Isaiah 10 - The rod and the master

12(W)
When the Lord has finished all his work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem,(X) he[a] will punish the speech of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the boastful look in his eyes. 13(Y) For he says:

"By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom, for I have understanding;I remove the boundaries of peoples, and plunder their treasures; like a bull I bring down those who sit on thrones.

14My hand has found like a nest the wealth of the peoples;and as one gathers eggs that have been forsaken, so I have gathered all the earth;and there was none that moved a wing or opened the mouth or chirped."

15Shall(Z) the axe boast over him who hews with it, or the saw magnify itself against him who wields it?As if a rod should wield him who lifts it, or as if a staff should lift him who is not wood!

16Therefore the Lord GOD of hosts will send wasting sickness among his(AA) stout warriors,and under his glory(AB) a burning will be kindled, like the burning of fire.

17(AC) The light of Israel will become a fire, and(AD) his Holy One a flame,and(AE) it will burn and devour his thorns and briers(AF) in one day.

18The glory of(AG) his forest and of his(AH) fruitful land the LORD will destroy, both soul and body, and it will be as when a sick man wastes away.

19The remnant of the trees of his forest will be so few that a child can write them down.

The rod and the master. This particular passage interests me because it shows the method of the Lord in punishing the arrogant heart of the king. The first verse is actually quoted from the king of assyria.

"By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom, for
I have understanding;I remove the boundaries of peoples, and plunder their treasures; like a bull I bring down those who sit on thrones.

14My hand has found like a nest the wealth of the peoples;and as one gathers eggs that have been forsaken, so I have gathered all the earth;and there was none that moved a wing or opened the mouth or chirped."

Pretty pompous isn't it? like a bull I bring down those who sit on thrones. I have never touched an ax, a sword, nor any type of armament, so i find this difficult to relate to. You, the common american reader have rarely conquered anything larger than a tomato or a tomato-sized dog. So for this moment, i will speak of other more practical applications. Do we believe in Human fuel? Human power? How do we remedy the lack of perceived output of happiness and good times? Is it "try harder"? That's simple man's talk for "I believe the human element, the human ability".

I find these thoughts particularly strong in educational systems. Our product is a direct measurement of our effort and intellectual ability compared to everyone else. I have found myself very unhappy being average. But being average among what? At a top university level education, which is not bad. But, no, I need to be more than that! Sad is my pride. Perhaps the more telling signs is the suggested remedy? Work harder, think more, read more books, get smarter, find a program, throw all energy towards your achievement! And who has guaranteed that all that input should have any influence on the output of our lives?

And what does the bible say about speech that is like this?

15Shall(Z)
the axe boast over him who hews with it, or the saw magnify itself against him who wields it?As if a rod should wield him who lifts it, or as if a staff should lift him who is not wood!

I am a tool nothing more nothing less. Oh lord, forgive me for the years and years i assumed my ability and smartness. everything comes from the lord! Everything! All drawing, all perceived conversation, all great teaching, all learning; they are gifts from the lord. How often i have called myself the bull, the tiger or the lion that makes the kill when it is really the lord who glues all things together. Praise be to God! That we may experience the life that he has prescribed, and that we can see his workings first hand! I am a human tool! How can I boast of he who wields me?

Do I really understand my spot? my place ? My problems? What puzzles has the lord provided for me that I may be used for Glory by the spirit?