B04.02.89.htm

(ISAIAH No.3)

(Cont. from Page 3/2/89).

Chapter 10:

Enemies of Almighty God that form the "sturdy frame" of the "Assyrian" fall into three distinct categories (Isaiah 10:12,16 NEB):

(1)	Apostates: These receive knowledge of God, but rebel and swear oaths to Him falsely.
(2)	Godless men: These refuse to acknowledge God, set up their own empty ideas, and plan deceit and wickedness. (2 Esdras 7:21-25 NEB). They even include members of sectarian religions and their leaders, indeed all who support the spiritistic persecution of God's beloved people.
(3)	Admirers, promoters and worshippers of government by the political will of the "wild beast", opposing the Will of God through the promotion or practice of such wicked deeds as those described on Page (1/9/87) destined for Spirit "fire".

Government ministers within each nation devise meaningless jargon to defend their own interests, and enact oppressive measures to deprive the poor of justice, just as it is written: "Shame on you! You who make unjust laws and publish burdensome decrees, depriving the poor of justice, robbing the weakest of My people of their rights, despoiling the widow and plundering the orphan." (10:1,2 NEB). But Jehovah says of them: "What will you do when called to account, when ruin from afar confronts you... and where will you leave your glory"? (10:3 NWT & NEB).

The "Assyrian" has been the "rod" Almighty God has used to express His anger against apostate and Godless nations. As an example of this, Jehovah used Nazi Germany as the "rod" for His anger to "spoil and plunder at will" apostate Jews. (10:5,6 NEB). Because apostate Jews forsook necessary spirit readjustment for their sanctification by stubbornly holding onto teachings and traditions of men which deviate from Mosaic Law (Mark 7:6 9. Col 2:13,14), Almighty God used Nazi Germany as His "rod" against their apostasy: "Aha, the Assyrian, the rod for My anger, and the stick that is in their hand for My denunciation! Against an apostate nation I shall send him, and against the people of My fury I shall issue a command to him, to take much spoil and to take much plunder and to make it a trampling place like the clay of the streets." (10:5,6). But the "Assyrian" is Godless, and goes far beyond the Will of God: "This man's purpose is lawless, lawless are the plans in his mind; for his thought is only to destroy and to wipe out nation after nation." (10:7 NEB). It is for this reason that apostate Jews were not only despoiled and plundered, but 6,000,000 were wiped out by this cruel "Assyrian".

But "When the Lord has finished all that He means to do on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem" He will punish members of the "Assyrian" for the "fruit of his pride" (their wicked deeds). In "arrogance and vainglory" the "Assyrian" faithlessly believes: "By my own might I have acted and in my own wisdom I have laid my schemes; I have removed the frontiers of nations and plundered their treasures, like a bull I have trampled on their inhabitants". (10:13 NEB).

Consequently, because those of the "Assyrian" refuse to give glory to Jehovah as God (Rom 1:20-23) ("as though the rod raised on high the One who is not wood"! 10:15), He will punish these "fat ones" with the instrument of final destruction: Justice in full flood. They will be "wasting with sickness, yet overflowing with righteousness", "from the soul clear to the flesh... like the melting away of one that is ailing." For the true Lord Jehovah "will keep sending upon His fat ones a wasting disease, and under his glory a burning will keep burning away like the burning of a fire. And Israel's Light must become a fire, and His Holy One a flame; and it must blaze up and eat up his* weeds and his* thornbushes in one day." (From 10:16 23 NWT & NEB footnote) (The Assyrian*).

Those remaining over of the "house of Jacob" will never again lean upon the "Assyrian" destroyer, but shall loyally lean on Jehovah God the Holy One of Israel. The "yoke" of political tyrants upon the necks of people of God will be wrecked "because of the oil" (10:27), as Jehovah cuts down the "high ones". (10:33).

(Cont. on Page 5/2/89).

4/2/89.