Isaiah 14:1
The message begun against Babylon in the last chapter continues. As in the last
chapter, these verses are dual reference in nature; that is, the prophecies have
been fulfilled in a small way in the past, but they await a greater, end time
fulfillment. This is all the more evident since the final verses of the chapter
13 demand an end time fulfillment.
I. (1-39) Condemnation
A. Chapters 1-12 - Prophecies against Israel and Judah
B. Chapters 13-23 - Prophecies against the Nations
1. \\#Isa 13:1-14:32\\ Babylon
a. \\#Isa 13:1-5\\ An Army of Nations Is Called
b. \\#Isa 13:6-16\\ An End-Time Judgment Against the World
c. \\#Isa 13:17-18\\ A Nearer Judgment Against Babylon
d. \\#Isa 13:19-22\\ The Final Judgment Against Babylon
e. \\#Isa 14:1-3\\ A Word to Israel
f. \\#Isa 14:4-23\\ A Word to Babylon’s King
2. \\#Isa 14:24-28\\ A Word about Assyria
3. \\#Isa 14:29-32\\ A Word to Palestina - Philistines
I. Chapters 13-23 - Prophecies against the Nations
A.. \\#Isa 13:1-14:23\\ Babylon
1. \\#Isa 13:1-5\\ An Army of Nations Is Called
2. \\#Isa 13:6-16\\ An End-Time Judgment Against the World
3. \\#Isa 13:17-18\\ A Nearer Judgment Against Babylon
4. \\#Isa 13:19-22\\ The Final Judgment Against Babylon
5. \\#Isa 14:1-3\\ A Word to Israel
a. \\#1\\ Israel Will Be Regathered in the Land
(1) "FOR" or because - This word indicates a cause for the
previous actions; that is, God is about to tell why He will
leave Babylon in ruins as described in chapter 13.
(2) "the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose
Israel" God destroys Babylon to stop them from hurting His
people. It is an act of mercy to "Jacob" and a means of
letting the world know that Israel is His chosen people.
(3) This is not only the reason God destroyed Babylon with the
Medes and Persians in the past, but it will be the reason
that God destroys the Babylonians in the future.
b. God will "set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be
joined with them…. and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob."
(1) This was only partially fulfilled in the ancient Babylonian
return. STRANGERS were JOINED WITH Israel (i.e. the
Samaritans eventually formed their own nation within
Israel’s boundaries); however, they never CLEAVED TO
Israel. This prophecy will be fulfilled after Babylon’s
end time destruction.
(2) \\#2\\ "And the people shall take them, and bring them to
their place: - In Israel’s return, the STRANGERS or PEOPLE
which have inhabited Israel will bring Israel back to their
land and even serve them. Again, this prophecy has not
been fulfilled. While Cyrus did help the Jews return to
their land, the inhabitants of the land were not friendly.
Both Ezra and Nehemiah recorded the hostility of the people
toward Israel when they returned.
(3) "and they shall rule over their oppressors" - This was not
fulfilled in any way during the historic return of the Jews
from captivity. It remains to be fulfilled at Babylon’s
final destruction.
(4) \\#3\\ "in that day," God will give to the returning natives
"rest" from the centuries of "sorrow." In all of the time
since Israel returned from Babylon, they have not had such
rest.
6. \\#Isa 14:4-23\\ A Word to Babylon’s King - As this is an dual
reference prophecy, this message would be directed to two kings in
two different time periods. First, it would be directed to the
historic king, Belshazzar, whose rule was recorded in Daniel 5.
Belshazzar was the king alive when Babylon fell to the Persians.
Second, it would be directed to end time ruler over Babylon, who
will most probably be the anti-Christ. This supposition is given
more credence by \\#Isaiah 14:12-14\\, which contains God’s
description of Lucifer’s fall. What better place to include the
historical fall of Lucifer than in a chapter where God is prophesying
the fall of Lucifer’s earthly host and greatest servant, the
anti-Christ? The power behind both of these kings is none other than
Satan.
a. \\#Isa 14:4\\ "against the king of Babylon" - There is no question
that God is talking to the leader of Babylon.
(1) The question would be, "Is He speaking to the historic king
or the end time king?" God is speaking to both.
(2) While the Lord may have had many reasons for judging ancient
Babylon, one reason was to establish a type of the anti-
Christ. In doing so, God’s words to the ancient king were
also directed to his end time despot, the anti-Christ.
(3) As in the last chapter, because these prophecies are directed
beyond ancient Babylon, this study will emphasize the end
time applications of the prophecy. Keep in mind that much
of what will happen on a major scale in the end time
happened in miniature in ancient Babylon.
b. "How hath the oppressor… the golden city ceased!" - This is a
prophecy that both the future Babylon and its evil ruler will be
destroyed by God’s hand.
c. \\#Isa 14:5\\ "The Lord hath broken the staff of the wicked" - God
will break the STAFF of this WICKED one. This is the same name
that Paul gives to the the anti-Christ \\#2Thess 2:8\\. The STAFF
refers to his scepter. It is a symbol of a king’s authority.
d. \\#Isa 14:6\\ "He who smote the people in wrath with a continual
stroke" - This ruler will reign in "anger" and abuse, persecuting
with no one to stop him. This was true of the ancient kings of
Babylon, but their WRATH and violence will pale compared to the
last ruler of Babylon.
e. \\#Isa 14:7\\ "The whole earth is at rest… quiet… singing" - With
the demise of the evil ruler, THE WHOLE EARTH can REST and
rejoice. This prophecy alludes to the reach of Babylon. Both
ancient and end time Babylon will experience rule over the
entire world.
f. \\#Isa 14;7\\ "the… trees rejoice" - When a king conquered a land,
he would often remove its ability to produce (i.e. cut the trees,
sow rocks in the fields, salt the water) to keep the conquered
people weak. The land and TREES are able to REJOICE when this
ruler is removed. His scorched earth policy will be lifted.
g. \\#Isa 14:9-10\\ Using imagery, the king’s position and power is
spoken of. All the inhabitants of hell know him and wonder that
he could come to the same end as they.
h. \\#Isa 14:11\\ "the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover
thee" - This great leader will die and be consumed just like all
other evil men.
i. \\#Isa 14:12-17\\ A Word to Lucifer
(1) God begins to speak not only to the king of Babylon, but to
the power behind that king, Satan. If one of the leaders
this passage is directed to is the anti-Christ, the
transition is not difficult to understand. Exactly what
pertains to Lucifer, or to his end time ruler, or to
ancient king of Babylon is not clear, but these six verses
would definitely apply to Lucifer.
(2) \\#Isa 14:12\\ "Lucifer" - The very name means "light bearer"
or "Son of the Morning." It is a name that embodies beauty
and truth (light). This is how God created Lucifer.
(3) \\#Isa 14:12-15\\ God speaks of Lucifer in three time tenses.
(a) \\#Isa 14:12\\ God sees his present condition, "How art
thou fallen from heaven… cut to the ground." Lucifer,
Son of the Morning, has become Satan, Prince of
Darkness. He is greatly diminished. This would not
relate to the king of Babylon.
(b) \\#Isa 14:13-14\\ "I will… I will… I will… I will…
I will…." - God describes the past, how Lucifer became
Satan. It was because of his pride and rebellion.
Lucifer wanted to be like God, perhaps he even wanted
to be better than God. He desired worship. Both
Belshazzar and the anti-Christ will share the
attributes of pride and rebellion toward God with Satan.
(c) \\#Isa 14:15\\ God announces the future, "thou shalt be
brought down to hell…." Satan has not received his
final judgment. No doubt, this judgment will be
shared with Belshazzar and the anti-Christ.
j. \\#Isa 14:16-17\\ "Is this the man that made the earth to tremble?"
(1) The world will wonder that a mere man could reek such havoc
upon the earth.
(2) These verses are mainly describing the anti-Christ, as Satan
is not a man; however, the anti-Christ is a type of Satan and
they will have some elements in common.
(3) They will both make the "world as a wilderness" and destroy
"the cities thereof."
k. \\#Isa 14:18-20\\ "But thou art cast out of thy grave" - Unlike
honored kings, the anti-Christ will not be buried with respect
because he DESTROYED his LAND, and slew his own people, and because
the "seed of evildoers shall never be renowned."
l. \\#Isa 14:21-23\\ "For I will rise up… and cut off from Babylon the
name… remnant…son…nephew" - As God will deal with the king, so with
his people. The wrath of God will fall to the inhabitants of the
land.
B. \\#Isa 14:24-27\\ A Word about Assyria - Assyria was the nation posing an
imminent threat to Israel. The first references to Assyria by Isaiah
prophesied their victory over Israel \\#Isa 7:17-20, 8:4-7\\. However
\\#Isa 10:12\\ prophesied the Assyrians themselves falling in judgment
1. \\#Isa 14:24\\ God was determined that what He had promised would come
to pass. His resolution is repeated \\#Isa 14:26-27\\.
2 \\#Isa 14:25\\ "I will break the Assyrian in my land" - At one point,
King Ahaz made an alliance with Assyria \\#2Kings 16:5-9\\. Once
Assyria was in the land, they turned on Judah. God, knowing the
future, promised to break the power of the Assyrians in the midst of
their campaign. God fulfilled this promise. The event is recorded
several times in the Scripture \\#2Ki 18:17-19:37, Isa 36:1-37:38\\.
3. \\#Isa 14:26\\ "This is the purpose that is purposed" - God had
determined these things.
4. \\#Isa 14:27\\ "who shall disannul it?" - And no one would stop it.
5. \\#Isa 14:28\\ A Time Is Given
a. The time reference relates to all the message in chapters 13-14.
b. These messages were given the year that King Ahaz died.
c. It is interesting such a reference is included here instead of at
the beginning of the message. The fact that it is may indicate
that while Isaiah penned all of these message to be read as one,
they may have been a collection of individual messages given
around the time of King Ahaz’s death.
C. \\#Isa 14:29-32\\ A Word to Palestina
1. \\#Isa 14:29-30\\ Rejoice not…because the rod…that smote thee is
broken"
a. \\#Isa 14:29\\ "the rod of him that smote thee is broken" - The
ROD was Assyria. Although Assyria had not started their conquest
yet, God was speaking to Palestina as though they had already
withdrawn.
b. "Palestina" - The Philistines
c. "Rejoice not thou… for out of the serpent’s root shall come for
a cockatrice… fiery flying serpent" - The Philistines were
being told not to get too happy over Assyria’s future withdrawal
because another source of affliction, with an even greater power
to inflict (as illustrated by the comparison of serpent to the
cockatrice to the fiery flying serpent) was going to arise. This
is a reference to Babylon, the power God will use to judge the
region after Assyria.
d. \\#Isa 14:30\\ This verse is difficult. Perhaps God is granting
the Philistines a brief reprieve in the which their "poor shall
feed" and "the needy shall lie down in safety," but it will be
short lived. For God will "kill they root with famine."
2. \\#Isa 14:31\\ "Howl… whole Palestina" - The Philistines will "howl"
for their judgment.
a. "for there shall come from the north a smoke" - The SMOKE is
another reference to the coming greater threat, the Babylonian
judgment.
b. "art dissolved" - The Babylonians will uproot and remove the
Philistines from their land.
c. \\#Isa 14:32\\ "then answer the messengers"
(1) When MESSENGERS from other nations come to inquire about the
Philistines and their destruction, God instructed Israel to
remind them that He had FOUNDED ZION.
(2) "the poor of his people shall trust in it" - Even the poorest
Israeli can trust God to provide for them.
(3) The answer insinuates that the Philistines will be destroyed
because of their aggression toward Israel.
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