After an introductory decree against oppression and injustice, the LORD turns His attention in chapter 10 to Assyria. While he believes that by the strength of my own hand I have conquered, Assyria is simply the rod of [the LORD’s] anger. And when the LORD has finished all His work on Mount Zion… He will punish the speech of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the boastful look in his eyes.

This conceit likewise drives the LORD’s anger at Babylon in chapter 13. Over a century before Babylon will cast off its own Assyrian yoke and terrorize Jerusalem, Isaiah foretells the cause of its demise. The day is coming when the LORD will put an end to the pomp of the arrogant, and lay low the pompous pride of the ruthless… And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the splendor and pomp of the Chaldeans, will be like Sodom and Gomorrah when God overthrew them.

Between these judgments against the current and future nemeses of Judah is a series of promises of no mean significance. First, the LORD promises that a remnant of Israel and the survivors of the house of Jacob will no more lean on him who struck them, but will lean on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. Second, there shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse – a king in the line of David – and in that day the Lord will extend His hand a second time to recover the remnant that remains of His people…

Furthermore, it is promised that this shoot of Jesse will answer the call for justice, for: The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD… He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;

Our verse for this week is James 1:22: But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

Isaiah 10 through 13. Now let’s read it!