We've been discussing Isaiah's vision of the doom of Babylon's king. As we've noted, some scholars believe a particular king was in mind (perhaps Nebuchadnezzar but more likely Belshazzar) whereas other scholars believe the vision regards all the kings of Babylon combined because they had in common such things as overweening pride, grandiose plans to conquer the world, paganism, and no respect for the God of Israel. Another thing we've talked about is the belief of many scholars that the reference to a "king" is also a reference to the leader known in the end times as the Antichrist as well as a reference to Satan himself who is the spirit behind all wickedness---including the wickedness of the kings of Babylon and the Antichrist.
Yesterday we looked at a series of statements that are commonly known as the "I will" statements. These statements depicted an attitude of wanting one's own will rather than God's will. They painted the portrait of a king (or kings) who thought they were better than all other men and as good as or better than God. While it's true that the Antichrist and Satan himself will both be judged and cast into a place of eternal imprisonment and separation from all that is good and holy, the king of Babylon will meet his doom as well, and I believe that the narrative of today's text primarily regards an ancient king of Babylon.
"But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit. Those who see you stare at you, they ponder your fate: 'Is this the man who shook the earth and made kingdoms tremble, the man who made the world a wilderness, who overthrew its cities and would not let his captives go home?'" (Isaiah 14:15-17) The Neo-Babylonian Empire was the most powerful empire on earth in its heydey. It conquered and subjugated a number of other nations and tribes. But like all the other kings of old who thought they would conquer the entire world, the kings of Babylon are no more. The empire of Babylon is no more. Now the conqueror has been conquered. Now the captor is a captive. His wealth and power did not save him from death or from the grave or from an eternity separated from the Lord.
"All the kings of the nations lie in state, each in his own tomb. But you are cast out of your tomb like a rejected branch; you are covered with the slain, with those pierced by the sword, those who descend to the stones of the pit. Like a corpse trampled underfoot, you will not join them in burial, for you have destroyed your land and have killed your people." (Isaiah 14:18-20a) The final king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, Belshazzar, was killed on the night he held a drunken feast in honor of his gods. The army of the Medes was even then breaching the walls and the book of Daniel tells us that Belshazzar lost his life that very night. He was likely killed along with many others ("those pierced by the sword" as Isaiah phrases it) while attempting to fend off the soldiers invading the capital city. It is believed that his body was piled up in a heap with all the other corpses after the fighting ended. Daniel tells us that on the night Belshazzar was killed, Darius the Mede took over Belshazzar's throne. Darius' men must have moved in and occupied the city and they would have needed to remove the corpses of the dead from the city.
This would line up with Isaiah saying "you are cast out of your tomb" and "you are covered with the slain". Belshazzar was never interred in a tomb. We may not know where the tombs of previous kings of Babylon were located but no doubt they were buried with a great deal of pomp and mourning in ornate caskets within the finest tombs mankind knew how to fashion in those days. But not Belshazzar, for there was no one to hold a grand burial ceremony for him. He was cast out along with all the other dead somewhere outside the city.
A sad fate awaits all who think they are as good as or better than the Lord. Nothing beautiful comes from living in opposition to the Lord. The fate of Belshazzar (the fate of his earthly body and the fate of his eternal soul) serves as an illustration of the futility of living a life without the Lord in it.
No comments:
Post a Comment