God uses Assyria

ISAIAH CHAPTER 10

Destruction, says the Lord, is certain for unjust judges, and for those who issue unfair laws. They will have no where to turn for help and will stumble along as prisoners or lie among the dead. But even then, the Lord's anger will not be satisfied.

Destruction is also planned for Assyria. They will enslave God's people but are a godless nation. The king of Assyria would not know that it was God who attacks and the king will think he will destroy Samaria and Jerusalem as well. But after God has used the king of Assyria to accomplish his purposes, he will turn against the king and punish him.

The Lord says to the king of Assyria that because of his evil boasting, the Lord will send a plague among his troops and a flaming fire would ignite his glory. In a single night the Lord would burn the Assyrians and destroy his warriors completely; they would waste away like sick people with the plague. Only a few would remain, so few a child could count them.

Then those who are left in Israel and Judah will trust the Lord and no longer depend on the Assyrians. A remnant of them will return to God, but many would be destroyed. The Lord tells the people of Jerusalem not to be afraid of the Assyrians but to remember the Egyptians oppressed them too long ago. When the Lord beat the Assyrians back with his whip, Gideon triumphed over the Midianites at the rock of Oreb, or when the Lord's staff was raised to drown the Egyptian army in the sea. In that day, the Lord would end the bondage of his people and break the yoke of slavery and lift it from their shoulders.

BIBLE NOTES SHOW: The predicted punishment of the Assyrians took place in 701 BC when 185,000 soldiers were slain by the angel of the Lord. Later the Assyrian Empire fell to Babylon, never to rise again as a world power. Those who remained faithful to God despite the horrors of invasion are called "the remnant". The remnant would be but a fraction of Israel's former population. The key to being a part of the remnant was Faith.

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY? God judged the unjust and those who made unfair laws and those who oppress others. It is not enough to live in a land founded on justice, each individual must deal justly with the poor and powerless. You alone are responsible and accountable.

The Assyrians were haughty and proud. They thought they had accomplished everything in their own power. Sometimes in today's world we often get a distorted sense of pride in our accomplishments. But we should always acknowledge God who is in control of our lives.

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:
HEALTH: Pray for Gabe.
Pray for Janice Long’s parents, especially her mother who faces another round of chemotherapy and her father with Alzheimer’s and now her mother in law also with Alzheimer’s. Their family is feeling the strain both emotionally and financially. Pray for them. Update on this family: Her mother-in-law is being taken to Oklahoma to live with an aunt who will care for her.
Pray for Arlene’s nephew David and for my neighbor Al who is nearing the end of his life.
Pray for Carolyn’s brother Ronald who has cancer and for her sister Wanda’s soul which went to heaven.
Pray for our friend Michelle who was diagnosed with MS.
UPDATE on Barb who went in for back surgery and had a heart attack and stroke, she has her speech back and is home , but continues to have a problem with one arm and hand. Thanks to your prayers, she is able to hobble without a cane and has been granted disability. She still has surgery scheduled on her hand, but I saw her recently and her attitude is fantastic.
Pray for Robert Sargent who is quite ill with lung cancer.
Pray for Gary Summers, my friend from church, who has cancer.
Pray for Judy’s husband who was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. Pray for her too, that she can deal with the side effects of his illness.
Pray too for Charly’s husband Robert who is undergoing chemo for his prostate cancer. Update on Robert: he has one more treatment and then three months of waiting for his psat test to come back clean.
Pray for John’s recovery from a heart attack and for the doctors who have difficulty diagnosing his other symptoms.
Pray for James’s sister Cynthia whose chemo has lost its effect as the cancer grows powerful.
Pray for another friend named Carolyn whose faith remains strong, but is lost and confused about where and how to spend her elder years.
SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary
RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John
LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter, Brian
SUPPORT: Haiti, Chile, survivors of Japan’s earthquake, survivors of the devastating tornadoes in our southernmost states and Joplin, Missouri. Pray too, for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom.