Scripture Reading – Isaiah 13-17

Caution: Today’s study covers a great swath of history, from ancient Assyria and the emergence of Babylon, to the “day of the LORD” and His future coming and Millennial Kingdom on the earth. The doom of four nations is prophesied: Babylon (Isaiah 13; 14:1-23), Assyria (Isaiah 14:24-27), Philistia (Isaiah 14:24-32), Moab (Isaiah 15-16), and Syria (identified as Damascus) with whom Israel (identified as Ephraim) was allied and eventually suffered that nation’s fate (Isaiah 17).

Isaiah 13-14 described the prophetic judgment God would bring against Babylon, the nation that would lay siege to Jerusalem and take the Jews captive.  Described in Isaiah 13:1 as the “burden (i.e. doom) of Babylon,” the Book of Daniel records not only the Jewish captivity by Babylon, but also the destruction of that city by the armies of the Medes and Persian nearly two centuries after Isaiah’s prophecy (Isaiah 13:1-5, 17-18; Daniel 5). Isaiah 13:19-22 paints a prophetic picture of the devastation Babylon would eventually suffer. To this day, Babylon lies in ruins under the sands of the desert in Iraq.

Isaiah 14 continues the prophecy against Babylon and predicts the miraculous return of Israel following their captivity (14:1-3). Remarkably, the destruction of the city of Babylon, considered unassailable in its day, is foretold in prophetic detail (Isaiah 14:9-23).

Isaiah 14:12-14 compares the sudden fall of the great king of Babylon to the fall of the archangel Lucifer, who was described as the “son of the morning” (14:12).  The sinful pride that moved Lucifer to challenge the God of Heaven, is the pride that moved Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon to boast he would assail Israel and “exalt my throne above the stars of God” (14:13).  The parallel between the fall of Lucifer and the king of Babylon continues in verse 15.

Isaiah 14:16-23 completes the prophecy against the king of Babylon, describing how the people will gaze upon the king’s lifeless body with wonder, that so powerful a man would be brought to the grave like all men. Indeed, hell itself is said to have been stirred at the entrance of the fallen king of Babylon (14:21-23).

Isaiah 15-16 is a prophecy concerning the “burden of Moab” (literally the doom or prophecy concerning Moab). The Moabites were descendants of Lot’s incest and were perpetual adversaries of Israel. Their geographical lands were located east of the Jordan River, on the southeast side of the Dead Sea.

The subject of Isaiah 17 is the “burden (i.e. doom) of Damascus” (17:1), a prophetic picture of the destruction of Syria’s capital city that was an ally of Israel, and identified as Ephraim (17:3).

Damascus’ destruction would serve as a prophetic warning to Israel of its own impending destruction by Assyria (17:12-14).

A closing note of exhortation: Long passages of prophecy are challenging; however, a daily discipline in God’s Word will not only impart knowledge, but also enrich your appreciation for God’s sovereignty and His providential care of His people.

Copyright 2020 – Travis D. Smith