2 Nephi 20<\/a>\u00a0(= Isaiah 10), focuses again on the international political situation of Isaiah\u2019s day. \u00a0I\u2019ll be brief, but I think that a few notes might be helpful:<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Verses 1-2 refer once more to the greed and injustice of Judahite society, in which the poor are oppressed by the rich. \u00a0Although Isaiah himself seems to have been a part of the ruling class of Jerusalem, he saw their evil clearly.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
In verses 5-6, the Lord indicates that he\u2019s using the Assyrians as his instrument for chastising the wicked. \u00a0But that\u2019s plainly not how the Assyrians themselves understand it (see verse 7), because they are themselves full of greed, violence, and evil and, of course, wholly indifferent to the God of Israel and his moral laws.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Verses 7-11 represent the arrogant boastfulness of the Assyrians. \u00a0All of the important cities listed had tried to resist the Assyrian advance \u2014 and all of them had fallen. \u00a0Jerusalem, the Assyrians confidently assumed, would meet exactly the same fate.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
But it wouldn\u2019t be so. \u00a0Jerusalem would eventually fall, yes \u2014 but not for decades, and not to the Assyrians. \u00a0(The Babylonians would overthrow the Assyrians, and it would be the Babylonians, more than a century after Isaiah\u2019s ministry, who would then sack Jerusalem and inaugurate the famous and pivotal \u201cBabylonian captivity\u201d of the Jews.)<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
In verses 12-16, the Lord explains that, once the Assyrians have served his purpose in chastising Judah, he will punish them<\/em> for their pride<\/em>.<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u00a0 \u00a0 Today\u2019s reading,\u00a02 Nephi 20\u00a0(= Isaiah 10), focuses again on the international political situation of Isaiah\u2019s day. \u00a0I\u2019ll be brief, but I think that a few notes might be helpful: \u00a0 Verses 1-2 refer once more to the greed and injustice of Judahite society, in which the poor are oppressed by the rich. \u00a0Although […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1019,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30740","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n
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![\"Assyrian](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/186\/2016\/02\/800px-Assyrian_siege.jpg\")
<\/a>