Adult Class
December 2006-May 2007
Isaiah
Lesson 8: Judgment on Enemies—Babylon and Assyria
Because the book of Isaiah is a collection of Isaiah’s prophetic oracles, it is not arranged in chronological order. Instead of tracing his career across the decades, the book gathers together material of a similar nature. It is possible that many of these oracles were delivered in a sequence, but it is clear that this collection spans years (see 20:2-3 for a single prophetic sign that lasted three years!). Edward Young’s commentary on Isaiah groups the materials from 13:1-23:18 in a single stream of judgment pronouncements upon the enemies of God’s people and against the city of Jerusalem.
Isaiah 13:1-14:27 deals with pronouncements against Babylon and Assyria. This is remarkable because Babylon was not a ruling empire during this time. It would be another 100 years before Babylon succeeded in overthrowing Assyria, and it would be another 75 years before Babylon’s demise! At the time of Isaiah’s career, the power of the day was Assyria. That kingdom gets short notice in this section. Once again, the things that seem so important in our eyes are sometimes actually very trivial while the things that seem too small for our notice are sometimes God’s chosen instruments. It is always worthwhile remembering that God does not see as people do (1 Samuel 16:7).
Babylon’s doom and its causes
Isaiah begins with a command summoning God’s army. It will come from all kinds of places. This army is the means of God’s judgment on Babylon. When the army presents itself before the great city, the defenders will be terrified and filled with shame.
This is the “day of the Lord” (verse 6). The Lord’s Day is often one of judgment on His enemies, of terror and destruction. This phrase appears again in verse nine and is identified explicitly as a day of God’s wrath. This idea is expressed again in the prophets (see Amos 5:18, and remember that Amos and Isaiah were contemporaries!) and usually signifies a day of destruction and sorrow.
This day will be unlike any day the people had seen. It would be as though the earliest part of creation had not happened. This would be a day of darkness like the chaos before the earth was formed. This is the day that the arrogant pride of the haughty will be shattered and brought to nothing. We tend to downplay the attitude of arrogance as though it were regrettable, a kind of social misdeed, instead of a deadly sin against God. The Babylonians thought they had carved out their empire by their own strength, wit and resourcefulness (see Daniel 4:30 for a typical attitude!). They had no idea they were a tool of God’s fashioning and use. It might be instructive for us to reflect on our own origins and determine whether we are what we are by our own devices or through God’s gracious care—and live the rest of our lives accordingly.
The cruelty and barbarism of Babylon will be repaid by the invaders. The blessing pronounced upon the bloodthirsty enemies in Psalm 137:8-9 is richly deserved. And these invaders are identified as the Medes—the people who lived southeast of Babylon. These are allied with the Persians. Because of their actions, Babylon will be completely overthrown as were Sodom and Gomorrah. Isaiah issues a strong prediction of the desertion of Babylon, even though it was a very important city that actually straddled the Euphrates River. No traffic could navigate the river without passing through the city. However, the city was taken by Cyrus the Great in 538 B.C. and used as his provincial base. Some 20 years later, the city walls were destroyed, which removed all protection for the residents. By the shift into the Christian era, the Greek geographer Strabo reported that Babylon was nothing but absolute desert—and that is true even today.
As chapter 14 opens, the reason for Babylon’s destruction is revealed: God did this so that His people could come home. Even though Israel has not yet suffered the Assyrian invasions and the later Babylonian Captivity, God announces that these things will not end the nation. Israel will be powerful again, and when Babylon is judged, the Israelites will have a ready-made taunt. As we examine the statements made against Babylon, consider how Israel’s release from Babylon is typical of our release from the captivity to sin we endured.
In the taunt, Isaiah declares that all this is by the power of God. Those in the grave welcome the “mighty” king of Babylon. Particularly if this represents the souls of those he killed, this is strong stuff. Death awaits the man, and he is to be helpless to ward off the vermin who will eat his body. In this section, verses 12-15 clearly describe the king of Babylon, but in language that recalls the fate of the devil. It is from this passage that John Milton conceived his idea that the devil was cast out of heaven for the sin of pride. It may well be that Isaiah had precisely that event in mind as he described the pride and arrogance of the king of Babylon—and his subsequent fall to the depths. But the description of pride in verse 14 is not unique to the devil or to the king of Babylon. It is the intention of every person who is not in submission to God.
This king suffers an indignity greater than any king he managed to kill. They at least were buried with pomp and ceremony. His body will be just another part of the general slaughter, thrown out for disposal without any national funeral or mourning.
And he shall have no successors. Even his descendants will be systematically killed. This is surgery to remove a dangerous growth—the entire thing must be removed and no trace left behind. And when the royal family is exterminated, the city site will be abandoned as worthless. This is the declaration of the Lord Almighty. Before Him, the mighty king of Babylon is nothing.
Assyria
God has not forgotten the immediate threat to the people of Israel. He knows that Assyria is on the horizon and drawing closer day by day. He knows that the Assyrians believe they are working their will on the world and that they succeed by their power. Still, God is using them to fulfill His plan, and His plan will succeed. This great empire has a reason for existence, but they will only be allowed to execute God’s will, not their own desires and ambitions.
Assyria’s power will, in fact, be checked in the mountains of Judea when Sennacherib came against Jerusalem. The account can be found in Isaiah 37, but the message here is plain: Assyria is not a permanent threat—it will be set aside when its need is completed. But this is just part of God’s overall plan, and He will perform His will. Nobody can stop Him.
These are not the only enemies God will judge, and two of the most vicious will occupy God’s attention next.