Last week Babylon was God's tool against Judah. This week the Medes are used to judge the Babylonians. The Medes lived in the Zagros Mountains to the east of both Babylon and Assyria. These mountains run along the eastern border of Iraq and western border of Iran. The Medes helped Babylon beat the Assyrians (612 to 609 BC.) before Persia came to power and conquered Media in 549 BC.
Behold, I am stirring up the Medes against them, who have no regard for silver and do not delight in gold. Their bows will slaughter the young men; they will have no mercy on the fruit of the womb; their eyes will not pity children. And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the splendor and pomp of the Chaldeans, will be like Sodom and Gomorrah when God overthrew them.
Isaiah 13:17-19
In part, this prophecy would be given to encourage faith in those who are believers in Judah and Israel. Since their nation was going to be subject to terrible judgment because of the sins of Judah and Israel, God gives the believers signposts to look for along the way for encouragement of his faithfulness.
As a result of God's judgment on Babylon:
It will never be inhabited or lived in for all generations; no Arab will pitch his tent there; no shepherds will make their flocks lie down there. But wild animals will lie down there, and their houses will be full of howling creatures; there ostriches will dwell, and there wild goats will dance. Hyenas will cry in its towers, and jackals in the pleasant palaces; its time is close at hand and its days will not be prolonged.
Isaiah 13:20-22
It might have been good to read this before we tried to “fix” Iraq huh? Well the actual site of Babylon is just a mound of crumbled bricks and debris about 55 miles south of Bagdad. Lots of brick rubble for a long time. Even recently (since 2003) the 1st Marine Expeditionary force in creating Camp Alpha leveled portions for helicopter landing and vehicle parking. Their vehicles are heavy. The US vehicles crushed up 2600 year old brick pavements from about the time of Isaiah. We need to be interceding for this people and for ourselves to make sure we don't end up spitting into the wind. Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain (Psalm 127:1).
Immediately following this prophecy against Babylon we have God's promise to Judah and Israel to comfort those believers who are hearing Isaiah.
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. 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.
Isaiah 14:1-2
Again we see promises partly fulfilled in the time between Nehemiah and Christ. It was promised that Babylon would fall. As they fell the Persians rose to power. God is choosing Israel because of Grace as we are chosen by Grace. You aren't a better person you are a recipient of God's Mercy. We really look for a greater fulfillment of God's Kingdom as a result of revival and we are told to pray accordingly (Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven). You need to pray that like a man and boldly for your heart and the world around you. The church worldwide is also, already, a partial fulfillment. Like Paul indicated, we become bond servants for Christ.
When the Lord has given you rest from your pain and turmoil and the hard service with which you were made to serve, you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon:
“How the oppressor has ceased, the insolent fury ceased! The Lord has broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of rulers, that struck the peoples in wrath with unceasing blows, that ruled the nations in anger with unrelenting persecution. The whole earth is at rest and quiet; they break forth into singing. The cypresses rejoice at you, the cedars of Lebanon, saying, ‘Since you were laid low, no woodcutter comes up against us.’
Isaiah 14:3-7
The tables turn in this way after God brings His people back but this section of Scripture becomes bigger than any individual King of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar can be seen as a type and even individuals of our day who would claim to be the son of Nebuchadnezzar can be seen as small types and even to be pitied but God will use this section as a flash to end times when the prince of this world is finally removed. He was beaten at the Cross as Christ's Kingdom was established but in the end times he'll be completely removed.
Motyer says that “taunt” is just not the right word but we don't really have a right word. The meaning, as the words that follow indicate, is to explain as a proverb how God saw things. Both the world of man and of nature (the woodland) rejoice at the removal of the King of Babylon. God will reestablish his common grace in the world of men and nature.
Part of the evil seen is to impose your will on nature apart from the stewardship God gives us in creation. The trees of the forest were part of that. Some of you may recall Tolkien's pictures of this action and attitude in The Lord of the Rings (watch for Saruman if you want Tolkein's take on this).
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. All of them will answer and say to you: ‘You too have become as weak as we! You have become like us!’ 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.
Isaiah 14:8-11
So the enemy is finished. The principles present here teach us that death is not the end no matter what the Sadducees said in Jesus day and the atheists say in ours. Pomp and harps become maggots and worms. In addition there is recognition so we don't return to a sea of nameless souls. No hope of a bodily resurrection is in view here.
“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! 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; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.' But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit. Those who see you will stare at you and ponder over you: 'Is this ithe man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms, who made the world like a desert and overthrew its cities, who did not let his prisoners go home?’ All the kings of the nations lie in glory, each in his own tomb; 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. You will not be joined with them in burial, because you have destroyed your land, you have slain your people. “ May lthe offspring of evildoers nevermore be named! 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.” “I will rise up against them,” declares the Lord of hosts, “and will cut off from Babylon name and remnant, descendants and posterity,” says the Lord. “And I will make it a possession of the hedgehog, and pools of water, and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction,” declares the Lord of hosts.
Isaiah 14:12-23
The exegesis of this verse is often stated to refer to satan himself and folks make doctrine from these verses in that regard. I think that is pretty far out there. There was a Canaanite mythology of a revolt in heaven and this might be a poetic play on that common knowledge of Isaiah's day. Babylonian's had a similar mythology and I'm sure many other cultures did too. The Babylonians had lots of gods that they would identify with and elevated their rulers as well. The Ishtar gate was one of the first reconstructed by Saddam in Babylon (and apparently partly picked apart by American troops because the bricks made good souvenirs). Ishtar was the name of a Babylonian goddess (not just an American movie with really bad reviews). The symbol for Ishtar is an 8 pointed star.
If we look at Isaiah for principles instead of particulars here then we see a powerful ruler who considered himself godlike. God brings the ruler down, he doesn't even get a grave of honor, his sons are killed, and his royal line cut off. The King and the city go down together.
I don't think God has told us much about why satan fell or even when. We can speculate but I'm afraid it is too much of a stretch for me to try to explain satan's fall based on these verses. This sounds more like a king of Babylon to me and even in a small way what we've seen from the last ruler of Babylon who claimed Nebuchadnezzar as his father with A-10 Warthogs instead of hedgehogs and helicopters for sweeping as a broom of destruction. On general principles, don't ever claim to be Nebuchadnezzar's son. Not now, not ever, never. Kings and kingdoms that deny God and seek to establish their own rule apart from Him will not last forever.
However, knowing that satan is opposed to God and in rebellion against Him, we can see the ruler of this world being cast down and defeated by the power of God. Babylon is often used as a picture of worldly power opposed to God. But we live and move in God's kingdom.
The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
Luke 10:17-20
Jesus is at the right hand of the Father and the Father is in the process of defeating all of Jesus enemies (Matthew 22:44; Mark 12:36; Luke 20:43; Acts 2:35; Hebrews 1:13; Hebrews 10:13). Consequently, pray “Thy Kingdom come” in the light of what God is doing.
You who have been saved by Grace were once serving the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2) but God made you alive when you were dead and seated us with Christ (Ephesians 2:7).
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