Isaiah 10:28-34: a reflection

28He has come to Aiath. He has passed through Migron. At Michmash he stores his baggage. 29They have gone over the pass. They have taken up their lodging at Geba. Ramah trembles. Gibeah of Saul has fled. 30Cry aloud with your voice, daughter of Gallim! Listen, Laishah! You poor Anathoth! 31Madmenah is a fugitive. The inhabitants of Gebim flee for safety. 32This very day he will halt at Nob. He shakes his hand at the mountain of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem. 33Behold, the Lord, GOD of Armies, will lop the boughs with terror. The tall will be cut down, and the lofty will be brought low. 34He will cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon will fall by the Mighty One.

Isaiah paints a vivid picture of the Assyrian army advancing on Jerusalem, town by town, seemingly unstoppable, shaking its fist at the city. And then, suddenly, the picture changes: Behold, the Lord will lop off the boughs with terror; the tall will be cut down, and the lofty brought low. At the very height of its confident advance, the proud army is cut down by God, like great trees felled. God brings low the proud and lofty, even at the peak of their advance.

Notice the sudden reversal: the advancing, seemingly unstoppable army is cut down at the height of its confidence. It had marched town by town, confident, shaking its fist at Jerusalem; nothing seemed able to stop it. And then, suddenly, God cut it down, the tall trees felled, the lofty brought low. The proud advance, which seemed unstoppable, was halted and humbled by God in a moment, at the very peak of its confidence. God can bring low the proud suddenly, even at the height of their advance.

That is worth remembering when the proud seem to advance unstoppably, whether in the world or against us. The proud can seem to march on unstoppably, confident, shaking their fist, nothing seeming able to halt them. But God can bring the proud and lofty low suddenly, even at the height of their advance, as he cut down the Assyrian army at the peak of its confidence. When the proud seem to advance unstoppably, do not despair as though nothing could halt them; God can bring the lofty low in a moment, even at the height of their advance. The tall are cut down, the lofty brought low, by God, however unstoppable their advance seems. Do not be overawed by the confident advance of the proud, as though they could not be stopped; God is able to cut them down suddenly, at the very peak of their confidence, as he cut down the Assyrian army marching on Jerusalem. Trust that God can humble the proud, even at the height of their seemingly unstoppable advance, and do not lose hope before them.

Lord, Isaiah paints the Assyrian army advancing on Jerusalem, town by town, seemingly unstoppable, shaking its fist at the city; and then, suddenly, the Lord lops off the boughs with terror; the tall are cut down, and the lofty brought low. At the very height of its confident advance, the proud army is cut down by you. Show me the sudden reversal: the advancing, seemingly unstoppable army cut down at the height of its confidence. It had marched confidently; and then, suddenly, you cut it down, the lofty brought low in a moment. You can bring low the proud suddenly, even at the peak of their advance. Help me remember that when the proud seem to advance unstoppably, whether in the world or against me. The proud can seem to march on unstoppably, nothing seeming able to halt them. But you can bring the proud and lofty low suddenly, as you cut down the Assyrian army at the peak of its confidence. When the proud seem to advance unstoppably, keep me from despairing as though nothing could halt them; you can bring the lofty low in a moment. Keep me from being overawed by the confident advance of the proud, as though they could not be stopped; you are able to cut them down suddenly, Lord, at the very peak of their confidence. Help me trust that you can humble the proud, even at the height of their seemingly unstoppable advance, and not lose hope before them.