Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Isaiah
Book: Isaiah
Chapter: 10
Overview:
Woes against proud oppressors.
(1-4) The Assyrian but an
instrument in the
Hand of
God for the
Punishment of his people.
(5-19) The deliverance from him.
(20-34)
1-4 These verses are to be joined with the foregoing
Chapter.
Woe to the superior powers that devise and decree unrighteous
decrees! And woe to the inferior officers that draw them up, and
enter them
On record! But what will sinners do? Whither will
they flee?
5-19 See what a change
Sin made. The
King of
Assyria, in his
pride, thought to act
By his own will. The tyrants of the world
are tools of
Providence.
God designs to correct his people for
their hypocrisy, and bring them nearer to him; but is that
Sennacherib's design?
No; he designs to gratify his own
Covetousness and ambition. The Assyrian boasts what great things
he has done to other nations,
By his own policy and power. He
knows not that it is
God who makes him what he is, and puts the
staff into his
Hand. He had done all this with ease; none moved
the wing, or cried as birds do when their nests are rifled.
Because he conquered
Samaria, he thinks
Jerusalem would fall of
course. It was lamentable that
Jerusalem should have set up
graven images, and we cannot wonder that she was excelled in
them
By the
Heathen. But is it not equally foolish for
Christians to emulate the people of the world in vanities,
instead of keeping to things which are their special honour? For
a tool to boast, or to strive against him that formed it, would
not be more out of the way, than for
Sennacherib to vaunt
himself against
Jehovah. When
God brings his people into
trouble, it is to bring
Sin to their remembrance, and humble
them, and to awaken them to a sense of their duty; this must be
the
Fruit, even the taking away of
Sin. When these points are
gained
By the affliction, it shall be removed in
Mercy. This
attempt upon Zion and
Jerusalem should come to nothing.
God will
be as a
Fire to consume the workers of iniquity, both soul and
body. The
Desolation should be as when a standard-bearer
fainteth, and those who follow are
Put to confusion. Who is able
to stand before this great and holy
Lord God?
20-34 By our
Afflictions we may learn not to make creatures our
confidence. Those only can with comfort stay upon
God, who
return to him in
Truth, not in pretence and profession only.
God
will justly bring this wasting away
On a provoking people, but
will graciously set bounds to it. It is against the mind and
will of
God, that his people, whatever happens, should give way
to fear.
God's
Anger against his people is but for a moment; and
when that is turned from us, we need not fear the
Fury of
Man.
The rod with which he corrected his people, shall not only be
laid aside, but thrown into the
Fire. To encourage
God's people,
the
Prophet puts them in mind of what
God had formerly done
against the enemies of his
Church.
God's people shall be
delivered from the Assyrians. Some think it looks to the
deliverance of the Jews out of their
Captivity; and further yet,
to the
Redemption of believers from the tyranny of
Sin and
Satan. And this, "because of the anointing;" for his people
Israel's sake, the believers among them that had received the
Unction of Divine
Grace. And for the sake of the
Messiah, the
Anointed of
God. Here is, ver. 28-34, a prophetical
description of
Sennacherib's march towards
Jerusalem, when he
threatened to destroy that
City. Then the
Lord, in whom
Hezekiah
trusted, cut down his
Army like the hewing of a
Forest. Let us
apply what is here written, to like matters in other ages of the
Church of
Christ. Because of the anointing of our great
Redeemer, the
Yoke of every
Antichrist must be broken from off
his
Church: and if our souls partake of the
Unction of the Holy
Spirit, complete and eternal deliverances will be secured to us.