Isa 13:19-21 | KingComments | STEP | These verses describe the judgment on Babylon. Babylon, which has presented itself as a beauty of all kingdoms, will be stripped of all its splendor and pride ( ). It will be with Babylon as with Sodom and Gomorrah which have been turned upside down by God. It will be completely depopulated and will never be inhabited again ( ). No Arab of the itinerant Arab nomads (Bedouins) will pitch his tent there anymore because there is nothing to gain anymore. There is also no more shepherd who will bring his flock there because of the crowds of wild animals that are there. The only inhabitants will be the desert creatures ( ). The animals mentioned in these verses living in the fallen Babylon are reminiscent of Revelation 18 ( ). It emphasizes that the final destruction, similar to that of Sodom and Gomorrah, lies in the distant future. Destruction in the short term is indicated by the words “her [fateful] time also will soon come” ( ). However, the destruction of Babylon in the short term is not like the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, because Babylon will revive. Here again we have the principle of the double layer in prophecy, where there is a first fulfillment in the near future and a final fulfillment in the, at that moment, distant future. The key to whether Babylon will reappear as the center of power and then suffer its final destruction is given in the beginning of Isaiah 14. In that chapter an explanation of the foregoing follows. Isaiah 14 tells of the day of Israel’s deliverance and millennial blessing. This is the day of the LORD which gives them rest from sorrow and fear and slavery and on which they will rejoice because of the destruction of Babylon and express their scorn to the city of the oppressor. There has been no such utterance about the devastation that has now taken place some two and a half thousand years ago. However, in the future there will be such an expression at the fall of the resurrected city ( ). Then the prophecy of this part of Isaiah will have its complete fulfillment. Europe will remain in a ruined state at the beginning of the millennial realm of peace with few inhabitants and so it will remain throughout the whole realm of peace.

‏ Isaiah 13:19-21

Babylon Completely Destroyed

These verses describe the judgment on Babylon. Babylon, which has presented itself as a beauty of all kingdoms, will be stripped of all its splendor and pride (Isa 13:19). It will be with Babylon as with Sodom and Gomorrah which have been turned upside down by God. It will be completely depopulated and will never be inhabited again (Isa 13:20). No Arab of the itinerant Arab nomads (Bedouins) will pitch his tent there anymore because there is nothing to gain anymore. There is also no more shepherd who will bring his flock there because of the crowds of wild animals that are there.

The only inhabitants will be the desert creatures (Isa 13:21-22). The animals mentioned in these verses living in the fallen Babylon are reminiscent of Revelation 18 (Rev 18:2). It emphasizes that the final destruction, similar to that of Sodom and Gomorrah, lies in the distant future. Destruction in the short term is indicated by the words “her [fateful] time also will soon come” (Isa 13:22b). However, the destruction of Babylon in the short term is not like the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, because Babylon will revive. Here again we have the principle of the double layer in prophecy, where there is a first fulfillment in the near future and a final fulfillment in the, at that moment, distant future.

The key to whether Babylon will reappear as the center of power and then suffer its final destruction is given in the beginning of Isaiah 14. In that chapter an explanation of the foregoing follows. Isaiah 14 tells of the day of Israel’s deliverance and millennial blessing. This is the day of the LORD which gives them rest from sorrow and fear and slavery and on which they will rejoice because of the destruction of Babylon and express their scorn to the city of the oppressor.

There has been no such utterance about the devastation that has now taken place some two and a half thousand years ago. However, in the future there will be such an expression at the fall of the resurrected city (Rev 18:20). Then the prophecy of this part of Isaiah will have its complete fulfillment. Europe will remain in a ruined state at the beginning of the millennial realm of peace with few inhabitants and so it will remain throughout the whole realm of peace.