Day 9 — Isaiah 10:5-34 The axe, the Assyrian, the Sovereign Lord
Opening prayer
Sovereign Lord, when the world seems chaotic and frightening, help me to see that you are still on your throne. Teach me not to fear the powers of this world more than I fear you, and help me to rest in your rule, your justice, and your mercy. Amen.
Headline
God rules even over arrogant empires: he uses them for his purposes, judges their pride, and preserves his remnant.
Isaiah 10:5-34
“Woe to the Assyrian, the rod of my anger,
in whose hand is the club of my wrath!
6 I send him against a godless nation,
I dispatch him against a people who anger me,
to seize loot and snatch plunder,
and to trample them down like mud in the streets.
7 But this is not what he intends,
this is not what he has in mind;
his purpose is to destroy,
to put an end to many nations.
8 ‘Are not my commanders all kings?’ he says.
9 ‘Has not Kalno fared like Carchemish?
Is not Hamath like Arpad,
and Samaria like Damascus?
10 As my hand seized the kingdoms of the idols,
kingdoms whose images excelled those of Jerusalem and Samaria—
11 shall I not deal with Jerusalem and her images
as I dealt with Samaria and her idols?’”
12 When the Lord has finished all his work against Mount Zion and Jerusalem, he will say, “I will punish the king of Assyria for the willful pride of his heart and the haughty look in his eyes. 13 For he says:
“‘By the strength of my hand I have done this,
and by my wisdom, because I have understanding.
I removed the boundaries of nations,
I plundered their treasures;
like a mighty one I subdued their kings.
14 As one reaches into a nest,
so my hand reached for the wealth of the nations;
as people gather abandoned eggs,
so I gathered all the countries;
not one flapped a wing,
or opened its mouth to chirp.’”
15 Does the ax raise itself above the person who swings it,
or the saw boast against the one who uses it?
As if a rod were to wield the person who lifts it up,
or a club brandish the one who is not wood!
16 Therefore, the Lord, the Lord Almighty,
will send a wasting disease upon his sturdy warriors;
under his pomp a fire will be kindled
like a blazing flame.
17 The Light of Israel will become a fire,
their Holy One a flame;
in a single day it will burn and consume
his thorns and his briers.
18 The splendor of his forests and fertile fields
it will completely destroy,
as when a sick person wastes away.
19 And the remaining trees of his forests will be so few
that a child could write them down.
20 In that day the remnant of Israel,
the survivors of Jacob,
will no longer rely on him
who struck them down
but will truly rely on the Lord,
the Holy One of Israel.
21 A remnant will return, a remnant of Jacob
will return to the Mighty God.
22 Though your people be like the sand by the sea, Israel,
only a remnant will return.
Destruction has been decreed,
overwhelming and righteous.
23 The Lord, the Lord Almighty, will carry out
the destruction decreed upon the whole land.
24 Therefore this is what the Lord, the Lord Almighty, says:
“My people who live in Zion,
do not be afraid of the Assyrians,
who beat you with a rod
and lift up a club against you, as Egypt did.
25 Very soon my anger against you will end
and my wrath will be directed to their destruction.”
26 The Lord Almighty will lash them with a whip,
as when he struck down Midian at the rock of Oreb;
and he will raise his staff over the waters,
as he did in Egypt.
27 In that day their burden will be lifted from your shoulders,
their yoke from your neck;
the yoke will be broken
because you have grown so fat.
28 They enter Aiath;
they pass through Migron;
they store supplies at Mikmash.
29 They go over the pass, and say,
“We will camp overnight at Geba.”
Ramah trembles;
Gibeah of Saul flees.
30 Cry out, Daughter Gallim!
Listen, Laishah!
Poor Anathoth!
31 Madmenah is in flight;
the people of Gebim take cover.
32 This day they will halt at Nob;
they will shake their fist
at the mount of Daughter Zion,
at the hill of Jerusalem.
33 See, the Lord, the Lord Almighty,
will lop off the boughs with great power.
The lofty trees will be felled,
the tall ones will be brought low.
34 He will cut down the forest thickets with an ax;
Lebanon will fall before the Mighty One.
Comment
When we look at the world, it often feels tangled and confusing. Nations rise and fall. Violence spreads. Human power seems unchecked. It can be hard to believe that anything is really under control. But Isaiah sees the world differently. He sees the Sovereign Lord ruling over it all.
That is the first great truth in this passage. Assyria, the superpower of Isaiah’s day, is not ultimately free or autonomous. However mighty it appears, it is still only an instrument in God’s hand. The Lord calls Assyria “the rod of my anger” (10:5). That does not mean Assyria is righteous. Far from it. It means that even this brutal empire is not outside God’s rule. He uses it as an instrument of discipline against his own rebellious people.
That is both unsettling and comforting. It is unsettling because it reminds us that God is not passive in history. He is not merely watching events unfold. He is governing them. But it is also deeply comforting, because it means that the terrifying powers of this world are never ultimate. They are never beyond his command.
The second great truth is that Assyria does not understand this. The king of Assyria thinks his victories are the result of his own strength and wisdom. He boasts, “By the strength of my hand I have done this” (10:13). He imagines that he is master of history. But Isaiah exposes the absurdity of that pride with a memorable picture: “Does the ax raise itself above the person who swings it?” (10:15). An axe is only a tool. It has no power in itself. So too with Assyria. However impressive it looks, it remains in the hands of the divine woodman.
And because Assyria is proud, it too will be judged. God uses the empire, but he does not excuse its arrogance. The same Lord who sends Assyria will also bring it low. That is important. God’s sovereignty never cancels human responsibility. Nations, rulers, and individuals are still accountable for their pride, cruelty, and self-glory. The Lord opposes not only Judah’s rebellion, but Assyria’s boastfulness as well.
Then, in the middle of all this judgment, comes a word of hope. A remnant will return. Not everyone will be swept away. God will preserve for himself a people who no longer rely on human power, but “truly rely on the LORD” (10:20). That is one of Isaiah’s great themes. God’s people may be disciplined, reduced, and humbled, but they will not be destroyed. His purposes of grace will stand.
The chapter ends with the image of the Lord felling the forest of Assyria. The empire that seemed huge, dense, and untouchable will be cut down. Human greatness is never as secure as it looks. God alone endures.
Why does God want you to hear this today? Because it is easy to be intimidated by the powers around us, or to despair when the world seems out of control. But Isaiah reminds us that no empire, institution, threat, or enemy is ultimate. The Lord reigns over all. And for his people, that sovereignty is not cold or distant. It is a comfort. He rules the world, he humbles the proud, and he will never let go of those who truly rely on him.
Reflect
- What powers or pressures are most likely to make you feel fearful or overwhelmed?
- How does this passage deepen your confidence that God is truly sovereign over history?
- What would it look like for you today to rely more truly on the Lord rather than on human strength?
Closing prayer
Almighty God, thank you that you rule over nations, rulers, and all the forces of history. Forgive me when I fear human power more than I trust your promises. Humble the proud, preserve your people, and teach me to rely on you truly. Help me to live in peace and confidence under your sovereign hand, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Discover more from St Andrew's Roseville
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.