Isaiah 21 Devotional
by Pastor Lawrence
The remaining prophecies in God’s judgment against the nations strikes a more somber note. In this chapter, Isaiah gives dark oracles concerning the Babylonians, the Edomites and the Arabians. The oracle concerning Edom is very short. Normally Edom is associated with Mount Seir, but here Isaiah refers to them as Dumah or the people of silence. It seems they are looking for a word from the Lord through Isaiah concerning the oppression by Assyria but he will not give them anything specific. They call to him as a watchman in the night asking what time it is; he simply says morning is coming, but also the night. In other words, there may be some light at the end of this tunnel (concerning Assyria), but darkness is close behind. This is not a message of hope.
In regards to the Arabians Isaiah gives another short and disturbing message. To a people who are well known for their fighting with great swordsmen and archers, they will suddenly flee from the sword and the arrow. Isaiah calls upon the neighboring peoples of Dedan and Tema who are traders to come and bring bread and water to the Arabians for they will be fugitives and refugees in their own land. Instead of dwelling in their luxurious tents, they will live amongst the thickets in fear. Why? Because the Lord, the God of Israel has spoken a word against them.
Isaiah has already spoken an oracle concerning Babylon, the jewel of the kingdoms, back in chapters thirteen and fourteen foreseeing a day of utter destruction for the nation culminating in the slaughter not only of all the fighting men but of their little children as well. He has already called upon Israel to raise its voice in a taunt against the king of Babylon who had raised himself up to be an equal to God. In this chapter Isaiah again calls upon the people of God to take comfort in the coming destruction of the Babylonians.
Of course, it is important to remember that in Isaiah’s own day Babylon was a not a superpower but was still in subjection to the Assyrians. Nevertheless, we see them trying to make an alliance with King Hezekiah in 703 BC to fight against the Assyrians as it’s recorded in Isaiah 39. So this prophecy was probably given around that same time to warn Judah against forming such an alliance understanding that they will be fiercer than the Assyrians and that their judgment will be even greater. Just as Judah is warned against forming an alliance with Egypt for protection against Assyria, so they should avoid any pledges with Babylon in the same manner.
Here, Isaiah is looking at least a hundred years into the future to a time in which Babylon is the ruler and crusher of nations. He has already seen the winnowing and threshing of God’s people by the Babylonians and the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 BC. But now Isaiah sees the destroyer destroyed and the traitor betrayed. God sends the Medians and the Elamites, ancestors of the Persians, to bring God’s judgment against Babylon, and this judgment is worse than anything that he has seen before. It is one scene of horror upon another that causes him to tremble in fear.
Of course, the Babylonians do not see it coming at all. While they are preparing their elaborate supper tables, spreading their oriental rugs, feasting and drinking wine in great celebration of all their victories, God’s judgment comes upon them like a whirlwind suddenly sweeping through the desert. There is a call for the princes of Babylon to oil their shields in preparation for defense, but no action is taken. They as a people are fully taken unawares. Then the Lord tells Isaiah to set a watchman on the walls of Jerusalem to await news of the destruction of Babylon. And Isaiah assures the Lord and his people that upon the watchtower God’s messenger stands every day and every night until he finally hears the promised news: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon and all the carved images of her gods he has shattered to the ground.”
In the New Testament, there is a sense in which Babylon represents all the evil kingdoms and systems in this world, for twice in Revelation 14:8 and in Revelation 18:2 the apostle John sees ancient Babylon as the ringleader of sin and sexual immorality in the world. In both instances, a messenger cries out in victory, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made the nations drink the win of the passion of her sexual immorality.” And in each instance there is a warning given to God’s people to persevere in the faith and to come out of Babylon, to have nothing to do with her for the Lord’s judgment is certain to destroy all who are in league with her.
Surely, the message to the Jews is similar in the time of Isaiah. The Jews were tempted to make a covenant with Babylon, to put their hope in Babylon, to be strengthened in the ways of the world. But Isaiah is warning them to put their trust in the Lord and to yoke themselves to Him rather than to the next upstart in the world that is doomed to destruction. The application for us today is obvious: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 Jn. 2:15,17).