Isaiah 10-11

I'm forcing myself to slow down as I read the prophets---really I'm learning to slow down through the entire Bible reading process. There is great satisfaction in making headway through the Bible, even a type of spiritual pride can emerge--a sense that I am "faithfully mastering this text."  But the reality is, I'm not, and it's not designed to be mastered.  Instead, the hope is that it will shape and master me.  This requires a huge shift in perspective.

A hope is that the Word will seep into me. And seeping takes time without substitute. If I want a strong cup of tea, I must leave the bag in...no dunking and dipping will achieve the same effect.

Isaiah 8-11 requires savoring. After a few readings, subtle aspects of God's character become clearer. Chapter 10 clarifies powerfully that we are mere tools in His hand and should not misunderstand our role in the progress of time and events:

"But the king of Assyria will not understand that he is my tool; his mind does not work that way." Isaiah 10:7

"After the Lord has used the king of Assyria to accomplish his purposes on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, he will turn against the king of Assyria and punish him—for he is proud and arrogant. He boasts,
“By my own powerful arm I have done this. With my own shrewd wisdom I planned it."Isaiah 10:12-13

"But can the ax boast greater power than the person who uses it? Is the saw greater than the person who saws?Can a rod strike unless a hand moves it? Can a wooden cane walk by itself?"Isaiah 10:15

God allows us to have our moments of sway in the world, just as he did the King of Assyria.  The warning here is not to confuse a moment of power with our own abilities.  He is sovereignly over every rise and fall of things.