“For the Lord of armies has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back?”

No one can stop God’s determination to save His people. Salvation’s of the Lord, and He is stronger than the strongest. He uses Assyria and Babylon to accomplish His purpose, but He determines salvation upon the elect [vs22-27]. We are chastened and brought down. Our sin is exposed, but only for the purpose of humbling us, pardoning us, and giving us OVERCOMING power. This gift of God is in Christ, and it is sure. Love undeserved and unyielding has purchased it. To glorify His own name, He decided to save [Eph 1:6].

If He left us out of the Book of Life, then we’d perish, hopelessly lost in our sins! Like devils, we’d rebel until the Judgment Day and suffer eternal torment. We, however, have escaped, and faith reveals us to be God’s elect. We trust Him and not ourselves! We confess our sins and believe His purpose to save. Relying upon Christ, therefore, we shall not be disappointed. He fixed our eyes on Him, caused us to hope in Him, and He will never fail nor falter. All that comes against us - the strength of sin - will be defeated. The devil will oppress only as long as he is appointed, and then he’ll be taken away, cast out, and rejected [Isa 14:12-21].

Let not Satan make you tremble. Fear not because of the enormity of your sins. Psalms 103 is plain,

“For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him.” vs11

“As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him.” vs13

“But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children.” vs17