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ISAIAH, CHAPTER 13 … BABYLON

December 28, 2018 by Dr. Mike Bagwell

I know that so-called “current scholarship” believes that there is more than one writer (author) involved in the composition of what we call the “Book of Isaiah.”

Thirty years ago the “liberals” told us there were two men named “Isaiah” represented in these 66 chapters! Nowadays they are saying three “Isaiah” authors! (Maybe I am old-fashioned, but still looks to me like one man, he being miraculously inspired by the Holy Spirit of God to pen his Messages, his Corpus.)

One reason these “modernists” believe in the multiple authorship of Isaiah is the “disorganization” they see in the whole Composition. No overall thematic structure, they claim. But they are WRONG! There is beautiful order in Isaiah’s Prophecy. (I’d like to remind them of one of God’s instructions to the Church at Corinth … “Let all things be done decently and in order.” He is a coherent God!)

For example, Isaiah chapters 13-23 form a beautiful Unit! (Today we take our first look at chapter 13 of that Group.) These comprise Isaiah’s Sermons to the “Nations” of the world.

Jeremiah has a Section like this in his massive Prophecy, in chapters 46-51. So does Ezekiel, in his chapters numbered 25-32. (Even little Amos follows this trend, chapters 1 and 2.)

One “proof” that Isaiah 13-23 are a purposeful Group is the recurrence of the word “burden” therein, “massa” in Hebrew. It means a “load,” something “heavy.” But it is at times translated in the King James Version “song” or “prophecy,” in our parlance a “sermon!”

Anyway, in Isaiah 13-23 you’ll find “massa” (“burden”) used 12 times! (In Isaiah 13:1, 14:25 and 28. Then again in Isaiah 15:1 and 17:1, 19:1, then in 21:1 and 11 and 13. Add Isaiah 22:1 and 25. The “string” ending in Isaiah 23:1.)

Wow!

A lot of “burdens!”

A lot of preaching!

Now to settle into Isaiah 13 for a few minutes.

It is a “burden” (prophecy) against Babylon, one of the foremost (enemy) nations of Scripture. Here’s verse 1 … “The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.”

The noun “Babylon” means “confusion.” But one scholar went further with that, teaching that it (at a deeper level) means “gateway to the gods!” Either way, “bad news.”

Remember the “Tower of Babel?” Mankind trying to build (work) his way to God, pure human effort in reaching the heavens! Heathenism!

(It is somewhat surprising, if not downright ironic, that Isaiah begins with a Sermon against “Babylon,” while the greatest power of his earlier days was Assyria! Again, we defer to the Holy Spirit’s omniscient Guidance of Isaiah’s prolific pen!)

Isaiah chapter 13 has a total of 22 verses. In them God is gathering an army to destroy Babylon! Read with me verses 3-6  now … “I (the Lord) 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 (to appoint, to gather, to number) the host (army) of the battle. They come from a far country (terrestrial), from the end of heaven (celestial), even the LORD, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land (of Babylon). Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.” Talk about our great God being omnipotent, sovereign, “in control!”

I really think, although Babylon was destroyed by avenging armies (historically) … this Catastrophe Isaiah is depicting is yet future! Tribulational! Revelation 17 and 18 like, I mean. Read verses 10 and 11 … “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. (Sounds like both Jesus’ Olivet Discourse and John’s Description of the Tribulation.) 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.” 

Wow!

Then Isaiah reverts to that now historical destruction of the Babylon of his time. (But it was yet future when this Prophet wrote these Lines!) “Behold, I will stir up the Medes (who were subsumed into the Persians)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.” But there is more … “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.” Verses 17-22, wherein God even names the conqueror of Babylon (the Medes/the Persians)! And she (Babylon, currently Iraq) is desolate to this day!

Isaiah 13, a major chapter, when it comes to Bible prophecy.

Remember, Babylon epitomizes the unrestrained “evil” of this reprobate world … particularly in these “last days” of the dispensation.

Let’s spend another day, invest some more time, in Isaiah 13, the Lord willing.

Join me again tomorrow morning.

I have another pertinent thought burning in my heart.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

I would recommend, especially in this “Sermons against the Nations” Section of Isaiah, that you read the chapter under discussion a time or two. This might help familiarize us with the overall Scope of the Section. I mean to those of you who have time.

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