Isaiah 10

In that day that the remnant of Israel, and those who have escaped from the house of Jacob will no more again lean on him who struck them, but shall lean on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. Wesley: Jews preserved from the sweeping Assyrian scourge; they shall no more trust the Assyrians for help.

“Remnant”—leftover after the rod of 10:5. They still stop leaning on the one who struck them (7:9; 8:6). In truth is still a lean. The remnant here is not a chart of modern nations.

Calvin: the result of the blow: a small portion survives and learns to hope in God. Until afflicted, all wished to be Abraham’s children; it was pretense. Hope will be true when cleansed from impostures. We cannot trust God unless we withhold the heart from creatures; otherwise the heart is divided and double.

True lean after the false one is burned off. Both traditions agree: that day, remnant of Israel, house of Jacob, no more again lean on him who struck them, Holy One of Israel, in truth.

A remnant will return, even the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God. The name in Isaiah’s son (7:3) now spoken over Jacob. Mighty God is the child’s name (9:6).

“Return”—a genuine turning of a leftover to the same Mighty God. They still return.

Calvin: confirms the former; alludes to Shear-jashub. To the mighty God: the people, after apostasy, will acknowledge Him as guardian of their salvation. They ran to Assyria because they did not think God sufficient. This attribute is to excite confidence.

“Return”—the son’s name kept. Held in common: remnant will return, remnant of Jacob, mighty God.

Though your people, Israel, are like the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will return. A destruction is determined, overflowing with righteousness. Wesley: a remnant only. The destruction was already decreed by the fixed counsel of God, and therefore must needs be executed, like a deluge. Righteousness—with justice, and yet with clemency: He has spared a considerable remnant when He might have destroyed them utterly.

Only a remnant returns, and the destruction is decreed. Arminian readers see the decree as a righteous judgment that still leaves a remnant, spared by clemency they had not earned.

Calvin: he casts down hypocrites from confidence in flesh-descent from Abraham. Consumption: a diminution almost to ruin. O Israel: the true, not the spurious. Overflowing with righteousness: this small company will overflow righteousness; a remnant sufficient to fill the world with rivers of it. Paul quotes this (Rom 9:27–28) as fulfilled when the Jews were cut off and a small remnant preserved. Not a promiscuous multitude that had apostatized.

The sand is not the Church; the remnant is. Paul reads this line in Romans 9.

The Lord, GOD of Armies, will make a full end, and that determined, throughout all the earth. Wesley: in all parts of the land, not excepting Jerusalem, which was to be preserved in the Assyrian invasion.

“Full end”—the decree of v. 22 done. Jerusalem still sits inside it.

Calvin: repetition to wound self-complacency. The Lord is the author of this consumption, against those who thought promises made it impossible they should perish. In the midst: the heart of the land, its best-defended places. Paul (Rom 9:28) repeats this as fulfilled when the Jews were cut off from the kingdom of God and a small remnant preserved.

He does what He decreed. Lord God of hosts, full end, as decreed, midst of all the earth.

Says, My people who dwell in Zion, don’t be afraid of the Assyrian, though he strike you with the rod, and lift up his staff against you, as Egypt did. Wesley: inference from the whole prophecy; seeing the Assyrian shall be destroyed. He shall afflict, but not destroy. As Egypt formerly did.

A word to a Zion under a rod. Sennacherib, as Egypt was historic. The remnant of v. 20 is this people.

Calvin: consolation for the godly few, not all who gloried in the name. The oppression is a rod, not destruction. Pattern of Egypt: wretched, not deadly. As He was victorious over Pharaoh, so over the Assyrian.

The rod of 10:5, now limited. Neither side disputes this: my people, Zion, be not afraid, Assyrian, rod, staff, Egyptians.

For yet a very little while, and the indignation against you will be accomplished, and my anger will be directed to his destruction. Wesley: indignation—mine anger towards the Assyrian; cease as anger does when vengeance is fully executed.

A dated end to this fury. It will end, then turn on them.

Calvin: includes not only Sennacherib’s siege but later calamities, that the godly be fortified. Consumption: Babylon as a grave. Yet in the urgent danger, the Lord will spare Zion and destroy the Assyrian. Finish: until He has discharged His anger on them.

The timing is God’s, not theirs. Common ground: very little while, fury come to an end, anger, their destruction.

The LORD of Armies will stir up a scourge against him, as in the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb. His rod will be over the sea, and he will lift it up like he did against Egypt. Wesley: a destroying angel; Midian slain suddenly in the night; the sea divided for deliverance and Egypt’s ruin.

Midian and the sea are the pattern, as at 9:4. He still lifts the staff.

Calvin: scourge, not rod: He will treat the enemies more harshly than they treated the Jews. Two examples: Midian (Judg 7) and Egypt at the sea. Unexpected means. Afflictions are His rods; He does not permit Satan to inflict deadly ones on us. Awful destruction awaits the enemies.

Same hand, other end of the stick. Lord of hosts, whip, Midian, rock of Oreb, staff, sea, Egypt.

In that day that his burden will depart from off your shoulder, and his yoke from off your neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the fat. Wesley reads the Hebrew as anointing: possibly David, for whose sake many deliverances; but the Messiah is principally intended, of whom David was a type; foundation of all the promises (2 Cor 1:20) and of all deliverances in all ages. The WEB’s “anointing oil” stands close to Wesley’s reading.

Shared christology if the oil is the Anointed; yoke of Assyria first. The child of 9:6 is why the yoke snaps.

Calvin: tyranny described two ways to show the blessing. Because of the anointing: he reminds them of Christ; the kingdom set apart, a type of Christ. This benefit depends on the power of Christ, not on the ability of man. Through His kindness they will be delivered from that tyranny.

The oil is why, not the ox’s neck. Wesley and Calvin both land the breaking on the Anointed, David’s greater Son.

He has come to Aiath; he has passed through Migron; at Michmash he stores his baggage. Wesley: the prophet returns to the invasion as a thing present, and sets down the stages toward Jerusalem. Sennacherib; leaving less necessary things for speed.

The invader’s march is traced through named towns.

Calvin: the siege at hand; the whole march set before their eyes so the godly see the Assyrian does not move a step but by appointment. He had described it by the Prophet’s mouth.

“Come”—every stage already spoken. Aiath, Migron, Michmash, baggage.

They have gone over the pass. They have taken up their lodging at Geba. Gibeah of Saul has fled. Wesley: the people fled to Jerusalem for fear of the Assyrian.

Town after town falls within a single night.

Calvin: they crossed the strait of Michmash without opposition—no stand in the open country. Terror so great the country surrenders at the first attack. He passes from king to army.

The pass is lost. Pass, Geba, Ramah, Gibeah of Saul.

Cry aloud with your voice, daughter of Gallim! Listen, Laishah! You poor Anathoth. Wesley: Jerusalem the mother city; lesser towns her daughters.

Named villages on the road.

Calvin: neigh—howling heard at a distance. Cities called daughters. The howling heard even in neighboring towns: groans of Anathoth at Laish.

The road is loud. Gallim, Laishah, Anathoth.

Madmenah is a fugitive. The inhabitants of Gebim flee for safety. The next names empty.

The towns are evacuated as the people flee.

Calvin: the city shaken as if removed. Disorder of a people in flight. Gebim crowd together, or rush without a free passage.

The map is emptying toward Zion. Madmenah and Gebim are emptied.

This very day he will halt at Nob. He shakes his hand at the mountain of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem. Wesley: by way of commination.

“Nob”—the last ridge, the fist at the temple hill. The remnant of v. 20 is inside that hill.

Calvin: one day longer in Nob, a village by Jerusalem; great part of the day left to prepare the siege. Rapid march; Zion near utter destruction. Shake the hand: he thinks he can storm it by the slightest will. None ventured to oppose. That it was preserved is extraordinary favor, a sheep from a lion’s jaws.

As far as the rod is allowed. Common to both: this very day, Nob, shake his fist, daughter of Zion, hill of Jerusalem.

Behold, the Lord, GOD of Armies, will lop the boughs with terror. The tall will be cut down, and the lofty will be brought low. Wesley: the top-bough, Sennacherib, with a most terrible stroke.

The fist of v. 32 is answered. The lofty of 2:12–17, now this forest.

Calvin: almost all apply this to the Assyrians; I think it threatens the Jews’ own calamity, to which chapter 11 is the consolation. Tall trees: all that is powerful. The next chapter’s comfort fits this grief. (Wesley hears Sennacherib; Calvin hears Judah’s own height coming down. Either way the Lord of hosts hews, and 11:1’s stump is next.)

He wields the axe of v. 15. Lord God of hosts, lop the boughs, terrifying power, great in height, lofty brought low.

He will cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon will fall by the Mighty One. Wesley: as trees are cut with iron; his Lebanon—the Assyrian army, the forest of v. 18.

Host on the ridge, falling by the Holy One who was a flame (10:17). The remnant that returns (v. 21) is not this forest. Next unsplit: a shoot from Jesse’s stump.

Calvin: if this were the Assyrian, Lebanon would not fit; he reads it as Judah stripped of ornaments, to which “a shoot from the stump of Jesse” is the remedy. Thick places cleared. The Majestic One does it.

The forest falls; the stump is 11:1. Thickets, forest, axe, Lebanon, Majestic One.