Read Isaiah
13-14 & Galatians
6
To discover:
As you read consider what
we learn about God’s sovereign rule.
To ponder:
Yesterday we considered Assyria . But
it was to be Babylon , who replaced Assyria
as the superpower of the day, who would eventually conquer the southern kingdom
of Judah
Shockingly,
he calls the warriors of pagan nations God’s “holy ones” because they are
set-apart to serve him. And they are to serve, as Assyria
before them, in carrying out God’s wrath. But here this is not against his
people. In context God is calling them to enter the Babylonian cities where key
nobles live. Isaiah describes the noise of these nations being massed together
by God for war, to destroy the whole country (13v1-5). The terror of the
destruction that would ensue on this “day of the LORD” is then described
(13v6-8). It is to make the land desolate and destroy sinners. And on that day,
it is said even the stars, sun and moon will not show their light, and heaven
and earth will tremble. This may be a metaphorical way of stressing the despair
and death that will be felt, and God’s supremacy over the astrological bodies
pagan people’s worshipped. But it may also be looking to the final judgement,
implying that it will be marked by a sort of de-creation, before the new
creation is brought into being. Here, Babylon
may be being used as a paradigm for all society in opposition to God (as Rev
18). So God immediately declares how he will punish the world for its arrogant
sin – no doubt that of assuming one can live independent of God, crediting only
oneself with whatever is achieved (13v9-13).
There is
warning, then, in what follows, as to the seriousness of the final judgement. The
impending judgement on Babylon is
described in the most horrific terms. Many living in such a multi-cultural
place will flee to their country of origin, whilst those captured will suffer
all the terrors that come with war -
whether men, women or children (13v14-16). To this end, God will stir up the
Medes (see Dan 5v30-31) who cannot be bought because they don’t care for
riches. They will be merciless, causing Babylon ,
the most glorious of kingdoms, to be overthrown by God like Sodom
and Gomorrah , never to be inhabited
again by anything except wild animals (13v17-22).
This would
have been a huge encouragement to the Jews when exiled in Babylon .
And it gets better: Isaiah tells how God will show compassion on his people,
choosing and resettling Israel
in their land, with aliens from other nations uniting with them, and so uniting
in the worship of God. Indeed, God is so sovereign, that he will cause nations
to actually take them to their land, where they will serve God’s people as
captives (14v1-2). The point is that the oppression of God’s people will be
reversed, as was seen for a time after the return from exile. Moreover, we see
Gentile and Jew now united by common faith in Christ; and will see them one day
exercise authority over all others as they share in Christ’s judgement (Rev
2v26-27).
Isaiah continues that when the
Jews receive relief from their bondage under the king of Babylon, they will
taunt him, speaking of how their LORD has broken the ruling power of wicked
rulers which subdued nations, how the subdued lands are therefore at peace and
breaking into song in response, and how deceased leaders are readying
themselves to welcome the king to the grave, speaking of how despite his pomp,
he has been brought low and become weak (14v3-11). This is the fate of all
leaders who fail to honour God in Christ, no matter how powerful.
14v12-17
has been thought to describe Satan’s fall. If it does, it describes it as a
pattern of the fall of Babylon ’s
king: His arrogance was to consider his power and authority equal to God’s,
like a supreme angel. And so this great king in the eyes of the world, who was
in some ways like an angel, has been humbled and brought to the grave, as the
world looks on and ponders. Indeed, whereas other kings gain the honour of a tomb,
he is denied that, being covered in death by those killed with him. The reason
for this particular disgrace is striking: Not only did he destroy other
nations, like every tyrant he destroyed his own land and people too. This is
the mark of the worst of rulers. And because of it, God will rise up against
his sons too, so they will not inherit the land or build cities elsewhere (14v18-23).
These sons may well have done evil. However, the point is that God is ensuring
the king’s authority is unable to be revived in any form. We should be in no
doubt, the things the world esteem and aspires to, will one day be no more too.
Moreover, the punishment of those who raise themselves above God by rejecting
Christ will be total and everlasting. And it will be most severe for those who
have been most arrogant and most evil (Lk 11v20-24, Lk 12v47-48).
The sudden
change to speak of “the Assyrian” – the king of the earlier oracles (14v24, see
10v5, 12), may simply be to say that what God will eventually do to the
Babylonian king, he will soon do to the Assyrian one. This couldn’t be imagined
by Israel , due
to Assyria ’s power. So on seeing it take place, the
people would have been encouraged that the later Babylonian king could fall
too. So God promises again that his plan will stand. The Assyrian king will be
crushed in Israel
itself, as his army is defeated (see 2 Kgs 19), and his burden taken from Judah .
This is a plan for the whole known world of that day, as it was pretty much all
under Assyrian rule. God is therefore showing that he is God of the whole
earth, who determines its happenings and brings even its greatest rulers to
account (14v25-27).
The small
oracle against the Philistines (14v28-32) tells them not to rejoice that the
rule of one who struck them is broken. This may refer to king Ahaz of Judah
(14v28). But the negative language of “snake” and of attack coming from the
north makes an Assyrian ruler more likely, explaining why the oracle is placed
here. Whichever is in mind, God is predicting that one of their descendents
will lay siege to Philistine gates and cities as God’s judgement against them,
and in order to enable the poor and needy in Jerusalem
to live safe from Philistine threat. Once more then, we may be seeing God using
the evil ambition of pagan peoples as his tool - here in protecting his people.
Praying it home:
Praise God that he
governs the decisions of even the most powerful people. Pray that he would use
their decisions for the good of his people, especially where they are being
oppressed.
Thinking
further:
None
today.
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