Isaiah 13:1-8

III.

PEOPLE AND PAGANS - Chapter S 13 - 23

A. IMPLACABLE EMPIRE CH. 13-14
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
1.

BABYLON

a. PREDICTION OF JUDGMENT

TEXT: Isaiah 13:1-8

1

The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.

2

Set ye up an ensign upon the bare mountain, lift up the voice unto them, wave the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.

3

I have commanded my consecrated ones, yea, I have called my mighty men for mine anger, even my proudly exulting ones.

4

The noise of a multitude in the mountains, as of a great people! the noise of a tumult of the kingdoms of the nations gathered together! Jehovah of hosts is mustering the host for the battle.

5

They come from a far country, from the uttermost part of heaven, even Jehovah, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.

6

Wail ye; for the day of Jehovah is at hand; as destruction from the Almighty shall it come.

7

Therefore shall all hands be feeble, and every heart of man shall melt;

8

and they shall be dismayed; pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman in travail: they shall look in amazement one at another; their faces shall be faces of flame.

QUERIES

a.

How does Isaiah know of an empire 100 years from his time?

b.

Who is from the uttermost part of heaven?

c.

How was it the day of Jehovah?

PARAPHRASE

This is the vision God showed Isaiah (son of Amoz) concerning Babylon's doom. See the flags waving as their enemy attacks. Shout to them, O Israel, and wave them on as they march against Babylon to destroy the palaces of the rich and mighty. I, the Lord, have set apart these armies for this task; I have called those rejoicing in their strength to do this work, to satisfy my anger. Hear the tumult on the mountains! Listen as the armies march! It is the tumult and the shout of many nations: the Lord of Hosts has brought them here, From countries far away. They are His weapons against you, O Babylon. They carry his anger with them and will destroy your whole land. Scream in terror, for the Lord's time has come, the time for the Almighty to crush you. Your arms lie paralyzed with fear; the strongest hearts melt, and are afraid. Fear grips you with terrible pangs, like those of a woman in labor. You look at one another, helpless, as the flames of the burning city reflect upon your pallid faces.

COMMENTS

Isaiah 13:1-5 REQUIEM FOR BABYLON: This is the beginning of the third part of Isaiah's prophecy to the Remnant and consists of the judgments upon the pagan nations. In this section Isaiah interprets to his readers, those faithful who will heed him, the activity of the Divine government as God deals with the heathen empires and their sin. He especially is led to write of pagan destinies in relation to God's faithful kingdom-people. These prophecies were not for the benefit of the Babylonians but for the people of God. From them they would learn that the hostile power of the world in its most powerful manifestation would finally be brought to ignominious defeat and ruin. No power that sets itself against God, be it as haughty and pretentious as was Babylonia, can prevail. Israel would learn that God does not permit to go unpunished the wickedness of those who have set themselves against the Lord and against His anointed, and who oppose His people.

To see the opponents of God's purposes punished would bring consolation and encouragement to the Jews, for it would teach them how precious their salvation was in God's sight. God is in control of all things. A topsy-turvy world is not really topsy-turvy. Even the darkest moments are in God's providential control and rule.
Isaiah probably wrote this section around 730 B.C. Babylon did not come to world domination until about 606 B.C., some 124 years later, and Babylon was not conquered until 536 B.C., nearly 200 years after Isaiah predicted it. How could Isaiah know it? Plainly, it was by super-natural revelation directly from God. Isaiah states that it was an oracle he saw (i.e. in a vision).
The three means of summoning the invaders of Babylon, raising an ensignlifting up the voicemotioning with the hand, indicate the highest degree of urgency! Israel is bidden to cheer the conquerors of Babylon on.
The supreme note is the authority and government of God. He is directing the campaign against Babylon. The mighty hosts here assembled are not named but they are described as my consecrated ones, my mighty ones and my proudly exulting ones, showing they were chosen of God and led by God. The Medes and Persians were a mountain people and Isaiah hears the noise of a mighty host of people armed for war and gathering together for conflict. They came from a far countrythe uttermost parts of heaven. Both Media and Persia were, as far as the Hebrews were concerned, at the end of heaven or where heaven and earth meet at the horizon. God is so absolutely the author of this that it is represented as the actual day of Jehovah. Jehovah is at the head of the attacking army.

Isaiah 13:6-8 REACTION OF BABYLON: Babylon will not brag and boast on this day of Jehovah as did Nebuchadnezzar upon his housetop (Daniel 4:27). Babylon will scream with terror and howl and mourn, (Cf. Jer. chs. 50-51).

The people of Babylon are pictured as paralyzed with astonishment and fright. This harmonizes with both Jeremiah 50:43; Jeremiah 51:30; and Daniel 5:6. After having caused Cyrus-' withdrawal from the walls of Babylon, Belshazzar was surprised by the Persians stealing into the city on a dry river bed whose waters had been physically diverted around the city by the Persian army (see our comments in Daniel, College Press, chapter 5). Convulsing agitation and desperate perplexity came upon the Babylonians. Theirs is the deepest anguish for the day of Jehovah has broken upon them.

This is the ultimate destiny of all earthly kingdoms. This will be the reaction of all men and women who have put their trust in this world and its doomed systems.

QUIZ

1.

What is the main thrust of this section of Isaiah's prophecy?

2.

For whose benefit were these prophecies against the nations?

3.

How would the doom of the pagan empires be a source of encouragement?

4.

How much is God involved in the downfall of Babylon?

5.

What was Babylonia's reaction to be to God's judgment?