Isaiah 13:1-22
Q.1. How was Babylon to be God’s instrument of judgment on His people? What other judgment will come upon the world? – (Isa.13:1-16 c.f. Mt.24:29-31; Rev.6:12-13)
Isaiah declared that God had made Babylon ‘My consecrated ones’, to execute the fury of His anger on His people’ (Isa.13:1-4) The prophet claimed – They are the instruments of indignation to destroy the whole land (Isa.13:5). It will be a severe chastisement – He will exterminate its sinners from it (Isa.13:9). The prophet then looked beyond Israel’s future to the Last Days, when – I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity (Isa.13:11). This prophecy was quoted by Jesus in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, when describing the future time of tribulation that will surpass all other judgments – For the stars of heaven and their constellations will not flash forth their light; The sun will be dark when it rises, and the moon will not shed its light … Therefore, I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken from its place at the fury of the Lord of hosts in the day of His burning anger (Isa.13:10 & 13 c.f. Mt.24:21,29; Mk.13:19,24-25; Lk.21:25; Rev.6:12-13; 8:12).
Q.2. What characterized Babylon? How would Babylon be destroyed? Who was responsible for its downfall? – (Isa.13:17-22 c.f. Rev.18:1-3)
Babylon had been a glorious world empire, but – the beauty of kingdoms, the glory of the Chaldeans’ pride, will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah (Isa.13:19). However, the empire of Babylon would be destroyed – Behold, I am going to stir up the Medes against them, who will not value silver or take pleasure in gold (Isa.13:17). It will become an unproductive wilderness (Isa.13:20-22). This too seemed to look ahead to the Great Tribulation period, when Babylon will be forever destroyed according to the vision of the apostle John – 1 After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illumined with his glory. 2 And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird. 3 For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality (Rev.18:1-3).