Isaiah

Isaiah Chapter 13

• Isaiah 13:1 The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.

Babylon is a country used of God to bring judgment on Israel. Israel came under captivity to Babylon for 70 years. Babylon was destroyed at the end of the 70 years and the captives return to their land. Not all the prophecy concerning Babylon was fulfilled at that time and it is apparent from the study of bible prophecy that there remains a latter day fulfillment of prophecy that concerns Babylon. Whether this Babylon is the actual place where Iraq is now or whether it is a nation that represents Babylon in its power, strength and evil is not yet known but there is a latter day Babylon that will be judged by the Lord severely.

• Isaiah 13:2 Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.
• 3 I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness.

Some have said that the sanctified ones were the Medes who came to destroy Babylon and that would have been the immediate fulfillment of these verses bringing that era of Babylon to a close. However in light of other prophesy concerning the latter days there is an army that gathers at Jerusalem headed by the antichrist in which the saints that come back with Jesus will destroy with the brightness of the coming of Christ. This may be what is referred to as His sanctified ones. If the word sanctified here refers only to those chosen of God to do His will at that time at the return of the captives from Babylon, then it could refer to the Medes.

The modern day Medes would be the Kurds which is one branch of Islam from modern Turkey. If the word sanctified means consecration to the Lord, called for His service in the manner of cleansing them, of course it would refer to those believers who have been sanctified by the blood of Jesus Christ and having the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

• Isaiah 13:4 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 the host of the battle.
• 5  They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the LORD, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.  

We know there is a battle to take place in the last days around the time of Christ's Second Coming called the battle of Armageddon so this could very well refer to that battle as well as the immediate battle around Jerusalem at the destruction of literal Babylon. There was also the destruction of Israel in 70 AD but that was by the Romans. 

• Isaiah 13:6  Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.

The "Day of the Lord" almost always refers to judgment rather than a day of peace. This looks like the tribulation period that is to come about 7 years before the coming of Christ to set up His kingdom. It also can refer to the judgment that came in the days of Isaiah.

• Isaiah 13:7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt:
• 8 And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.

This judgment and terror causes hearts of men to faint. Fear comes upon all and that pain is compared to a woman who is in labor before her baby is to be born.

• Isaiah 13:9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.

Many who teach that God does not bring judgment must take heed because He does bring judgment. It is true that God loves us. That is why He sent His own Son to come to us presenting to us His plan of salvation. He allowed His Son to die for our sins so that we who believe in Him do not have to die eternally because of our own sins. A God that does all this to save one soul surely is a God that loves.

How many though in these latter days have received this plan of salvation? I see God and the bible being ridiculed, mocked, scoffed at and the plan of salvation taken lightly. I see the name of God taken in cursing and swearing continually. I see the bible torn apart by those who choose to believe some things and reject other parts of it. I see the Word explained away by modern so-called bible scholars who reject the truth and try to put another meaning of scriptures than the actual meaning. I see people so busy who do not take the time to worship so great a God and make light of His plan of salvation. I see our emphasis on education, jobs, entertainment and very little on the Word of God. In light of what Jesus actually did to save us, should we not give our all in return?

In verse nine we see the day of the Lord coming. Something causes God to be very angry and sinners are destroyed.

We are a people who cannot possibly save ourselves by good deeds. We need to receive Jesus Christ and believe in the price He already paid for our sins. We then can choose to turn from our sins and our own ways and let the blood of Jesus wash our sins away. We receive Jesus into our lives and seek His ways instead of ours. That is the only way to escape the wrath that is to come upon all that reject God.

• Isaiah 13:10 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.

In Verse 10 we know is speaking about the future tribulation which is to come upon all the world.

• Isaiah 13:11 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.

I will punish the world for their evil. We may ask, how will I know what evil it? Some think evil is polluting the environment. Some think evil is murder but not the murder of unborn children. Some think evil is racism and bigotry. If we want to know what evil it, we have to read the bible. It is the only true guideline that we can follow to know right from wrong.

First of all in order to understand the Word of God we need to know the one who spoke the Word to His servants who in turn wrote it for us to read. We need to know God ourselves. God was revealed to man through His Son Jesus Christ. Without Christ we cannot possibly know God. Jesus represents God in the fullness. When we receive Jesus, we receive His Holy Spirit that will abide within us. This Holy Spirit becomes our companion, our teacher, our helper, and constant comforter. He will bring conviction when we sin, correction when we make an error and restoration when we repent. We can then choose whether to yield to His prompting or ignore Him.

I believe when we constantly ignore the Holy Spirit and choose to go back into sin, our conscience becomes seared. He then begins to withdraw His presence. May our cry be like David's cry,

• "Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me." Psalms 51:11

To ignore God is robbing ourselves of eternal life and so many good things. Before the fall of man  Adam and Eve had fellowship with God but after the fall they lost that fellowship and both spiritual and physical death came upon all of us. The only way to reverse that curse is for a sinless man to die for sins without having any sin himself. God had to send His only Son Jesus who walked the earth for around 33 years without any sin. His death and resurrection restored all of us who believed and received Him into our lives. We still will die physically but through Christ, that fellowship is restored, we can walk with God, receive the infilling of His Holy Spirit and be resurrected when Jesus come to gather His believers to Him just before the latter day tribulation.  Jesus then brings His resurrected believers with Him when He comes to reign on the earth. 

• Isaiah 13:12 I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.

There will be such a scarcity of man that they will be as precious gold.

• Isaiah 13:13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.

Something causes God to be so angry that the heavens are shaken and the earth is removed out of her place. We can wonder what it would be. Perhaps the rejection of His Son and His plan to save us, perhaps the murder of those that risk their lives to bring the plan of salvation to the world, perhaps the murder of innocent children by their own mothers before they leave the womb. I'm only guessing here but by reading the word we can find out what it is that pleases God and displeases Him.

We can know if we seek Him. He has promised to give wisdom to those who seek with faith. During the latter day tribulation period though we see a huge persecution of those that are called saints. Saints are believers who have become followers of Jesus (Yeshua). God gets angry when His people whether Jews or born again believers in Christ are harmed when they attempt to present the gospel that saves the lost. Right now in many parts of the world people who believe in Jesus are being persecuted and killed because they believe in Jesus as Messiah.

• Isaiah 13:14 And it shall be as the chased roe, and as a sheep that no man taketh up: they shall every man turn to his own people, and flee every one into his own land.

We see from reading and studying God's word, what makes God angry but we also see God's mercy and forgiveness to those that repent of sin and turn to Him.

• Isaiah 13:15 Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is joined unto them shall fall by the sword.
• 16 Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished.

We see what has happened to those that the wrath of God is poured out upon. When we continually reject God's presence and ignore His word, His presence is withdrawn. That opens the door and gives power to those that steal, kill and destroy. We get out of our safety net. This doesn't mean everyone that goes through bad things are being judged by God or that God has abandoned them because He never abandons those that trust in Him. To deliberately choose to ignore God and the way He made to get us out of the condemnation of sin, opens the door to evil both here and for eternity. There is no longer any help unless we repent and turn to Him. A big price was paid for the salvation of mankind, to reject it is to be lost forever in a place of no return called hell or the lake of fire.

• Isaiah 13:17 Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver; and as for gold, they shall not delight in it.
• 18 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.
• 19 And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.

We return now to the first fulfillment of Isaish's prophecy concerning Babylon in Isaiah's day. We see that it is clearly talking of the judgment of Babylon. He shows the destruction coming from the Medes. This part has been fulfilled in part already. There is a future judgment upon Babylon whether it is a literal place or a nation that is similar to the old Babylon. Any nation, which does the same sins that Babylon did, may suffer the same judgment. The reason I know that this prophecy has not been filled entirely is because of verse 20.

• Isaiah 13:20 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.
• 21 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.
• 22. 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.

It is good to remember when we read about judgments that come from God that we also remember that we do not have to be part of that judgment. We don't have to be lost. He made a way to escape through His Son Jesus Christ. It also should be a comfort to those who suffer persecution for the gospel's sake. God will not allow persecution of His people forever. They that persecute will come to their end.

The reign of Christ will be one of love, joy and peace but before that day comes His has to deal with the sin problem. He will judge sin. He will rid His kingdom of all evil and righteousness shall prevail. Remember too, our job is to tell of the grace of Jesus Christ and God's plan of salvation. We are not to try to bring the judgment ourselves. We are not to seek vengeance ourselves. This belongs to God alone. We are to love our enemies and try to bring them the gospel. God is the judge.

Isaiah 14

Isaiah Index