The main theme is the same, destruction and defeat are coming to Israel and the surrounding areas because they have rejected God and sought after false gods. Since we know the main theme, let’s see what smaller details are included.
In the first verses of Chapter 13 God is calling up an army to depose Babylon. At this moment, Babylon hasn’t invaded Israel yet…they are still the world power to contend with. No one in the world at this time has an army greater than Babylon…and God is saying that they will be defeated.
That happens years later, at the hands of the Medes and Persians, who become the new world power. You will read of Nebuchadnezzar, he was a Babylonian king. His son takes over and eventually loses the kingdom to Cyrus the Persian…who is now king of the Medes. It’s Cyrus that sends the Israelites home to rebuild the temple and finish the walls around the city. The prophet Daniel ministered during the time of the Babylonians, and Ezra and Nehemiah ministered during the time of Cyrus and the Medes. In between these two are the Assyrians, who also conquer Babylon, but do not destroy it completely.
The point is: everything happened exactly the way God said that it would. Israel was conquered and left desolate by Babylon. Babylon was defeated and left desolate by Assyria. In fact, the old city of Babylon remains uninhabited today. The new city developed just outside it. Alexander the Great intended to develop it, and died before he could do so. Saddam Hussein was attempting to rebuild it, but was defeated in battle before he finished. Hmmm. Read 13:20.
13:9 mentions the “Day of the Lord”, which is a reference to a day when God takes vengeance on those who oppose Him. There is a similar, yet even worse “Day” coming when God destroys the wicked for the last time, at the end of the age.
Chapter 14 is clearly talking about when the Israelites will return from exile to Jerusalem and live in their own land once again. However, part of that same sentiment is true today, with Jews returning to Israel from every nation on earth.
Looking at 14:12 we see a metaphor for satan. The shining star, son of the morning….rebelled against God and was defeated and will eventually be cast into the lake of fire. The same fate is true for anyone who rejects or rebels against God. I wonder, does this thought continue to verse 21? When God says “kill this man’s children” is He speaking of those who follow the devil?
I’m covering a lot of ground quickly here, but in chapters 15 and 16 Moab is discussed. They have been rebellious, and are overthrown. Moab lies southeast of Israel, and Damascus lies north. These chapters are prophesying punishment for the whole region, because collectively they have forgotten God. I wonder: Was there a time in the distant past when the people of Moab served the Lord? It seems like a generation or two serve God faithfully, and then we begin to drift. God clearly has feelings for the Moabites, even though they haven’t always been kind to Israel. Sometimes one brother torments another to the point that he makes him cry, become angry or even begins to hate him. But a parent loves them both…even when they don’t approve of behavior. I wonder if that’s how God sees Moab? 15:5 seems to indicate that.
I wonder if that’s how God sees me at times? I should be happy that God loves the Moabites and the Syrians (Chapter 17) in spite of their shortcomings…it means that He will love me as well! I think this was the lesson that God was trying to get through to Jonah. He loves us all.
16:5 is another reference to Jesus. Isaiah will have many more in later prophecies.
Are there modern day lessons to learn from this passage? Certainly. One quick one I note today: I don’t need to be angry at the people God sends against me to punish me when I have be rebellious, even if they are ungodly themselves. I should feel grateful for the punishment, because it encourages me to be more obedient to Christ, and protects me from a far greater punishment in hell. And, I should feel compassion for those who inflict this punishment upon me…because their fate is far more desperate than my own, if they don’t accept Christ.
I wonder, was this how Christ felt when he was being beaten and tortured for our sins at the time of His crucifixion? He was certainly sad for Jerusalem, because he wept over it as He was led out of the city, and He cried out “Father, forgive them because they don’t know what they are doing”. What love that must require!
Faithfully,
PR