3). Afterwards A Remnant of Israel the Northern Kingdom Will Turn Back to God (Isaiah 10:20-23).
At this time Isaiah's vision is fixed on Assyria, the mighty power of the day. He sees everything in terms of Assyria as the ‘now', and what follows as being ‘afterwards'. It is only later that he becomes aware of the shadow of the power of Babylon. Thus what is described here is the ‘afterwards', without any indication of how long afterwards. It is possibly spoken in the light of the destruction of Samaria and the exile of the cream of the nation of Israel in 722 BC.
Analysis.
a And it will come about in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and those who are escaped of the house of Jacob, will no more again stay on him who smote them, but will stay on Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.
b A remnant will return, even the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God
b But (or ‘nevertheless', or ‘for though') your people Israel are as the sand of the sea, a remnant of them will return.
a A consumption (destruction, a coming to an end) is determined, overflowing with righteousness, for a consummation, and that determined, will the Lord, Yahweh of hosts, make in the midst of all the earth
In ‘a' Israel will no longer stay on him who smote them but on Yahweh the Holy One of Israel ‘in truth', while in the parallel this will be because the Lord, Yahweh of hosts, has determined to bring a consumption and consummation on the one who smote them, one that ‘overflows with righteousness'. In ‘b' in both cases a remnant will return.
‘And it will come about in that day,
That the remnant of Israel,
And those who are escaped of the house of Jacob,
Will no more again stay on him who smote them,
But will stay on Yahweh,
The Holy One of Israel, in truth.
A remnant will return,
Even the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God.'
In mind here is the northern kingdom, described as ‘Israel' and ‘the house of Jacob' as in Isaiah 9:8. The central thought here is of the return of a remnant of the people of the northern kingdom to God. They will no more rely on their smiter, presumably here Assyria, but on Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel, Who is also the light of Israel (Isaiah 10:17). When God's rod has smitten them, a remnant of His rebuked people will return.
Note that it is ‘the remnant' and ‘those who escape' who are in mind. The vast majority of Israel will be lost. This remnant may represent some of the people who remained in the land, or some who escaped to Judah, as no doubt many did, especially the men of faith. But we need not doubt that there would be those who had been exiled who would also struggle to return to the land and may be included. But the main point is that God's people as represented in the northern kingdom would not be totally cast off. A number of them will finally come back to God, fulfilling God's promises to Abraham, and will be established as true worshippers of Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel (the One distinctive and pure God), in truth, or in steadiness of heart.
So after Israel was crushed and the cream of the nation was carried into exile in 722 BC, ‘a remnant would return' to God (she'ar yashub - compare Shearjashub (Isaiah 7:3)). This brings out yet again the width of Isaiah's vision. In Isaiah 9:1-2 the people of Galilee were in mind, now here the remnant of the northern kingdom. Along with Judah they are to enjoy God's final mercy.
‘A remnant will return, even the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God.' ‘Mighty God' (El-Gibor - God the Mighty One) is the same as in Isaiah 9:6, but compare Jeremiah 32:18 where the Great and Mighty God (God the Great the Mighty One) is Yahweh of hosts. The context here is stressing the return of the remnant to God, not to the house of David. Thus El-Gibor is seen as a full divine title. ‘God the Mighty Warrior' is an apposite comparison with the warrior kings of Assyria.
‘But (or ‘nevertheless', or ‘for though') your people Israel are as the sand of the sea,
A remnant of them will return.
A consumption (destruction, a coming to an end) is determined,
Overflowing with righteousness.'
The people of Israel were described in Genesis 22:17 as being prospectively like the sand on the seashore. It is a term which means a large number. Here Isaiah is therefore saying, your people are truly like the sand of the sea, reminding them of God's promise to Abraham, and adding that a remnant of that huge number will return. While it is a remnant, the remnant is a fairly large one and not a small one (although small proportionately).
‘A consumption (destruction, a coming to an end) is determined, overflowing with righteousness.' The thought here may be that the consumption and destruction of Assyria is determined, which will bring about God's righteous purposes for His people, or that there will be ‘a coming to an end' of Israel's judgment resulting in God's overflowing righteousness to the remnant or that Yahweh's very acts of judgment will be in accordance with what is just and right. The probable parallel with staying on Yahweh ‘in truth' could be used to support any of these alternatives. The principle point that comes from it is that Yahweh acts in truth and righteousness.
‘For a consummation, and that determined,
Will the Lord, Yahweh of hosts, make in the midst of all the earth.'
For it is the Sovereign Lord, Yahweh of hosts, Who will bring all His purposes in the earth to their final end. He has determined it and it will be. All will finally be resolved, and neither Assyria nor anyone else can interfere. In the end God's final purposes will be achieved. For God is over all.
In fact during the tumultuous history that followed, with empire following empire, it must be seen as quite probable that many of these exiles, a remnant, did make their way back to their homeland, especially under kings like Cyrus who encouraged people to return to their homeland. This is not therefore a prophecy awaiting fulfilment. Only too often modern prophetic preachers can ignore fulfilment that took place within the inter-testamental period.