10 Woe to those who enact evil statutes
And to those who constantly record [a]unjust decisions,
2 So as to [b]deprive the needy of justice
And rob the poor of My people of their rights,
So that widows may be their spoil
And that they may plunder the [c]orphans.
3 Now what will you do in the day of punishment,
And in the devastation which will come from afar?
To whom will you flee for help?
And where will you leave your [d]wealth?
4 Nothing remains but to crouch [e]among the captives
Or fall [f]among the slain.
In spite of all this, His anger does not turn away
And His hand is still stretched out.5 Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger
And the staff in whose hands is My indignation,
6 I send it against a godless nation
And commission it against the people of My fury
To capture booty and to seize plunder,
And to [g]trample them down like mud in the streets.
7 Yet it does not so intend,
Nor does [h]it plan so in its heart,
But rather it is [i]its purpose to destroy
And to cut off [j]many nations.
8 For it says, “Are not my princes [k]all kings?
9 “Is not Calno like Carchemish,
Or Hamath like Arpad,
Or Samaria like Damascus?
10 “As my hand has reached to the kingdoms of the idols,
Whose graven images were greater than those of Jerusalem and Samaria,
11 Shall I not [l]do to Jerusalem and her images
Just as I have done to Samaria and her idols?”
It’s interesting that God points out here, as he commissions Assyria to pour out his judgment, that this was not their plan (v. 7). Assyria was just doing their thing, expanding their empire, but God had other plans. In the earlier verses, we see also that Israel was decidedly not following God’s plan.
His plan involved taking care of widows and orphans, among a lot of other things, but that didn’t fit in their agenda. Even today, it isn’t likely to be on top of most people’s list of things to do to be successful. So instead, they turned their hands to evil and took what little the needy had to line their own pockets.
They weren’t unlike the Assyrians in that regard, doing whatever they could to gain power. But that isn’t God’s way, and it shouldn’t be our way. There’s nothing inherently wrong with material success, but when it comes at the expense of others–that is, when you’re taking advantage of others–that’s a good sign you’ve gotten off the path.
Maybe it wasn’t clear enough for them, but Jesus would later spell it out clearly, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave…”
The Assyrians may have thought they were the top dogs, as they conquered nation after nation, but eventually even their reign would come to an end. There is only one reign that will never end, and it is built on loving and serving. Want to be great? Learn to serve. It’s not easy or glamorous, but that isn’t the point. It’s doing your part in God’s plan, wherever he asks you to serve.