OUR FATHER WHO PUSHES BACK AGAINST THE OVEREACH OF THE POWERS OF DARKNESS

The book of Isaiah chapter 10 and verse 10,  quoting the Assyrian king plotting his scheme to  destroy the Lord's people in Jerusalem as he did to pagan Samaria,  says this;

As my hand seized the kingdoms of the idols, kingdoms whose images excelled those of Jerusalem and Samaria—

Verse 11 continues;

shall I not deal with Jerusalem and her images as I dealt with Samaria and her idols?’”

This overstep by the king of Assyria invoked the Lord's anger against him as verse 12 says;

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.

Even more broadly viewed, the overreach of the Assyrian involved a global power grab that erased national identities and orchestrated massive wealth transfers from the nations to himself. This maneuver was done with such subtle deception that no one objected. Verses 13 and 14 puts it this way;

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.

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.’”

However, in verse 15, the Lord rhetorically asks if a mere impliment can set the agenda of the user;

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!

The Lord will respond to the king of Assyria's presumption with destruction by fire and the displays of splendor and power that the Assyrian sets up with be utterly ruined. Verses 16 and 17 sats it like this;

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.

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.

Resources and administrative heirarchies erected by the Assyrian with be destroyed leaving a tiny remainder of his former reach and influence. Verses 18 and 19 renders it like this;

The splendor of his forests and fertile fields  it will completely destroy, as when a sick person wastes away.

And the remaining trees of his forests will be so few that a child could write them down.

Amen.

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