Isa 10.1-34 tells us that God is pronouncing judgment on the leaders of the Jewish people, and then upon the Assyrians, who are God’s instrument as the Lord of hosts, or Yehovah Tzavaot (armies). Keep in mind that Assyria is a picture of Gog and Magog/Russia in the last days.
v 1…Woe (lamentations await you-seventh time used-last on was in 5.22) to them who enact evil statutes (evil legislation), to those who constantly record unjust decisions (not in agreement with the Torah),
v 2…So as to deprive (turn aside) the needy of justice (discouraged them to pursue justice, it was too expensive, coerced them to stop, etc), and rob the poor of my people of their rights (they did not provide them with Torah justice), in order that widows may be their spoil, and that they may plunder the orphans (two very vulnerable types of people).
v 3…Now what will you do in the day of punishment (also a term for the birth-pains), and in the devastation which will come from afar (the wrath of God coming with Assyria)? To whom will you flee for help (Yehovah will tell them to stay in the land and not flee to Egypt-Isa 14.28, 52.4; Isa 30-31)? And where will you leave your wealth (glory, titles, the money they took from the poor, widows, orphans, and the needy)?
v 4…Nothing remains but to crouch among the captives or fall among the slain (being left behind because of their sins, they will be bound and carried captive or killed). In spite of all this his anger does not turn away, and his hand is still stretched out (Yehovah is not done yet with them after this).
v 5…Woe (lamentations await you-eighth time) Assyria, the rod of my anger (Mic 5.1; Isa 9.4) and the staff in whose hands is my indignation (as the Lord of the armies; He will use them as a rod of correction against disobedient Israel. Notice he uses the equipment of a shepherd, and “Indignation” will also be a term for the birth-pains).
v 6…I send it against a godless nation (Israel had departed from their one true God) and commission it against a people of my fury (God intended to merely use Assyria as a tool, but Assyria would go too far-Isa 10.7) to capture booty and to seize plunder-Oba 6-7; Isa 8.3; Ezek 38.12, Hos 12.1; Isa 10.13), and to trample them (Israel) down like mud in the streets.
v 7…Yet it does not so intend nor does it plan so in its heart, but rather it is its purpose to destroy and cut off many nations (the evil plan of Ezek 38.10)
v 8…For it says, “Are not my princes all kings (this was Assyria’s purpose, but that was not what God had in mind for them. They were instruments in his hands but didn’t know it yet)?”
v 9…Is not Calmo like Carchemish, or Hamah like Arpad, or Samaria like Damascus (none have been able to stand against Assyria, and they boast about it)?
v 10…As my hand has reached to the kingdoms of the idols (those who Judah looked down on), whose graven images were greater than those of Jerusalem and Samaria (they had more idols than Israel, but they couldn’t save themselves, so what chance does Israel have)?
v 11…Shall I not do to Jerusalem and her images (Yehovah can’t protect Jerusalem they thought) just as I have done to Samaria and her idols (which had been destroyed when they defeated Samaria).
v 12…So it will be that when Yehovah has completed all his work (in correcting Israel-Isa 10.17, 59.20) on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, he will say, “I will punish the fruit (his actions) of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the pomp of his haughtiness (his blasphemous pride. In the birth-pains, Assyria/Russia will invade Israel on Rosh Ha Shanah and be destroyed by Yom Kippur. God will use Russia like he is using the Assyrians, and Israel will turn to Yeshua as Messiah-Isa 9.1-7, 10.20; Ezek 39.22).
v 13…For he (Assyria) has said, “By the power of my hand and by my wisdom I did this (pride has blinded their view of who really caused them to be powerful. It was Yehovah who made them great), for I have understanding (prudent); and I removed the boundaries of the people (changed their borders), and plundered their treasures (taking everything they could get their hands on of value), and like a mighty man brought down their inhabitants (trampling their thrones like a bull).
v 14…And my hand reached to the riches of the peoples like a nest (locating them), and as one who gathers abandoned eggs, I gathered all the earth (forsaken by the mother bird, easy. Their goal was world domination and it is the same with Russia today and in the birth-pains-Isa 8.12, 10.5-7); and there was not one that flapped its wings or opened its beak or chirped (in defense, everyone was helpless to do anything).
v 15…Is the axe to boast itself over the one who chops with it (God’s response-Assyria was his tool)? Is the saw to exalt itself over the one who wields it (all of their boasting is absurd because Assyria should have known they were just tools in God’s hand, but they didn’t believe in Yehovah), as if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift itself up as if it were no wood?
v 16…Therefore the Lord (Adon), the God (Yehovah) of hosts (armies), will send a wasting disease among his stout warriors (a plague, and this was confirmed at Lachish- Ezek 38.22; Isa 36-37); and under his glory a fire will be kindled like a burning flame (to consume Assyria, and Gog and Magog/Russia later in a moment).
v 17…And the light of Israel (Yehovah) will become a fire and his Holy One (Messiah) a flame (a parallelism); and it will burn and devour his thorns and his briars in a single day (Assyria’s soldiers will be devoured in one great calamity and plague, which will be seen by Israel and they will turn to Yehovah and Yeshua-Ezek 39.22; Isa 10.12).
v 18…And he will destroy the glory of his forest and his fruitful garden (his army) both soul and body (complete destruction-Heb 4.12; Matt 10.28; Lam 2.11); and it will be as when a sick man wastes away (185,000 died in a plague, and it will be the same with Gog and Magog/Russia in the birth-pains).
v 19…And the rest of the trees of his forest will be so small in number (Assyrian/Gog and Magog/Russian survivors will be few) that a child could write them down (in the birth-pains, Europe with the False Messiah will invade Russia and control the nation because they are so weak-Ezek 39.6; Mic 5.5).
v 20…Now it will come about in that day (a term for the day of the Lord) that the remnant of Israel and those of the house of Jacob (a parallelism for the twelve tribes) who have escaped, will never again rely on the one who struck them (or place their confidence in Assyria/Gog and Magog/Russia), but will rely on Yehovah, the Holy (has a kedusha) One of Israel (Isa 9.1-7; 10.12; Ezek 39.22-they become believers in Yeshua during the birth-pains-Rev 12.17).
v 21…A remnant will return (the name of Isaiah’s son in Isa 7.3) the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God (especially by Yom Kippur going into the fourth year of the birth-pains).
v 22…For though your people, O Israel, may be like the sand of the sea(countless), only a remnant shall return (to God in the Messianic Kingdom ultimately), a destruction is determined (inevitable) overflowing (abundantly, spread) with righteousness (in a righteous manner but the nation would be destroyed).
v 23…For a complete destruction, one that is decreed (v 22), the Lord (Adon) God (Yehovah) of hosts (Tzavaot/armies) will execute in the midst of the land (these are Yom Ha DIn or “day of judgment” courtroom terms-Zeph 2.1-3).
v 24…Therefore thus says the Lord (Adon) God (Yehovah) of hosts (Tzavaot/armies), “O my people who dwell in Zion, do not fear the Assyrian (or Gog and Magog/Russia) who strikes you with the rod (to correct them due to their alliance with them; chastisement isn’t fun-Heb 12.6-11) and lifts up his staff against you, the way Egypt did ((Isa 9.4; Mic 55; (Isa 10.5, 20.5-6; Ezek 38-39; Num 24.24-God will not allow Assyria or Russia to win).
v 25…For in a very little while my indignation will be spent, and my anger in their destruction (chastisement will pass and Assyria will fall).
v 26…And the Lord of hosts (Yehovah Tzavaot) will arouse a scourge (probably an angel-2 Kings 19.35) against him like the slaughter of Midian at the rocks of Oreb (Isa 9.4; Judges 7.19; Mic 5.5-6; Isa 37.33), and his staff will be over the sea, and he will lift it up after the manner of Egypt (to destroy the Assyrians like he did to Egypt with Moses in Exo 14).
v 27…So it will be in that day (the day of the Lord and a double reference prophecy) that his burden (oppression) will be removed from your shoulders and his yoke (a parallelism) from your neck, and the yoke will be broken because of fatness (his dominion will be broken because of the “face of oil” or David’s sake, and alludes to the Messiah).
v 28…He (Assyria and their march as they approached Jerusalem) has come against Aiath (feminine form of Ai meaning a heap), he has passed through Migron. At Michmash he deposited his baggage (these are towns north of Jerusalem, coming around to the east side of the city. This may be the possible path that Gog and Magog/Russia will take coming down around the towns north and then coming around the east in addition to their path through the Shephelah Valley).
v 29…They have gone through the pass (of Michmash), saying, “They have made a lodging place in Geba (meaning “elevation” for a night).” Ramah is terrified (at the report), and Gibeah (hill) of Saul has fled away (he was born there; they have departed the area).
v 30…Cry aloud with your voice, O daughter (inhabitants) of Gallim (to lament)! Pay attention, Laishah (a small city around Gallim) and afflicted Anathoth!
v 31…Madmenah (dung hills) has fled (from the Assyrians who were coming). The inhabitants of Gebim (ditches) have sought refuge.
v 32…Yet today he will halt at Nob (to rest before the army moves on to Jerusalem); he shakes his fist at the mountain of the daughter (inhabitants ) of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem (all these cities tell us where they will come to attack Jerusalem, and this also alludes to what will happen when Gog and Magog/Russia attacks in the birth-pains).
v 33…Behold (see, take note), the Lord (Adon), the God (Yehovah) of hosts (Tzavaot) will lop off the boughs with a terrible crash (cut down the branches of Assyria); Those also who are tall in stature will be cut down (the king and princes who are haughty), and those who are lofty will be abased (brought down and all their plans are being ruined right at the moment they seemed to have it all coming together).
v 34…And he (Yehovah) will cut down the thickets of the forest (the army) with an iron axe (a sharp instrument of destruction), and Lebanon will fall by the Mighty One (a parallelism; Assyria is compared to the forest of Lebanon and its tall cedars-Isa 10.18; Ezek 31.3).
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