Saturday, November 15, 2014

Isaiah 9 - 10 in Pictures


So we have three different images that are combined together here, from three different sections of Isaiah 9.
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6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. (Isaiah 9:6-7, emphasis added)

That should be pretty familiar to us.

The next one is where Isaiah skewers the pride of the people.
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8 ¶The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel.
9 And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart,
10 The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycomores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars.  (Isaiah 9:8-10, emphasis added)
The people are so stiffnecked that they don't see the destruction they've already suffered as chastisement.  They only look at it as an opportunity to build bigger and better.  Repentance isn't even on their radar.

 Third image in the drawing..
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13 ¶For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the Lord of hosts.
14 Therefore the Lord will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day.
15 The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.
16 For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed. (Isaiah 9:13-16, emphasis added)



From the first drawing of this set:
18 ¶For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke.
19 Through the wrath of the Lord of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his brother.
20 And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm:  (Isaiah 9:18-20, emphasis added)
That's a pretty strong principle there in v18 -- "Wickedness burneth as the fire."  Wickedness is destructive, even leading to cruelty in families.  It is strongly marked by selfishness and dissatisfaction. 

For the image about injustice:
Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed;
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!
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?
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. (Isaiah 10:1-4, emphasis added)
Simply put, judges who make unrighteous and unjust decisions that take away rights will eventually suffer from injustice themselves.

For the image about the Assyrian attack against Judah:
5 ¶O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation.
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….
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….
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.
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….
26 And the Lord of hosts shall stir up a scourge for him according to the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb: and as his rod was upon the sea, so shall he lift it up after the manner of Egypt.
27 And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing. (Isaiah 10:5-6, 12, 15-16, 26-27, emphasis added)
 In short, once the Lord is done using the Assyrians to chastise Israel, He will turn on the Assyrians and punish them for their pride.

2 comments:

Unknown said...
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Michaela Stephens said...

fragrant breeze, I appreciate you coming by, but your comment was off topic, so I deleted it. Feel free to contribute to the conversation any time with on-topic and edifying content.