22 "I will rise up against them," declares the Lord Almighty. "I will cut off from Babylon her name and survivors, her offspring and descendants," declares the Lord.
23 "I will turn her into a place for owls and into swampland; I will sweep her with the broom of destruction," declares the Lord Almighty.
24 The Lord Almighty has sworn, "Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will stand.
25 I will crush the Assyrian in my land; on my mountains I will trample him down. His yoke will be taken from my people, and his burden removed from their shoulders."
26 This is the plan determined for the whole world; this is the hand stretched out over all nations.
27 For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?
Over and over in these verses we read how the sovereignty of God works in the history of man - God PLANNED it (v24). He didn’t plan it because He knew what the Assyrians would do, or what the Israelites would do. God was directing their steps (Proverbs 16:9). His plan was perfect and was determined before time began (Isaiah 46:10). If God did not work in man to order and direct his steps, not only proven in the Old Testament (Proverbs 21:1) but also in the New Testament (Philippians 2:13), the “free will” of man might thwart His plans. As verse 27 clearly states, “the Lord Almighty has purposed” and NO ONE can thwart His plan.
But look closely at verse 26. The plan of destruction about which He told Isaiah regarding Assyria, this is part of the plan He has for the whole world. This is the hand stretched out over ALL nations, not just the nations of Israel and all who believe on His Name. And not just on the nations who are His enemy. His Hand is stretched out over ALL nations and His plan WILL be fulfilled.
I ask again, where is man’s free will here?
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