Isaiah 13:1-14:27

What’s Happening?

The book of Isaiah was written during a politically volatile time. The great empires of Assyria and Babylon loomed ominously on the horizon. The nations around Israel were all scrambling to form alliances to protect themselves from anticipated invasion. Within Israel and Judah, differing foreign policies concerning Assyria led kings to assassinate one another and plot coups. In desperation, Israel’s King Ahaz even supports Assyria’s imperial ambitions in hopes of saving his own nation. The prophet Isaiah says all these political maneuvers expose his disbelief that God controls world politics and history. Instead of trusting political machinations, secret alliances, and military power, Israel needs to trust that God will protect their nation on his own. So, for the next two chapters, Isaiah prophesies the fall of every nation surrounding Israel in hopes of proving that God alone is worthy of Israel’s trust. 

First, Isaiah prophesies that Babylon will fall. During Isaiah’s lifetime, Babylon was the cultural center of ancient Mesopotamia. And shortly after Isaiah’s death, it became the dominant military power, too. However, Isaiah prophesies that Babylon’s current cultural and future military power will all disappear. God will summon an even greater army to destroy it entirely (Isaiah 13:1-8). Like the stars, moon, and mountains, Babylon’s arrogance, ruthlessness, and evil seem like permanent features of life on Earth, but God will humiliate their power and pride (Isaiah 13:9-13). The once mighty hunters of Babyon will be hunted down by an even greater empire (Isaiah 13:14-18). This greater empire will destroy Babylon’s cultural relevance, level its armies, and leave its cities in ruins for the jackals to play in (Isaiah 13:19-22).

Ultimately, God will use all his power for Israel’s benefit. And if any nation conquers Israel, God will conquer that nation in return. Israel doesn’t need to trust foreign powers; they have God on their side (Isaiah 14:1-2). Isaiah even writes a song Israel will one day use to taunt their imperial oppressors. It celebrates that Babylon’s great strength will be made impotent (Isaiah 14:3-8). It vividly describes the undead spirits of the world’s once glorious kings preparing a parade to welcome conquered Babylon into the underworld (Isaiah 14:9-11). The song mocks the Babylonian king’s delusions of grandeur. He used to think he was a god, but his grave will prove otherwise (Isaiah 14:12-15). While other kings are given stately burials, Babylon’s king will be left to rot in a mass grave under the bodies of the soldiers with which he once terrorized the world (Isaiah 14:16-21). By God’s power, Babylon will fall, never to rise again (Isaiah 14:22-23). Israel does not need to form alliances because God is on their side. 

Where is the Gospel?

A distrust in God marked Isaiah’s day. Diplomatic savvy, shrewd negotiation and threats of military force were more worthy of consideration than prayer or seeking God’s guidance. But Isaiah’s prophecies reminded Israel that God controls world events. God can tell Isaiah the future of complex international relationships because he controls both world wars and history. 

Learning to trust God in politically turbulent times is always difficult. Under threat of invasion, suffering, and national change, it’s easy to forget God controls our future and is fighting for our good. So, to prove that nothing can stop his plans for his people, God entered human history in the person of Jesus. He demonstrated his divine control by using a global empire to execute him (John 10:18). Jesus intentionally provoked the religious and political elite, knowing they would attempt to assassinate him (John 10:18). While they tried to kill him many times, Jesus only let them capture him at the time he determined (Luke 4:28-30; John 8:59). He even commands his betrayer to betray him and so begin the events that will lead to his death (Matthew 26:50). The evil empire of Rome and the corrupt religious establishment of Jerusalem all obeyed Jesus’ command. Even Jesus’ grave listened to the God of history and obediently spit him out three days later (Acts 2:23-24). Jesus proves that God controls death, politics, and history. While our world seems out of control, we can trust that God will use his power for the good of his people. And like Isaiah, we can even sing songs that remind our enemies of their defeat and mock their powerlessness before the God who has defeated Death. 

See For Yourself

I pray that the Holy Spirit will open your eyes to see the God who controls history. And may you see Jesus as the one who is worthy to be trusted.