The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.
Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.
I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness.
The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the Lord of hosts mustereth the host of the battle.
They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the Lord, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.
Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.
Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt:
And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.
Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.
I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.
Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the Lord of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.
And it shall be as the chased roe, and as a sheep that no man taketh up: they shall every man turn to his own people, and flee every one into his own land.
Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is joined unto them shall fall by the sword.
Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished.
Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver; and as for gold, they shall not delight in it.
Their bows also shall dash the young men to pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eye shall not spare children.
And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there.
But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there.
And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged.
Isaiah 13 marks a significant shift in the book of Isaiah. After addressing the hope and restoration of Israel (Isaiah 10-12), the prophet turns his attention to the surrounding nations, beginning with a powerful oracle against Babylon. This chapter, along with the subsequent ones through chapter 23, contains prophecies concerning God's judgment on the nations that opposed Israel. These pronouncements, while directed at specific nations, served to encourage God's people to place their trust solely in Him, not in earthly powers or their false gods. The Lord God of Israel reigns supreme over all nations, and He will deal with them according to His sovereign will.
The Lord's Army Assembled
The prophecy opens with the Lord gathering a multi-national army to execute His judgment upon Babylon. Isaiah 13:2-3 depicts God raising a signal, summoning warriors from near and far to attack the city's elite. While these armies may have their own motivations for engaging in battle, the Lord declares that He is the one who has consecrated them for His purpose. This emphasizes God's sovereignty over the nations; He uses them as instruments to accomplish His divine will. Isaiah 13:4-5 describes the uproar of the assembled armies echoing in the hills surrounding Babylon, emphasizing the scale and intensity of the impending judgment. God Himself will wield these armies as weapons of destruction against the entire region.
A Day of the Lord's Wrath
Isaiah 13:6-8 calls for wailing and lamentation in Babylon, as a day of destruction approaches. Hearts will melt, hands will go limp, and anguish will seize the people. This "day of the Lord" is a recurring theme in prophetic literature, signifying a time when God intervenes directly in human affairs to judge sin and establish His righteousness. The judgment upon Babylon will be severe, blotting out the light of the stars, sun, and moon (Isaiah 13:9-11). This symbolic language emphasizes the totality of the devastation, signaling the end of Babylon's glory and power. The Lord will put an end to the arrogance and pride of the ruthless.
Utter Devastation Foretold
The prophecy continues to paint a grim picture of Babylon's fate. Isaiah 13:12-16 speaks of a drastic reduction in population, making people rarer than pure gold. Storms and earthquakes will ravage the land, and those who attempt to flee will be hunted down. The invading armies, driven by their own desires, will inflict immense suffering upon the people of Babylon, committing terrible atrocities.
Isaiah 13:17 announces that the Medes will lead the attack, showing no mercy, not even sparing pregnant women and children. This detail highlights the brutality of war and the complete destruction that awaits Babylon. The once glorious city will be reduced to ruins, comparable to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Isaiah 13:19). It will become uninhabited, a desolate wasteland haunted by wild animals (Isaiah 13:20-22).
Historical Context and Eschatological Significance
The prophecy against Babylon has sparked debate among scholars regarding its specific fulfillment. Some believe it refers to Babylon's defeat by the Medes and Persians in 539 BC, while others suggest it describes the earlier sack of the city by the Assyrian king Sennacherib in 689 BC. Tony Evans notes that the desolation described in Isaiah 13:20-22 doesn't entirely align with the events of 539 BC, as Babylon wasn't rendered completely uninhabitable at that time.
Regardless of the specific historical event, the prophecy against Babylon carries profound theological significance. Babylon symbolizes everything that is arrogant, evil, and opposed to God. It represents the pride of humanity and the pursuit of power and wealth apart from God. The LORD of Armies, a name signifying God's power and authority (Isaiah 13:4), brings judgment upon this "jewel of a kingdom" (Isaiah 13:19).
Furthermore, the book of Revelation draws upon the imagery of Babylon to depict a future, rebuilt, and revived Babylon that will face God's final judgment during the tribulation (Revelation 17-18). This eschatological dimension underscores the enduring significance of Babylon as a symbol of rebellion against God and the ultimate triumph of His kingdom.
Lessons for Today
Isaiah 13 serves as a warning against pride, arrogance, and the pursuit of worldly power. It reminds us that God is sovereign over all nations and that He will ultimately judge those who oppose Him. The prophecy also offers hope to God's people, assuring them that He will ultimately deliver them from their oppressors. By placing our trust in the Lord, we can find refuge and strength in the face of adversity. Just as God judged Babylon for its wickedness, He will ultimately bring justice to the earth and establish His eternal kingdom.
The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.
Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.
I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness.
The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the Lord of hosts mustereth the host of the battle.
They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the Lord, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.
Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.
Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt:
And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.
Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.
I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.
Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the Lord of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.
And it shall be as the chased roe, and as a sheep that no man taketh up: they shall every man turn to his own people, and flee every one into his own land.
Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is joined unto them shall fall by the sword.
Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished.
Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver; and as for gold, they shall not delight in it.
Their bows also shall dash the young men to pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eye shall not spare children.
And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there.
But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there.
And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged.
Isaiah 13 marks a significant shift in the book of Isaiah. After addressing the hope and restoration of Israel (Isaiah 10-12), the prophet turns his attention to the surrounding nations, beginning with a powerful oracle against Babylon. This chapter, along with the subsequent ones through chapter 23, contains prophecies concerning God's judgment on the nations that opposed Israel. These pronouncements, while directed at specific nations, served to encourage God's people to place their trust solely in Him, not in earthly powers or their false gods. The Lord God of Israel reigns supreme over all nations, and He will deal with them according to His sovereign will.
The Lord's Army Assembled
The prophecy opens with the Lord gathering a multi-national army to execute His judgment upon Babylon. Isaiah 13:2-3 depicts God raising a signal, summoning warriors from near and far to attack the city's elite. While these armies may have their own motivations for engaging in battle, the Lord declares that He is the one who has consecrated them for His purpose. This emphasizes God's sovereignty over the nations; He uses them as instruments to accomplish His divine will. Isaiah 13:4-5 describes the uproar of the assembled armies echoing in the hills surrounding Babylon, emphasizing the scale and intensity of the impending judgment. God Himself will wield these armies as weapons of destruction against the entire region.
A Day of the Lord's Wrath
Isaiah 13:6-8 calls for wailing and lamentation in Babylon, as a day of destruction approaches. Hearts will melt, hands will go limp, and anguish will seize the people. This "day of the Lord" is a recurring theme in prophetic literature, signifying a time when God intervenes directly in human affairs to judge sin and establish His righteousness. The judgment upon Babylon will be severe, blotting out the light of the stars, sun, and moon (Isaiah 13:9-11). This symbolic language emphasizes the totality of the devastation, signaling the end of Babylon's glory and power. The Lord will put an end to the arrogance and pride of the ruthless.
Utter Devastation Foretold
The prophecy continues to paint a grim picture of Babylon's fate. Isaiah 13:12-16 speaks of a drastic reduction in population, making people rarer than pure gold. Storms and earthquakes will ravage the land, and those who attempt to flee will be hunted down. The invading armies, driven by their own desires, will inflict immense suffering upon the people of Babylon, committing terrible atrocities.
Isaiah 13:17 announces that the Medes will lead the attack, showing no mercy, not even sparing pregnant women and children. This detail highlights the brutality of war and the complete destruction that awaits Babylon. The once glorious city will be reduced to ruins, comparable to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Isaiah 13:19). It will become uninhabited, a desolate wasteland haunted by wild animals (Isaiah 13:20-22).
Historical Context and Eschatological Significance
The prophecy against Babylon has sparked debate among scholars regarding its specific fulfillment. Some believe it refers to Babylon's defeat by the Medes and Persians in 539 BC, while others suggest it describes the earlier sack of the city by the Assyrian king Sennacherib in 689 BC. Tony Evans notes that the desolation described in Isaiah 13:20-22 doesn't entirely align with the events of 539 BC, as Babylon wasn't rendered completely uninhabitable at that time.
Regardless of the specific historical event, the prophecy against Babylon carries profound theological significance. Babylon symbolizes everything that is arrogant, evil, and opposed to God. It represents the pride of humanity and the pursuit of power and wealth apart from God. The LORD of Armies, a name signifying God's power and authority (Isaiah 13:4), brings judgment upon this "jewel of a kingdom" (Isaiah 13:19).
Furthermore, the book of Revelation draws upon the imagery of Babylon to depict a future, rebuilt, and revived Babylon that will face God's final judgment during the tribulation (Revelation 17-18). This eschatological dimension underscores the enduring significance of Babylon as a symbol of rebellion against God and the ultimate triumph of His kingdom.
Lessons for Today
Isaiah 13 serves as a warning against pride, arrogance, and the pursuit of worldly power. It reminds us that God is sovereign over all nations and that He will ultimately judge those who oppose Him. The prophecy also offers hope to God's people, assuring them that He will ultimately deliver them from their oppressors. By placing our trust in the Lord, we can find refuge and strength in the face of adversity. Just as God judged Babylon for its wickedness, He will ultimately bring justice to the earth and establish His eternal kingdom.