Can anyone explain to me Isaiah 10:15-19?

Question

I am trying to study this passage, but I am little bit confuse.

Answer 1

http://pastorjon.typepad.com/biblical_christianity/2006/08/isaiah_101519.html

Isaiah 10:15-19
Isaiah 10 - Assyria Judged

3. (15-19) God assesses of the arrogance of Assyria.

Bible6_65 Shall the ax boast itself against him who chops with it? Or shall the saw exalt itself against him who saws with it? As if a rod could wield itself against those who lift it up, or as if a staff could lift up, as if it were not wood! Therefore the Lord, the Lord of hosts, Will send leanness among his fat ones; and under his glory He will kindle a burning like the burning of a fire. So the Light of Israel will be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame; it will burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day. And it will consume the glory of his forest and of his fruitful field, both soul and body; and they will be as when a sick man wastes away. Then the rest of the trees of his forest will be so few in number that a child may write them.

a. Shall the ax boast itself against him who chops with it? The Lord uses the pictures of an ax, a saw, a rod, and a staff to make the point that the instrument should never take credit for what the worker does with the instrument. The scalpel can’t take credit for what the surgeon does; the strength and the skill are in the user, not in the instrument.

i. If it is easy for an unknowing instrument of God to become proud, it is also easy for a willing instrument of God to become proud. Jesus said we should have a different attitude: So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, “We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.” (Luke 17:10) As wonderful as it is to be an instrument in the hand of God, the instrument deserves no special glory.

b. Therefore the Lord . . . will send leanness among his fat ones: Assyria sat “fat and sassy” at the time, but God would send leanness to them. His judgment will be like the burning of a fire among them, and it will consume the glory of his forest and of his fruitful field. The Lord will leave Assyria just a shadow of its former self.

c. Bultema on both soul and body: “Calvin warned against inferring from this that the soul is not immortal. What is meant, according to this keen expositor, is that the soul of this tyrant will have to pay for his wicked deeds on earth after the destruction of His body.”

Answer 2

This passage is talking about Assyria (in particular, the Assyrian king) which conquered Syria (Carchemish, Hamath, Damascus) and northern Israel (Samaria) in the recent past (Is. 10: 9, 10). Now the Assyrian king is threatening - no boasting - to overthrow the southern kingdon of Judah as well (Jerusalem; Is. 10: 11), saying: "By the strength of my hand I have done it... (Is. 13, 14).

But God says that Assyria has only been an instrument in His hand to execute punishment upon thise nations that Assyria has overthrown (Is. 10: 5, 6).

Assyria is God's instrument or tool for chastising the nations. It is like the ax (or saw or rod or staff) in God's hands with which He punished idolatrous nations. But Assyria does not acknowledge this and instead, the Assyrian king is boasting that Assyria's successes were due entirely to the king's wisdom, prudence and strength in arms (Is. 10: 13).

Now Assyria's boasting is like an ax boasting against the hand that wields it (Is 10: 15). Can an ax or rod or saw wield itself? No; of course not - it needs the hand and arm of a man to weild it to do its work. The arm that weilds Assyria (the ax) is God.

Because of the arrogance and pride of Assyria, God is determined to punish it in retributive justice (10: 5, 16 - 19).
God will "devour" the Empire of Assyria ("consume the glory of his forests") and Assyria's decline will be like the slow wasting away of a sick man (10: 18). Ultimately, what lands or cities that remain to Assyria from all its conquests will be so few in number that a child can easily count it (10: 19).

Hope this helps.

Answer 3

Isaiah is difficult to understand but here goes.

In the last days people will be boasting about their deeds and not giving God the credit he deserves. We can do nothing but what the Lord will allow us to do but we take all the credit ourselves. In verse 16 the fat ones ore the kings of the earth. When it states that the rest of the trees of his forest shall be few it means that those who are wicked will be destroyed and there will only those that do good is left. Therefore most of the people will be destroyed as only a few will be left. The way that Assyria was destroyed is the same type of destruction of the wicked at the second coming, FIRE.

Answer 4

This is what one person thinks:
12-18 When God acts in judgment, it is often to upset human values so that everything can be seen from the divine perspective. Jerusalem's hill is to be exalted above other greater mountains (v.2), but all that is reckoned great by people will be brought low.
Much of the imagery of this passage can be viewed as Phoenician. It was in the hinterland of Tyre and Sidon that the cedars grew; it was there too that the highest mountains were found, and the grand designs of stone-masons and shipwrights were to be seen in its ports. "Every trading ship" was based in Phoenicia. This land was notorious for its religious influence on both Israel and Judah, for Jezebel's family became part of the dynastic stock of both kingdoms for a while (cf. 2Ki 8:16-18). It was from this quarter that religious syncretism had come during the previous century, and its features could still stand for alien religion. The main point, of course, is that God's act of judgment would humble every manifestation of human pride.

19-21 The terrifying revelation of the glory, power, and judgment of the one true God will give human beings--but too late--a proper sense of values. The silver and gold used to make idols are at last recognized as worthless in the light of his glory.

Answer 5

It is God telling his people that to not obey him is a sin. And he goes from decree against him idols, and the king of Assyria to the devil burning, and to a anointing that will destroy the enemies of God, and The Lord of Host shall lop the bough of terror and the high ones will be hewed down and the haughty shall be humbled, and finally Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one.
The Chapter is a warning against the enemies of God and Israel in all the possible forms. No enemies will survive!
But, where is the love of the New Testament? Where is the redemption, the possibility of forgiveness or the reality of peace?

Answer 6

.. its basically saying that israel, or Gods people, have been essentially taught a lesson by the powers around them by letting these powers lord over them because of the transgressions ... but it speaks of how these ungodly powers were used for Gods purpose and that it isnt right that these powers exalt themselves like they had the control and were just so advanced and mighty ... it was Gods hand at work ... and these powers will be reduced and it will be truley clearly seen in the end that God will support his people.

Answer 7

They are speaking of Assyra and Assyra has no power of its own. Ax, saw, rod, staff...instruments of the Lord. Burning, fire, consume... When He had finished using Assyria as His instrument, the Lord terminated the kingdom's existence,

Answer 8

Seems to be referring to retribution to those who take credit for what the Lord has done (and perhaps at a specific time that the Lord has chosen to do this)...For remember that He humbles those who exalt themselves and exalts those who humble themselves.

Answer 9

If you'd have copied and pasted the passage into here, I might have been able to help you, but not going to go look it up :/

Answer 10

GOD IS SAYING IT IS NOT THE CREATURE BUT THE CREATOR.
IT IS NOT THE AX WITH THE POWER,
BUT THE AX HOLDER.
GOD HAS ALL THE POWER,WE DO NOT TELL HIM HOW OR WHAT TO DO.
I HOPE THIS HELPS
GOD BLESS AS YOU SEEK THE TRUTH