Wicked Babylon’s Fall from Its Lofty Throne

In the book of Revelation an angel pours out a bowl and turns the waters of earth to blood because the wicked on earth shed the blood of God’s people (Rev 16:3-7). So in Isaiah 47, the central motivation of God for judging Babylon is the harsh treatment they showed the exiled chosen people of God.

Isaiah 47:7-11

This section depicts the arrogant security that characterizes Babylon: “You said, ‘I will be the queen forever.’ You did not take these things to heart or think about their outcome” (v. 7). This arrogant security characterizes all the unregenerate wicked on earth. They push out of their thoughts the nagging conscience that tells them there will be a day of judgment someday. They arrogantly presume that things will go on like this forever. Babylon assured herself that she would never be a widow or suffer the loss of children (vv. 8-9). But both of these will come on her suddenly, in an instant. These two calamities represent the worst things that can happen to a woman in that society, for a husband and children represent economic security and hope for a comfortable future. “Widowhood” comes on Babylon when her young men (soldiers) fall in battle against the Medes and Persians. And “loss of children” follows literally, when the Babylonian population is slaughtered subsequently.

Verses 9-11 reveal that some of Babylon’s security comes from her confidence in occultic powers—sorceries and potent spells. She came to two false conclusions: “No one sees me” and “I am, and there is no one else” (vv. 8,10). Both of these thoughts clearly forget almighty God, who sees everything, who alone can say, “I am, and there is none like me” (see Exod 3:14; Deut 32:39). How tragic it is when wicked people go into secret chambers and do wicked things, thinking there is no God who will judge them for their sins (Ps 14:1)!

Isaiah 47:12-15

The Chaldeans were known for their astrology, their stargazing and interpretation of omens and dreams. All of this was an effort to discern the future so that forewarned would be forearmed. Beyond that, these Babylonian sorcerers sought demonic powers by which they could defeat human enemies. So occult power was a mainstay of Babylonian confidence: supernatural knowledge coupled with supernatural power. But verses 12-15 make plain that they will be shocked at the devastation that will come on them because their secret powers will not reveal the future accurately. God has again and again made plain that idols cannot foretell the future; only he can (Isa 41:23). And Proverbs 21:30 says, “No wisdom, no understanding, and no counsel will prevail against the Lord.” When God threatens coming wrath, the only wise counsel is to run to the Lord and plead for his mercy. Nothing else will succeed. So God ironically taunts them to try their dark powers one last time. These efforts will fail; their reputed power will only be stubble for the fire of God’s wrath.

As we read this terrifying chapter, we are immediately led to consider the symbolic significance of Babylon in the Bible. Babylon represents the evil world system that, under Satan’s secret power, dominates the face of the earth. Babylon represents “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s possessions” (1 John 2:16). The geographical/national base of Babylon has migrated as one empire has given way to the next. But we who are in exile from heaven live in Babylon. In the next chapter we will be warned to “leave Babylon, flee from the Chaldeans” (Isa 48:20), which Paul picks up on (2 Cor 6:17), as does the angelic warning in Revelation 18:4. But we cannot be warned enough of the deadly dangers of this sorceress queen, of her luxuries, of her occult allurements, and of her future judgments by God. We must keep ourselves from being polluted by her many charms and defiled by her wicked and dark idolatries. We must be acutely aware that God sees what is done in secret and will most certainly bring to judgment every wicked act and idolatrous heart.

As always, this points us to the cross of Jesus Christ. Verse 4 celebrates that the Lord of Armies is the Redeemer of Israel, which he accomplishes ultimately by the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Israel is no better than Babylon; tempted again and again by Satan’s dark allurements, we too are as defiled as the Babylonians. We should repent and flee to the cross for the cleansing the blood of Christ alone can give. Beyond this, we have a sacred duty to do precisely what Isaiah is doing in this chapter: warning Babylon of her impending judgment by God. We have the clear gospel of Jesus Christ to proclaim in this present version of Babylon all over the world. It is the only hope for the world, and it is our responsibility to warn the inhabitants of Babylon to flee the wrath to come.

We should be keenly aware of the growth of occult practices where we live. More and more movies, books, and songs celebrate dark forces of the occult: witchcraft, demons, omens, supernatural divination, communication with the dead—these have become much more visible in our culture over the past decade and more. Beware, for this is the very thing Isaiah 47 exposes; it will lead to Babylon’s destruction.

Finally, we should see the zeal God has to avenge his people. In a wicked and turbulent world that hates Christ and attacks Christians, God will finally avenge his people and save them from their enemies. As we hear of the persecuted church in Muslim and totalitarian countries, and as we cry for justice while our brothers and sisters die, we should remember that God’s zeal to avenge his people is vastly greater than we can imagine.