Isaiah 10 In the last chapters, we learned about the calling of Isaiah and 14 of the 16 counts against the people of the last days who are the wild branches which were grafted into the mother tree of Israel. Because these wild branches overcome the natural tree, the Lord begins to remove the unrighteous branches and replace them with the natural branches. In this chapter we will learn the last two counts against Israel of the last days, or in other words wicked members of the church. We will also learn about the military destruction that is sent against our nation which brings the entire country under bondage except those who have become raised and lifted up to establish Zion. Isaiah 10: 1-4 Count 15: Decree unrighteous decrees, turn aside the needy from judgment, rob the poor and fatherless. 1 Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed; 2 To turn aside the needy from judgment⁠, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless! Edict 15: Bow under the prisoners and fall under the slain 3 And what will ye do in the day of visitation⁠, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory? 4 Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. Despite this people who claim to be a part of Israel is brought under bondage and falls among the prisoners of this conflict, the Lord is not satisfied, his hand of anger and destruction is still raised up against His people. Isaiah 10:5-19 Count 16: Assyrian boasts against God that empowers him. The Lord sends a tyrant against His own people because of the wickedness that is found among the saints. This is the king of Assyria who is a representation of the destruction and bondage that is sent against the people of the church in our day. This will be an actual leader who rises to power and begins to exact the Lord’s vengeance against his people here in the very country where the restoration was founded. 5 ¶ O Assyrian⁠, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. 6 I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. 7 Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few. This leader doesn’t understand that the Lord has raised up the wicked against the wicked, but this tyrant thinks that he is just successful because of his own merit in bringing down destruction on the wicked. 8 For he saith, Are not my princes altogether kings? He raises himself to be a king of kings as he lifts up his co-conspirators and pronounces them also kings. 9 Is not Calno as Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria as Damascus? 10 As my hand hath found the kingdoms of the idols, and whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria; 11 Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols? 12 Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria⁠, and the glory of his high looks.

Here are the instructions the Lord gives to those who have eyes to see and hears to hear the word of the Lord through the spirit (or revelation) 24 ¶ Therefore thus saith the Lord God of hosts, O my people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian: he shall smite thee with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt⁠. 25 For yet a very little while⁠, and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction. 26 And the Lord of hosts shall stir up a scourge for him according to the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb⁠: and as his rod was upon the sea, so shall he lift it up after the manner of Egypt⁠. 27 And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing⁠. 28 He is come to Aiath, he is passed to Migron; at Michmash he hath laid up his carriages: 29 They are gone over the passage: they have taken up their lodging at Geba; Ramah is afraid; Gibeah of Saul is fled. 30 Lift up thy voice, O daughter of Gallim: cause it to be heard unto Laish, O poor Anathoth. 31 Madmenah is removed; the inhabitants of Gebim gather themselves to flee. 32 As yet shall he remain at Nob that day: he shall shake his hand againstthe mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem. 33 Behold, the Lord, the Lord of hosts, shall lop the bough with terror⁠: and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down, and the haughty shall be humbled. 34 And he shall cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one. When the Assyrian raises up his sword against Zion, internal conflict arises and this great force is destroyed from within. His power is entirely consumed shortly after directing his greed against Zion. In the next chapter we learn about the Moses of our day who will lead this modern exodus out of Egypt as this Assyrian tyrant rises to power. This figure has been saved and prepared for this great work of saving the Lord’s people and bringing them to the feast of the bridegroom, and to Zion.

Isaiah 9 Summary: In this chapter we will see redemption for those who are shut out of the marriage feast if they will pass through their tribulations and humble themselves before the Lord. We learn about a figure who rises to sit on the throne of David, who is a servant of the Lord. We also learn even more terrible things that the wicked of the gentiles are guilty of, and how the Lord will bring justice. Isaiah 9: 1-5 Redemption Edict 11: Not as dark as her vexation of Zebulon and Naphtali. They that walked in darkness have seen a great light, multiplied the nation, increased the joy, broken the yoke of his burden, the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, was with burning and fuel of fire. 2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light⁠: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. 3 Thou hast multiplied the nation⁠, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. 4 For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden⁠, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian⁠. 5 For every battle of the warrior iswith confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire. Isaiah 9:6-7 Child born, son given, named wonderful counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of peace. Upon the throne of David, to order and establish it with judgement and Justice forever. Zeal of the Lord of hosts performs this 6 For unto us a child is born⁠, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor⁠, The mighty God⁠, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace⁠. 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end⁠, upon the throne of David⁠, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. This is a common scripture that is used as a prophecy for Jesus, but Jesus’ mission was not to sit on the throne of David, but as a redeemer. I don’t have a problem with seeing these words as being fulfilled with the birth and life of Jesus, but we will see later that the events that Isaiah is describing will happen in the last days and are fulfilled again in our day. History often repeats itself. Events that happened in Isaiah’s day were repeated in the Lord’s time, and will again be fulfilled even more so in our day. As this figure rises, Israel and Jacob (which we will interpret as the Lord’s restored church in our day), those of Ephraim are hit hard with destruction, but the Lord is not satisfied with their humbling, and His hand of destruction is raised still. These who suffer this first wave of destruction are optimistic and assume they can just rebuild better what was lost. Their hubris is plain before the Lord Isaiah 9: 8-12 Count 12: They say in pride we’ll build with stones instead of bricks, cedars instead of sycamores 8 ¶ The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel⁠. 9 And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart, 10 The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycomores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars. Because the Ephraimite Gentiles don’t recognize this as divine vengeance, they do not recognize the opportunity to humble themselves and return to the Lord, so again the Lord compels them to be humble

19 Through the wrath of the Lord of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his brother⁠. The anger of the Lord is kindled one against another. The contention raises to bloodshed brother against brother. The Lord speaks of this condition in our day also. D&C 45: 68 And it shall come to pass among the wicked, that every man that will not take his sword against his neighbor must needs flee unto Zion for safety. These who are raised up in contention and anger one to another are not satisfied by bloodshed. Isaiah evokes cannibalism because this bloodlust is not satisfied and turns everyone against their own. 20 And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm: 21 Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh: and they together shall be against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. Despite this horror, the Lord is still not satisfied because the people still refuse to humble themselves and turn again to the Lord who rebukes them, and sends destruction out against them. In the next chapter we will find out the last two counts against Israel of our day, and how the Lord will finally humble His people. The Lord also outlines how to deal with this last threat He actively sends against the people.