Season 6, Podcast 63, Isaiah 13:1-12 “The Fall of Babylon 1.”

Season 6, Podcast 63, Isaiah 13:1-12 “The Fall of Babylon 1.”The Fall of Babylon is a symbol both of itself and of the destruction of the world prior to the Second Coming of Christ; therefore, it is helpful to compare Isaiah 13 with the revelations of John. Isaiah piles image upon image suggesting total annihilation of civilization and the end of the wicked. Keep that in mind as we discuss the vivid imagery. Isaiah 13:1-5The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see. Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles. I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness. The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the Lord of hosts mustereth the host of the battle. They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the Lord, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.As with John the Revelator, the entire vision of the fall of Babylon is opened to Isaiah. “Lift ye up a banner” suggests a banner of war. Without having an exact historical number, let’s estimate the Babylon army that comes against Judah to be 100,000 soldiers. Scripturally we are given the number of soldiers in the final battle preceding the Second Coming of Christ. It is two hundred million.Revelation 9:16-17And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them. And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.This is a holy war. The Lord said, “I have commanded my sanctified ones.” Sanctified means purified. “I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness.”Isaiah describes it as “the noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people: a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the Lord of hosts mustereth the host to the battle.”The question is, ‘whose side are we on?’ The entire earth will be polarized. Isaiah continues, “They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the Lord, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.”Isaiah continues to warn us.Isaiah 13:6-9Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt: And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames. Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.It will not end until the wicked are destroyed. Remember the earth is being prepared for the Second Coming of the Lord. Again, in Revelation 19 we read.Revelation 19:2For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.Then occurs the great event for which all saints have waited for. Again, we read the revelation of John.Revelation 19:7-9Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.