The Pride of Babylon

Isaiah 14:1–22 ESV

1 For the Lord will have compassion on Jacob and will again choose Israel, and will set them in their own land, and sojourners will join them and will attach themselves to the house of Jacob. 2 And the peoples will take them and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will possess them in the Lord’s land as male and female slaves. They will take captive those who were their captors, and rule over those who oppressed them. 3 When the Lord has given you rest from your pain and turmoil and the hard service with which you were made to serve, 4 you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon: “How the oppressor has ceased, the insolent fury ceased! 5 The Lord has broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of rulers, 6 that struck the peoples in wrath with unceasing blows, that ruled the nations in anger with unrelenting persecution. 7 The whole earth is at rest and quiet; they break forth into singing. 8 The cypresses rejoice at you, the cedars of Lebanon, saying, ‘Since you were laid low, no woodcutter comes up against us.’ 9 Sheol beneath is stirred up to meet you when you come; it rouses the shades to greet you, all who were leaders of the earth; it raises from their thrones all who were kings of the nations. 10 All of them will answer and say to you: ‘You too have become as weak as we! You have become like us!’ 11 Your pomp is brought down to Sheol, the sound of your harps; maggots are laid as a bed beneath you, and worms are your covers. 12 “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! 13 You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ 15 But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit. 16 Those who see you will stare at you and ponder over you: ‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms, 17 who made the world like a desert and overthrew its cities, who did not let his prisoners go home?’ 18 All the kings of the nations lie in glory, each in his own tomb; 19 but you are cast out, away from your grave, like a loathed branch, clothed with the slain, those pierced by the sword, who go down to the stones of the pit, like a dead body trampled underfoot. 20 You will not be joined with them in burial, because you have destroyed your land, you have slain your people. “May the offspring of evildoers nevermore be named! 21 Prepare slaughter for his sons because of the guilt of their fathers, lest they rise and possess the earth, and fill the face of the world with cities.” 22 “I will rise up against them,” declares the Lord of hosts, “and will cut off from Babylon name and remnant, descendants and posterity,” declares the Lord.

Introduction

In chapter 12, Isaiah promised that God's covenant people would experience "that day" where they would experience the salvation and restoration power of God's grace. And in response, Israel would declare the praises of God and share this with the nations. Chapter 14 continues the thought of God being declared among the nations. In the next sermons, we will look at some of God's prophecies concerning these nations. Today we begin looking at God's word concerning Babylon.

These words of Isaiah toward Babylon occur during the Neo-Babylonian period. God used Babylonian power under Nebuchadnezzar to take the Southern kingdom of Judah into exile. This is the period about which we read the experiences of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

One might wonder why God would use the power of a non-believing nation to judge the covenant people of God. God foretold this occurrence many generations before. As the early ancestors of Israel entered the promised land, God restated the covenant agreement to which he promised judgment for unfaithfulness and rebellion.

Deuteronomy 28:64–65 ESV

64 “And the Lord will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you shall serve other gods of wood and stone, which neither you nor your fathers have known. 65 And among these nations you shall find no respite, and there shall be no resting place for the sole of your foot, but the Lord will give you there a trembling heart and failing eyes and a languishing soul.

Although the punishment was severe, God would ultimately bring back the people. The remnant people would experience the mighty hand of God once again in mercy and grace. But what about the non-believing nation that God used to judge Israel? Scripture consistently reminds us that God is just and would judge all people according to his holiness. Babylon and other nations would also experience judgment for their rebellion. In anticipation of that day, God sent a message to Judah concerning their enemies in the next section of Isaiah. This came in the form of a series of prophetic judgment upon these nations.

The Promised Reversal

These opening verses, 1-3, echo the sentiment of chapter 12. God's compassion toward Israel is the only reason they receive salvation. They do not deserve it, nor have they earned it. When we look at the gospel of Jesus Christ, we see the same concept. Last week we read from Ephesians 2 that reminded us that we were all children of wrath because of our sin and God’s holiness. But God had mercy upon us.

Ephesians 2:4–10 ESV

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

The verses of Isaiah 14 anticipate the great day when God through Jesus Christ would reverse the curse of sin and bring us to the family of God. The gospel is the great reversal of the human condition.

From children of wrath to adopted children sealed by the Holy Spirit of God

From foreigners to citizens of Zion where the Lord dwells

From being an outcast to have the privilege to enter the throne of grace with confidence

From hopelessness to faith-filled hope in God’s merciful love.

The Taunts against Babylon

The prophecy against Babylon is a masterpiece of literature. Let's look at the outline of the message.

In verses 4-6 we hear the response of a redeemed Israel concerning their oppressor Babylon. Israel recognizes the true power of God in breaking the power that Babylon had over them. Babylon was a tool of discipline but they too would receive God's judgment.

In verses 7 and 8, the earth and nature add their voice to the growing chorus against Babylon. The earth begins to sing. The trees that were once cut down as resources for the conquering empire now rejoice. They rejoice because they are no longer at risk of seeing the woodcutter's ax.

In verses 9-11, those past rulers of great power give their welcoming voice from Sheol (the Old Testament term that describes death and the afterlife). The dead, (shades), are stirred up to greet the newcomer Babylon. However, their greeting is quite cynical as they welcome Babylon to the grave.

A Falling Star

The next section describes the issue of Babylon’s pride. Babylon ascended to power but also descended into judgment. Like the law of gravity, what goes up, will come down. Babylon was filled with the pride of their success and ability. Daniel 4 tells us of the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar who invaded Judah, took sacred items from the temple, destroyed the temple, and deported many people to Babylon. He seemed "successful" as the powerful ruler of an empire, but he failed to recognize his position in God's history. Read about the judgment he experienced due to pride in Daniel 4.

Daniel 4:28–33 ESV

28 All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30 and the king answered and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” 31 While the words were still in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, 32 and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” 33 Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers, and his nails were like birds’ claws.

However, King Nebuchadnezzar repented and experienced God's mercy. But this attitude pervaded the heart of the Babylonian Empire. Those who raise themselves above God will be brought low. They would not experience a long-lasting heritage. The Neo-Babylonian empire lasted for approximately 88 years only to be overtaken by the next world empire known as the Medo-Persian Empire. The message toward Babylon concluded with God declaring that He will fight against them. God would judge the prideful empire.

Words for Life

The words of God concerning Babylon serve the purpose of encouraging and correcting the last kings of Judah. From his first message to King Ahaz to King Hezekiah's last, Isaiah gave the message to remain faithful to God and live in humble obedience. When the surrounding nations threatened Judah, Isaiah warned them not to fear because God would protect them. He would be the True King for Israel when human kings and power threatened their lives. In the moments of fear, Israel was commanded not to look to the nations for their security and hope. The truth is that any nation they relied upon, including themselves, would eventually fail. Why put your future trust in something that will eventually prove to fail? Only God will stand the test of time. He is faithful. He is mighty to save. He is able.

For the people who eventually entered the Exile period, these words served as a reminder that God will act toward them in mercy and once again bring them salvation. But they had to wait upon the Lord. They had to place their trust fully in God. Although their exile was a measure of discipline, God would reverse it. They must live in faith and obedience. If God makes a promise, He will keep it and fulfill it in His proper time. All we must do is wait in obedient expectation.

When we consider our current situation, we, too, must remember the faithful and prophetic words of Isaiah. We trust in God, for He will preserve us and provide for us even in the worst of situations. We will not look to any person nor any potential power for our hope. Our hope is in the Lord alone.

Human power and leadership are temporary. The powers of today are not given an eternal place. They will rise and fall, some more quickly than others. Never place your future in the hands of a party, a political leader or power, or anything else. Your only hope is in God. On Christ the Solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. A change of influence and power will never change the human heart. Make sure your heart is surrendered to God alone. Trust Him and fear no one.

Words of Warning

Even though the Babylonian Empire lasted a short while, the New Testament scriptures use Babylon as a symbol to describe those whose hearts are prideful and stand in opposition to God's will.

1 Peter 5:13 - "She who is at Babylon" was the apostle Peter's way of referring to the church in Rome, a city which had become as immoral and idolatrous as ancient Babylon. Just as that ancient cultural center had oppressed the Judean exiles, so Rome was now persecuting the Christians living there.

Elwell, Walter A., and Barry J. Beitzel. "Babylon, Babylonia." Baker encyclopedia of the Bible 1988 : 250. Print.

In the book of Revelations, Babylon is again used to describe Rome and future powers that would set themselves against God and His people. And God still promised that the persecuted believers would again see God take the high powers that threatened them and bring them down to nothing.

Pride is not the problem just for leaders and world powers. It is a problem for the believer today.

Pride refers to an unwarranted attitude of confidence .... it is often used in Scripture to refer to an unhealthy elevated view of oneself, abilities, or possessions.

Williams, William A. "Pride." Ed. Douglas Mangum et al. Lexham Theological Wordbook 2014 : n. pag. Print. Lexham Bible Reference Series.

In Paul's letter to Timothy, he lists pride as one of the key characteristics of those in the last days, which we are in now. The prideful heart will never let God be God. Human pride is evident in the first sin of humanity and repeated in every other sin. Sin says, "My will be done."

The cure for pride is humility. We must humble ourselves before God lest we discover that God casts us down because of our pride. Humility is the proper attitude toward receiving God's grace.

Let us follow the words of James.

James 4:6–10 ESV

6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

What areas in your life might show a sinful pride?

What might God want you to do concerning these?

What can we learn from the example of Christ who humbled himself and became obedient to death upon the cross? Philippians 2?