Isa 10:20-27 | KingComments | STEP | Defeating the Assyrians is a picture of defeating the assembled armies that will advance against Jerusalem in the end time. “In that day” ( ) points to that. “That day” is not a day of twenty-four hours, but a period. It is the period from the moment the Lord Jesus rises to claim His rights on the earth – His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives in that day ( ) – up to and including His reign in the millennial realm of peace. It begins with the return of the remnant, “the remnant of Israel”. When the king of the North is destroyed by the appearance of the Lord Jesus, the remnant of the ten tribes realm still in scattering is also gathered together ( ). Israel will then no longer rely on the heathen power Assyria that struck him, but on “the LORD, the Holy One of Israel”. That weak remnant, meaningfully called “the remnant of Jacob”, no longer counts on his own strength and returns to “the mighty God” ( ; cf. ). And Who is “the mighty God”? No one but the born Child and the given Son, the Messiah, the Lord Jesus, Whose name is “Mighty God” ( ). Remarkably, the first words of , “a remnant will return”, are the translation of the Hebrew Shear-jashub, the name of a son of Isaiah ( ). That this part not only relates to the invasion of Assyria that will take place soon, but also looks forward to the end time, is also clearly shown in . At the end of the great tribulation comes the “destruction”. In that destruction both the unbelieving mass of Israel ( ) and the Assyrians perish. The number of the people will have decreased so much that only a handful of the once numerous people will remain ( ; ). But this remnant is at the beginning of the kingdom of peace the nucleus from which again a multitude of people will grow. The righteousness of God will flood the land. Everything will come under His righteous judgment. It is a destructive judgment on all wickedness ( ). It is decreed ( ), no one can stop it. “The Lord GOD of hosts” Himself will do it. He will do it “in the midst of the whole land”, which is the land of Judah. The apostle Paul applies to the remnant according to God’s gracious choice in his days ( ). This remnant is part of the Christian church at this time, which consists of believers from Jews and Gentiles who merge into the one body that is the church ( ).

‏ Isaiah 10:20-27

A Remnant Will Return

Defeating the Assyrians is a picture of defeating the assembled armies that will advance against Jerusalem in the end time. “In that day” (Isa 10:20) points to that. “That day” is not a day of twenty-four hours, but a period. It is the period from the moment the Lord Jesus rises to claim His rights on the earth – His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives in that day (Zec 14:4) – up to and including His reign in the millennial realm of peace.

It begins with the return of the remnant, “the remnant of Israel”. When the king of the North is destroyed by the appearance of the Lord Jesus, the remnant of the ten tribes realm still in scattering is also gathered together (Mt 24:31). Israel will then no longer rely on the heathen power Assyria that struck him, but on “the LORD, the Holy One of Israel”.

That weak remnant, meaningfully called “the remnant of Jacob”, no longer counts on his own strength and returns to “the mighty God” (Isa 10:21; cf. 2Chr 30:6). And Who is “the mighty God”? No one but the born Child and the given Son, the Messiah, the Lord Jesus, Whose name is “Mighty God” (Isa 9:6). Remarkably, the first words of Isa 10:21, “a remnant will return”, are the translation of the Hebrew Shear-jashub, the name of a son of Isaiah (Isa 7:3).

That this part not only relates to the invasion of Assyria that will take place soon, but also looks forward to the end time, is also clearly shown in Isa 10:22-23. At the end of the great tribulation comes the “destruction”. In that destruction both the unbelieving mass of Israel (Zec 13:8a) and the Assyrians perish. The number of the people will have decreased so much that only a handful of the once numerous people will remain (Isa 10:22; Zec 13:8b-9). But this remnant is at the beginning of the kingdom of peace the nucleus from which again a multitude of people will grow.

The righteousness of God will flood the land. Everything will come under His righteous judgment. It is a destructive judgment on all wickedness (Isa 10:23). It is decreed (Dan 9:26-27), no one can stop it. “The Lord GOD of hosts” Himself will do it. He will do it “in the midst of the whole land”, which is the land of Judah.

The apostle Paul applies Isa 10:22-23 to the remnant according to God’s gracious choice in his days (Rom 9:27-28). This remnant is part of the Christian church at this time, which consists of believers from Jews and Gentiles who merge into the one body that is the church (Eph 2:13-16).

The Remnant Is Liberated

The Lord GOD of hosts says to His people not to fear the Assyrians (Isa 10:24). They will come and strike them, but after “a very little while” the indignation of the LORD against them will come to an end (cf. Isa 9:12 ; 17 ; 21 ; Isa 10:4) and then His anger will turn against the Assyrians (Isa 10:25). After all, that is how it was with the Egyptians, isn’t it? They were oppressed at first, but then God’s hand turned against this enemy of His people (cf. Isa 52:4). This is how it will be with Assyria.

Isaiah also recalls how Midian was stricken (Isa 10:26; Jdg 7:25; cf. Isa 9:4). He also reminds them of the deliverance of the people when they stand before the Red Sea. The Israelites have no way to go. The sea is before them and Pharaoh with his army behind them. Then Moses lifts up his staff, which is here the staff of the LORD, and a path comes in the sea. The Israelites pass through it, while Pharaoh and his army perish in the sea.

It is good to remember how God has saved us from distress in the past. That gives courage to trust Him also in view of an upcoming situation of distress. In that trust Isaiah mentions the outcome. The burden will be removed from the shoulder, the yoke will be broken (Isa 10:27). The burdened heart relieves, captivity and bondage are over. Inwardly there is peace, outwardly there is freedom, “because of fatness”. ‘Fatness’ literally is ‘oil’, used to anoint. Therefore others translate “because of the anointing” that is, because of Christ, the Anointed, Who will then reign in Jerusalem.

Assyria of the end time is the same as the king of the North (Dan 11:1-35) with behind it the great empire of Gog (Russia). He invades the land and floods everything. The king of the North is the leader of a coalition of ten countries (Psa 83:5-8) north of Israel, all islamic (Shiite?) and with a great hatred of Israel. After the destruction of the king of the North on the mountains of Israel, his place is taken by Gog – Russia and its allies. But there is no need to fear because the Lord Jesus will also completely destroy that last enemy of His people (Ezekiel 38-39).