The Fall of Babylon

Introduction

Isaiah 13:1-22

E.g. I believe in Aliens!

I think people have seen them, spoken to them, seen space ships

I think you should believe in them too!

Except when I say I believe in Aliens what I mean is I believe in angels, demons and supernatural beings

“That’s a weird way to start a sermon and a good way to get fired”

What do aliens have to do with Isaiah, Israel & God’s kingdom?

Part of the problem with our materialistic western world is we believe everything must have a materialistic answer

That is, there must be a logical, explainable, ‘scientific’ explanation for it

Result of that thinking means we have lost a very important part of the framework needed to understand our world & the Bible

When Bible talks about spiritual warfare it’s not just talking about being tempted to sin by a little devil on your shoulder

There is a real, cosmic, universal struggle between good and evil

There is a real cosmic rebellion taking place and we are in it

We’re not to overemphasise this neither ignore it

To understand Isaiah and prophets we need to understand they speak of the spiritual & material worlds as overlapping, existing together

We also must understand the Bible sees everything grounded between 2 events that unite spiritual and material

Cross/redemption - Isaiah’s prophecies all find foundation in redemption of Messiah, suffering Saviour

Coming Kingdom

So for us, we are grounded in what is behind us (cross) and the promise of what is before us (kingdom)

Our life now exists in the overlap of all of these

A physical event (cross) has immense spiritual implications that leads us to an eternal kingdom

Our life between those 2 realities is lived constantly in both the material and spiritual world

Our role in this life isn’t to be demon hunters & slayers or spending our time identifying & naming spirits

Our calling is to live godly in this present world

Why do I say all of this as we come to Isaiah 13

We’re about to embark on a section of Isaiah (13-27) where this becomes important

Isaiah moves fluidly from material to spiritual from present to future

1 thing can be both spiritual and physical, both present/past or future

God can be speaking both to an earthly king and the spirit behind the king

A physical reality can be illustrating to us a spiritual reality

What do we have to learn from Isaiah’s vision about Babylon and the kingdoms?

The Decree Against Babylon

Isaiah 13:1-5

God is Preparing for War

Crush His Enemies and Save His People

Many question this portion because we jump from Assyria threatening to Babylon

Though Babylon been a pest to Assyria and has some power they are not a mighty nation yet

God casts us into a future time so that the present can be understood

Through this next section of Isaiah God is going to show Himself to be master of nations

In all of the physical & spiritual battles going on God stand over them all

This begins with God gathering an army, an army He gathers to accomplish His purpose

An army that will save His people, those who have trusted Him

An army that will bring an end to all God’s enemies

Coming Day of the Lord

It doesn’t take much to recognise we’re not talking about any battle

It seems clear something epic is in mind

Familiar phrase of the prophets tips us off to what’s happening here

Isa. 13:6, 9 tell us we’re talking about God’s great & final judgment - the Day of the Lord

A concept Isaiah introduced in Isa. 2.

Now we’re no longer thinking small about a handful of nations

We’re not just talking about a way of disciplining Israel or judging a wicked nation

Now we’re talking about vengeance, pure righteousness and unfettered holy wrath

The Cosmic Battle

Then we begin to see true extent of this war

Isaiah 13:10 - heavens are darkened (perhaps to mock worship of heavens)

Isaiah 13:13 - the earth is shaken

Isaiah 13:11 - the whole world is punished

We’re no longer talking just in the material realm

Something much bigger is going on here, something future to Isaiah’s time

Something that draws together all the threads of God’s purpose of redemption into one great moment

It becomes clear we’re not just talking about something that affects this world but also the spiritual

Paul warns us in Eph. 6 (& other places) we’re in a spiritual battle

It’s imperative we understand the scope of this - it’s bigger than you’re personal battle with temptation

God Will Crush Rebellion

Babylon is a Place

Remember we’re talking about both the seen & unseen here

Babylon is a real place, real kingdom, soon to be a real threat & conqueror

Babylon plays a significant role in the Bible

Mentioned more often than any other city except Jerusalem

Had it’s beginning known as Babel (Gen. 11)

There the spirit/attitude of Babylon rose

Isa. 13:19 reminds us Babylon was a glorious kingdom

Filled with beauty, power, excellence but also ungodliness, wickedness & pride

Reason God judged it as Babel is the same reason He will judge it as Babylon

Babylon is More Than a Place

Again, it’s apparent we’re talking about more than just a city or a kingdom

Why would God refer to it in the Bible so often?

City/kingdom of Babylon represent something much more

Babylon is a symbol of the pride & rebellion that fills the world

Babylon represents physically what the world is spiritually

Are we talking about a physical city? Yes. And much more

Babylon is the epitome of pride, arrogance & extravagance

It’s why in Revelation Babylon is used to describe the religious & political systems

It’s why it’s described there as a prostitute because she is a seducer & deceiver

Babylon is Where You Live

E.g. Some went to AiG meeting earlier this year called ‘Living in Babylon’

Though the city of Babylon is in ruins it still lives

Babylon is the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics 2024

Babylon is the sacrifice of innocent children

Babylon is the venom towards Israel

Babylon is the extravagance of our society

Babylon isn’t confined to modern day Iraq

Babylon is Paris, New York, London

Babylon is Perth, Western Australia

In the Bible, Babylon is where you live in pride, arrogance, rebellion to God

Babylon is where you’re being seduced to live for pleasure, selfish ambition

Babylon is where you live for right now with no thought of the future and no care for the spiritual

God is Encouraging His People

God Establishes His People’s Faith

Though this is about Babylon it doesn’t appear that this prophecy was ever delivered to Babylon

This oracle/message was delivered to Judah

There is no doubt God did give messages to Babylon later

This message was given to help the people of God

Israel had been warned about their own coming judgment

Also been told about deliverance for those who believe

God is helping them understand His program, His work

He’s assuring them of deliverance

This speaks of a deliverance in the future, a kingdom that seems so far away

That’s why God includes more imminent fulfilments

Isa. 13:17 - Medes will devour Babylon

Isa. 14:24-27 - even closer Assyria will fall in judgment

Bible faith is never God saying, “just trust me” He always gives proof

Hebrews 11:1“1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

After this description what does writer of Hebrews do? Heb. 12 give a bunch of evidence

God is Faithful

Through God’s judgement, promises, prophecy

Promises of Messiah & Kingdom

These are all designed to show that God is faithful

The Destruction of Babylon

Isaiah 13:6-18

God’s Punishment Can’t Be Stopped

Isa. 13:6-8.

Wail of the Mighty

Contrast might of God with weakness of men

Babylon, which is built on pride, strength will melt before God

Mighty will wail

Strong will be weak

Confident will fear

No-one stands before God in pride

Pain of Judgment

Woman in labour illustration isn’t about the end having joy though pain

It’s to illustrate you can’t change the outcome

A woman giving birth faces the inevitable & inescapable pain of child birth

So for Babylon, the pain of God’s wrath is inevitable and inescapable

This is true for all citizens of ‘Babylon’ - all those who reject God and live in pride

Destruction is inescapable with one exception - Jesus Christ

Just like Israel’s deliverance comes through trust in Christ so does ours

That event of the cross can change the trajectory of your life both physically & spiritually

Heart of Dismay

Look at each other aghast, astonished, amazed

Clearly this isn’t the look of rapture or wonder

No, their faces are full of shame, sorrow, perhaps anger

Why? They recognise they’ve made the wrong choice in life

Now struck with realisation it’s too late to change the outcome

Again the overlap of material & spiritual - what you do with God & His Gospel in this physical life determines the destiny of your spiritual life

When you stand before God it’s too late

God will Punish the World for their Wickedness

Isaiah 13:11-16

End Pride

Isa. 13:11 is key

Pride always leads to destruction

Isaiah has made this very clear & Isa 14 reinforces

Pride is how this whole horrible mess began

No-one escapes - whole world judged for evil

Order of these messages seems to emphasise that too

Begins with Babylon in East (Isa.13)

Ends with Tyre in West (Isa. 14)

God’s judgment goes from east to west & all in between

His judgment is with consistent purpose

He judges all for wickedness & iniquity

He judges all for arrogance & pride

These all result in our rebellion against God

Shake the World

Size and scope overwhelm us

Not shaking of heaven & earth that gives most fear

Judgment for our sin is terrifying

Isa. 13:14 - When it comes there is no protection

Roe/gazelle in danger because it’s hunted

Sheep in danger because it has no shepherd

Isa. 13:15 - When it comes there is no escape

Isa. 13:16 - When it comes there is no mercy

God has shown greater mercy than we deserve

When time comes, time of mercy is over, all suffer the same fate

God will Provoke Wicked Hearts

God is in control of this but He is not the author of the wickedness described

Savagery & heinousnous of this is the result of God removing His hand and allowing the wicked to do what comes naturally

The Desolation of Babylon

Isaiah 13:19-22

From Glory

Babylon & our nations are filled with glory & beauty

Take great pride in ourselves

Our extravagance is seen as a sign of power & freedom

Sin will turn that beauty into ugliness

Rebellion of God’s ways will lead to extinction

God will not hold back

To Ghost Town

Babylon is still uninhabited

There does seem to be something deeper & more sinister here too

Revelation 18:2 “2 And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!”

Many of the animals named here are actually uncertain and are used differently in many places

Wild beasts of desert could be desert wraiths

LXX uses satyrs, demons, dragons, centaurs

Babylon is the playground of darkness

If we simply take them as owls, hyenas, goats, etc. we’re still left with an eery, unsettling place

A place that comes alive in the dark

Revelation 18:4 “4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.”

Babylon, the world is not to be played with

The end is only emptiness, darkness & wickedness

Conclusion

The only hope for those living in Babylon is Jesus Christ

He is the only one who can change the course of life in this realm and the spiritual realm

The call today is to come out from Babylon, don’t believe her lies, don’t fall for her seduction

It will only lead you to emptiness, darkness and destruction

So believer, make much of Jesus, lift high the banner of His name