Isaiah 10 starts with the end of the message of Isaiah 9. (Remember, the chapter and verse notations in our English bibles weren’t there in the original manuscripts, but were added much later to make it easier for us to locate passages. Sometimes they make sense, but at other times as in several places in Isaiah, including here they don’t. As we move to Isaiah 10:5 and following, Isaiah pronounces judgment on Assyria for her arrogance. He describes at length the punishment that is coming on Assyria, because they assume they are more powerful than Israel and Judah, because their gods are more powerful. The LORD tells us they are simply an ax or saw in His hand, and they will be destroyed. In the end a remnant of His people will return, but the Assyrians will be completely destroyed. The LORD often used pagan nations to judge Israel and Judah, but in the end it was the LORD’s purpose to continue to uphold Judah until the “fullness of time,” as the Apostle Paul put it, when Jesus came to establish His new covenant not only with Judah, but with all nations.
Isaiah 11 offers us another image of the time of the coming of the Messiah. Some believe it refers to the second coming of Jesus, because it portrays an idyllic picture of peace throughout the world, and a time when wild animals and cobras do not hurt children. It is possible that such a time is pictured. It is equally as possible that Isaiah was painting the picture of Jesus’ coming. While everything pictured has not yet come, with the coming of Jesus all that is portrayed has been set in motion.
As we return to Mark 9, we see a glimpse of who Jesus is in His fullness as He is transfigured with Moses and Elijah. Only Peter, James, and John got to witness this amazing moment, but it impacted them incredibly as we would imagine. After this literal “mountain top experience,” the four came down to the crowds and found a man had brought his demon-possessed son for the remaining nine disciples to cast out the demon, but they could not. Jesus showed frustration, and then healed the boy. Before the healing, Jesus asked the father how long the boy had been possessed, and at the conclusion of the father’s recounting of the life-long possession of his son, asked Jesus, “If you can do something…” Jesus responded, “If? All things are possible for the one who believes.” The man’s answer was powerful, “I believe. Help my unbelief.” Haven’t we all been there? We want to believe, but the pain of life is overwhelming, so our faith falters. We need the LORD to help us believe. He does, and He will. Jesus healed the boy, and then He and the disciples moved on.
Jesus told the disciples again that He was going to be crucified and rise on the third day, but again they didn’t get it. They even got on a tangent, wondering which of them would be the greatest when Jesus returned? Seeing a teachable moment, Jesus brought a child in front of them, and told them unless we turn and become as children we will never enter the Kingdom of God. The chapter closes out with Jesus talking about how important it is for us to put Him and His Kingdom first.