Isaiah 47 - God's Judgment on Babylon

Once again, I think the KJV editors had a better grasp on the main theme of the chapter. The HCSB and ESV have The Fall or Humiliation of Babylon. God's judgment is the cause of the fall or humiliation and it's better for us to see Him as the reason these things happen.

Isaiah 47:1-4 (HCSB) “Go down and sit in the dust, Virgin Daughter Babylon. Sit on the ground without a throne, Daughter Chaldea! For you will no longer be called pampered and spoiled. Take millstones and grind meal; remove your veil, strip off ⌊your⌋ skirt, bare your thigh, wade through the streams. Your nakedness will be uncovered, and your shame will be exposed. I will take vengeance; I will spare no one. The Holy One of Israel is our Redeemer; Yahweh of Hosts is His name."

Babylon is often used in Scripture to depict the system of the world; but Babylon was a real nation. This is the pattern of types and anti-types; contrary to metaphors, types are always actual, real historical things or people. In this chapter, it's the type, the nation of Babylon that is being judged by God.

Here, Babylon is mockingly called a virgin daughter who is told to sit on the ground. Mighty Babylon the great will be humiliated, no longer treated like royalty but required to work the mills. No longer mighty and ruling in luxury, Babylon will be unveiled, stripped naked, and exposed for all to see. None will be spared. Chaldea was a tribe in southern Babylon that spoke Aramaic that ruled the nation from 626 -586 BC. All that happens is because the Holy One of Israel - redeemer of sinners, YHWH of Hosts has spoken it. Nothing is "left to chance."

Isaiah 47:5-7 (HCSB) “Daughter Chaldea, sit in silence and go into darkness. For you will no longer be called mistress of kingdoms. I was angry with My people; I profaned My possession, and I placed them under your control. You showed them no mercy; you made your yoke very heavy on the elderly. You said, ‘I will be the mistress forever.’ You did not take these things to heart or think about their outcome."

The powerful tribe of Babylon is told to sit in silence in darkness; no longer mistress of kingdoms she is brought low, taken prisoner. God was angry with His people, ethnic Israel; He ordered the pagan nations to punish them, placing His covenant people under their rule for the chastisement He deemed necessary. Babylon went "above and beyond" the mission, displaying natural man's depravity without restraint. Babylon imposed heavy burdens on the old people in Israel, thinking she would remain the mistress of kingdoms always. Kings were known for having many wives and mistresses and concubines. A good mistress would be well taken care of. But Babylon did not take to heart what YHWH had told her not considered the consequences of her cruelty.

Isaiah 47:8-10 (HCSB) “So now hear this, lover of luxury, who sits securely, who says to herself, ‘I exist, and there is no one else. I will never be a widow or know the loss of children.’ These two things will happen to you suddenly, in one day: loss of children and widowhood. They will happen to you in their entirety, in spite of your many sorceries and the potency of your spells. You were secure in your wickedness; you said, ‘No one sees me.’ Your wisdom and knowledge led you astray. You said to yourself, ‘I exist, and there is no one else.’"

Deeper into the humiliation of Babylon as she sees herself as one who deserves luxury, is alone wise and powerful, and will never suffer loss. God demands to be heard, even of this stiff-necked nation. Two things will take place suddenly - the loss of the two things Babylon thought she would never loose. None of Babylon's magic, no false security in luxury could withstand the judgment and loss delivered by the Holy One of Israel. Babylon thought she could hide her sins, being wise in her own estimation, thinking she was above the fray of the "common folk." We know from Scripture that nothing is hid from God, that none are wise that trust in self. In the ancient near east, being a woman without husband or children was a most vulnerable person. Even as the most powerful nation in the world at one time, Babylon was as a childless widow in contrast to almighty Creator and Judge, YHWH of Hosts!

Isaiah 47:11-15 (HCSB) But disaster will happen to you; you will not know how to avert it. And it will fall on you, but you will be unable to ward it off. Devastation will happen to you suddenly and unexpectedly. So take your stand with your spells and your many sorceries, which you have wearied yourself with from your youth. Perhaps you will be able to succeed; perhaps you will inspire terror! You are worn out with your many consultations. So let them stand and save you— the astrologers, who observe the stars, who predict monthly what will happen to you. Look, they are like stubble; fire burns them up. They cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame. This is not a coal for warming themselves, or a fire to sit beside! This is what they are to you— those who have wearied you and have traded with you from your youth— each wanders on his own way; no one can save you.

When God moves against a people, nothing they can do will avert it - judgment is coming and it will go according to God's predetermined plan. It will come quickly and when the people think all is well - when preachers preach "peace, peace!" where there is no peace.

God taunts Babylon, telling her to gather all her magic (that were wearisome to keep up) and try to stand and succeed. Gather the astrologers and watch their charts and prophecies burn. No demonic magic, no pagan religion, no self-important people can deliver themselves from God's judgment fire! God's judgment is not something man can handle, like a campfire. When judgment comes, each of these powerful men who could provide no aid will abandon Babylon, each seeing to his own interests - unable and disinterested in saving Babylon.

Now let's see how this type is fulfilled at the end of the age.

Revelation 18:9-11 (HCSB) The kings of the earth who have committed sexual immorality and lived luxuriously with her will weep and mourn over her when they see the smoke of her burning. They will stand far off in fear of her torment, saying: Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the mighty city! For in a single hour your judgment has come. The merchants of the earth will also weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their merchandise any longer—Revelation 18:15-20 (HCSB) The merchants of these things, who became rich from her, will stand far off in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, saying: Woe, woe, the great city, dressed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls, for in a single hour such fabulous wealth was destroyed! And every shipmaster, seafarer, the sailors, and all who do business by sea, stood far off as they watched the smoke from her burning and kept crying out: “Who is like the great city?” They threw dust on their heads and kept crying out, weeping, and mourning: Woe, woe, the great city, where all those who have ships on the sea became rich from her wealth, for in a single hour she was destroyed. Rejoice over her, heaven, and you saints, apostles, and prophets, because God has executed your judgment on her!

Verse 21 tells us a mighty angel threw a large millstone into the sea (which represents the people of the world). Recall how Babylon was told to pick up a millstone in verse 2?

Everything we've read in Isaiah 47 regarding the actual nation of Babylon took place in history, and foreshadowed God's judgment on the system of the world.

Brothers and sisters, we cannot afford to deceive ourselves, thinking we can hide things from God, thinking we will always sit in the lap of luxury, that we'll know when bad times are coming. Whether it's the stock market, disease, or death - we do not know what tomorrow holds. If we know who holds tomorrow in His hands, we will be fine. This world is not our home - let's not act like it is. That's how Babylon behaved.

1 Peter 2:16-17 (HCSB) As God’s slaves, ⌊live⌋ as free people, but don’t use your freedom as a way to conceal evil. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the Emperor.

Trust the King - not your ability to follow Him.