ISAIAH 9-102007 Teaching by Jerry B Simmons

Teaching Transcript: Isaiah 9-10

You are listening to FerventWord, an online Bible study ministry with teachings and tools to help you grow deeper in your relationship with God. The following message was taught by Jerry Simmons in 2007.

...distressed, as when at first he lightly esteemed the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward more heavily oppressed her by the way of the sea beyond the Jordan in Galilee of the Gentiles. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined."

And right away, you understand what the prophet Isaiah is talking about, right? You have to understand the context. Where we were last week as we finished off chapter 8. Isaiah has been promising to the nation of Judah that this...

Certain nation, this conquering kingdom that is coming, would not conquer them. This nation is the nation of Assyria. It was a world power of that time. And Judah was facing some threats by its brethren. The northern kingdom was coming against Judah, as well as another nation called Syria. They were all coming down on Jerusalem.

On the nation of Judah. And God has been promising the nation of Judah that they will not prevail. In fact, those two nations that are coming against Judah will be conquered by this other nation, the kingdom of Assyria. That this kingdom is going to be used by God to wipe out the nation of Israel and the nation of Syria. And they will not continue to attack the nation of Judah.

But the nation of Israel is living really in denial, saying, no, we're not going to be destroyed. We're not going to be completely wiped out, but we are going to remain strong. And we're going to seek out by mediums and by these diviners and not seeking the Lord, but by these spiritual helps and worshiping these other gods, we will be preserved. Right?

But God ended chapter 8 last week saying, these guys who are looking to these other gods, they will look to the earth and see trouble and darkness, gloom of anguish, and they will be driven into darkness. Even though they are hoping that they won't and they're looking to these other things, God says they're going to experience darkness. They're going to be plunged into the gloom.

But, here in chapter 9, he gives a little bit of ray of hope. He says, nevertheless, they're going to see this gloom. The nation of Israel, the northern kingdom, is going into darkness. It's going to be conquered. It's going to be destroyed. But, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Assyria is going to invade and there's nothing you can do about it, God has been saying. You will seek help from all these other sources, but they will not help you.

And the Lord will bring that judgment upon you. You will be plunged into darkness, but there is a light that's coming. And specifically, he makes reference to Zebulun and Naphtali. These were tribes of the nation of Israel. Tribes that had been given land there in the northern kingdom around the Sea of Galilee. That might be familiar to you because who ministered around the Sea of Galilee?

Jesus did. We know from the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, that really the majority of Jesus' recorded miracles and his ministry took place there in the region of Galilee where Isaiah is talking about here. Zebulun and Naphtali, these were tribes that were there in the north and Assyria came through the north.

They were north of Israel, and so they came down conquering. And Zebulun and Naphtali were one of the first areas, the first lands to be conquered, because they were in the path of the nation of Assyria as it came down upon the nation of Israel. And so God is saying that even though you're afflicted now,

Hey, there's going to be a great light in your midst in the future. And it's fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Turn with me please to Matthew chapter 4. We'll turn back to Isaiah in just a moment. But just so you can see for yourself with your own eyes the fulfillment of these things written approximately 700 years before Jesus.

Jesus walked the earth. In Matthew chapter 4, we find the fulfillment of these things. Looking at verse 13 and talking about Jesus, it says, And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of

Zebulun and Naphtali. Sound familiar? That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet saying, and then he quotes what we've just read, verses 1 and 2 of Isaiah chapter 9. And then verse 17. From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

And so Jesus is the fulfillment of what we read about here in chapter 9, verses 1 and 2. The light that will be in their midst is Jesus Christ. Nazareth, of course, is where Jesus was raised. It's where Mary and Joseph were from. He was raised there in the midst of Nazareth, which was in the land that was given to Zebulun. And it tells us here that he moves from Nazareth.

And he starts to dwell, he lives now in Capernaum. And really this is known or it's often called the headquarters of Jesus' ministry. He would always go back to this area, to this city. And it's located in the land that was given to Naphtali. And it tells us that he began to minister in that region first.

A direct fulfillment of Isaiah chapter 9. It's fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Even though you're afflicted now, he says, even though you're experiencing this gloom and darkness, there's a light that's coming. It's a light that will bring great rejoicing, as we'll see as we go on in Isaiah chapter 9. So let's go back there. Isaiah chapter 9 and continue on in verse 3. It says this,

Verse 4. Verse 5.

For every warrior's sandal from the noisy battle and garments rolled in blood will be used for burning and fuel of fire. Here he goes on to say there's going to be great joy. There's a light at the end of the tunnel and it's Jesus Christ and it's going to bring great joy. Verses 3-5 again fulfilled spiritually in the person of Jesus Christ.

Spiritually, this is already fulfilled in the work that was accomplished by Jesus there upon the cross for us. Literally, this portion will be fulfilled during the millennial kingdom when Jesus comes back, the second coming, when he establishes his reign and he comes as the conquering king of the earth. But spiritually, this has already been fulfilled.

In Romans chapter 6, the Apostle Paul, in dealing with the subject of the yoke, the burden, being a slave of sin, he says that our old man, our flesh, our sinful nature was crucified with Jesus Christ, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we would no longer be slaves of sin.

In verse 4 here in Isaiah 9, God says to the areas of Naphtali and Zebulun there, "...for you have broken the yoke of His burden." The kingdom that's come upon them and the nations that subject them to slavery, God says, "...I've broken their yoke." There's great joy, there's rejoicing because the yoke of burden has been broken.

And we understand that spiritually speaking, saying, yes, the yoke of burden, our bondage to sin, our bondage to our sinful nature has been broken. We've been crucified with Christ. Paul goes on in Romans 6 verse 7 to say, he who has died has been freed from sin. We've had that yoke broken.

By Jesus Christ dying upon the cross for us. By receiving in faith what He has done for us. We have been crucified with Him. And since we have died, we have been freed from sin. From the penalty of sin. From the power of sin. The yoke of burden has been broken. The yoke of burden to the law because of our sinful nature. Galatians 5, verse 1 tells us, hey, we've been set free.

From the law. We've been set free from the yoke that once bound us. Which was that we had to come to God based upon our fulfillment of His commands. And the things that He laid out there

In the book of Leviticus, the prescription for coming to God and ways to approach Him. Paul tells us in Galatians 5 and Romans 6 and many other times, we've been set free. The burden has been lifted. The yoke has been broken. Jesus said, hey, if you're weary, come to me because my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

He doesn't call us to a heavy, tripped up religion that it's a real bummer and a drag and it's real difficult. He doesn't bind us under those things. He takes burdens off of us. He calls us to walk alongside him because his yoke is easy and his burden is light. And so there's great joy. There's great joy because he has set us free. There's great joy because he has redeemed us.

There's great joy because as Paul will go on to say in Romans chapter 8, hey, there's therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. We've been made free from the law of sin and death as we walk in the power of the Holy Spirit, spiritually fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Literally, it will be fulfilled during the millennial reign, the thousand-year reign of Christ upon His second coming. Going on in verses 6 and 7 here in chapter 9, it says...

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and peace, there will be no end. Upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice. From that time forward, even forever, the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. Still referring to that time when Jesus will establish his kingdom, the government will be upon his shoulders.

Verse 7, talking about the increase of His government. There will be no end. There will be peace. There will be order. It will be established in justice. It will be the perfect kingdom because it has the perfect King after the tribulation period when Jesus sets up His kingdom. But of course, this verse is very famous and popular. Not necessarily referring to that millennial kingdom, that thousand year reign to come, but for unto us a child is born.

We know this to be referring again to this young boy that would be born 700 years later or so. Jesus Christ, born of a virgin, Mary. Engaged to Joseph, but not married. Miraculously, the Holy Spirit comes upon her and she is with child. For unto us a child is born.

It speaks to us of the humanity of Jesus Christ, that he being God became a man. He was born into this life. He became a man. He experienced growing up. He experienced life as we know it because he became a man. But it goes on the next line to say unto us a son is given, which reminds us not just that he was born, that he became a man, but that he also is God.

Because God's Son was given. Not only was He born, but He was given. He existed prior to His birth. He was God's Son and He was given unto us. Why? Anybody know John 3.16? For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.

Whoever would believe in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. He was given for you and I that we might have everlasting life, that we might rejoice, that we might be set free, that the yoke of burden might be broken. He was given that we might have everlasting life with Him, that we might enjoy His kingdom, of which the increase there is no end. The kingdom that's established in righteousness from that time forward, even forever.

God desires to spend eternity with us. And He has given His Son that by faith in Him, we might experience that. The government will be upon His shoulder. Again, this will take place in the Millennial Kingdom. You can read more about that in Revelation chapter 20 or come back, not next week, but two weeks.

As we go on in chapter 11 and 12, we'll be looking more at the millennial kingdom and what will be taking place there and what God will establish. But there will be no end to His kingdom. I love looking at the words here that are used to describe this son that is given, this child that is born. His name will be called Wonderful. Jesus is not terrible, He's wonderful.

He's someone that we don't need to be fearful of and shy away from in the sense of He's going to strike us down or He's out to get us. No, He's wonderful. His name shall be called Counselor. You ever need counsel? Do you ever need help, direction, advice, insight? You know who's the wonderful Counselor? Jesus is. It's why we need a relationship with Him.

He's the one who can get us through this life in one piece. He's the one who can get us through these trials and difficulties and accomplish in us what is best for us. His name shall be called Mighty God. Not just an ordinary man. Not just a good man. Not just a prophet. Not just... No, He is the Mighty God. Everlasting Father. The Prince of Peace. You need peace?

Do you need peace in your life? Do you need peace in your heart? Do you need that guilt removed? Do you need your heart to be stilled? He's the Prince of Peace. No one else can give you peace. No one else can satisfy you. It's Jesus Christ. He is everything that we need. He was the child that was born and the son that was given for us. God is so good.

It's amazing what he has given. Let's continue on here in Isaiah, looking at verses 8 through 12. It says,

Therefore, the Lord shall set up the adversaries of Rezan against him and spur his enemies on, the Syrians before and the Philistines behind, and they shall devour Israel with an open mouth. For all this, his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. Now God begins to change subjects and he deals with the northern kingdom as a whole.

In verse 8 it says, the Lord sent a word against Jacob. Jacob, Samaria, Ephraim, all of these are names that God uses to refer to that northern kingdom that broke away from the nation of Judah. The nation of Israel that was in rebellion to God, He refers to, and that's who He's speaking about by calling Him Jacob and Ephraim and Samaria.

Again, they had no good kings. They walked farther and farther away from God. Last week we saw that God promised as a result of their walking away from God and rebellion to God, God promised that Assyria would come and conquer Israel, but that Assyria would not be able to conquer Judah completely. They would have some devastation as a result of their sin, but Judah would not be conquered.

But Israel would be conquered. They would be overwhelmed and completely overrun. And so this prophecy is of Israel. They were going to be completely conquered by Assyria.

At the point that God is saying this, or the things that He's saying about them, is a point where they've experienced some battles and some devastation, but they've not been completely wiped out yet. And so in verse 9 they say, in their pride and in their arrogance of heart, they're saying, hey, the bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild. Rebuild.

In fact, we'll even do better. We won't just use bricks. We'll use hewn stone. We're going to carve out the stone and it's going to be stronger and better. And these trees have gone, but we're going to replace them with better trees. And they were so proud, even though they had experienced devastation by the nation of Assyria, they determined that, no, we're still going to be victorious and rebuild. We're going to be better. They're going to come back and really come back strong.

In their destruction, they still would not turn to God is the point. In their destruction, they were relying upon themselves, looking to themselves, saying, we can do it, lifting themselves up by their own bootstraps. We're going to do it. We can accomplish it. We can take care of it. We have what it takes. But God says, I don't think so. In verse 11, he says that he'll set up Rezan. That was the king of Syria that at one time they were allied with.

But God says, I'm going to turn him against you, Israel. Not only that, but I'm going to spur his enemies on and the Philistines are going to come against you as well. So here's Rezin, the king of Syria, coming from the north and the Philistines coming from the south. And Israel, you're going to get hit from both sides and you're going to be wiped out. And then, of course, the nation of Assyria will come and finish off the job. In verse 12, though,

It says even in the midst of all this that his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. Four times God will say this as he's dealing with the nation of Israel, emphasizing the extent of the destruction of the northern kingdom. This nation, the nation of Israel, will be completely wiped out and destroyed. God's wrath will be unleashed because of the rebellion to him. All this is going to happen.

They're going to experience destruction, but God's not done yet. There's more judgment to come. You've had those experiences, I'm sure, where you don't think it can get any worse. That's where Israel was. Hey, yeah, we've had some hard knocks, some difficult times, but we got it now. We're going to get back on our feet. We're going to take care of it. It can't get any worse than this. But God says, I'm not done yet.

Because of your rebellion. Because even now, in the midst of your humiliation, you're proud and arrogant and you will not rely upon me. His hand is outstretched still. There's more judgment to come. Why? Why so much judgment? It tells us, starting in verse 13, For the people do not turn to him who strikes them, nor do they seek the Lord of hosts.

Verse 17. Verse 17.

Why is God bringing this judgment? Why is His hand stretched out against them? It tells us in verse 13,

For the people do not turn to him who strikes them, nor do they seek the Lord of hosts. The book of Hebrews tells us that God chastens those that he loves. He's bringing discipline upon this nation because they're in rebellion to him, just as he often does in our own lives, brings chastening. At least you better hope he brings chastening in your life. Because the book of Hebrews says, hey, if you're not chastened, you're not one of his children.

If God doesn't discipline us, we're not his children. And so here is this nation of Israel, the people of God, being disciplined, chastened by the Lord, but they will not turn to him. They will not respond. They will not seek the Lord. This is why his hand is outstretched against them. This is why they're experiencing the judgment. This is why. Because they refuse to seek him. If they would seek him, we know from the scriptures that

There's the promise, if you seek Him, you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart. That's what He desires. He desires the relationship with them. He desires to be reconciled to them. But they will not seek Him. And everyone who refuses to seek the Lord will receive His judgment. His hand will be outstretched against them. God tells them, here, first it's going to come to the leaders. The head and the tail shall be cut off.

Telling us that the elder is the head and the prophet, the prophets that would speak lies, they were false prophets. They were the tail. The leadership, those that they looked to, the people looked to, they would be cut off. It tells us in verse 16 that the leaders, these people, would cause the people to err. They would cause the rest of the nation to walk away from God. They were leading people astray and encouraging them in rebellion against God.

And so God is going to cut them off. They're going to be dealt with. Judgment will be brought. But it's not just with the leaders that God is going to deal. In verse 17, he also says there's going to be no joy in their young men. He's going to come against the young men of the nation of Israel.

Not only that, but he's not going to have mercy on the fatherless and widows. Now, on Sunday, I shared and I went through a whole thing on how God has a special place in his heart and he looks out for and defends the fatherless and the widows and all the things that God says about that. But in this case, for the nation of Israel, he says, no mercy. I'm not going to have mercy anymore on the fatherless and widows of this nation. Why? Why?

For everyone is a hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaks folly. The leaders were leading the people astray, but that does not leave the people in a place that they can blame the leaders and not have to give an account for their own selves. God is holding each individual accountable and saying, yes, your leaders were corrupt. Yes, your leaders did not walk in my ways, but you...

are a hypocrite. You are an evildoer. And so everyone will receive the judgment of God because of their rebellion individually as well as nationally to God. In verse 17, again, he says, for all this, his anger is not turned away. Judgment is going to be brought on each person individually, but still it's not done yet. His hand is stretched out still. Going on, verses 18-19,

It says,

Through the wrath of the Lord of hosts, the land is burned up and the people shall be as fuel for the fire. No man shall spare his brother and he shall snatch on the right hand and be hungry. He shall devour on the left hand and not be satisfied. Every man shall eat the flesh of his own arm. Manasseh shall devour Ephraim and Ephraim Manasseh. Together they shall be against Judah."

Here God is explaining or describing what is going to take place there in the nation of Israel as this judgment is being poured out. First of all, he says in verse 18 that wickedness burns as a fire. This is the result and this is why God says, hey, don't do wickedness. Don't be involved in sin because it burns as the fire.

Romans 6.23 tells us that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. He says don't sin because it will bring death. It will bring destruction. There's going to be a great burning in your life. You're going to get burned if you keep on rebelling against God or living in disobedience to God. Wickedness and sin bring great devastation.

In verse 19, he says, Through the wrath of the Lord of hosts, the land is burned up. Wickedness against God, rebellion against God, incurs the wrath of God. It stores up the wrath of God for yourself when you are in rebellion to God. In Romans 2, verse 5,

Paul explains that it's in accordance with the hardness of your heart and the impenitence or unrepentance of your heart that you treasure up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. It's an interesting contrast that we have here. Starting out in the land of Zebulun and Naphtali and there's this promise of the Savior, the light, the being set free from the burden of sin. We see the loving and merciful and gracious God.

But that's not all that He is. He is also righteous and holy. And we see that demonstrated now towards the nation of Israel, towards the people that refuse to walk with Him, towards the people that will continue in rebellion regardless of the messengers that God sends, the discipline that He brings. They insist, we're going to do it our way. We're going to rebuild ourselves. We can do it. We have the strength. We can accomplish it. And so because they will not seek the Lord, they experience His wrath.

But for those who put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ, it's a different story. We don't need to fear the wrath of God. 1 Thessalonians 5, verse 9 tells us that God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Those who put their hope and trust, their faith in Jesus Christ, believe Him at His word and walk with Him, they don't need to fear the wrath of God. They don't need to fear the judgment that is described here in these verses.

Because God has not appointed us to wrath but unto salvation. But it's those who are in rebellion to God, those who will not seek the Lord, that need to know the wrath of God will come. Justice will be served. The time of wrath is coming upon the whole world in the tribulation period we know. The seven years that are set aside. The wrath of God being poured out. But God did not appoint us to wrath. Those who believe in Jesus Christ.

And that's why we must live by faith in Him and in obedience to Him, walking in relationship with Him. Israel, at this point, is completely wicked. They're hardened against God. And so they will experience His wrath being poured out. They will devour themselves and destroy each other. And yet, verse 21, for all this, His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still.

Continuing on in chapter 10, verses 1 through 4, he's still talking to this nation of Israel, this rebellious nation. He says, Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees, who write misfortune, which they have prescribed to rob the needy of justice and to take what is right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey and that they may rob the fatherless.

Verse 3, What will you do in the day of punishment and in the desolation which will come from afar? To whom will you flee for help? And where will you leave your glory? Without me they shall bow down among the prisoners and they shall fall among the slain. For all this, his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. God pronounces woe upon those ungodly leaders. There's judgment coming.

Be filled with sorrow. Woe to you who plan and plot these things and perform all of this injustice. I like verse 3. It says, What will you do in the day of punishment? I think he's the original author of the song, you know, Bad Boys, Bad Boys. What are you going to do? What are you going to do in the day of punishment? What are you going to do when I send this nation to conquer you? You have done all this wickedness and rebelled against the Lord.

So what will you do when punishment comes? Who will you turn to for help? Where are you going to flee? God says, I'll tell you where. Without me, you're going to bow down in captivity. Without me, you're going to fall among the slain. You're going to be wiped out, guys, because you will not seek me, because you're in rebellion to me. You will experience this judgment. You won't flee from it. You won't run from it. You can't escape it.

As I've often shared, you cannot continue in sin. You can't live in rebellion against God and not be affected by it. You will experience the judgment, the wrath. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life. It's why we need to hold fast to Jesus Christ. God now turns his attention to the nation of Assyria.

The nation of Assyria would be God's instrument in dealing with this nation of Israel. All of this judgment that he's pronouncing upon them, the nation of Assyria is the instrument that God uses to bring this judgment upon them. They're his tool, his instrument to deal with the nation of Israel as well as the nation of Syria.

But Assyria, God goes on to say, will be judged as well. Look at verses 5 and following. He says, Woe to Assyria, the rod of my anger, and the staff in whose hand is my indignation. I will send him against an ungodly nation and against the people of my wrath. I will give him charge to seize the spoil, to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.

Verse 2.

God now directs his attention to this nation of Assyria and he pronounces, Why? Why?

Well, first of all, he says, you are the rod of my anger and I will send you against an ungodly nation. God is using them to judge his people, to judge those that need judgment, who have stored up wrath for themselves as a result of their rebellion. God is allowing Assyria to conquer them, to bring that judgment upon them. This is good to know. Kings and nations...

are not outside the control of God. They're not outside of God's authority. Proverbs 21, verse 1 tells us that the king's heart is in the hand of the Lord like the rivers of water. He turns it wherever he wishes. The king of Assyria thinks, hey, this is my idea and I'm great and I'm mighty and so I'm going to do this. But in reality, it's God who has said, hey, I've given you this nation

I'm going to allow you to conquer them. I'm going to allow you to take their spoil, to take them captive. It's God who is doing the work. And he's using the nation of Assyria to accomplish it. In Amos 6, verse 14, the prophet Amos also dealing with the northern kingdom at the same time that Isaiah was ministering to the southern kingdom. So Amos is there in the northern kingdom sharing with the nation of Israel, this nation that is to be judged,

Amos tells them, but I will raise up a nation against you, a house of Israel, and they will afflict you from the entrance of Hamath to the valley of Arabah. They're going to just completely overwhelm you. They're going to afflict you. But God says, I will raise up a nation. The world power was raised up by God to take care of his people. You know, God can do that. He can orchestrate things.

globally things taking place. World power is coming into being to deal with his people and to accomplish his purposes. He does the same thing a little bit later when the nation of Judah continues to rebel against God. He promises and he shares in the book of Habakkuk, chapter 1, verse 6, he says, I'm raising up the Chaldeans or the Babylonians, a bitter and hasty nation.

And they're going to come and conquer the kingdom of Judah. That's much later. Isaiah won't see that in his lifetime. But the point is, God raises up nations. He casts them down. He directs them where he desires. It's his work that is going to be accomplished. But Assyria takes it too far. Even though they've been raised up to bring judgment upon God's people. In verse 8 says,

It says, for he says, that is Assyria says, are not my princes altogether kings? Assyria decides, hey, we're pretty tough. Look at how great victories we've accomplished. And look at how strong we are and how mighty battles that we've won. Our princes are like other people's kings. We're way better than anybody else. We don't have any problem. I'm going to go ahead and just wipe out everybody because we're the greatest.

And so he sets his sight on the nation of Judah, the city of Jerusalem. But here's the thing. God didn't give him the right. He didn't give him the authority or the power to conquer the nation of Jerusalem or the nation of Judah. I'm sorry. He set his eyes on Jerusalem. But God says, no, I didn't. I didn't raise you up for that. I'm not going to allow you to do that.

You think you're pretty tough. You think that you can do it. You think it's your own strength and might that has got you this far. But it's me. And I'll prove it to you if you insist on being rebellious towards me and going beyond what I have given to you.

Assyria is saying, hey, as I've done to Samaria and her idols, that's the nation of Israel. Hey, I've conquered them. I've wiped them out. Why not Judah too? Jerusalem and her idols and everything that's in Jerusalem. I'm going to wipe them out. I've beat all these other nations and all their gods. So I'm going to wipe out this nation and their gods. And he sets his eyes on Jerusalem. He's so proud. Victory is so easy. Why not conquer Judah too? But God says, no way.

Verse 12 goes on to say,

The hearts of the king of Assyria is lifted up.

He's decided, look how great I am. It's by my wisdom and by my strength that I've been able to accomplish this and be so successful. But in reality, they were able to accomplish those things because it was God who raised them up for that very purpose. But he will experience the judgment of God because his heart is lifted up. He's proud. He's looking to himself, celebrating how great he is and the victories that he's accomplished.

And God says, I'm going to knock you down. You're not going to accomplish this. You will experience the judgment. He says, I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart. Now, do you remember what happened during the reign of Hezekiah? I would encourage you on your own time, read the story. The account is in 2 Kings 18-19. In 2 Kings 18-19, King Hezekiah, who is the king of Judah, the southern kingdom,

God did not give Assyria the authority and ability to conquer that kingdom, but Assyria was going to try anyways. And so Assyria comes, Sennacherib comes to Hezekiah and threatens him and brings all his army. And if you know the story, you know what happens. There's Hezekiah, there's Isaiah. They pray to the Lord and God sends an angel and wipes out of the Assyrian army 185,000 in a single night.

Just completely annihilates them. They go back to their own land. That king is put to death. He's murdered by his own sons as a result of this failure, this humiliation, being defeated in such a way. God took care of them. He says, no, I didn't give you the authority and ability to do that. And so he wipes them out because he insisted on doing what God had not called him to do. Going on, verses 15 and following.

He says,

Therefore the Lord, the Lord of hosts, will send leanness among his fat ones, and under his glory he will kindle a burning like the burning of a fire. So the light of Israel will be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame. It will burn and devour his thorns and his briars in one day.

and it will consume the glory of his forest and of his fruitful field, both soul and body, and they will be as when a sick man wastes away, then the rest of the trees of his forest will be so few in number that a child may write them. Here God goes on to say, hey, the axe cannot boast itself against the one who chops with it. The axe can't say, hey, you can't chop with me, I'll chop you. He can't turn on the one who uses it. The instrument can't

Can't say anything or boast about what it does, but it's the one who uses that instrument. A skilled surgeon. You don't praise the scalpel. You praise the surgeon, right? It's the surgeon who uses it that makes it effective, that makes it so perfect and accomplish what it needs to.

The instrument is just that. It's an instrument. It's a tool. And that's what God says. Assyria, that's all you are. You're a tool. You're an instrument. You can't boast yourself against me and think, hey, you're so great and you did all this. You're just an instrument of the Lord. You're not that great. God raised you up. He gave you strength. He gave you that specific purpose. And you cannot go against that. See, God is big. He is on the throne.

And you and I cannot overthrow his purposes or plans. And no nation can overthrow his purposes or plans. They will try. History is full of those examples and there's many more yet to come. But God is on the throne. And so because of their rebellion, because they insist, God says that he will send leanness upon them. In fact, there will be so few left that a child will be able to count them or write them down.

There's going to be great devastation, which, again, we saw that take place in 2 Kings chapters 18 and 19, when the whole army is slaughtered. And then it was very soon after that, that the nation of Assyria was conquered. Going on, verses 20 and following, it says, "...and it shall come to pass in that day that the remnant of Israel and such as have escaped the house of Jacob..."

will never again depend on him who defeated them, but will depend on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. The remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God. For though your people, O Israel, be as the sand of the sea, a remnant of them will return. The destruction decreed shall overflow with righteousness. Verse 23. For the Lord of hosts will make a determined end in the midst of all the land.

Again, God changes subjects and begins to deal with now the remnant of Israel. They're going to be judged. They're going to experience the affliction. But there will be a remnant. There will be those who are preserved. And there will be those who return.

It shall come to pass in that day, he says in verse 20. What day? The day of the Lord. The day that Jesus Christ returns looking forward again to that millennial kingdom. And that day, Israel will depend upon the Lord. They will return to the mighty God. We're not just talking about returning to the nation or the land that they occupy, but returning to the Lord. Because as a whole, Israel has departed from God.

Some of them are religious. They read the scriptures. Some have returned to God individually. But as a whole, as a nation, as a people, they have departed from God because they do not receive Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah. But God is not done with Israel.

A remnant will return. Paul quotes this passage in Romans 9, verses 27 and 28, where in Romans 9, 10, and 11, Paul is sharing that, hey, God is not done with Israel, but Israel will come back to God, and God is going to do a mighty work through them. This time, he says in Romans 11, verse 25, he says,

That there's been a blindness in part that has happened to Israel. They've departed from God. They rejected the Messiah. And this blindness will last until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. When the fullness of the Gentiles is there, when those who are set aside and called to believe in Jesus Christ respond and turn to Him, when that fullness is complete, another way of looking at it is when the rapture of the church takes place.

God will again begin to work. He will open the eyes of the nation of Israel and they will return to him. Going on, verse 24. Therefore, thus says the Lord God of hosts, O my people who dwell in Zion, do not be afraid of the Assyrian. He shall strike you with a rod and lift up his staff against you in the manner of Egypt. For yet a very little while and the indignation will cease, as will my anger and their destruction.

And the Lord of hosts will stir up a scourge for him like the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb. And as his rod was on the sea, so will he lift it up in the manner of Egypt. Verse 27. It shall come to pass in that day that his burden will be taken away from your shoulder and his yoke from your neck and the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil. Here God is promising to Judah, you will be delivered from the Assyrian.

He says, O my people who dwell in Zion, that's the city of Jerusalem, the nation of Judah, don't be afraid of the Assyrian. He's going to strike you. He's going to come against you. But don't be afraid. Have faith. Take heart. Hang in there. It will just be a little while. And then what's going to happen? Well, let's read on. Verse 28, it says...

He has come to Aeth. He has passed Migron. At Michmash he has attended to his equipment. They have gone along the ridge. They have taken up lodging at Geba. Ramah is afraid. Gibeah of Saul has fled. Lift up your voice, O daughter of Galim. Cause it to be heard as far as Laish. O poor Anathoth.

Here, God is describing the Assyrians' journey to Jerusalem from the north down towards the south. The cities that they pass, the roads that they take, those that flee in front of them.

But it tells us in verse 32 that he will shake his fist at the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem. They're going to come down, conquer the nation of Israel, the northern kingdom, come down to the southern kingdom, come to the city of Jerusalem, shake their fist at it, yell and scream and shout and try to intimidate. But that will be the end. Again, 2 Kings 18 and 19. That's when Sennacherib comes against Jerusalem.

And he shakes his fist at Jerusalem saying, I will conquer you. God can't stop me. I'm going to do it. But what happens? God stops him. Let's finish up verse 33 and 34. Behold the Lord, the Lord of hosts, will lop off the bow with terror. Those of high stature will be hewn down and the haughty will be humbled. He will cut down the thickets of the forest with iron and Lebanon will fall by the mighty one.

Notice the language, the chopping and the cutting, specifically with iron, because it tells us the angel of the Lord went through the camp with a sword and slaughtered 185,000 in one night. The prophecy fulfilled just a few short years after Isaiah writes this. Assyria is wiped out, conquered, because of the haughtiness of their hearts. Now, as we wrap this up this evening, I want to

recap real quickly some of the things that we've talked about. Because I really believe that it represents our hearts this evening. The different places that we're at in our walks of life. He dealt with the nation of Israel. The nation that did not seek the Lord. And he said, because you do not seek the Lord, you will be judged. And if you're in a place where

If you're in a state where you refuse to seek the Lord, even perhaps there's chastening in your life, but you refuse to turn, you don't want to repent, you don't want to surrender your life to God, understand you are just like the nation of Israel and you will experience the judgment of God and your wickedness will burn as fire and God's hand will be stretched out and His anger will not be turned away because you refuse to seek Him. And so this evening, to those who would...

Maybe you wouldn't say it, but you know you're in the place of Israel. God's been speaking to you. He's been chastening you. But you've hardened your heart. You've hardened your neck and you are not seeking him. You're not turning towards him. Understand that you will be judged. And so I would exhort you and encourage you. I would plead, repent, turn from your sin, turn from your rebellion and get right with God. Maybe this evening you're more like the nation of Assyria.

God has allowed you to be very successful. And you've accomplished this and you've accomplished that. You've had victory there. Rich is here, rich is there or whatever. You've been prosperous. God would say to you this evening, don't be full of yourself. Don't boast against the Lord by exalting yourself. Saying, by my strength and by my wisdom, I have done this. No, give honor to the Lord and you need to stay submitted to Him.

Stay in the center of His will. Stay walking with Him. Don't think it's by your great strength and that you can do whatever you want because you're just so great and talented and you've got all these gifts and you can do whatever you want. No. Understand, hey, God has allowed you to be successful. Praise the Lord. That's good. Give Him honor and glory. Don't exalt yourself. Stay in the center of His will. If not, you will be cut down despite your best attempts and all that you have accomplished. You'll be cut down.

If you do not give Him glory. Maybe this evening you're more like the nation of Judah. Kind of as Richard shared earlier this evening, you're experiencing the overwhelming attacks as the nation of Assyria came against them. And last week we saw in chapter 8 that God said the waters would come up to their neck.

Talking about the extent of the pressure that would be applied and the danger that they would be in. It was promised God would protect them, but the waters were going to come through their neck. And you could understand that that would be pretty scary. And God says, no, trust me, it's going to be this way. There's going to be this pressure. There's going to be these attacks. But hang in there. I will be faithful. And God would share with you, hey, are you experiencing overwhelming attacks? Yes.

You're experiencing trouble and difficulty and you feel like you're just about to go under. Hang in there. God promises, I will be faithful.

Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4, our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Hang in there. It's light affliction. It doesn't feel like it, but it is. And there's a far more exceeding great glory being stored up for you as you continue to walk in faith. This evening I would encourage you, like the areas of Naphtali and Zebulun,

Turn to Jesus Christ. Let the light shine in your heart and through your life. Rejoice and have great joy because the bonds are broken. The light has come and you have the opportunity, the ability to have a relationship with the child that was born and the son that was given. And he is wonderful and he is counselor. He is mighty God. He is everlasting father and he is prince of peace.

this evening you have within your grasp a real relationship with Jesus Christ who has everything that you need, who can satisfy you. And so I would exhort you and encourage you to draw close to him. Let his light shine upon your heart that you might be a light to the world around you. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, I lift up our hearts to you and wherever we are and whatever state we're in, God, I pray that you would help us to have great joy and to rejoice in

Because of what you've done. God, I pray that those who are burdened and weighed down and under attack, Lord, that you would give them hope and faith and trust in you. Lord, that you would be faithful to your word. And you would accomplish in them the things that you desire to accomplish. Lord, I pray for those who you've allowed to be so successful and prosperous. God, I pray that you would not allow that success to turn their hearts away from you.

But Lord, that you would reveal to them and show them their need of you. God, that they would rely upon you completely and be submitted to you in their life. God, I pray for those who are not seeking you. Lord, they know the truth. They know about you. They know who you are. Lord, that they are not walking with you. God, I pray that you would turn their hearts towards you. Lord, we do pray for your discipline and chastening where it's needed, that we might

Have right relationship with you. And deal with those areas that you need to deal with. And God, we thank you. That none of this is based upon us or our strength or our wisdom. But it's based upon a gift that you gave your son for us. Lord, that we could have this relationship with you. And you're wonderful. And Lord, when we need advice and insight and direction, Lord, you're our counselor.

And Lord, when we face trials and difficulties and things that are beyond our strength, you are our mighty God. Lord, when we fail, when we need compassion, when we need support, you are our everlasting Father. And Lord, when times are troubled, Lord, when our hearts condemn us, you are our Prince of Peace. You're everything we need. And so, Jesus, we turn to you this evening. Draw us closer to you and help us to walk in right relationship with you. In Jesus' name we pray.

Amen. Amen.