Judgment Against Assyria and Philistia

A Message about Assyria
24 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has sworn this oath:

“It will all happen as I have planned.
It will be as I have decided.
25 I will break the Assyrians when they are in Israel;
I will trample them on my mountains.
My people will no longer be their slaves
nor bow down under their heavy loads.
26 I have a plan for the whole earth,
a hand of judgment upon all the nations.
27 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has spoken—
who can change his plans?
When his hand is raised,
who can stop him?"

A Message about Philistia
28 This message came to me the year King Ahaz died:

29 Do not rejoice, you Philistines,
that the rod that struck you is broken—
that the king who attacked you is dead.
For from that snake a more poisonous snake will be born,
a fiery serpent to destroy you!
30 I will feed the poor in my pasture;
the needy will lie down in peace.
But as for you, I will wipe you out with famine
and destroy the few who remain.
31 Wail at the gates! Weep in the cities!
Melt with fear, you Philistines!
A powerful army comes like smoke from the north.
Each soldier rushes forward eager to fight.

32 What should we tell the Philistine messengers? Tell them,

“The Lord has built Jerusalem;
its walls will give refuge to his oppressed people.”

Geography isn’t a strong subject for many people. Many of us go scrambling for a map when asked to name the capitals of even the biggest nations. We often focus our attention mainly on our country or region.

Are you surprised, then, by how much of Isaiah’s prophecy—written to the people of Judah—speaks about the nations of the world? That’s because the LORD Almighty is in full control of the situation “for the whole world” and “over all nations.”

Assyria didn’t build its kingdom with a conscious desire to serve God. Its real desire was political and economic gain. But our sovereign God has his own agenda to build his own kingdom.

The Philistines didn’t understand history. At the death of Ahaz, they thought Jerusalem had become easy prey for them. But the Philistines had forgotten the importance of that tiny city. God was working in the world for the purpose of establishing Zion (Jerusalem) as a refuge for all his people who were in distress.

That’s still true today. The church of Jesus Christ is the New Jerusalem. Christ’s church remains the “city of refuge” to which all who are afflicted can come. Have you found a church home that provides you with refuge and balm for your wounds? Do you provide God’s healing grace to the hurting who come into your fellowship?

Gracious God, use your church today to bring healing to the world’s hurting people. And use each one of us to bring healing to our wounded neighbors. In Jesus, Amen.