The Book Of Isaiah. Day 207, The Fall Of Babylon, Part Two

The Lord is foretelling the fall of Babylon many years before it happens. We began our look at this prophecy yesterday and today we learn why the Lord is going to deal so harshly with that nation. He used Babylon as an instrument of correction for His people who had gone far astray into idolatry. But the Babylonians did far more than just conquer Judah and take its people to their land.

"I was angry with My people and desecrated My inheritance; I gave them into your hand, and you showed them no mercy. Even on the aged you laid a very heavy yoke. You said, 'I am forever---the eternal queen!' But you did not consider these things or reflect on what might happen." (Isaiah 47:6-7) 

The Babylonians could not have caused the fall of the nation of Judah if it had not been the Lord's will. They think they did this in their own power but the Lord promised the descendants of Jacob, before He brought them into the promised land, that if they remained faithful, no nation could ever stand against them. It was only because they did not stay faithful that He allowed them to be conquered. But the Babylonians took this opportunity to treat them harshly---I imagine much like the Egyptians treated them many centuries earlier---and this was not what they were supposed to do. In their wickedness they allowed their power over the people to go to their heads and they allowed their prejudice against them to turn them into cruel taskmasters.

"Now then, listen, you lover of pleasure, lounging in your security and saying to yourself, 'I am, and there is none besides me. I will never be a widow or suffer the loss of children.'" (Isaiah 47:8) The people of the Neo-Babylonian Empire believed they would be a world power forever. They were complacent in their false sense of security. There is no security except that which is found in the living God and the Babylonians cared nothing for Him. Rather, they declared themselves gods when they said, "I am, and there is none besides me." The title "I Am" is a title for God, a title He chose for Himself when speaking to Moses from the burning bush. What the Babylonians are saying is, "We are gods and there are none other than us." This blasphemously mimics what the Lord has said about Himself a number of times in the book of Isaiah: "I am the Lord and there is no other."

The Babylonians think no enemy can conquer them. The women don't believe their husbands or sons will perish in battle. But this is what the Lord says: "Both of these will overtake you in a moment, on a single day: loss of children and widowhood. They will come upon you in full measure, in spite of your many sorceries and all your potent spells. You have trusted in your wickedness and have said, 'No one sees me.' Your wisdom and knowledge mislead you when you say to yourself, 'I am, and there is none besides me.' Disaster will come upon you that you cannot ward off with a ransom; a catastrophe you cannot foresee will suddenly come upon you." (Isaiah 47:9-11)

The book of Daniel tells us that the capitol city of Babylon fell in one night. They were partying like there was no tomorrow while the enemy breached the walls. The king of Babylon was killed that night, along with many others. Women lost sons and husbands in the invasion as the empire that would set the captives free caused the fall of their nation.