Thoughts from reading the chapter preface: Now Isaiah is speaking to Assyria (who was the much larger, real threat to Judah all along. Destruction of Assyria is foretold as a type for the Second Coming.)
The end comes when the work of the Lord is completed (See vs. 12). Then the end of the Earth will come. This begs to ask the question: What are the preparations or the work that need to happen for the Lord to return to Earth? It’s not a random, arbitrary vengeance upon the wicked that will bring on the Lord’s return to earth. It is when His work is completed upon Mount Zion and Jerusalem that the Father will then be able to pull the plug on the rest of His prideful creations, clear away the bad, so that the full work of righteousness can continue uninterrupted for the necessary time span of a 1000 years. (see also 1 Nephi 22:26)
Temples are critical step in that preparation.
The start of this chapter brings out an accusation against those in power who are responsible for the oppression of the poor. What is most troubling is that they use their power to enact law that holds the poor in states of oppression. In the Lord’s view, that power is given to the rulers so that they may execute judgment or justice in behalf of the poor. (See vs. 1-2)
In this chapter there are accusations against “a hypocritical nation” and Assyria. Isaiah explains how the Lord uses Assyria to afflict Israel and Jerusalem, but then that Assyria is no better off for their prideful assumptions that they had power within themselves to do the things which they had done. Isaiah show here that the powerful nation’s power was granted unto them of the Lord, and then in due time, it would be removed from Assyria when it is no longer needful for them to have it.
Devour[ed]… in One Day
Verses 16 -19 describe the the complete end of Assyria, this tool that was used to afflict and torment Israel, becomes of itself nothing in what seems to be the very short span of one day.
I find in here business instruction on how to work. “Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of hosts, send among his fat ones leanness;” (At least, this is how one gains the advantage in Babylon.) There is the need to operate on minimal resources.
The assumption of Assyria (Babylon) is that there is no God, and that they are free to take at will anything that they find in the earth.
Assyria, Babylon, you are fighting against God, your Maker! In the last evening, I have been blessed to start into a process of repentance to cultivate the character of Christ within myself more fully. In doing so, I find these scriptures to have greater depth. It is the light of the knowledge of God that one sees rightly. An awareness of His grace and goodness, His matchless power and infinite compassion towards us, the depth of his efforts and preparations for our success, there is so much that we do not yet understand about what He has done for us, but we must try in our finite state to begin to expand our understanding of it.