We're going to Isaiah chapter 14. So, in our series through the book of Isaiah, this is now message number 21, entitled, The Proverb of Babylon. And we're going to be looking here in chapter 14 and verses 1 to 23. So I'm going to read verses 1 and 2 as we get started. For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob and will yet choose Israel and set them in their own land. And the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob. And the people shall take them and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the Lord, for servants and handmaids, and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were, and they shall rule over their oppressors." So chapter 13 began this section of Isaiah's prophecy that contains these woes to the nations and that continues through chapter number 23. And so as we have talked about these woes are these prophetic oracles of judgment that are pronounced against these various nations that are around Israel and Judah. And so just as prophecies have, we've already seen to this point in Isaiah, there's been prophecies that have been given for Israel and for Judah. And those prophecies deal with events that will come to pass in the more immediate timeframe. And then there's also events and things that will not be fulfilled until the far future, those things that are connected with events in the last of days and with the day of the Lord. And what we've also noticed is that when these prophecies are given concerning the nations that we're seeing the same sort of blending of these more near and far future type of events. And again, it's just one of the reasons that prophecy can be somewhat difficult to interpret. because of this tendency. But again, if we go back and think about those messianic prophecies, then we see that there certainly is a pattern there because prophecies of the coming of the Messiah are given and we find a blending of the first and the second coming and no clear indication of the gap that is between them. And so we see the same thing when it comes to Israel, when it comes to the nations and these different events. Now, when we look at these, particularly when we look at these judgments pronounced upon the nations, there certainly are those that try to make all of these things fit into one time frame. And usually there's some sort of spiritualizing or allegorizing that is involved to try to do that. But that isn't really fair to the text. It doesn't fit the pattern. of what we see with the messianic prophecies. And those messianic prophecies, when we look at them, they're fulfilled in very literal, real, tangible ways. And that doesn't mean that prophecies can't involve symbols or figures, but there's some real concrete correspondence to what has been predicted as to what actually comes to pass. Well, these prophecies began with Babylon, and even though at the time that these prophecies were given, Babylon wasn't a major power just quite yet. They were on the rise, but they were not to the level of Assyria that Assyria was at this time. But Isaiah saw beyond all of that their rise to their destruction, to their fall, and not just in ancient times, but into the future connected with the day of the Lord as well. So the chapter, chapter 13, ends with the Medes overthrowing Babylon, but then beyond that to the ultimate fall of Babylon as described in Revelation chapters 17 and 18. So that Babylon will essentially be, and this is the way that chapter 13 ends, that Babylon will become this uninhabited foul place for a thousand years and never rise again. Now chapter 14, continues this oracle of judgment against Babylon. And this chapter introduces even more elements beyond historical Babylon. In other words, we read this chapter and there's certainly no way that all of these things can be said to have been fulfilled in any sort of concrete way. to Babylon historically. Now most of the chapter is taken up with this what is called a proverb or it's a poem, a song against Babylon that is essentially mocking Babylon in its fall and it's celebrating the fall of Babylon. And so we're going to look at this in verses 1 to 23, and what we see here is rejoicing in song over the fall of Babylon. So let's start here with the first three verses. For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob and will yet choose Israel and set them in their own land. And the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob. And the people shall take them and bring them to their place. in the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the Lord for servants and handmaids. And they shall all take them captives, whose captives they were, and they shall rule over their oppressors. And it shall come to pass in the day that the Lord shall give thee rest from thy sorrow and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve." Now, if you remember, chapter 13 ended with this judgment on Babylon, leaving it essentially an uninhabitable ruin. And the contrast is immediately struck as we come into chapter 14, because with just these few verses, we get a reference to that future restoration of Israel. And so as we have seen that there's many prophecies of judgment on Israel, but a remnant will be saved and the nation will be restored. And so the implication of this contrast is that there will be no such remnant for Babylon. This prophecy against Babylon is foretelling of a complete destruction. There will be a sort of an eradication as it was for Sodom and Gomorrah. There will be a complete destruction now the use of this language we get the jacob and israel in the house of jacob the use of that language is is the language of a united nation it's the language of a single nation where there's no more northern kingdom and southern kingdom but there there's one unified with all the tribes of jacob together as one nation. So even though at the time that this was written, they had been divided for a long time, but nevertheless in the future, during the time of restoration, they will be rejoined and they'll never be divided again. Now the Lord's mercy, and the word for mercy here is the word for compassion, the Lord's compassion on Israel is said that He will choose them. Now this is the language of the covenant, that covenant that was given at Sinai. So back in Deuteronomy chapter 7, Verses 6 to 8, this is what Moses said, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But because the Lord loved you and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen from the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt." So when God redeemed Israel out of Egypt and was bringing them into the land, It was said to them that God had chosen them. He had chosen them to be His special nation, that He would make them a holy nation, and that He would essentially make them a nation above all the nations of the earth. But we know that they broke that old covenant. So that did not come to pass. That was not fulfilled in that time. So reference back to this time recalls that time of the covenant at Sinai. And what it actually does, though, is that it indicates that God will make a new covenant with Israel and with Judah as Jeremiah and Ezekiel later go on. to speak of as well. So this, again, this is covenantal language that he would yet choose Israel. In other words, it's going to be fulfilled what he spoke to them, even concerning with the old covenant. It's going to be fulfilled. It just wouldn't be fulfilled through the old covenant. It's going to be fulfilled through the new. And we spent quite a bit of time looking at those covenants. So this language here recalls that, that this is God's covenant. that is going to be kept. And the fulfilling of this covenant also means the full possession of the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and to Jacob. And this nation is finally going to inhabit and possess this land, as we see there in verse number one. And as he goes on, he talks about the strangers, the foreigners, that will be joined to them, and the peoples," and there in verse 2, it is plural, it's peoples, it's nations, "...will take them and bring them to their place." In other words, this is describing that gathering of Israel from among all the nations from whence they have been scattered in that future time. But as you read this language, it also speaks of that time of Israel being exalted as a nation, being above the other nations of the earth. And the picture here is the other nations being subjected like that of servants or of slaves. And that's the expression that is Now this refers to that time of the millennial kingdom. We've already seen reference to this in Isaiah a few times when they will finally have rest from their sorrow and from their fear and from their oppressions. And of course these are also connected with God's covenant with David and fulfilled when David's son sits on David's throne reigning from Zion. Let's look at verses 4 and 5. to 8, that thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon and say, How hath the oppressor ceased? The golden city ceased. The Lord hath broken the staff of the wicked and the scepter of the rulers. He who has smoked the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted and none hindereth. The whole earth is at rest and is quiet. They break forth into singing. Now the King of Babylon is here mentioned and his downfall is the primary theme of this proverb that runs through verse number 23. Now of course when you read this, you read all of this and you can easily see that this doesn't fully describe any historical king of Babylon, all the various things that are said here. And so it is looking forward to that final king of Babylon. So this final king of Babylon, who also is described as the little horn in Daniel chapter 7, the beast of Revelation chapter 13, the man of sin who will come after the power and working of Satan in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, whom we also refer to as the Antichrist. And the earth is pictured as rejoicing at the fall of this king. And this is descriptive of a time of worldwide peace, a time that's never been known before. And we get descriptions here of those that he persecuted and in continual stroke. Descriptions of merciless cruelty and with such power this king will seem invincible, just unopposable. And the expressions of laying down since he was laid down. The phrase there can literally mean like laying down in the sense of going to sleep. It can also be a little more figuratively used in the sense of a euphemism for death. He has laid down. In other words, he has died. Psalm 88.5, in fact, uses it that way, speaking of lying down in the grave. So here the death of the king is what will cause the entire world to rejoice and sing for joy. This isn't just a region. It's not just a few nations. It's the entire world, to the extent that we even get descriptions of the trees rejoicing and singing out of joy that no woodman will come against them. Then we get to verses 9 to 11. Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming. It stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth. It hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? Art thou become like unto us? Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy vials. The worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee. Now the word for hell there is Sheol. Sheol is sometimes translated grave. I think it's even translated grave there in a little bit later. Yeah, there in verse number 11, same word. So sometimes it literally is just referring to a grave. It could be a tomb, a sepulcher, a rock. It could be a grave that has been dug in the earth. Sometimes it just refers to a grave. Sometimes it's sort of euphemistic again for speaking of death. But also it refers to the realm of the dead or to the place of the dead. And really that is more of what we think of as hell today. And so the translation of hell is very, really appropriate in this particular passage. It's the place in particular where the souls of the wicked go when they depart this life. So when the wicked, the unbelieving die, just as we read in different descriptions and some even in the New Testament, they awake in a place of torment. They awake in a place of suffering where Jesus referred to that the fire isn't quenched and the worms do not die. And this place is described as a place of corruption, a place of darkness, all these sort of things that are referred to. And so that is what we're given a picture of. It's at the death of the last king of Babylon, the Antichrist. that hell is stirred to the coming of his soul to the realm to the place of the dead. And we get the kings of the various nations that are said to essentially they'll be mocking this king who has essentially become like them. So he was the greatest in power of all kings, and he seemed to accomplish what all of these human kings had been trying to accomplish. And we've already seen this here in Isaiah, and even when God said that Assyria was going to be a rod and an instrument in his hand, But nevertheless, the Assyrian king didn't think it that way. They're trying to conquer the world. So what they have all been trying to accomplish, he seemingly was able to accomplish. And now they're saying, you're just like us. You're just like us. You've come to the same place. You didn't succeed. You failed. You were brought down just the same that we have been. And we get that final description there. All the pomp and the circumstance of power and all of that, all of that is gone. And now instead of fine luxury and all of that sort of thing, surrounded by worms is the description that we are given. Now the next part of this proverb goes verses 12 to 15. How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning? How art thou cut down to the ground which didst weaken the nations? For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven. I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation in the sides of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. I will be like the Most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell to the sides of the pit. Now, this is almost a parenthetical stanza in this particular proverb, and it is looking to Satan as the power behind the beast, behind this king. Now, Jesus described Satan one time as falling from heaven in a bright shining. That's Luke chapter 10 and verse number 18, and the translation there reads lightning, and the word that's used, can refer to lightning, but really just more formally refers to a brightness, a bright shining, like a flash of light. So he describes Satan as falling from heaven in a bright shining. And also the words here that are used, they all speak of brightness and shining. Lucifer, particularly, and son of the morning. They all speak of brightness. Now the word Lucifer actually comes over from the Latin. That's not really a translation. The word that is used here means a bright shining one. So Lucifer is the only place that disappears. And again, it comes from the Latin. you into the translation here, but the word means a bright shining one. Star of the morning, again, is another word that refers to a bright shining. And we're also told of Satan, of course, that he can transform himself into an angel of light in 2 Corinthians 11 and verse number 14. So in other words, out of various descriptions that we have concerning Satan in different parts of the Bible, this is what seems to be a consistent description, something about being a bright, shining being. That's a pretty consistent description across both Now, he's also referred to, not in terms of shining or brightness, but he's also referred to in terms of power and in terms of rule as the prince of this world in places like John 12, verse 31, and chapter 14, and verse 30, chapter 16, and verse 11. Paul referred to him as the God of this age in 2 Corinthians 4, and verse number 4. And he's also depicted as the power that is animating the king of Tyre in Ezekiel chapter 28. verses 1 to 19. So again we get these sort of descriptions here which again makes sense with reference to this final king of Babylon who will be directly empowered by Satan and that the destruction of both would be linked together here in this proverb just as they are in Revelation later. And also what we read of Satan is that he does much work among the nations, described here as weakening the nations. He does much work among the nations, which we are also told that that will be completely restrained when he is bound for a thousand years after the return of Christ. We furthermore get a description here of the sinful pride of Satan to be God. We get all of these I wills, I will exalt myself, and all of these sort of things. And we get this reference here to sit upon the mount of the congregation on the sides of the north there in verse number 13. And the sides of the north is actually a reference to a place where in the Canaanite mythology, it was a place where the gods assembled. And so, even as I understand, there's some historical evidence of some description of maybe some supreme god that would be over the gods of this assembly in the northern place and what have you. So that's, again, that's the Canaanite mythology that refers to this place. But in actuality, this is a place of Satan and his demon council, which really is behind the gods and all the ideas of those sort of things. And we get reference to the binding of Satan. You shall be brought down to hell, that's the Sheol again, to the sides of the pit, which is a synonym for Abaddon. The sides of the pit. And when you read in Revelation chapter 20 verses 1 to 3 that it is this pit that Satan is going to be bound in and will be bound for the thousand years of the millennial kingdom. And then of course the final destiny of Satan will be to join the beast, to join the Antichrist and the false prophet in the lake of fire for all eternity. And that's in Revelation chapter 20 and verse number 10. So again It makes sense to read of the fall of Satan and his final great king during that time of tribulation who will rise. here in the saying, but primarily this does refer to the fall of this final king of Babylon. Now we return to that in verses 16 to 20. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms, that made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof, that opened not the house of his prisoners? All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house. But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword that go down to the stones of the pit as a carcass trodden under feet. Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land and slain thy people, and the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned." In other words, shall be cut off. So the song returns to this final king of Babylon, this Antichrist, and his body after his death. We find that description here tells us he will not be buried. He will not be celebrated. He will not be honored. There's not going to be some long train of mourners and lamenters. Rather, he's going to be a spectacle. So he will be viewed as, how is this the mighty king? And he's also described here as an abominable branch. And of course, that is a direct contrast to Christ, who is the righteous branch, who is that shoot out of Jesse that grows and flourishes. He will be cut off. He will be thrown out like an abominable branch. He will be ended. And there's no lying to come from him. And we see that as you go on in those verses. When we try to piece together some of these different events, Paul did refer to the Antichrist being slain at Christ's coming. That's 2 Thessalonians 2 and verse number 8. So he will be slain. That makes sense. And then we see earlier from the passage, it talks about actually his soul in hell where he is essentially mocked by the kings of the nations that are there, but not for very long, obviously. And he lays sometime on the ground, trodden underfoot of these others that have not yet been killed during this battle. He will be again looked upon as a spectacle. Is this the great king? And then we find that finally the beast and the false prophet will be taken meaning that they must be resurrected and will be cast into the lake of fire alive for all eternity. That's Revelation chapter 19 and verse number 20. So when we look at Isaiah's prophecy here, we find that it does fit with what we have in other places of Scripture, particularly referring to these events, these times, at this time in the day of the Lord, at the end of the time of tribulation and these events that will take place. So now we come to verses 21 to 23. Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers that they do not rise nor possess the land nor fill the face of the world with cities. For I will rise up against them, saith the Lord of hosts, and cut off from Babylon the name and remnant and son and nephew, saith the Lord. I will also make it a possession for the bitter and pools of water, and I will sweep it with the basin of destruction, saith the Lord of hosts. So this is the end of this proverb against Babylon. And essentially, it's a description of their complete destruction. They're cutting off from the earth. In other words, this nation will not rise again. This nation will not proceed to be a nation. So when you read in Revelation 19, after that the beast and the false prophet are thrown into the lake of fire, then we're told how that the rest were slain with the sword. And then we get reference here to the rest after the beast has been slain. We get reference to the rest here in verses 21 to 23. So, in other words, again, It started with that contrast with the promise of restoration for Israel, and that means there will be a remnant, and that a remnant will be saved, and this house is going to grow. And we're going to get references to this later in Isaiah where Israel is depicted as this old widow woman that's bereft of any family, who suddenly, whose house is not big enough to contain all of her children. And she's amazed, saying, where did all these come from? Well, again, that's gonna be the prospering of Israel in this time of their restoration. There's a remnant that is left, and they will once again become this great, numerous nation. But there will be no remnant left of Babylon. They're going to be swept clean. That basin is like sweeping with a broom. That's the imagery that's used. It's going to be swept clean. And this land, this place of Babylon is going to remain this uninhabitable ruin. for this millennial kingdom. There actually are two places on earth that we are told that will remain a ruin for a thousand years of the millennial kingdom. One of those is Babylon, and we have reference here as well as chapter 13, verses 19 to 22. Jeremiah also refers to this, Jeremiah chapter 50, verses 39 and 40, chapter 51, verse number 37. And then the other place that is mentioned is Edom. Now Isaiah has reference to this in Isaiah chapter 34, verses 5 to 17. Ezekiel speaks of it in Ezekiel chapter 35, verses 1 to 15. Malachi also in Malachi 1. verses 3 and 4. And so these are places that will remain uninhabitable ruins, places of desolation, and places that throughout this kingdom are going to remain sort of as reminders and visible testimonies of the judgment of God and ultimately what is awaiting those nations that rebel against Him. So these oracles of judgment against the nations. They, on the one hand, were to encourage the faith of Israel. Why? Because God has a purpose in judging Israel and the nations. And we're getting this contrast. This is what's happening to these unbelieving nations. Some, like Babylon in particular, are going to be wiped completely out. But the promise comes again and again and again to Israel because God had sworn with an oath, by His own name, that He would fulfill, He would keep these promises to Abraham that they're not going to be destroyed. There is a remnant that will be saved and ultimately they will be restored. It's also a warning to them that they shouldn't be trusting in these nations. These nations, these words of judgment against them also perform the function of pulling back the curtain, to give you that view behind the scenes. Look, these nations look glorious and powerful and just unsinkable from the outside. But let's come around behind the screen and let me show you what is really going on and what's really going to happen. And we're getting a picture of that. So again, Israel should learn not to trust in these nations. Now, the promise of this restoration, obviously, is dependent on the coming of the Messiah. And that is where their hope is, and that's where they should look for salvation. And they, again, get these glimpses of these nations, not in their height of power, but in the depths of their destruction.