Isaiah 9-10

More Messianic prophecies (Isaiah 9)

Isaiah states that even though the northern kingdom of Israel is being devoured, God will one day honor Galilee.

Isaiah articulates more on the Messiah. It will be a man. He will be called Mighty God, Prince of Peace, Wonderful Counselor, and Everlasting Father. This man will rule on the Davidic Throne forever.

We know in the future that the Jewish people looked for a political Messiah and struggled with God becoming man. Here, Isaiah says that God will be a man.

An interesting question is why are these statements written in the past tense. For example, "to us a child is born". (v. 6). Isaiah seems to believe that these events have already happened. That said, the sequence of events begins with Galilee being honored in the future.

The rest of Isaiah 9 focuses on the destruction of the northern kingdom of Israel. It is about to be devoured by its enemies.

Isaiah 10

The chapter begins with various woes to the unjust. It parlays into woes for the nation of Assyria. God is angry because Assyria has overstepped its bounds as God's instrument. God used the Assyrian nation as an instrument of punishment but only wanted them to plunder and loot, not kill people and destroy nations.

The fact that God had this perspective at all is interesting. I think it may stem from the fact that the Assyrian people repented when Jonah came to them. However, whatever God wanted to use them for has been thwarted and now God is angry at the Assyrians.

The chapter ends with discussing how a remnant of Israel will be returned to their land. We know of the return of the people of Judah after the Babylonian captivity, but I think this refers to the "Lost 10 tribes" who are taken away by the Assyrians. If it is them and they did return at some point, history does not record when they did. They could have easily have intermarried with the people of Judah in Babylon several hundred years later. However, since they lost their identity once the Assyrians conquer and relocate them, we do not know.