You will recall from earlier in our study of the book of Isaiah that the name of one of Isaiah's sons means "a remnant shall return". This was a prophecy that took place in a number of stages, including a stage which has not yet come to pass in our day, but in today's segment of Chapter 10 we find the Lord reassuring the people that He does not intend to make an end of them.
Assyria will cause the fall of the northern kingdom of Israel and will deport a large number of the citizens. But some will return. In addition, although King Ahaz of Israel turned to Assyria for help against the combined forces of Israel and Aram, Assyria is not a nation he should trust; that nation will plague Judah in a number of ways and will attempt to cause the fall of Jerusalem. The Lord will not allow Jerusalem to fall to the Assyrian army. He will, in time, cause Jerusalem to fall to the Neo-Babylonian Empire, but even then a remnant will return and rebuild.
"In that day a 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. A remnant will return, a remnant of Jacob will return to the Mighty God." (Isaiah 10:20-21) King Ahaz made a mistake when he made an alliance with King Tiglath-Pileser of Assyria. Although this alliance temporarily gave Judah a reprieve from invasion (invasion by Israel and Aram), the real enemy was the nation Ahaz counted as a friend. After conquering Aram and Israel, Assyria set its sights on Judah, which is why the Lord refers to Assyria in verse 20 as "him who struck them down".
If the people of Judah go by appearances alone, it will appear as though Assyria will conquer their nation as well. But, as we've already mentioned several times in our study of Isaiah, the son and successor of King Ahaz will make many religious reforms in Judah. A revival will ensue, especially in Jerusalem. Although the Lord will still use the Assyrians to discipline the nation of Judah for the people's waywardness and for the idols that dot the landscape, He will not allow Judah to be destroyed. Assyria will trouble Judah greatly but when the enemy army comes right up to the gates of Jerusalem, the Lord will fight for that city. He will destroy the enemy army.
In the days of Ahaz's son King Hezekiah, the people will look to the Lord for help against their foe. He will answer! They will "truly rely" on Him in those days. They also will "truly rely" on Him in the future, when remnants of the people of Israel who were carried off by Assyria return and when remnants of the people of Judah who were carried off by Babylon will return. In addition, there is still a day out there when the Messiah will come and reign over the entire world from Jerusalem and the greatest return will occur.
At no time in the past or in the present has every descendant of Jacob placed their trust wholly in the Lord. This is why the Apostle Paul said, "Not all who are descended from Israel are Israel." (Romans 9:6b) What Paul was saying was that, spiritually speaking, there has really only ever been a remnant who belonged to the Lord. He was saying that only those who trust in the Lord are the real Israel. From a spiritual standpoint, there has never been a time when all Israel was faithful to the Lord; in that sense they have always been a remnant. Therefore, only a remnant will return and rebuild and inhabit the land in Old Testament times, so the Lord says, "Though your people be like the sand by the sea, Israel, only a remnant will return. Destruction has been decreed, overwhelming and righteous. The Lord, the Lord Almighty, will carry out the destruction decreed upon the whole land." (Isaiah 10:22-23)
The Lord isn't going to give them any false hope. Destruction will come because of their sin and idolatry. Many will be carried off to foreign lands. Compared to how many fall by the sword and how many are taken away captive, only a small percentage will return. Later in the Old Testament we will learn that a number of false prophets were assuring the people that neither Israel nor Judah would ever fall to an enemy. I am sure some of them were falsely promising that, even if the Lord allowed citizens to be captured, He would cause all of them to be recovered with a mighty miracle. Pagan prophets were likely saying that some other god would rescue them from the hand of the enemy. The Lord is telling them the truth through His prophets and He couldn't have spoken more plainly. Even now, if true repentance had taken place and if the majority of the people had turned back to Him, I believe He would have relented. I believe He would have turned His hand against the enemy instead of against the citizens of Israel and Judah.
He is angry, and rightfully so, but His anger won't last forever. He will assure the people of that when we study the next segment of Chapter 10.
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