Thursday, April 13, 2023

Does the ax raise itself above the person who swings it

Isaiah 10:5-19

Woe to the Assyrian, the rod of my anger, in whose hand is the club of my wrath! I send him against a godless nation, I dispatch him against a people who anger me, to seize loot and snatch plunder, and to trample them down like mud in the streets. But this is not what he intends, this is not what he has in mind; his purpose is to destroy, to put an end to many nations.

When the Lord has finished all his work against Mount Zion and Jerusalem, he will say, “I will punish the king of Assyria for the willful pride of his heart and the haughty look in his eyes. For he says: ‘By the strength of my hand I have done this, and by my wisdom, because I have understanding. I removed the boundaries of nations, I plundered their treasures; like a mighty one I subdued their kings...

Does the ax raise itself above the person who swings it, or the saw boast against the one who uses it? As if a rod were to wield the person who lifts it up, or a club brandish the one who is not wood! Therefore, the Lord, the Lord Almighty, will send a wasting disease upon his sturdy warriors; under his pomp a fire will be kindled like a blazing flame. The Light of Israel will become a fire, their Holy One a flamein a single day it will burn and consume his thorns and his briers.

Why?

Woe to the Assyrians, woe to the proud men and nations. Assyrian is the tool of the Lord to punish those rebellious nations. But the king of Assyria had pride of his heart and a haughty look in his eyes. So the destruction comes upon Assyrians.

Does the ax raise itself above the person who swings it? Yes, no one can pride himself because the Lord created this world and the Lord gives us life.

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亞述是神使用的工具,自己忘了自己是誰?用屬靈的方法來達到自己的目的。人很可能藉著教會活動達到自己的目的。把自己當作萬王之王,要滅掉所有的偶像,打算征服所有國家。亞述在誇大自己,同時也告訴猶大,災難愈來愈靠近了!亞述嘲笑以色列和猶大連拜偶像都不如別人。講話好像神在講話,如為列國定地界(我挪移列國地界),這情形如後來的巴比倫的驕傲。

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How?

Be humble and give thanks to the Lord! 




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