Isaiah 10:20-27: a reflection

20It will come to pass in that day that the remnant of Israel, and those who have escaped from the house of Jacob will no more again lean on him who struck them, but shall lean on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. 21A remnant will return, even the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God. 22For though your people, Israel, are like the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will return. A destruction is determined, overflowing with righteousness. 23For the Lord, GOD of Armies, will make a full end, and that determined, throughout all the earth. 24Therefore the Lord, GOD of Armies, says, “My people who dwell in Zion, don’t be afraid of the Assyrian, though he strike you with the rod, and lift up his staff against you, as Egypt did. 25For yet a very little while, and the indignation against you will be accomplished, and my anger will be directed to his destruction.” 26The LORD of Armies will stir up a scourge against him, as in the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb. His rod will be over the sea, and he will lift it up like he did against Egypt. 27It will happen in that day that his burden will depart from off your shoulder, and his yoke from off your neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing oil.

To a people who had leaned on the very power that struck them, God gives a promise of a day when a remnant will return and lean instead on the LORD, in truth. In that day the remnant of Israel will no more lean on him who struck them, God says, but will lean on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. The people had been leaning on the wrong thing, on a power that had harmed them; but God promises a turning, when they will lean no longer on what struck them, but on the LORD himself, and lean on him truly, in truth. To lean on God in truth, rather than on what has harmed us or cannot help us, is the turning God works. This shows the call to lean on the LORD in truth, rather than on what has harmed us. Lean on the LORD in truth, not on what has harmed you. Turn your reliance from what cannot help to God himself. God calls us to lean truly on him, not on the wrong things. Leaning on God in truth is the turning he works.

Notice the change God promises: from leaning on the one who struck them, to leaning on the LORD in truth. The people had been relying on the wrong thing, leaning for support and security on a power that had actually harmed them, that could not truly help them. And God promises a turning: a day when they will no longer lean on what struck them, but will lean instead on the LORD himself, and will do so in truth, truly and rightly. This speaks to us. We too can lean on the wrong things for our support and security: on things that cannot truly help us, or even on things that harm us, the false securities, the destructive habits, the misplaced reliances that we turn to for support but that let us down or wound us. And God calls us to a turning: to lean no longer on what cannot help or what harms us, but to lean on him, the LORD himself, and to lean on him in truth, truly relying on him rather than on the wrong things. To lean on God in truth is to place our real reliance and trust on him, rather than on the false supports we are tempted to lean on. We do well to turn our reliance from what has harmed or failed us to God himself, leaning on him in truth. Lean your real reliance on God, not on what harms or fails you. Turn from the false supports you lean on to God himself. To lean on God in truth is to truly rely on him. Do not lean on what struck you; lean on the LORD.

That is worth taking to heart, for God calls us to lean on him in truth, rather than on what has harmed or failed us, and this turning is the change he works. We can lean for support and security on the wrong things, on what cannot help us or even harms us; but God promised his people a day when they would lean no longer on what struck them, but on the LORD himself, in truth. God calls us to lean truly on him. Turn your reliance from the false supports that harm or fail you to God himself; lean on him in truth. Turn your real reliance from what has harmed or failed you to God himself, leaning on him in truth, as God promised his people a day when the remnant would no longer lean on him who struck them but would lean on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth; for the people had been leaning for support and security on the wrong thing, on a power that had harmed them and could not truly help them, but God promised a turning, a day when they would lean no longer on what struck them but on the LORD himself, and do so in truth, truly and rightly, which speaks to us, since we too can lean on the wrong things for support and security, on things that cannot truly help us or even on things that harm us, the false securities, destructive habits, and misplaced reliances we turn to but that let us down or wound us, and God calls us to a turning, to lean no longer on what cannot help or what harms us but on him, the LORD himself, truly relying on him rather than on the wrong things, so that we do well to turn our real reliance from what has harmed or failed us to God, leaning on him in truth.

Lord, to a people who had leaned on the very power that struck them, you give a promise of a day when a remnant will return and lean instead on you, in truth. In that day the remnant of Israel will no more lean on him who struck them, you say, but will lean on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. The people had been leaning on the wrong thing, on a power that had harmed them; but you promise a turning, when they will lean no longer on what struck them, but on you yourself, and lean on you truly, in truth. To lean on you in truth, rather than on what has harmed us or cannot help us, is the turning you work. Show me the change you promise: from leaning on the one who struck them, to leaning on you in truth. The people had been relying on the wrong thing, leaning for support and security on a power that had actually harmed them. And you promise a turning: a day when they will lean instead on you, and do so in truth. This speaks to me. I too can lean on the wrong things for my support and security: on things that cannot truly help me, or even on things that harm me, the false securities, the destructive habits, the misplaced reliances I turn to but that let me down or wound me. And you call me to a turning: to lean no longer on what cannot help or what harms me, but on you, and to lean on you in truth, truly relying on you. To lean on you in truth is to place my real reliance and trust on you, rather than on the false supports I am tempted to lean on. Take that to my heart, for you call me to lean on you in truth, rather than on what has harmed or failed me. Help me turn my real reliance from the false supports that harm or fail me to you yourself, Lord, leaning on you in truth, no longer on what has struck me but on you, the Holy One, truly relying on you.