The Book Of Isaiah. Day 52, A Prophecy Against Babylon, Part One

Earlier in the book of Isaiah we found the Lord pronouncing a prophecy against Assyria. Assyria was the nation that would conquer the northern kingdom of Israel but the Lord said that, in time, Assyria too would fall. This came to pass when the Assyrian Empire fell to the Neo-Babylonian Empire, which in turn conquered the southern kingdom of Judah. But Babylon will also fall, in time, to the Medo-Persian Empire. Chapter 13 deals with the coming judgment of Babylon, which is still somewhat far in the future during the lifetime of Isaiah. The kingdom of Judah did not fall to Babylon until approximately one hundred years or so after the days of Isaiah's ministry.

"A prophecy against Babylon that Isaiah son of Amoz saw: Raise a banner on a bare hilltop, shout to them; beckon to them to enter the gates of the nobles. I have commanded those I have prepared for battle; I have summoned My warriors to carry out My wrath---those who rejoice in My triumph." (Isaiah 13:1-3) These are the words of the Lord, spoken by Isaiah, so the use of the personal pronoun "My" is a reference to the Lord and I have capitalized it as such.

I do not think that the Lord issued this prophecy as a warning to Babylon but that He intended it as a comforting promise to the people of Judah. The citizens of Babylon would have been unlikely to listen to a message preached against them, though some might have repented. But primarily the Lord wanted His people to know that although He intended to use Babylon to discipline them for their sins, He would then turn His attention to judging that wicked enemy nation. 

The Lord's discipline upon His children lasts only as long as it needs to last. The severity of it never goes beyond what is necessary. The Lord had a plan in place to release the citizens of Judah from captivity in Babylon and He announced it ahead of time---long before Babylon appeared capable of conquering any great nation, long before Judah fell to Babylon, long before anyone was carried off captive to Babylon---so the people would have His words to comfort them during their years of hardship.

The Lord continues: "Listen, a noise on the mountains, like that of a great multitude! Listen, an uproar among the kingdoms, like nations massing together! The Lord Almighty is mustering an army for war. They come from faraway lands, from the ends of the heavens---the Lord and the weapons of His wrath---to destroy the whole country." (Isaiah 13:4-5) At this time, so far in advance of the war happening, the people cannot with their ears hear this enormous and powerful army mustering for battle but the Lord speaks of this event as if it is happening at that very moment. Indeed, anything the Lord says is going to happen is as good as done; therefore, I think the Lord literally hears the army He's going to call together. I think He views this event as if it is already in progress.

The Lord makes it clear that the judgment of Babylon is His doing. Kings and presidents and dictators may think they are the ones in charge, but it has always been the Lord who determines their fate. Average citizens may think they are ordering their lives under their own volition, but it has always been the Lord who is in control of all things. He will put it into the heart of the conqueror to come against the Neo-Babylonian Empire and He will give the conqueror the military might to accomplish the fall of that empire. That is why He refers to the weapons used in the war as "the weapons of His wrath" because everything is His and everything is under His control.

It is a facet of human nature to want to be in control of our own lives and of events taking place around us. It provides us with a sense of comfort (false comfort) when we feel like we have things under control. But the truth is that only the Lord is in control of anything. Instead of feeling alarmed by the knowledge that the things of this world are not truly under our control, we can be comforted by accepting that they are under the control of the One who is perfect, holy, and righteous. We can be comforted by the assurance that they are under the control of the One who created us and who loves us so much that He was willing to do anything it took to offer salvation to us. In His hands we are safe. We may not always understand why He allows certain things to happen but we can be certain that there is a purpose for everything He allows to happen and that someday we will see that His plan was perfect.

The Book Of Isaiah. Day 51, Songs Of Praise

Chapter 12 is so short that we can study it in its entirety today. It talks about the songs of praise that will be sung when the Messiah reigns.

It begins by saying, "In that day," which refers to the events of the preceding chapter in which Isaiah foretold the coming King. "In that day you will say: 'I will praise You, Lord. Although You were angry with me, Your anger has turned away and You have comforted me. Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord Himself, is my strength and my defense; He has become my salvation.' With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation." (Isaiah 12:1-3)

In Isaiah's day the Lord was angry with the northern kingdom of Israel for their idolatry and waywardness. He was angry with the southern kingdom of Judah as well, for the same reasons, although they would experience a revival for a time after a godly king came to the throne. But He chastened both nations in His anger by allowing them to be conquered by their enemies. 

He kept His promise that a return to the land would be allowed. In ancient times many returned and rebuilt. He kept His promise that Israel would someday be a sovereign nation in the world again, which it is today. And He also promised that a day was coming in which the descendants of Jacob would return to the land in numbers never before seen. The fulfillment of that promise is still in the future; it will come true when the Messiah rules over the earth from David's throne. Never again will the Lord be angry with the people. Never again will they be attacked by an enemy. Never again will they be unfaithful to Him.

"In that day you will say: 'Give praise to the Lord, proclaim His name; make known among the nations what He has done, and proclaim that His name is exalted. Sing to the Lord, for He has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world. Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.'" (Isaiah 12:4-6) They will proclaim to the entire world ("the nations", meaning the Gentiles) that the Lord has kept all His promises. They will acknowledge that it was in righteousness that He chastised them but that He has made a way for them to be forgiven for their sins. 

The Lord always intended to extend the offer of salvation to both Jews and Gentiles. All the way back in the book of Genesis, when He promised a son to Abraham, He vowed that someday all nations of the world would be blessed through Abraham's offspring, meaning Christ. (Genesis 22:18, Galatians 3:16) When the Jewish people proclaim the great works of the Lord to the whole world during the eternal reign of the Messiah, the Gentiles who have placed their trust in Him and are a part of this kingdom will rejoice with them, for He has done great things for them also.

The Book Of Isaiah. Day 50, The Branch From Jesse, Part Four

Isaiah has been foretelling the advent of the Messiah, the eternal King, who will be a descendant of King David the son of Jesse. We conclude Chapter 11 with a vision of a spirit of brotherhood throughout the earth.

"In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to Him, and His resting place will be glorious. In that day the Lord will reach out His hand a second time to reclaim the surviving remnant of His people from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt, from Cush, from Elam, from Babylonia, from Hamath and from the islands of the Mediterranean. He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; He will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four quarters of the earth." (Isaiah 11:10-12) Not only will the Jewish people rally to Him, but the Gentiles as well; hence the reference to "the nations". 

In ancient times there was a partial return of the Lord's people from the nations where they had been scattered by their enemies. Some chose to remain where they had been dispersed although they had the freedom to return, some chose to return as soon as permission was given, some delayed their return. In our own day, many of the descendants of Jacob are still scattered throughout the earth. But when the King of kings sits on David's throne, there will be a return to the land of Israel such as has never happened before. 

In those days no one will call himself a citizen of the northern kingdom of Israel (referenced in this next segment as "Ephraim") and no one will call himself a citizen of the southern kingdom of Judah. The people will no longer be divided as they were in Isaiah's day. "Ephraim's jealousy will vanish, and Judah's enemies will be destroyed; Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah, nor Judah hostile toward Ephraim." (Isaiah 11:13) All the descendants of all of Jacob's sons will consider themselves one nation. They will be a united front.

All of their enemies---all who have persecuted the chosen people of God---will be judged by God. To symbolize this, the Lord names several ancient enemies of His people. "They will swoop down on the slopes of Philistia to the west; together they will plunder the people to the east. They will subdue Edom and Moab, and the Ammonites will be subject to them." (Isaiah 11:14) These nations ceased to exist as sovereign people in ancient times. Descendants of those people still exist, though in some cases it is difficult to pinpoint exactly who they may be, but a day is coming when neither they nor anyone else will make war against Israel.

"The Lord will dry up the gulf of the Egyptian sea; with a scorching wind He will sweep His hand over the Euphrates River. He will break it up into seven streams so that anyone can cross over in sandals. There will be a highway for the remnant of His people that is left from Assyria, as there was for Israel when they came up from Egypt." (Isaiah 11:15-16) No obstacle will stand in their way. 

The words of verses 15 and 16 are figurative as well as literal, for in the book of Revelation we will see the Lord actually drying up waterways and seas, but the main application of these words is symbolic. The dry rivers symbolize His intention to make a way for everyone to return to their native land. Just as He opened up the Red Sea so His people could cross over on dry ground on their way to the Promised Land, He will open up avenues for His people that no one can block. They will return to the Promised Land. They will abide there in peace, with no threat from any enemy on any side. They will live under the righteous and holy reign of their Messiah and King forever.

The Book Of Isaiah. Day 49, The Branch From Jesse, Part Three

Isaiah has been talking about the One known as the "Branch" and the "Root" of Jesse, which are Messianic references to the eternal King who will be a descendant of David, son of Jesse.

When He reigns over the world, the entire creation will be restored to an Eden-like state. Just as in the days right after the Lord created the first humans, humans will not prey on animals. Animals will not prey on humans or on each other. 

"The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them." (Isaiah 11:6) Animals will be so docile that they will calmly follow a small toddler around. Animals will return to eating a vegetarian diet, as they did before the fall of man, and the leopard and the lion and the wolf will lie down in green pastures with goats, sheep, and cattle.

Wild animals and domestic animals will be friends, not enemies. "The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox." (Isaiah 11:7)

It's not only the mammals that will become harmless to each other and to humans. Reptiles will become harmless as well. "The infant will play near the cobra's den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper's nest." (Isaiah 11:8) 

These are the faithful and true words of the living God, who says of the eternal era in which peace will reign on earth: "They will neither harm nor destroy on all My holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea." (Isaiah 11:9) The entire creation will co-exist in peace, not only in Jerusalem (referenced here by the Lord as "My holy mountain") but all over the world. Carnivores, omnivores, and herbivores will be friends with each other. Animals and humans will be friends with each other just as they were in the Garden of Eden when all the living creatures came to Adam to be named, and just as the animals came to Noah to board the ark. Humans will be friends with each other; no war will ever be made again. 

After man fell from grace, and after man continued to fall farther and farther from the Lord, the Lord sent a flood upon the earth. After the flood waters receded, something about the soil or the earth's atmosphere must have changed because the Lord gave man permission to eat certain creatures which He referred to as "clean". This was presumably done because man could no longer obtain enough iron or protein from crops grown on the earth or from fruits harvested from trees and shrubs. At least, this is the theory of a number of Bible scholars and people of the scientific and medical community. If man could have obtained everything he needed from a vegetarian diet after the flood, and if all the animals could obtain everything they needed from a vegetarian diet, we would have to wonder why the Lord suddenly told humans they could eat meat and why He instilled a predator instinct into certain animals to prey on other animals. At the same time the Lord gave man permission to eat meat, He placed a fear of man into the animal kingdom in order to give the animal kingdom a fighting chance against humans who were now predators. If He had not done this, no doubt we would have driven far more species to extinction than we have already. If He had not at the same time given prey animals a fear of predator animals, they would not have known to be on guard; many species would have been driven to extinction by other animals. 

But a day is coming when the current situation will be reversed. The creation itself will be redeemed by the righteous King. The Apostle Paul spoke of that glorious day in Romans 8:19-21: "For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the One who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God." 

We who have been saved by faith are looking forward to a day when we will inhabit our resurrected, immortal bodies and live under the leadership of the Lord Jesus Christ as He rules over the world from David's throne. In this same way, the creatures of the earth look forward to their redemption as well. They did not need to be redeemed from sin, as we needed to be redeemed, but they need to be redeemed from the effects our sin had on them. Our sin polluted the earth, its atmosphere, and its creatures. Because man fell from grace and became subject to death, the creatures also became subject to death. But when the Lord Jesus Christ liberates the creation from bondage to decay, the creatures themselves will share in the glorious destiny the Lord has in store for those who have placed their trust in Him.

The Book Of Isaiah. Day 48, The Branch From Jesse, Part Two

In our last study session we began looking at a segment of the book of Isaiah which discusses the One called the "Branch" and the "Root" of Jesse. This is a Messianic reference to the eternal King who will be of the line of David who was the son of Jesse.

Even though the nation of Judah will fall to the Neo-Babylonian Empire, and even though all but the poorest of the citizens of Judah will be carried captive to a foreign land, the Lord's promise of an eternal King and kingdom from the royal line of David still stands. It will appear to human eyes as if it is impossible for the Lord to keep His promise but nothing is impossible for the Lord. Babylon will be conquered by another nation, the Medo-Persian Empire, and the captive people of Judah will be given permission to return and rebuild. In addition, the line of succession from David's descendants will not be cut off. It was customary for many conquering kings of ancient times to execute the kings of the nations they conquered. But this will not happen to the direct line of succession for the royal house of Judah. This is why, in the New Testament, we find the genealogy of Jesus of Nazareth descending directly from King David.

We learned in our last study session that the coming King will delight in the laws of God the Father and will be the embodiment of all holy wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, and knowledge. Because He is God the Son, and because He operates according to all the laws and righteousness of God the Father, He will be the only ruler who has ever ruled with perfect justice, as Isaiah assures us below.

"He will not judge by what He sees with His eyes, or decide by what He hears with His ears; but with righteousness He will judge the needy, with justice He will give decisions for the poor of the earth." (Isaiah 11:3b-4a) Human judges can be deceived. Human judges can only rule according to the evidence that has been presented to them. Evidence is sometimes circumstantial and scanty. Witnesses sometimes lie under oath. A human judge---even one who dearly wants to do what's right---is limited by his inability to see into human hearts and human minds. The Lord has no such limits. He knows the truth of every situation. He doesn't judge by outward appearances or by what people say. In addition, He cannot be bribed to rule in someone's favor. In Isaiah's day some of the judges had been swayed by greed. They were accepting bribes from rich people to rule against poor people. The Lord can always be counted on to do what's right. He is not like man and does not suffer from man's temptations.

A day of judgment is coming for all the wicked who have repudiated the Lord and who have scoffed at His righteous laws. The Lord's own words will be a testimony against the wicked, for they have violated His holy word. "He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth; with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked." (Isaiah 11:4b) In the book of Revelation 19:15 we find the Lord Jesus Christ depicted with a sword coming out of His mouth. This doesn't mean that He literally has a sword coming out of His mouth but this imagery symbolizes the way He will judge the wicked of the earth by presenting them with the laws they have broken. 

We can compare this to our own court system today. If we break a law, we will stand before a judge in court and be presented with the wording of the law we have broken. We can then plead guilty or innocent but, if we are judged guilty, the judge will then advise us of the penalty that is attached to the law we have broken. In this same way, the Lord Jesus Christ will present the wicked with the wording of the holy laws they have broken, which is why in the Apostle John's vision he saw the Lord with a sword coming out of His mouth when He saw the Lord coming to earth to call the wicked to judgment.

We need not fear that the Lord will make a mistake and throw the righteous into "jail", so to speak, along with the wicked. The Lord knows who are His. (2 Timothy 2:19) We also don't need to fear that the Lord will judge wrongdoers more harshly than they deserve. He will match the penalty to the crime. "Righteousness will be His belt and faithfulness the sash around His waist." (Isaiah 11:5) 

However the Lord chooses to deal with the wicked will be done in perfect justice. Sins aren't equal and neither is the punishment for sins. It's alright---and good---to feel sad about the judgment that awaits the wicked. We ought to feel sad that there are people who have chosen to reject the Lord. But we can rest assured that the Lord will deal with each person in a way that is perfectly holy, righteous, and fitting. 

The Book Of Isaiah. Day 47, The Branch From Jesse, Part One

In Chapter 11 we will be studying the prophetic message of the coming Messiah. We find Him referred to as the "Branch" and the "Root" of Jesse, which is a reference to Jesse the father of King David, for the Messiah will be of the direct line of succession of King David. 

We have been studying the growing threat of the Assyrian Empire. After our study of the kings of Israel and Judah, we know that the northern kingdom of Israel will fall to Assyria. We know that Assyria will repeatedly plague the southern kingdom of Judah and cause much trouble and destruction there. 

But we also know that Assyria is not the nation that will conquer Judah; that will be the Neo-Babylonian Empire. When the day comes that Judah falls to this enemy, and when all but the poorest of the land are carried off captive by the Babylonian army, from the outward appearance it will seem as if all hope is lost of a revived kingdom and the restoration of a king upon the throne of David. The hope of placing a human king on the throne will appear fruitless, much less the hope of an eternal king reigning from David's throne.

But the Lord's promises regarding these things are not in vain! He uses the metaphor of a tree that's been cut down to its roots, in regard to the royal line of the house of David, and He compares the revival of Judah and the promise of the coming King to a shoot that sprouts up from the roots of a felled tree. "A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him---the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord---and He will delight in the fear of the Lord." (Isaiah 11:1-3a)

When the nation of Judah falls, the royal line of David will not be cut off. In Babylon heirs will be born of that line and that is why the genealogy of Jesus can be traced all the way back to King David and beyond. In the manner of human thinking, it will seem impossible for the Lord to keep the promises He's made regarding an eternal heir to sit on David's throne. But a new empire will be on the rise while the captives of Judah are held in Babylon---the Medo-Persian Empire---and Babylon will itself be conquered; the people it has taken captive will be given permission to return to their homelands. 

The Branch from the root of Jesse is the Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit will rest upon Him and He will possess all wisdom and understanding. He will be the source of righteous counsel and of the power of God on earth. He will be the source of all knowledge of God the Father and He will delight in the fear (in the awesome reverence and obedience of) God the Father. 

Chapter 11 is a treasure trove of information about this coming King and it will take us several days to study the material. The information about the Lord of lords is information we don't want to rush through; we want to meditate upon it and absorb it.

The Book Of Isaiah. Day 46, Lofty Trees Brought Low

In yesterday's text the Lord assured the people of Judah that their nation will not fall to the Assyrian Empire. However, as we've mentioned before, the Lord will discipline Judah with the Assyrian Empire. 

The northern kingdom of Israel will fall because the people there began lapsing into idolatry two centuries ago and the problem has only continued to grow worse. But Judah can learn from the fate of Israel. Idolatry has crept into Judah as well, and King Ahaz, to whom Isaiah was sent earlier in the book, is a prime example of ungodly living and ungodly leadership. Many have followed the wicked example of Ahaz and of some of the leaders before him. Many have followed the wicked desires of their own hearts. For these reasons, the Lord will allow Assyria to invade several cities of Judah and to cause destruction in a number of regions. But He will not allow the Assyrian army to take Jerusalem.

These next verses describe the progression of the Assyrian soldiers into Judah. "They enter Aiath; they pass through Migron; they store supplies at Mikmash. They go over the pass, and say, 'We will camp overnight at Geba.' Ramah trembles; Gibeah of Saul flees. Cry out, Daughter Gallim! Listen, Laishah! Poor Anathoth! Madmenah is in flight; the people of Gebim take cover. This day they will halt at Nob; they will shake their fist at the mount of Daughter Zion, at the hill of Jerusalem." (Isaiah 10:28-32)

It can be difficult for us to stand strong in faith when it looks like things are going from bad to worse. The cities named above are named in order from the outskirts of Judah moving inward toward Jerusalem. As the dreadful army advanced, many people must have shaken in fear. Many may have felt shaken in their faith as well. But the Bible never tells us to go by appearances or by what we feel. We are commanded instead to live by the word of God, in spite of it looking as if the world is falling down around us, in spite of how anxious we feel.

The Assyrian army will make it to as far as Nob, which is just outside of Jerusalem. The soldiers will "shake their fist" at Jerusalem, threatening to take that city as well, but right there is where the Lord is going to stop them. You may recall from our study of the kings that the Lord miraculously struck 185,000 Assyrian soldiers dead in the middle of the night, putting a halt to the enemy king's intention to lay siege or to attack the walls, for he lacked the manpower now and was obliged to retreat.

Every time the people of Jerusalem got word that the Assyrian army was continuing to move their way, they must have experienced intense feelings of dread---except for those who believed the word of the Lord who said to them through the prophet Isaiah, "See, the Lord, the Lord Almighty, will lop off the boughs with great power. The lofty trees will be felled, the tall ones will be brought low. He will cut down the forest thickets with an axe; Lebanon will fall before the Mighty One." (Isaiah 10:33-34)

The Lord compares the fierce warriors of the Assyrian army to the tall cedars of Lebanon. But just as an axe laid to the trunk of a tree cuts it down, He will cut down the men of this army. He will do it in such a way that it cannot be explained by human reasoning. The enemies of His people will be forced to acknowledge that a supernatural power is at work on behalf of Judah.