yahweh as just another localized tribal deity, no different than the gods of the nations.
• 20:45
  Daniel Moore: Historically, Assyrian kings such as Sargon II and Sennacherib often boasted in inscriptions that they captured foreign temples and gods, parading them as defeated idols.
• 20:57
  Daniel Moore: To the Assyrian, success and conquest meant that their national gods were superior, an idea Isaiah strongly confronts.
• 21:05
  Daniel Moore: Albert Barnes notes that this verse reflects the mindset of pagan conquerors, evaluating gods based on the military success of their people.
• 21:15
  Daniel Moore: The Assyrian king dismisses Yahweh's uniqueness and assumes Jerusalem's God is equal to the rest.
• 21:21
  Daniel Moore: And Alec Mocha reminds readers that Isaiah's goal is to reveal the tragic blindness of worldly power.
• 21:28
  Daniel Moore: It cannot see spiritual reality, but only judges strength based on appearances and outcomes.
• 21:34
  Daniel Moore: The king sees idols, not the covenant powers behind or absent from them.
• 21:39
  Daniel Moore: As we move on to verse eleven, it says, Shall I not do to Jerusalem and her idols as I have done to Samaria and her images?
• 21:48
  Daniel Moore: Here the Assyrian king explicitly vows to treat Jerusalem the same way he treated Samaria.
• 21:54
  Daniel Moore: His reasoning is theological.
• 21:57
  Daniel Moore: Since the gods of Samaria could not prevent its fall, And since Jerusalem also has idols, there is no distinction in his eyes.
• 22:04
  Daniel Moore: Hence Jerusalem will fall just like all the others.
• 22:08
  Daniel Moore: This statement reflects the real risk Jerusalem faced during Assyria's campaigns, especially under Sennacherib in seven hundred oh one BC.
• 22:17
  Daniel Moore: While Samaria had already fallen, Jerusalem, though spared in that moment through Hezekiah's faith, which we'll eventually see in Isaiah thirty seven, was believed by Assyria to be equally vulnerable.
• 22:30
  Daniel Moore: Theologically, Isaiah condemns not only Assyria's arrogance but also Jerusalem's complicity.
• 22:36
  Daniel Moore: The mention of her idols indices Jerusalem, despite being the city of Yahweh, it was tainted with idolatry.
• 22:43
  Daniel Moore: So while the king of Assyria misjudges Yahweh, he is unwittingly correct that a judgment may come if Jerusalem persists in unfaithfulness.
• 22:52
  Daniel Moore: The pulpit commentary observes that even though Assyria blasphemes by equating Yahweh with other gods, his claim gains an edge from the presence of idolatry in Jerusalem itself.
• 23:03
  Daniel Moore: Therefore, Isaiah uses the king's speech to show both the pride of Assyria and the compromised position of Judah.
• 23:11
  Daniel Moore: So now as we move on to verse twelve, we start talking about judgment on Assyria.
• 23:17
  Daniel Moore: It says when the Lord has finished all his work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, he will punish the speech of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the boastful look in his eyes.
• 23:28
  Daniel Moore: Isaiah now shifts the focus from Assyria's boast to God's sovereign plan.
• 23:33
  Daniel Moore: Although Assyria acts in pride, its actions are under God's control and used as part of his work on Zion and Jerusalem, a work of purification and judgment.
• 23:44
  Daniel Moore: But crucially, once that divine work is done, Assyria itself will be punished.
• 23:50
  Daniel Moore: The cause for judgment is specifically mentioned, the arrogance and pride, both spoken and visible in the boastful look of the Assyrian king.
• 23:59
  Daniel Moore: The emphasis on pride is significant.
• 24:02
  Daniel Moore: Pride in Scripture is regularly condemned as rebellion against God's authority.
• 24:07
  Daniel Moore: One of those instances we can see in Proverbs 1618, where it says pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
• 24:16
  Daniel Moore: Historically, this was dramatically fulfilled when Sennacherib's army, camped outside Jerusalem in 701 BC, was struck down by an angel of the Lord, which we will eventually get to in Isaiah chapter 37.
• 24:30
  Daniel Moore: This crushed Assyria's hopes against Jerusalem and demonstrated that God would not allow his purposes to be mocked permanently.
• 24:38
  Daniel Moore: According to Alec Mocher, this verse offers deep reassurance to the faithful.
• 24:43
  Daniel Moore: Assyria may be powerful now, but its time is limited.
• 24:47
  Daniel Moore: God's justice is sure and his enemies will be humbled.
• 24:51
  Daniel Moore: Meanwhile, Jerusalem's suffering, while painful, is part of a deeper, redemptive process.
• 24:57
  Daniel Moore: Albert Barnes comments that God's judgment of Assyria does not begin until his work is complete, showing that no nation or king can overstep divine boundaries.
• 25:08
  Daniel Moore: Once their appointed use is complete, judgment swiftly follows.
• 25:13
  Daniel Moore: So as we summarize 9 through 12, they highlight the pride of the Assyrian Empire and the sovereignty of God.
• 25:20
  Daniel Moore: Even as nations boast and conquer, God remains in control.
• 25:24
  Daniel Moore: Assyria is his tool, which, after its use, will be discarded and judged for its own rebellion and arrogance.
• 25:31
  Daniel Moore: For Israel and Judah, these verses serve both as a warning and as hope.
• 25:36
  Daniel Moore: Despite present affliction, God's plan includes both purification and a just downfall of the proud.
• 25:43
  Daniel Moore: So as we start into the last four verses for this week, verse thirteen, for he says, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom, for I have understanding.
• 25:55
  Daniel Moore: I remove the boundaries of peoples and plunder their treasures.
• 25:59
  Daniel Moore: Like a bull I bring down those who sit on thrones.
• 26:02
  Daniel Moore: So this verse records the boastful claims of the king of Assyria.
• 26:07
  Daniel Moore: The speaker attributes his military successes and conquests to his own power and wisdom, not acknowledging God's sovereignty or grace.
• 26:15
  Daniel Moore: Historically, this is reflective of the pride of the Assyrian Empire under kings such as Sargon II and Sennacherib, who made similar claims and inscriptions discovered by archaeologists.
• 26:27
  Daniel Moore: The reference to remove the boundaries of peoples alludes to the common Assyrian practice of deporting conquered peoples, thus dismantling national identities, a policy that Assyria employed with Israel in 722 BC.
• 26:41
  Daniel Moore: Like a bull is a figure of speech expressing how aggressively he overthrew monarchs and nobles.
• 26:48
  Daniel Moore: The arrogance here sets up the contrast with coming judgment, showing that the Assyrian king fails to recognize that he is merely a tool in God's hands.
• 26:58
  Daniel Moore: Verse 14 My hand has found like a nest the wealth of the peoples, and as one gathers eggs that have been forsaken, so I have gathered all the earth, and there was none that moved the wing or opened the mouth or chirped.
• 27:13
  Daniel Moore: The metaphor used is one of seizing something utterly helpless, gathering eggs from an abandoned nest.
• 27:21
  Daniel Moore: The image conveys the ease with which the Assyrian king claims he took riches and dominion.
• 27:27
  Daniel Moore: Historically, Assyria's conquests were swift and brutal, often without significant resistance once enemies were overwhelmed.
• 27:35
  Daniel Moore: The tone here is one of self glorifying triumph.
• 27:38
  Daniel Moore: The boast is exaggerated as the king claims domination over all the earth, which demonstrates not only arrogance, but also a false sense of omnipotence.
• 27:48
  Daniel Moore: Yet within the greater context of Isaiah, this hyperbole is meant to build up the arrogance that will soon be judged by God.
• 27:56
  Daniel Moore: As we move to verse fifteen, it says Shall the axe boast over him who hews with it, or the saw magnify itself against him who wields it?
• 28:05
  Daniel Moore: As if a rod should wield him who lifts it, or as if a staff should lift him who is not wood.
• 28:12
  Daniel Moore: This verse is God's response to the Assyrian king's arrogant claim.
• 28:17
  Daniel Moore: Through rhetorical questions, God rebukes the idea that the tool should boast over the one using it.
• 28:23
  Daniel Moore: The image is powerful.
• 28:24
  Daniel Moore: Assyria is compared to tools, an axe, a saw, a rod, a staff, while God is the one wielding them.
• 28:32
  Daniel Moore: This clearly shows that the Assyrian king was just an instrument used by God to accomplish divine purposes, namely the discipline of Israel.
• 28:41
  Daniel Moore: The final line, as if a staff should lift him who is not wood, reinforces how absurd it is for a lifeless object, or Assyria, to claim power over the one using it, which was God.
• 28:54
  Daniel Moore: John Calvin in his commentary stated that men are foolish when they do not see, that they are but instruments of a higher will.
• 29:01
  Daniel Moore: And Matthew Henry adds that this passage rebukes pride and promotes humility by showing that our talents and victories are gifts from God, not proof of personal greatness.
• 29:13
  Daniel Moore: And the final verse this week, verse 16.
• 29:17
  Daniel Moore: Therefore the Lord God of hosts will send wasting sickness among his stout warriors, and under his glory a burning will be kindled, like the burning of fire.
• 29:27
  Daniel Moore: This verse pronounces judgment on the proud Assyrian Empire.
• 29:32
  Daniel Moore: The Lord God of hosts, or Yahweh Sabaoth, is a title emphasizing God's supreme authority over all armies, heavenly and earthly.
• 29:40
  Daniel Moore: Wasting wickness refers metaphorically or perhaps literally to the weakening and destruction of Assyria's might, especially its military prowess.
• 29:50
  Daniel Moore: The stout warriors considered strong and undefeatable will be brought low.
• 29:55
  Daniel Moore: The burning under his glory likely refers to the inner collapse and devastation of all that seemed glorious and strong in the Assyrian Empire.
• 30:04
  Daniel Moore: It shows God turning Assyria's own strength into ruin.
• 30:08
  Daniel Moore: This prophetic punishment came to pass.
• 30:11
  Daniel Moore: According to historical records, the Assyrian army suffered a devastating defeat when one hundred eighty five thousand soldiers died overnight, as recorded in Isaiah thirty seven, verse thirty six.
• 30:23
  Daniel Moore: The Assyrian Empire itself eventually fell to Babylon in six hundred twelve BC.
• 30:29
  Daniel Moore: The pulpit commentary affirms that the burning symbolizes divine judgment that consumes pride from within, similar to fire consuming wood.
• 30:38
  Daniel Moore: The Assyrians' glory would ignite its doom, poetic justice for arrogance.
• 30:44
  Daniel Moore: As we summarize these four verses, verse thirteen through sixteen is a segment within a larger oracle, which is Isaiah 10 verses 5 through 19, where God uses Assyria as an instrument of judgment on Israel and then turns around to judge Assyria itself for its prideful overreach.
• 31:02
  Daniel Moore: This section of scriptures teaches themes of God's sovereignty, human pride, the temporary role of empires in God's plan, and the certainty of divine judgment.
• 31:14
  Daniel Moore: Trying to cut this chapter in half.
• 31:49
  Daniel Moore: We'll come back next week and finish this chapter as we are going to be here in Isaiah chapter 10 for a couple of weeks.
• 31:56
  Daniel Moore: Don't forget to visit our website at connectingthegap.net for more about our ministry here at Connecting the Gap.
• 32:02
  Daniel Moore: And of course, we've got some resources there, some marriage books that are available that falls under the line of our marriage podcast that my wife Michelle and I host every Thursday from our same ministry.
• 32:14
  Daniel Moore: And of course, we've got some other things there on the website you can check out.
• 32:17
  Daniel Moore: Please subscribe and share to these episodes and to the podcast itself, as that will help us grow here at Connecting the Gap.
• 32:25
  Daniel Moore: And we greatly appreciate you guys for helping us with that.
• 32:29
  Daniel Moore: So let's go ahead and finish up this week's study.
• 32:32
  Daniel Moore: We're going to look at some wrap up here on what we've read, and we're also going to do some application for how we can put this in to apply to our lives today.
• 32:42
  Daniel Moore: So as we come here to the end of our reading today of Isaiah 10, 1 through 16, we're reminded that God sees far more than our success, political power, or human influence.
• 32:52
  Daniel Moore: The chapter begins with a severe warning against leaders and officials who use their positions to oppress the weak and manipulate justice for their own gain.
• 33:02
  Daniel Moore: They write unjust laws, exploit the vulnerable, and enrich themselves at the expense of those who have little ability to defend themselves.
• 33:10
  Daniel Moore: God makes it clear that no amount of authority, status, or earthly power can shield a person from his judgment when they abuse the responsibilities that he's entrusted to them.
• 33:21
  Daniel Moore: The Lord is not indifferent to injustice.
• 33:24
  Daniel Moore: He hears the cries of the poor, he sees the mistreatment of the helpless, and promises that a day of accountability is coming.
• 33:31
  Daniel Moore: The focus then shifts to Assyria, the mighty empire God would use as an instrument of discipline against his people.
• 33:38
  Daniel Moore: Assyria served God's purpose, but Assyria misunderstood its role.
• 33:43
  Daniel Moore: Rather than recognizing that it was merely a tool in God's hand, the nation became consumed with pride.
• 33:49
  Daniel Moore: Its kings believed their victories were the result of their own strength, wisdom, and military brilliance.
• 33:54
  Daniel Moore: They viewed themselves as unstoppable and invincible.
• 33:58
  Daniel Moore: What Assyria failed to realize was that every conquest, every victory, and every achievement was only possible because God had allowed it.
• 34:06
  Daniel Moore: The nation took credit for what God had sovereignly permitted.
• 34:10
  Daniel Moore: This is where Isaiah delivers one of the most powerful images in the chapter.
• 34:14
  Daniel Moore: God compares Assyria to an axe boasting against the one who swings it, or a saw exalting itself over the one who uses it.
• 34:22
  Daniel Moore: This picture is almost humorous.
• 34:25
  Daniel Moore: An axe has no power apart from the woodsman.
• 34:28
  Daniel Moore: A saw cannot accomplish anything on its own.
• 34:31
  Daniel Moore: The tool is useful only because someone greater is wielding it.
• 34:36
  Daniel Moore: Likewise, Assyria's power was never independent of God.
• 34:40
  Daniel Moore: The nation was acting as though the tool was greater than the craftsman.
• 34:44
  Daniel Moore: Their arrogance blinded them to the reality that God was the true source of every opportunity, victory, and accomplishment that they possessed.
• 34:52
  Daniel Moore: One of the biggest lessons here in this portion of Scripture is that God is sovereign over both the righteous and the wicked, over nations and individuals, over victories and defeats.
• 35:04
  Daniel Moore: He can use even rebellious people to accomplish his purposes, but he is never approving of their sin.
• 35:10
  Daniel Moore: Assyria was accountable for its pride even while God used it as an instrument of judgment.
• 35:16
  Daniel Moore: This passage reveals both the justice of God and the sovereignty of God as well.
• 35:21
  Daniel Moore: He judges sin wherever it is found, whether among his own people or among the nations he uses to discipline them.
• 35:28
  Daniel Moore: No one escapes his authority, and no one can claim his glory for themselves.
• 35:34
  Daniel Moore: Ultimately, Isaiah reminds us that pride is one of the most dangerous sins a person can harbor.
• 35:40
  Daniel Moore: It causes us to forget our dependence on God, take credit for his blessings, and place ourselves at the center of the story.
• 35:48
  Daniel Moore: But the truth is that every ability, opportunity, resource, and success we enjoy comes from the gracious hand of God.
• 35:56
  Daniel Moore: When we remember that, humility grows.
• 35:59
  Daniel Moore: When we forget it, pride takes root.
• 36:02
  Daniel Moore: Isaiah ten calls us to stand in awe of God's sovereignty and walk humbly before Him.
• 36:08
  Daniel Moore: So how can we apply these scriptures to us today?
• 36:13
  Daniel Moore: Well one application is to examine how we treat people who have less power, influence, or resources than we do.
• 36:20
  Daniel Moore: Most of us are not kings, judges, or government officials, but we all have spheres of influence.
• 36:26
  Daniel Moore: We may be employers, parents, ministry leaders, teachers, or simply people who interact with others every day.
• 36:34
  Daniel Moore: Isaiah challenges us to ask whether we use our influence to serve others or to serve ourselves.
• 36:40
  Daniel Moore: God cares deeply about fairness, compassion, and justice.
• 36:43
  Daniel Moore: He calls his people to reflect his character by treating others with dignity and kindness.
• 36:49
  Daniel Moore: Another application is to guard our hearts against pride.
• 36:53
  Daniel Moore: It is easy to look at our accomplishments and assume we earned everything through our own effort.
• 36:58
  Daniel Moore: While hard work certainly matters, Isaiah reminds us that every opportunity ultimately comes from God.
• 37:05
  Daniel Moore: The job we have, the talents we possess, the ministry opportunities that we enjoy, and even the breath in our lungs are gifts from Him.
• 37:14
  Daniel Moore: When we remember that truth, gratitude replaces arrogance.
• 37:18
  Daniel Moore: We begin to see ourselves not as self made people, but as recipients of God's grace.
• 37:24
  Daniel Moore: This passage also teaches us to trust God's sovereignty when life seems confusing.
• 37:30
  Daniel Moore: Sometimes God works through circumstances we do not understand.
• 37:34
  Daniel Moore: Just as he used Assyria to accomplish his purposes, he is still at work behind the scenes today.
• 37:40
  Daniel Moore: That does not mean that he approves of every action people take, but it does mean that nothing is outside of his control.
• 37:47
  Daniel Moore: Even when evil appears to be winning, God remains on his throne.
• 37:51
  Daniel Moore: He is directing history toward his ultimate purposes and his plans will not fail.
• 37:57
  Daniel Moore: This passage further encourages us to stay humble in times of success.
• 38:02
  Daniel Moore: Success can be a blessing, but it can also become a spiritual trap if it causes us to forget God.
• 38:09
  Daniel Moore: Every achievement should lead us to worship rather than self-congratulation.
• 38:13
  Daniel Moore: Instead of asking, look what I've done, we should be asking, How can I use what God has given me for his glory?
• 38:21
  Daniel Moore: Humility keeps our hearts aligned with the one who provides every good gift.
• 38:25
  Daniel Moore: And finally, this passage reminds us that God alone deserves the glory.
• 38:30
  Daniel Moore: We are not the axe, he is the one who swings it.
• 38:34
  Daniel Moore: We are not the saw, he is the one who guides it.
• 38:38
  Daniel Moore: Whatever God accomplishes through our lives, our families, our ministries, or our work should point people back to Him.
• 38:45
  Daniel Moore: The healthiest place a believer can live is in humble dependence upon God, recognizing that apart from Him, we can do nothing, but through Him, we can be used to purposes far greater than ourselves.
• 38:59
  Daniel Moore: So as we close this week, this passage teaches us that God opposes injustice, humbles pride, and rules over every nation and every life.
• 39:09
  Daniel Moore: The question for us is simple.
• 39:11
  Daniel Moore: Will we live as though we are craftsmen?
• 39:14
  Daniel Moore: Or will we remember that we are merely tools in the hands of a sovereign God?
• 39:18
  Daniel Moore: The moment we recognize that every blessing, every victory, and every opportunity comes from Him is the moment we begin to walk in the humility, gratitude, and trust that He desires from His people.
• 39:31
  Daniel Moore: Well, that's going to do it for this week.
• 39:35
  Daniel Moore: Make sure you come back next week as we'll finish up chapter 10 in our Isaiah verse by verse study.
• 39:41
  Daniel Moore: But as we go for this week, we believe that God's word never fails us.
• 39:45
  Daniel Moore: God's word has stood the test of time, and through Jesus' death on the cross, he has connected the gap.
• 39:51
  Daniel Moore: This episode was recorded in the upper room at our Connecting the Gap Studios.
• 39:55
  Daniel Moore: This is an extension of Connecting the Gap Ministries, and we pray that you have a blessed week.