The Consequences of Not Trusting God-Isaiah 9:8-10:34

Isaiah, Old Testament, Sermons

Isaiah 9:8-10:34

“Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised” (Isa 9:12, 17, 21; 10:4; 5:25).

“In that day the remnant of Israel, the survivors of Jacob, will no longer rely on him who struck them down but will truly rely on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel” (Isa 10:20).

Theme: Not trusting God is ultimately the evidence that one is proud and arrogant (Isa 9:9b; 10:12b). When we do not trust God we experience God’s anger and judgment.

Isaiah chapters 1-12:

  • 1-5: Introduction to Isaiah. “Oh, what a sinful nation they are—loaded down with a burden of guilt. They are evil people, corrupt children who have rejected the Lord. They have despised the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him” (Isa 1:4, NLT).
  • 6: Turning point. Isaiah saw God and heard God’s voice (Isa 6:1,5,8).
  • 7: TRUST of Bust (Isa 7:4b, 9b). Isaiah confronts king Ahaz of Judah.
  • 8: Fear God, Follow God, or Fall Away (Isa 8:13-14).
  • 9:1-7: The Son’s Reign. God’s solution is not a conqueror but a child (Isa 9:6-7).
  • 9:8-10:34: God’s judgment against proud Israel (9:8-10:4) and proud Assyria (10:5-34).
  • 11-12: The messianic kingdom.

* The messiah in Isaiah 7, 9, 11 is about his birth (Isa 7:14), his person/nature (Isa 9:6) and his reign/kingdom (Isa 11:1-9).

Trust God (a major theme of Isaiah):

  • 1-5 – Introduction: Introduces the idea/problem of servanthood, of rebelling against God and of not trusting God.
  • 6 – Call to servanthood/trust God. Trust, the basis of servanthood, is the solution to the problems addressed in 1-5.
  • 7-35 – No Trust.
  • 7-12 – Ahaz fails to trust God and the consequences.
  • 13-35 – Study lessons on trust again.
  • 13-23 – Don’t trust the nations.
  • 24-27 – God is the sovereign actor on the stage of history.
  • 28-35 – Woe to those who will not wait/trust God. (34-35: Conclusion.)
  • 36-39 – Trust. Hezekiah passes the test of trusting God, unlike Ahaz.
  • 40-55 – Grace motivates us to trust God.
  • 56-66 – Grace enables us to live in the righteousness of God.

Some dates:

  • 740: King Uzziah died (Isa 6:1).
  • 740-690: Isaiah’s ministry (Isa 1:1).
  • 735: Isaiah met Ahaz (Isa 7:3).
  • 734-732: Syro-Ephraimite war (7:1ff). Tiglath-Pilesar III.
  • 732: Aram/Syria fell to Tiglath-Pilesar III.
  • 722: Israel fell to Sargon II.
  • 712: Philistia fell to Sargon II.
  • 701: Attack on Jerusalem by Sennacherib.
  • 671: Egypt fell to Esarhaddon.
  • 605: Assyria fell to the Medes and Babylonians.
  • 586: Judah fell to _________.

The Consequences of Not Trusting God (9:8-10:34):

  1. God’s Anger (9:8-10:4): Israel.
  2. God’s Judgment (10:5-19, 28-34): Assyria.
  3. God’s Promise (10:20-27): A remnant.

The recurring theme of pride in Isaiah. Isa 9:9-10; 10:12b; 2:11, 17.

  1. God’s Indictment (9:8-10:4): Israel.
  2. God’s Instrument (10:5-19): Assyria.
  3. God’s Promise (10:20-23): A remnant.
  4. God’s Deliverance (10:24-34): Judah – Stopping the invading Assyrians.

 I. God’s Indictment (9:8-10:4): Israel (or nothern Israel or Ephraim).

Four strophes (sections/structural divisions):

  1. Judgment on bravado (9:8-12).
  2. Judgment on leadership (9:13-17). Judgment begins with leaders (Jas 3:1) but does not excuse those who follow.
  3. Judgment on disunity/infighting (9:18-21). Not trusting God reduces society to a jungle. Self-inflicted judgment is still God’s judgment.
  4. Judgment on injustice (10:1-4). It is often the legalized wrongs of government and leaders. Consider the haunting question of Isa 10:3.

II. God’s Instrument/Tool (10:5-19): Assyria.

God will humble the proud and arrogant. A dominant theme of Isaiah is the bringing low of what is lofty (Isa 9:9-10; 10:12, 15-16; 2:12-13, 17). The unity of 10:5-34 is clear; it deals from beginning to end with the future downfall of Assyria. It’s message is also clear: neither fear nor rely on Assyria (Isa 10:20, 24), for she is merely a tool in the Lord’s hand, and her time of destruction will come.

III. God’s Promise (10:20-23): A remnant will return; they will trust God.

FROG. The prophecy (10:5-19) abruptly drops the discussion of the destruction of Assyria in order to introduce God’s gracious plan to save a remnant of his own people. This naturally fits the small “remaining trees”–the “remnant”–of the Assyrians (Isa 10:19). This salvation oracle predicts a day when Israelites will rely on and trust God, rather than rely of the Assyrian king to save them (Isa 10:20-21). The audience Isaiah is speaking to is in Jerusalem, not the northern nation of Israel. May we fully rely on God (FROG).

IV. God’s Deliverance (10:24-34): Judah. Halting the aggressor. Stopping the invading Assyrians.

Reasons to not fear. Knowing that a remnant will return (10:20-23), Isaiah encourages the people of Judah “not to fear” the Assyrians (Isa 10:24). Isaiah gives three reasons:

  1. God will soon end his wrath against Judah (Isa 10:25a).
  2. God will attack Assyria (Isa 10:25b-26).
  3. God will remove the yoke of the Assyrians from Judah (Isa 10:27).

10:28-32 is pictured as a thrust from the north, covering the last 10-20 miles (16-32 km) to Jerusalem. This conjures up the most vivid impression of a northern foe swooping on Jerusalem, then abruptly changing the scene to the toppling of forest giants (Isa 10:33-34). It gives dramatic reinforcement to Isaiah’s admonishment–“do not be afraid of the Assyrians” (Isa 10:24)–which is his watchword throughout the crisis (Isa 7:4; 8:12-13).

To not trust God, the Lord of Heaven’s armies, is sheer folly. It invites God’s anger and judgment. It trusts lesser items–magic, money, military might and man (Isa 2:6-7, 22)–rather than the Mighty God (Isa 9:6; 10:21). When we trust and rely on God, fear disappears and dissipates from within us.

Yet, how do we trust God? We must remember the grace of God (Isa 1:18), that God does not treat us as our sins deserve (Ps 103:10). We know this with certainty when, by the Spirit, we behold and contemplate the cross (2 Cor 3:18). When we do our hearts are touched and transformed to truly and fully rely on God (Isa 10:20).

References:

  1. Smith, Gary V. Isaiah 1-39. The New American Commentary: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture. B & H Publishing Group. Noshville, TN. 2007. 143-149.
  2. Motyer, J. Alec. Isaiah. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries. IVP. Downers Grove, IL, USA. 1999.
  3. Webb, Barry G. The Message of Isaiah: On Eagles’ Wings. The Bible Speaks Today. IVP. Downers Grove, IL, USA. 1997.
  4. Kidner, Derek. New Bible Commentary. IVP. Downers Grove, IL, USA. 1994.
  5. Ortlund Jr., Raymond C. Isaiah: God Saves Sinners. Preaching The Word. Crossway books. Wheaton, IL, USA. 1995. (Book. 50 audio sermons on Isaiah by Ray Ortlund.)
  6. Isaiah – Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae.
  7. Isaiah: Title of each chapter and commentary.
  8. Isaiah – Matthew Henry.
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