Isaiah chapter 13

Text: Isaiah 13

Opener: The lesson that Nebuchadnezzar needed to learn...

Daniel prophecied that

Daniel 4:25 (KJV 1900)

That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.

Daniel 4:34–35 KJV 1900

And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

Nebuchadnezzar came to the realization that every one of us must come too. No kingdom exists without the hand of God allowing it to be so.

This can be seen on the world stage. But here in our text we find that God is guiding and working in the affairs of men.

Proverbs 21:1 KJV 1900

The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: He turneth it whithersoever he will.

It is in God’s Word that we see on full display the soverignty of a Holy God. Working out his way and will on the world stage and if we are willing able to work it out in us.

Intro to a New Section Divisions of Isaiah

I....................I.................I..................I

13 35 39 Savior 66

I am aiming to teach the area of chapter 13-27.

We have seen Isaiah demonstrate his bonafides as a prophet as he announced the plan of God on the stage of Assyria, Syria Judah, and Babylon. Which is good for us to remember that at the time of this writing Babylon was not yet the big player on the world’s Stage. Consider this Isaiah will write this pronouncement of God’s judgment 100 years before Babylon was even a power. Some modernist wish to use this to claim that Isaiah couldn’t have been the author and try to give an explanation that better fits their liberal logic. Either Someone used Isaiah’s name and wrote this down after Isaiah died or Isaiah saw a vision of the Lord so far into the future it would post date his own death.

“The Burden of Babylon...”

The Bible speaks of Babylon with some detail. It is good for us to remember that Babylon is not just “some kingdom” they were the “big one”. It is good to know that the Bible treats this announcement like a two edged sword. A physical edge and a spiritual edge. There is a physical place What we will call a

Kingdom

a Capital

a Captian.

There is the Spiritual which we could label the

Compromise.

Babylon began as a rebellion to the plan and way of God. Babylon’s rebellion goes back to Nimrod, land of Shinar –

Genesis 10:8–10 KJV 1900

And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord. And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.

Genesis 11:1–2 KJV 1900

And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.

Because of these interactions it is easy to see that Babylon also fits as a stand in for any nation that would be rebellious to the plans of God.

But this rebellious stand in for all kingdoms has an end.

Revelation 18:2 KJV 1900

And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, And is become the habitation of devils, And the hold of every foul spirit, And a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

Revelation 18:10 KJV 1900

Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, Saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour is thy judgment come.

It sounds like the passage that we are looking at today.

Isaiah 13:19 KJV 1900

And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, The beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, Shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.

You get a two edged sword. A law of 2nd meaning… We can see what God pronounces here and know that it is refering to the first Babylon. But one day there is a reflection that points to a great spiritual rebellion that will meet its end.

The War Bound Babylon 13.2-6 “a banner” – A call, cry, shout, trump sound to arms. “sanctified ones” – LORD’s chosen army, the host of heaven – 10:5, Joel 2:1-11 “kingdoms of nations” – the nations gathered for war – Joel 3:9-17,Rev 16:12-20 “end of heaven, even the Lord” – The LORD leads this army – Rev 19:14

Day of the Lord at Hand 13:6-14 “Day of the Lord is at hand” – it is close, these are the signs of that time. Mt Prophesied most in Zephaniah, Joel, Isaiah

8 – Great fear and sorrow – Jer 30:6-7, Lk 21:26, Heb 10:27

Jeremiah 30:6–7 KJV 1900

Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? Wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, And all faces are turned into paleness? Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: It is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; But he shall be saved out of it.

Hebrews 10:27 KJV 1900

But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

9 – A day of wrath and fierce anger, desolation, destruction of sinners. 10 – The sign of that day, all lights go dark (stars, sun, moon)

Point of interest: when God’s wrath was poured out on Calvary there was darkness. When he pours out his wrath on man kind on the Day of the Lord their will be darkness again.

11 – The world’s judgment for sin = making the high things low 12 – Men will be scarce – Rev 9:13-15 13 – shake heavens & earth - Hag 2:6-7, Heb 12:26, Rev 6:13-15, 8:12 14 – First, compassion - Mt 9:36; but then, judgment – Mt 24:27-30

Total destruction is coming 13:14-18

15 – No one is spared from death and judgment. There is no escape (worldwide) 16-18 – Children dashed, and wives ravished? No pity on the pregnant? Mt 24:19

Matthew 24:19 KJV 1900

And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!

1) This describes what the Babylonians did to others – Ps 137:8-9, Lam 5:11 ii.

2) The bloodthirsty Medes are stirred up against the Babylonians – 13:17 3) There is none righteous: even women and children – Isa 9:17 4) Righteous judgment does not respect persons. It is great and terrible.

And then the Fall 13:19-22

Prophetic proof of divine inspiration: fall of Assyria, Babylon >1c prior Prophesied also in Jer 50-51, Daniel 2 and fulfillment in Daniel 5:31 Remember the dream of nebuchadnezzar with his Golden Head. He would be replaced by a chest of Silver this is the Medes and the Persians. And is fulfilled in Daniel 5.31

Daniel 5:31 KJV 1900

And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.

19 – “glory of kingdoms” – the golden head in Daniels image 20 –“never be inhabitated” – still yet to be completely fulfilled 21 – A habitation of wild beasts and unclean animals 21-22 – Mythological creatures in the Bible?

1) Maybe they are not mythological, but nuanced names for existing animals.

2) Maybe they are creatures that no longer exist. 3) Maybe it is mocking false religions/mythology – 2 Ch 11:15 4) Maybe there is something devilish behind it – Isa 34:14-16, Rev 18:2, Rev 20:2, Isa 27:1

Considering Nimrod is it any wonder that Babylon would find its way to God’s wrath.

I mean consider the fact that we use the word Nimrod as a derogatory word. Why because that is the place he holds in our collective mind.

Babylon is what happens when you have a rebellious Captain...

Nebuchadnezzar is what happens when you have a rebellious Captain...

So consider our Captain...

Jesus came to do the will of the Father. His whole agenda was to submit himself to the will of God. What of his Followers? They will be those that submit themselves to the God of heaven. Not by their own power but by relying in the same grace and power that our Savior submitted to so long ago.

The heirs of this kingdom don’t fit in well with Babylon. But knowing what’s coming makes me glad that I follow the one that will aid me as I follow the Sovereign God of Heaven.

So What???

Isaiah 13 is a chapter in the Book of Isaiah, which contains a prophecy about the judgment of Babylon. The main takeaway from this chapter is that God is sovereign over all nations, and he will judge those who rebel against him.

In Isaiah 13, God speaks through the prophet Isaiah and announces that he will bring destruction upon Babylon. He will summon an army of nations to carry out his judgment, and they will destroy the city and lay it waste. The chapter describes the terror and devastation that will come upon Babylon, and the people will be scattered and flee in fear.

The chapter also emphasizes that Babylon's judgment is a result of their pride and rebellion against God. They had exalted themselves above God and oppressed his people, and now they will suffer the consequences of their actions.

Overall, the takeaway from Isaiah 13 is that God is just and righteous, and he will judge those who defy him. It also serves as a reminder that no nation or individual is exempt from God's judgment, and we should all strive to live in obedience to him.