ISAIAH LESSON 12


     We will begin this lesson in Isaiah 10:1 "Woe unto them that
decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness [which] they
have prescribed;"

     This is speaking of those who are listened to by others. It is
bad to sin yourself, but to lead someone else into sin through
statements you make is much worse. This woe is spoken to those who
lead others astray, with the things they say. Writing plans for others
to live by is very dangerous, as well, when they are things the writer
has decided, and not God. The leader, who writes or speaks, better
speak as an oracle of God. Their writing and speaking must be from God
and not from themselves.

     Isaiah 10:2 "To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take
away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their
prey, and [that] they may rob the fatherless!"

     This is speaking of those who favor the wealthy over the poor in
judging them. This is, also, speaking of people who take advantage of
a widow or orphan. God teaches that we are to take care of the widow
and orphan, not cheat them out of the little they have.

     Isaiah 10:3 "And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in
the desolation [which] shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for
help? and where will ye leave your glory?"

     There is a day of reckoning when Jesus will stand and Judge the
whole world. His judgement will be righteous. Who can help you when
that day comes? The answer is no one, because you cannot deceive the
Lord. Just because you have had some place of authority on this earth
will not speak in your favor before the Lord. In fact, if you have
been a cruel leader, or one who taught them falsely, you will be
judged the more severely. To whom much is given, much is required.

     Isaiah 10:4 "Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners,
and they shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not
turned away, but his hand [is] stretched out still."

     This seems to be a little different rendering of the stretching
of His hand. In this case, it is the wrath of God. Since they have
turned from God, they will go into captivity. The wrath of God is not
immediately removed, even after they are captured. They endure many
hardships in prison.

     Isaiah 10:5  "O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in
their hand is mine indignation."

     The Assyrians are the instrument God uses to carry out His will.
They are the rod of His anger.  This tells us that even worldly people
are sometimes used to carry out the will of God. All are subject to
the wishes of God. The Assyrians are not on the side of God. He is
just using them to carry out His wrath on His people.

     Isaiah 10:6 "I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and
against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the
spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of
the streets."

     This is just another way of saying, "judgement begins at the
house of God". These hypocrites are thought of as God's people. They
actually say they are God's people, but they are not living like God's
people. The wrath of God is against them to get them to repent and
live right. This is very much like those Jesus spoke to that thought
they were Christians. He told them to get away from Him, because He
never knew them. They said they were Christians, but they were not
acting Christlike. They were not feeding the hungry, visiting the
sick, etc. Are you truly a Christian? Are you a hypocrite, saying you
believe, but acting as if you do not believe?

     Isaiah 10:7 "Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart
think so; but [it is] in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not
a few."

     This is speaking of the heart of the Assyrian. In his heart, he
wants to war and take by force anything he can. He is worldly. This is
why God chose him for this job. Assyria is not aware God is using her
for His purpose.

     Isaiah 10:8 "For he saith, [Are] not my princes altogether
kings?"

     This is speaking of there being secondary kings under the king in
their country. Instead of calling them prince, the king had made them
kings. It would be no problem for the king to set one of his secondary
kings over a country he had conquered.

     Isaiah 10:9 "[Is] not Calno as Carchemish? [is] not Hamath as
Arpad? [is] not Samaria as Damascus?"

     The cities mentioned in the verse above, except for Samaria as
Damascus, were all cities that had been overrun by the Assyrians.

     Isaiah 10:10 "As my hand hath found the kingdoms of the idols,
and whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria;"

     These conquered countries were called, in the verse above,
kingdoms of idols. Notice, this is in the eyes of the Assyrians. All
gods, besides their false gods, were thought to be idols. We have
discussed before that the word translated "idols", means nothings. The
Assyrians regarded no ones gods, but their own.

     Isaiah 10:11 "Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her
idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols?"

     The Assyrians were not aware that Jerusalem was the center for
the One True God. True, the people of Jerusalem had strayed from the
One True God. That was part of the reason for the Lord allowing this
terrible overthrow to happen. This was a very bold statement to make
to the people who belonged to the One True God.

     Isaiah 10:12 "Wherefore it shall come to pass, [that] when the
Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I
will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and
the glory of his high looks."

     We see that the strength of the Assyrian will last long enough to
carry out the wrath of God upon the Hebrews, who God has chosen to
punish.  The minute this task is finished, God will turn on the
Assyrian, and show him where the strength came from. God will bring
the Assyrians down Himself. Notice the "fruit". This means that the
descendents of this Assyrian king will be brought low, as well. The
punishment was against the Assyrians in general, not just the king and
his family.

     Isaiah 10:13 "For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have
done [it], and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the
bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put
down the inhabitants like a valiant [man]:"

     Now, we see the reason for the Lord bringing the king and the
Assyrians down. They thought they won the battle because of their own
personal strength. They did not give credit to God for this at all.
Their arrogance is what really brought them down. The word "I" brings
the punishment on the Assyrians.

     Isaiah 10:14 "And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the
people: and as one gathereth eggs [that are] left, have I gathered all
the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the
mouth, or peeped."

     The land was left ravaged, because the greed of the king of
Assyria. He had robbed them of their wealth. Assyria had devastated
these Israelites. The ten tribes of Israel had broken away from Judah,
and the main part of the devastation by these Assyrians was on these
of Israel.

     Isaiah 10:15 "Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth
therewith? [or] shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh
it? as if the rod should shake [itself] against them that lift it up,
[or] as if the staff should lift up [itself, as if it were] no wood."

     This is just saying, that the Assyrians are just the instrument
God used to show His wrath against His people. They are boasting
against God, who was the power behind them to do the task the Lord
sent them to do. An axe is of no use to anyone, unless there is a hand
to use it. God is the hand, and the Assyrians are the axe. We had read
earlier that Assyria was the rod that God would use against Israel.
Assyria is like the axe, the rod, or the staff. The instrument has no
power in itself. The power and ability to do this came to them,
because they were carrying out a task for God. They were unaware that
it was God who was the power, or that they were actually doing this
for God. It did not make any difference what they thought, they were
doing this in obedience to God's will.

     Isaiah 10:16 " Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of hosts, send
among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory he shall kindle a
burning like the burning of a fire."

     We know this verse is speaking of the destruction that will come
on Assyria. The Assyrians will become weak within their country, and
they will, also, fight the Babylonians, and the Medes from without.
Many times, God uses other countries to bring about the punishment on
a nation.

     Isaiah 10:17 "And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and
his Holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and
his briers in one day;"

     The Light of Israel is the Light of the world {Jesus Christ} as
we know Him. John 1:9 "[That] was the true Light, which lighteth every
man that cometh into the world."  Hebrews 12:29 "For our God [is] a
consuming fire." The fire and the Light are of God. God is actually
the One who will be fighting against Assyria. They will not be able to
stand against the fire of God. The destruction will be so quick and
complete, that it will appear to happen in one day. Man {no matter how
strong he is} is no match for God.



























                          Isaiah 12 Questions


1.  Who is the first woe spoken to?
2.  What is even worse than sinning yourself?
3.  The leader, who writes or speaks, had better speak as an ________
    of God.
4.  What is verse 2 speaking of?
5.  What is the day of visitation?
6.  To whom much is given, much is ____________.
7.  What message can we get out of verse 4?
8.  Verse 5 tells us the Assyrians are the ____________ God uses to
    carry out His will.
9.  What can we learn from this about God and worldly people?
10. Verse 6 is saying, judgement begins where?
11. What is a hypocrite?
12. Which are you, a Christian or a hypocrite?
13. What does the Assyrian want to do in his heart?
14. What does Assyria have instead of princes?
15. What cities had they already destroyed?
16. What kind of kingdoms are mentioned in verse 10?
17. What does "idols" mean?
18. What bold statement did the Assyrians make against Jerusalem?
19. When will God punish Assyria?
20. The "fruit" of the king means the ______.
21. Whose power won the battle for the Assyrians?
22. Why did God bring the Assyrians down?
23. Who received the worst of the damage from the Assyrians?
24. What message is in verse 15?
25. How will Assyria be destroyed?
26. Who is the Light of Israel?
27. Our God is a consuming ______.
28. Why does the destruction appear to happen in one day?