We previously discussed our inability to pinpoint which king of Babylon Isaiah had in mind when he spoke of the doom of the Neo-Babylonian Empire and its king, though I personally lean toward it being Belshazzar. Belshazzar threw a drunken banquet in Daniel 5 and imbibed alcohol from the goblets stolen from the Lord's temple at Jerusalem. Belshazzar and his guests drank toasts to their false gods from these goblets, thereby blaspheming the Lord, causing the Lord to tell Belshazzar (through the prophet Daniel) that his kingdom was coming to an immediate end. While Belshazzar drunkenly toasted his heathen gods, the soldiers of the Medo-Persian Empire were breaking through the walls and Belshazzar was slain on that same night and his throne was taken over by Darius the Mede.
We don't know the identity of the wicked leader of the end times (often referred to as the Antichrist) either. But we know he will overflow with pride and grandiose ambitions and will think himself better than everyone else. He will think he can do a better job of running the government than anyone else on earth. He will think he can do a better job of running life on earth than God Himself. The Apostle Paul said of this man: "He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God." (2 Thessalonians 2:4)
This man will want to be worshiped. He regards himself with awe and reverence and expects everyone else to do the same. I don't think he will have the understanding that he is merely a puppet in the hands of Satan who wants to be worshiped in place of God; this man will think that he is pulling all the strings.
The devil has always wanted to be worshiped. If Satan cannot persuade people to worship him openly, he will settle for enticing them to worship the man who does his will. Our text we will study today clearly displays the attitude of Satan who wants to be worshiped in place of God. Many kings throughout history have claimed to be a god on earth and have insisted on being addressed as deities. The one to whom Paul refers as "the man of lawlessness" will do the same but will go many steps further by setting himself up (or the image of himself referenced in the book of Revelation) in the rebuilt temple of the end times. He will then forbid the worship of anyone or anything other than himself. The penalty for refusing to worship him is execution. (Revelation 13 deals with this subject in more detail.)
The series of "I will" statements from Isaiah 14 reveals what has been in Satan's heart all along. It reveals what has been in the heart of many leaders throughout time who insisted on being regarded as gods. It reveals what will be in the heart of the man Satan will use for his purposes in the last days. "You said in your heart, 'I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High." (Isaiah 14:13-14)
Ever since the Lord announced His intention to make a great nation out of the descendants of Abraham and to bring the Redeemer from his descendants, Satan has wanted to wipe out the nation of Israel. He was unable to do so or to prevent the advent of Christ. The devil knows that the Lord intends to preserve the nation of Israel and to place His Son on David's throne at Jerusalem to reign over the earth forever, so Satan wants there to be no Israel and no one seated on a throne except himself. He has prompted the leaders of other nations to do his bidding in regard to trying to wipe Israel off the map but the Lord has prevented all of these men from making an end of the descendants of Abraham. The Antichrist will hate and will persecute Abraham's descendants more than anyone ever has before him, and he will try to set up his throne in Israel where it has been foretold that the Messiah will set up His eternal throne. But again the Lord will thwart all his plans. Everything the Lord has planned will come true and there isn't anyone or anything capable of standing in His way. The devil is not the Lord's equal; he is a created being like all the other angels. He cannot overthrow the Lord's purposes no matter how hard he tries. He will attempt to wipe out the Lord's people Israel and he will attempt to place his own man on the throne of the world but as always the Lord will have the last word.
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