Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai
INTRODUCTION
In this Chapter, Isaiah had several prophetic declarations against Babylon. Babylon, apart from being a province in Assyria is also a term used by the Lord to typify wickedness in the end times. What Isaiah foresaw was a graphic destruction of Babylon, the degradation of its nobility, and the universal wickedness of its masses. Each era of the earth has known its own Babylon, but the Babylon of the latter days was seen by the prophets as being among the most wicked of any era and the object of destruction at the coming of the Lord. So when Isaiah speaks of Babylon he refers to both the empire of that time and spiritual Babylon of our present time.
Dual Fulfilment
Isaiah’s prophecies are broadly grouped into two, the near fulfillment and the far fulfillment. The prophecies were sort of like a two-edged sword in that they had an immediate connotation, but oftentimes there was also a future connotation. If we recall from chapter 7 and verse 14 when he said, "Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel". It had a near fulfilment, not of the virgin bearing a son, but if a child was born at that time, before he would be old enough to really know much, the kings would be destroyed from Samaria and from Syria. (Which did happen), as well as a far fulfilment of Jesus Christ, being born of the virgin Mary.
In this chapter, the prophesies were against Babylon. This particular cry against Babylon is the same as we see in Revelation 17:1-18, and Revelation 18:1-24. It talks about the Babylon of the last days. So this prophecy is carrying us out to these end times.
Judgment Upon Babylon - God Judges Nations Verse 1
At the time of this prophecy, Babylon was a significant nation, but they were definitely behind the Assyrian Empire in status. Yet, God who knows the end of all things spoke of the judgment on the pride of Babylon hundreds of years in advance.
We will all one day stand in judgement. Everyone that have been on the planet since Adam and Eve will stand at the judgement seat of God. It has been said that since Adam and Eve there have been over 77 billion people that have lived and died on earth. Judgement will come for everyone. Revelation 20 tells us that God judges the lost, 1 Corinthians 3 tells us that Christ judges His own. Revelations 2 tells us that churches are judged and here in this chapter, God judges nations.
God Raises An Army Against Babylon Verses 2-8 (Near Fulfillment)
Verse 5: “They come from faraway lands, from the ends of the heavens—the Lord and the weapons of his wrath—to destroy the whole country.
This speaks of Media and Persia, coming from the north and the east to destroy Babylon.
Jeremiah 51:1 Thus says the Lord: “Behold, I am going to arouse against Babylon And against the inhabitants of Leb-kamai The spirit of a destroyer.
Jeremiah 51:11 “Sharpen the arrows, fill the quivers! The Lord has aroused the spirit of the kings of the Medes, Because His purpose is against Babylon to destroy it; For it is the vengeance of the Lord, vengeance for His temple.”
It was this destruction that Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream was all about. Media and Persia are the arms of silver. Daniel 5:32 “The head of the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze”
History tells us that Babylon finally fell in 539 BCE to Cyrus and came under Persian control. The Bible in Ezra 1:1 says: “Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom . . .”
The Terrors of judgment Upon Babylon. Verses 9-16 (Far Fulfillment)
Verse 9 - The day of the LORD comes: Isaiah now speaks in the “prophetic tense,” having in mind both a near fulfillment (the day of judgment against the Babylonian Empire), and an ultimate fulfillment (the final day of judgment at the return of Jesus).
Verse 10 - The stars of heaven and their constellations will not give their light; the sun will be darkened: Several prophetic passages describe the cosmic disturbances that will precede and surround the return of Jesus (Joel 2:10, Revelation 6:12-14, Isaiah 34:4). Here is what Jesus said in Matt. 24:29
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”
Verses 11-12 - “11 I will punish the world for its evil, the wicked for their sins. I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty and will humble the pride of the ruthless. 12 I will make people scarcer than pure gold, more rare than the gold of Ophir.”
Once again, God not only tells us judgment is coming, but also gives the exact reason for it.
The Devastation of Babylon. Verses 17-22 (Near and Far Fulfillment)
In Verse 20 Isaiah prophesied that Babylon will never be inhabited or lived through all generations
“She will never be inhabited or lived in through all generations; there no nomads will pitch their tents, there no shepherds will rest their flocks.”
And over time, that is what happened; and to the present day, Babylon has remained uninhabited! Today, a Google search of the question: “is Babylon habitable” returns this result.
Isaiah 55:11 says of the Lord’s Words
“[11] So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”
Whatever it is the Lord has promised us, by His Word, hold on to it and don’t let it go because it shall not return to Him void!
CONCLUSION
Whenever we see the destruction of cities, the calamities of nations, and the overturning of kingdoms, as in the case of present day Babylon, that has become desolate. And when we realize that these were as a result of the Lord’s judgements prophesied years ago, we must allow them humble us that we may learn to gather wisdom from the affliction of others, and pray for divine intervention in our own circumstances and situations. Proverbs 28:26 MSG says:
“If you think you know it all, you're a fool for sure; real survivors learn wisdom from others.”
