When God Uses the Very Thing That Opposes Him

What’s Isaiah 10 about?

This chapter reveals one of Scripture’s most mind-bending truths: God can use wicked nations as instruments of his justice, even when they have no intention of serving him. It’s like watching a chess grandmaster use his opponent’s aggressive moves to set up checkmate - the Assyrian empire thinks it’s conquering for its own glory, but God is orchestrating something far bigger.

The Full Context

Isaiah 10 sits at a critical juncture in Israel’s history, around 735-700 BCE, when the Assyrian war machine was steamrolling through the ancient Near East. Isaiah is writing to a kingdom of Judah that’s about to watch their northern neighbors in Israel get completely destroyed by this superpower. The prophet is addressing both the immediate crisis and the deeper spiritual issues that led to it - corrupt leadership, social injustice, and a nation that had forgotten their covenant with God.

The literary context is crucial here. This chapter continues themes from Isaiah 9, where we see both judgment and hope intertwined. Isaiah has been building this tension throughout the early chapters - God’s people face consequences for their rebellion, but God’s ultimate purposes will not be thwarted. The passage wrestles with theodicy (why bad things happen) while revealing God’s sovereignty over international politics. It’s addressing the question every believer faces when evil seems to triumph: “Where is God in this mess?”

What the Ancient Words Tell Us

The Hebrew in Isaiah 10:5 is absolutely fascinating. When God calls Assyria hoy ashur matteh appi - “Woe, Assyria, rod of my anger” - the word matteh can mean either “rod” or “tribe/staff of leadership.” It’s the same word used for Moses’ staff and for tribal identity. God is essentially saying, “You think you’re wielding power, but you’re actually my tool.”

Grammar Geeks

The verb tense in Isaiah 10:12 switches from past to future mid-sentence in Hebrew. God says “when I have completed” (ki yegamer) but then “I will punish” (ufaqadti). This isn’t sloppy grammar - it’s prophetic certainty. From God’s perspective, Assyria’s judgment is already as good as done.

But here’s where it gets really interesting. In Isaiah 10:15, Isaiah uses this brilliant metaphor: “Does the ax boast against him who hews with it?” The Hebrew word for “boast” (yitpa’er) is reflexive - it literally means “to glorify oneself.” The Assyrians aren’t just being proud; they’re taking credit for what God is doing through them.

What Would the Original Audience Have Heard?

Picture yourself as a Jewish farmer in 701 BCE. You’ve heard the horror stories from up north - entire cities wiped off the map, families torn apart, the cream of society marched off in chains. Now you see dust clouds on the horizon, and everyone knows what that means: the Assyrian war machine is coming.

Did You Know?

Archaeological evidence from Lachish shows exactly what Assyrian sieges looked like. They would build massive earthen ramps up to city walls, use battering rams, and then impale the survivors on stakes around the conquered city as a warning to others. This wasn’t abstract theology to Isaiah’s audience - it was their potential future.

When Isaiah proclaimed Isaiah 10:20-22, talking about a “remnant” returning, his listeners would have thought about Abraham’s promise - descendants as numerous as the sand. But now Isaiah is saying most of them will be destroyed, and only a remnant will survive. That’s not exactly comforting news when you’re staring down the world’s most efficient killing machine.

The phrase “Holy One of Israel” appears throughout this chapter, and it would have hit differently for people facing annihilation. This wasn’t just a nice theological title - it was a declaration that their covenant God was still in control, even when everything looked hopeless.

Wrestling with the Text

Here’s what keeps me up at night thinking about this passage: How can a holy God use an unholy instrument? Isaiah 10:7 is crystal clear - Assyria doesn’t intend to serve God. They plan to “destroy and cut off nations not a few.” Their motives are purely selfish and brutal.

Wait, That’s Strange…

God calls Assyria “the rod of my anger” in verse 5, but then immediately promises to punish them for their pride in verse 12. How can God use someone as his instrument and then judge them for doing exactly what he used them for?

This tension runs throughout Scripture. Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, but he was responsible for his choices. Judas betrayed Jesus, fulfilling prophecy, but Jesus still called him the “son of perdition.” The Assyrians are accomplishing God’s purposes while remaining fully accountable for their evil intentions.

What I find fascinating is that God doesn’t excuse their brutality because they’re serving his purposes. Isaiah 10:13-14 quotes their boastful speech - they think their own strength and wisdom won the victories. They’re like a hammer that thinks it built the house.

How This Changes Everything

This passage revolutionizes how we think about suffering, politics, and God’s sovereignty. When we see evil prospering - whether it’s ancient empires or modern dictatorships - Isaiah 10 reminds us that God’s purposes are being worked out even through opposition to him.

The promise of the remnant in Isaiah 10:20-21 introduces a theme that runs all the way to the New Testament. Not everyone who claims to be God’s people actually belongs to him, but those who truly trust in “the Holy One of Israel” will survive even the worst catastrophes. Paul picks up this exact concept in Romans 9:27, quoting Isaiah directly.

“God can write straight with crooked lines, using even the rebellion of nations to accomplish his perfect will.”

But here’s what really strikes me: Isaiah 10:24 tells God’s people not to fear the very instrument God is using to discipline them. “Do not be afraid of the Assyrians when they strike you with the rod.” Even in judgment, God’s heart toward his people is ultimately redemptive.

The chapter ends with this incredible image in Isaiah 10:33-34 - the Lord will lop off the boughs of the Assyrian forest with terrifying power. The oppressor becomes the oppressed. The ax that boasted against the one who wielded it gets broken.

Key Takeaway

Even when evil seems to triumph, God is writing a larger story. He can use the worst circumstances and the most unwilling participants to accomplish his purposes, while never compromising his justice or excusing their choices.

Further Reading

Internal Links:

• Isaiah 10:5 analysis
• Isaiah 10:15 analysis
• Isaiah 10:20 analysis

External Scholarly Resources:

• The Message of Isaiah by Barry Webb
• Isaiah 1-39 by John Oswalt
• The Holy One of Israel: Studies in the Book of Isaiah by Alec Motyer