Isa 13:9-12 | KingComments | STEP | In these verses the prophetic scene moves from the imminent downfall of Babylon as a shadow of the future to the future judgments of God on the restored Roman Empire and the entire world in the end time, which is to the coming of “the day of the LORD” ( ). It is a day that cannot be stopped or deflected, for it comes “as the destruction from the Almighty”. That day clearly did not begin in 539 BC, when Babylon is defeated by the Medes and the Persians. Then that city is not destroyed. That happens much later. No, that day will take place in the future regarding the prophetic Babylon ( ). Here, before the eye of the prophet, the judgment on Babylon merges with the final judgment on the restored Roman Empire. In the fulfillment there are many centuries between the two judgments, but in essence they are one. One is a type, a foreshadow, of the other. Babylon is the first of the four great empires ( ) and is a shadow of the last representative of the empires, that is the restored Roman Empire. In our days we see that taking shape more and more in the united Europe, the European Union. For God everything is one whole. The judgment on Babylon is a prelude to the judgment on the beast in the end time. Babylon, represented as a woman, the great harlot, and the beast are closely connected ( ). The great harlot emphasizes the religious aspect of Babylon – the counterpart of the bride – while the beast emphasizes the political aspect of Babylon – the counterpart of Jerusalem, the city of the great King. The LORD will prove the great Name of His omnipotence in the judgments which He causes to come. In we see people’s reactions to that. The hands become weak, powerless. “Every man’s heart” melts away, there is no more courage. The horror and bewilderment can be read on their faces. Their posture of shrinking like a woman in labor and woes fits the horror and pain that plagues them. It all shows that they have not taken into account a judgmental God. Man’s sin and his unrepentance are the cause that the LORD will judge “cruel, with fury and burning anger” on His day when He takes control of the government ( ). His judgments affect both “the land” and “its sinners”. He makes the land a desolation and sinners are exterminated from the land. Here, to say it with the parable of the dolik (a weed that looks much like wheat) and the wheat, those who do lawlessness are gathered and cast into the furnace of fire ( ). The whole of creation ends up in darkness because “the stars of heaven and their constellations” and “the moon” do not let their “light” shine ( ). If there is any hope that the sun will rise at daybreak, then that hope turns out to be vain, because “sun will be dark when it rises” ( ; ). The judgment on Babylon at the appearance of Christ in the end time affects the whole “world” and not just a certain area as in the time of Isaiah ( ; cf. ). It is like the deluge that is also worldwide. God’s judgment is on the world because of “its evil”. That evil is expressed in the “iniquity” of “the wicked”, “the arrogance of the proud” and “the haughtiness of the ruthless”. God will repay the evil, stop the arrogance and humiliate the haughtiness. God has the appropriate answer to all evil. It is also striking that the judgment on Babylon is exercised by Cyrus, who is called “His anointed” ( ), a clear picture of Christ (= Anointed). The name Cyrus means ‘sun’, which is the title of Christ Himself ( ). The fall of Babylon occurs unexpectedly. While the city is celebrating, the army of the Medes and Persians crawls under the city wall after having first shifted the course of the canal that flows through the city. Thus, the coming of Christ to exterminate Babylon will happen like a thief in the night, unexpectedly. predicts the reduction of the world population at the end of time, just as the Lord Jesus predicts ( ; ). Through these judgments all the wicked are wiped out. What remains is a remnant that consists of “mortal man”. This indicates that they are no more valuable in themselves than the wicked who have perished. Because of their small number, this remnant is rarer than the rarest and most precious metals. They are spared because of their positive attitude toward Israel (cf. ). It is important in this section to distinguish between the rapture of the believers ( ) and the appearance of the LORD to judge. At the rapture, believers are taken from the earth and unbelievers are left behind. At the appearance of the LORD, the Lord Jesus, the wicked are taken away from the earth by the judgment and the believers are left on earth to enter the realm of peace ( ). The consequences of the judgments are described even more profoundly in than in . In the effects of the judgment are seen in certain parts of creation, while in we see the consequences of the judgment for heaven and earth as a whole. Heaven trembles and the earth shakes from its place ( ; ; ). These are the overwhelming consequences of the outpouring of “the fury of the LORD of hosts in the day of His burning anger”. This confirms the remembrance of the deluge, in which heaven and earth have also come in great turmoil.

‏ Isaiah 13:9-12

The Day of the LORD Is Coming

In these verses the prophetic scene moves from the imminent downfall of Babylon as a shadow of the future to the future judgments of God on the restored Roman Empire and the entire world in the end time, which is to the coming of “the day of the LORD” (Isa 13:6). It is a day that cannot be stopped or deflected, for it comes “as the destruction from the Almighty”. That day clearly did not begin in 539 BC, when Babylon is defeated by the Medes and the Persians. Then that city is not destroyed. That happens much later. No, that day will take place in the future regarding the prophetic Babylon (Rev 16:19).

Here, before the eye of the prophet, the judgment on Babylon merges with the final judgment on the restored Roman Empire. In the fulfillment there are many centuries between the two judgments, but in essence they are one. One is a type, a foreshadow, of the other. Babylon is the first of the four great empires (Dan 2:37-40 ; Dan 7:1-7) and is a shadow of the last representative of the empires, that is the restored Roman Empire.

In our days we see that taking shape more and more in the united Europe, the European Union. For God everything is one whole. The judgment on Babylon is a prelude to the judgment on the beast in the end time. Babylon, represented as a woman, the great harlot, and the beast are closely connected (Rev 17:3b). The great harlot emphasizes the religious aspect of Babylon – the counterpart of the bride – while the beast emphasizes the political aspect of Babylon – the counterpart of Jerusalem, the city of the great King.

The LORD will prove the great Name of His omnipotence in the judgments which He causes to come. In Isa 13:7-8 we see people’s reactions to that. The hands become weak, powerless. “Every man’s heart” melts away, there is no more courage. The horror and bewilderment can be read on their faces. Their posture of shrinking like a woman in labor and woes fits the horror and pain that plagues them. It all shows that they have not taken into account a judgmental God.

Man’s sin and his unrepentance are the cause that the LORD will judge “cruel, with fury and burning anger” on His day when He takes control of the government (Isa 13:9). His judgments affect both “the land” and “its sinners”. He makes the land a desolation and sinners are exterminated from the land. Here, to say it with the parable of the dolik (a weed that looks much like wheat) and the wheat, those who do lawlessness are gathered and cast into the furnace of fire (Mt 13:40-42 ; Mt 24:40-41).

The whole of creation ends up in darkness because “the stars of heaven and their constellations” and “the moon” do not let their “light” shine (Isa 13:10). If there is any hope that the sun will rise at daybreak, then that hope turns out to be vain, because “sun will be dark when it rises” (Mt 24:29; Mk 13:24).

The judgment on Babylon at the appearance of Christ in the end time affects the whole “world” and not just a certain area as in the time of Isaiah (Isa 13:11; cf. Lk 21:35). It is like the deluge that is also worldwide. God’s judgment is on the world because of “its evil”. That evil is expressed in the “iniquity” of “the wicked”, “the arrogance of the proud” and “the haughtiness of the ruthless”. God will repay the evil, stop the arrogance and humiliate the haughtiness. God has the appropriate answer to all evil.

It is also striking that the judgment on Babylon is exercised by Cyrus, who is called “His anointed” (Isa 45:1), a clear picture of Christ (= Anointed). The name Cyrus means ‘sun’, which is the title of Christ Himself (Mal 4:2).

The fall of Babylon occurs unexpectedly. While the city is celebrating, the army of the Medes and Persians crawls under the city wall after having first shifted the course of the canal that flows through the city. Thus, the coming of Christ to exterminate Babylon will happen like a thief in the night, unexpectedly.

Isa 13:12 predicts the reduction of the world population at the end of time, just as the Lord Jesus predicts (Mt 24:22; Rev 6:8 ; Rev 9:19). Through these judgments all the wicked are wiped out. What remains is a remnant that consists of “mortal man”. This indicates that they are no more valuable in themselves than the wicked who have perished. Because of their small number, this remnant is rarer than the rarest and most precious metals. They are spared because of their positive attitude toward Israel (cf. Mt 25:31-41).

It is important in this section to distinguish between the rapture of the believers (1Thes 4:15-18) and the appearance of the LORD to judge. At the rapture, believers are taken from the earth and unbelievers are left behind. At the appearance of the LORD, the Lord Jesus, the wicked are taken away from the earth by the judgment and the believers are left on earth to enter the realm of peace (Mt 24:40-41).

The consequences of the judgments are described even more profoundly in Isa 13:13 than in Isa 13:10. In Isa 13:10 the effects of the judgment are seen in certain parts of creation, while in Isa 13:13 we see the consequences of the judgment for heaven and earth as a whole. Heaven trembles and the earth shakes from its place (Hag 2:6-7; Heb 12:25-29; Zec 14:4-5). These are the overwhelming consequences of the outpouring of “the fury of the LORD of hosts in the day of His burning anger”. This confirms the remembrance of the deluge, in which heaven and earth have also come in great turmoil.