Isa 31:8 | KingComments | STEP | The enemy that oppresses Jerusalem will fall by the sword. That sword is not wielded by a human being. Not the Egyptians will defeat Assyria. The LORD Himself will wield the sword to defeat Assyria ( ). In the short term this will happen at the siege of Jerusalem in the time of Hezekiah ( ). In the end time it will happen again and finally by the Lord Jesus when He comes from heaven ( ; ). What is left of the power of the nations, represented in the “young men”, will be placed in the service of the people of God. “His rock” ( ) refers to the protection that Assyria has proclaimed to be for all who are subject to him. This “rock” will perish in terror at the sight of the majesty of the LORD. The ‘rock’ probably means the king of Assyria. Other leaders of his people will also lose the courage to lead his armies further in the fight against Jerusalem. They will discover that the LORD let go forth from Zion a consuming fire and made Jerusalem a consuming furnace for those who have been gone up against it. Then Jerusalem will be a true “Ariel” ( ). They have ventured to destroy God’s holy city. They themselves will be destroyed by it.

‏ Isaiah 31:8

Assyria Falls by the LORD

The enemy that oppresses Jerusalem will fall by the sword. That sword is not wielded by a human being. Not the Egyptians will defeat Assyria. The LORD Himself will wield the sword to defeat Assyria (Isa 31:8). In the short term this will happen at the siege of Jerusalem in the time of Hezekiah (Isa 37:36). In the end time it will happen again and finally by the Lord Jesus when He comes from heaven (Dan 11:45; Rev 19:11 ; 15 ; 21). What is left of the power of the nations, represented in the “young men”, will be placed in the service of the people of God.

“His rock” (Isa 31:9) refers to the protection that Assyria has proclaimed to be for all who are subject to him. This “rock” will perish in terror at the sight of the majesty of the LORD. The ‘rock’ probably means the king of Assyria. Other leaders of his people will also lose the courage to lead his armies further in the fight against Jerusalem. They will discover that the LORD let go forth from Zion a consuming fire and made Jerusalem a consuming furnace for those who have been gone up against it. Then Jerusalem will be a true “Ariel” (Isa 29:1). They have ventured to destroy God’s holy city. They themselves will be destroyed by it.