Today’s message title is “A message falls on Jacob“. In verse 8 it says, “The Lord has sent a message against Jacob; it will fall on Israel.” Up until now Isaiah has spoken to Judah, or Judah’s King, Ahaz. However, from here on in this passage to chapter 10 verse 4 are words to Northern Israel. In verse 9 it says, “Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria”. “Ephraim was Northern Israel’s representative tribal group. Samaria was the capital. Therefore, Ephraim and Samaria refer to Northern Israel. God’s message “will fall on Israel”. (9:9) Up until now several prophets have spoken to Northern Israel too. Elijah, Elisha, and Hosea are representatives of these prophets. However, the people didn’t really accept the message of the prophets. On the contrary, they were proud and didn’t accept the message. Therefore, “The Lord has sent a message against Jacob; it will fall on Israel.” (9:8)
The central message of the message is “his hand is still upraised”. (9:12) This is repeated over and over, four times in 9:12, 9:17, 9:21, and 10:4. Today let’s look at four points of this message while we look mainly at these words.

I. Spur the enemies on (vs. 9-12)
First look at verses 9 to 12. It says in verse 9 that Israel responded to the message that fell on them “with pride and arrogance of heart.” The reason that they were prideful was “The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with dressed stone; the fig trees have been felled, but we will replace them with cedars.” (9:10) The message that fell upon Israel was a warning that if they turn their backs on God then this will happen: the bricks will fall and the fig trees will fall. However, to this they said, “The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with dressed stone; the fig trees have been felled, but we will replace them with cedars.” (9:10) This means that even if they were hurt by something, they still had strength within themselves. It is an attitude of arrogance that they can rebuild. They only have to rebuild again by their own knowledge and their own power. It was prideful thoughts that if they were replenished by something, things would work out.
Southern Judah had been ruled for a long time by King Ussiah. During that time the king of Northern Israel changed many times. The length of reign was really short for 2 years or there were times when terrible kings were only a few months. It is like the Japanese prime ministers. They changed rapidly. This is because they had such prideful thinking. Therefore, someone intimately connected with the king or one of the king’s subordinates assassinated the king and made himself king. Then in a few years or in a few months the new king was killed and this was repeated over and over again. That was because they thought that all they needed to do was change the ruler. This is the same attitude as, “The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with dressed stone; the fig trees have been felled, but we will replace them with cedars.” (9:10) They thought they were all right because they thought that by their own strength, not God’s they could do something.
This was not just a problem of Israel, but this is a normal problem for us too. When our heart is continuously hardened God takes away what we have one by one so that we can humble ourselves. Even so, if we say that we are still o.k. then God takes even more from us.
In chapter 6 when Isaiah was called to be a prophet, God said a strange thing. That is in 6:9. God said to Isaiah, “Go and tell this people: ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’” It is strange that God would say to Isaiah who is from now on going to be speaking the Word of God to say to the people, “Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.” (6:9) God is saying to Isaiah that no matter how much God spoke to them, their hearts were hardened. Then Isaiah asked God, “For how long, Lord?” (6:11) God answered, “Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are left deserted and the fields ruined and ravaged, until the LORD has sent everyone far away and the land is utterly forsaken.” (6:11, 12) God is saying He will do this until all is gone. That was how hardened the people’s hearts were. That was because until the very end they depended upon themselves. That is road Israel followed. It is the road that all those with hardened hearts follow.
Verse 11 and 12 tells us what God is going to do to such people. Here it says, “But the LORD has strengthened Rezin’s foes against them and has spurred their enemies on. Arameans from the east and Philistines from the west have devoured Israel with open mouth. Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised.” (9:11, 12)
“Rezin” (9:11) is the King of Aram. “But the LORD has strengthened Rezin’s foes against them.” (9:11) This is Assyria. “The LORD has strengthened” (9:11) Assyria “against them and has spurred their enemies on them.” (9:11) “Their enemies” are Aram, the Persians. Aram formed an alliance with Israel and attacked Judah. Even though the countries should have been on friendly terms, Israel will be attacked by Aram. This is because Aram and Israel were from the beginning enemies. They were enemies, but Assyria attacked Israel from the North so in order to turn against Assyria, Israel joined up together with Aram. Therefore, in the end, Israel was attacked by this companion.

This is the judgment of God upon the people that refuse God. All they have to do is to depend upon God, but they refuse God and depend on other things. In the end, as a result they themselves suffer. For example, think about loneliness. When we are tormented by various problems, we think we are alone, and feel lonely. If we would declare that to God, it would be good. However, if we don’t believe in God, or if we believe in God, but don’t really live daily depending on God, then we try to find fulfillment for our hearts in things other than in God: for example, in alcoholic drinks, pleasures, friends, fortunetelling, shopping, etc. Such things may temporarily help us, but in the end, such problems give us pain and agony. This was the pattern of life of the Israelites.
Not only that, but when you don’t believe in God and because you are filling your hearts with other things than God, you think you are o.k. and are arrogant. Then it will be like the end of verse 12. “Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised.” This is the same upraised hand that in the past brought Israel out of Egypt and saved her. Towards the Egyptian Pharaoh who refused God’s Word, “Let Israel go!” and refused to let Israel go, God stretched out his hand and sent out plaques upon Egypt. Here this hand is upraised towards Israel. If Israel too continues to refuse God’s Word, and doesn’t repent, God’s hand will be upraised and things will be cut off one at a time. .

II. Both head and tail will be cut off (Vs. 13-17)
Next let’s look at verses 13 to 17.
Vs. 13-16
Even though enemies came upon them, they did not seek the Lord. “So the LORD will cut off from Israel both head and tail, both palm branch and reed in a single day.” (9:14) The explanation of this verse is in verse 15. “The elders and dignitaries are the head, the prophets who teach lies are the tail.” The “head” (9:14) are the political leaders and the “tail” (9:14) are the false prophets. They are the spiritual and psychological leaders. The Lord will cut off these leaders. He will cut them off, super fast, in a single day. The reason is they taught lies. They taught lies and led the people astray, led them on the wrong road and deceived them. They didn’t teach that Israel had turned away from God and that they will be judged by God. They taught different things. This is false teaching.
If we aren’t careful there is danger that we too might be prophets that teach lies. There are times when we might not teach the Gospel of Christ, but teach another gospel. That doesn’t mean that there is another Gospel, but we may teach something or the Gospel that is different from what is written in the Bible. It is easy to fall into the temptation of talking only with warm words that makes the hearers be relieved, encouraging words, and kind words. Of course, the Bible has such words written in it, but that is not all that is written in the Bible. Rather, such encouragement is given by knowing the reality of human sin and God’s wrath and judgment upon such sin and the grace of God who loves such men completely on His end, and forgives him. There is no way that we can get around this.
Romans 1:18
Romans 3:23, 24
This is the Gospel. If there are prophets that teach lies, that don’t teach this Gospel or teach the truths of Words of the Bible, they will be cut of “in a single day”. (9:14) That is not all. Please look at verse 17. Here is says, “Therefore the Lord will take no pleasure in the young men, nor will he pity the fatherless and widows, for everyone is ungodly and wicked, every mouth speaks folly. Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised.”
Lots of people criticize political leaders and church leaders. Here the reason for this is written. “For everyone is ungodly and wicked, every mouth speaks folly.” (9:17) If no one listened to the prophets that tell lies, these lying prophets would have no place to prophesy. However, there are people who listen so such prophets that tell lies are around. Please open your Bibles to II Timothy 4:3, 4.
II Timothy 4:3, 4
In the past it was so, but especially today is this kind of age. People want people to say what they want to hear, and with wayward desires, gather teachers one after another who agrees with them. If not, they won’t listen to them. Therefore, the teaching is no longer healthy. It gradually wanders from the truth. They don’t realize that this happening. This is how the age will become. The church too will be wayward.
When it is like this, there are prophets who tell lies. What is really interesting is what the prophets are called here. Here the prophets are the “tail”. (9:14) They aren’t pulling the people towards God, but pursue the opposite end, the people, and say what pleases others. In the present age politicians and prophets, and teachers, and bosses at work all strive to get people’s popularity. They aren’t directing everyone in the direction that is best for the future of the country, or the future of the church, or what God desires.
On top of that, “the Lord will take no pleasure in the young men, nor will he pity the fatherless and widows…Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised. ” (9:17)

III. They will not spare on another (Vs. 18-21)
Next let’s look at verses 18 to 21.
9:18, 19
Here is written about what it is like after Assyria attacks. Assyria like a fire will burn and consume everything. “By the wrath of the LORD Almighty the land will be scorched and the people will be fuel for the fire; they will not spare one another.” (9:19) People will only think of themselves and do what’s best for themselves. The result of this is verse 20. “On the right they will devour, but still be hungry; on the left they will eat, but not be satisfied. Each will feed on the flesh of their own offspring.” This means they will eat each other up. By outside enemies Israel will be burned, and the people ruined, and not only won’t their brothers care about them, but they will go to the point of feeding “on the flesh of their own offspring.” (9:20) They will be that hungry!
Gal. 5:15
Here is admonishing us about spiritual devouring of each other. This occurred among the people that were trying to live by the power of the flesh. They were biting and devouring each other. This was because spiritually their stomach wasn’t full. They were undernourished. Therefore, they criticized their friends in Christ, pulled them down, and there was biting going on. When a person is in a condition of spiritual poverty then he is easily tempted to do such things. Those who are not filled with Christ devour their friends.
Therefore as it says in verse 21, “Manasseh will feed on Ephraim, and Ephraim on Manasseh; together they will turn against Judah.” Manasseh and Ephraim are Northern Israel. Northern Israel attacked Northern Judah during the time of Ahaz, but in addition it happened many times. The cause for this is the spiritual condition of poverty. Therefore, they bit and devoured their brother Judah. In other words, they were attacked. Certainly Judah too turned and fell away from God, but even so in comparison they had good intentions, and there was the remnant that returned to God so God’s life was still there, the power of the Holy Spirit was there. The people who were in the condition of spiritual poverty persecuted such people. Those people who spiritually had no life actually persecuted the people that had life. “Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised.” (9:17) In other words, as strange as it seems, they still didn’t understand.

IV. Help and salvation is in the Lord (Vs. 10:1-4)
Next let’s start chapter 10. Please look at verses 1 and 2.
10:1, 2
Originally the law was for doing good or to control evil, but here it is made for doing evil. When this is done, the people that receive the most harm are always those who are at the bottom of the social scale. In other words, they are “the poor” (10:2) and “the oppressed”. (10:2) Such people are deprived of their rights and justice is withheld from them.
The result of this is in verses 3 and 4.
10:3, 4
“The day of reckoning, when disaster comes from afar” (19:3) points to the attack from Assyria. When Assyria attacks, how are you going to run away from the judgment? From whom will you seek help? Where will you be able to keep your achievements, your honors, your wealth, and “your riches”? (19:3) “Nothing will remain but to cringe among the captives or fall among the slain.” (19:4) Won’t it just become this vulgar condition?
There is nothing, no one, no where, no way that they can run away from God’s judgment. Even those of high ranking, the honor and respect from other people has no purpose, and they will just be conquered, captured, laid low, and suffer humiliation. Moreover, even though they are in such a condition, repentance is not seen in them so God’s severe judgment will not stop. God’s hand of judgment “is still upraised” (10:4) over them. God’s wrath is not over and is upon this person.
The way to avoid God’s hand of wrath is to repent and believe in Jesus Christ.
Acts 16:31
This is being spoken not only to Northern Israel, but it is calling out to us who are living now. For Christians to get caught up in the currents of the times is not God’s way of faith. The way that the people of the world choose is to depend on human strength. If a person senses that he is totally submerged in it, then God’s anger will come upon him. The only way that he can be saved from the wrath of God is to believe in Jesus who was put on the cross and died.
Romans 5:9
We who have been justified by Christ’s blood, “how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through” (Romans 5:9) Christ. Through Christ we have received the forgiveness of sin and eternal life. “Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red as crimson,
They shall be like wool. (1:18)
The hand that is still raised up, will not be raised any more. Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation.
Therefore, let’s not neglect the warning of God that He speaks to us through the Word of God. When we realize that we have conformed to the world and have become separated from God, let’s look to the cross of Christ, and we must return to God. Then putting God first, we must pray that we can walk the road of devoting ourselves to the faith. This is the way we can be saved from the hand that “is still upraised” (10:4) Let’s stay in the grace of Jesus Christ and not live under the hand of God’s anger, but in God’s love and joy. Here is the real answer and hope.

Applying it to our lives

* What are you depending on? On God? on something other than God?

* Is there a possibility that you are listening to the Word of God arbitrarily accepting what you want to hear?

* Are you spiritually full? Are you in spiritual poverty judging your bothers and sisters in Christ and being critical?

* Do you believe in Jesus Christ? Even if God’s anger raises up his hand, are you saved from that anger?