The Judgment

Isaiah 13:1 "The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see."

Once those who took away Israel into captivity are judged, Israel will have a different attitude toward the Lord.

Babylon is the Greek form of the Hebrew word Babel. You might remember the city started by Nimrod where the language was confounded.

Babylon is a very large subject and we will no doubt discuss it often. Here Babylon is the instrument of punishment for Israel but they too will be judged perhaps because they carried the punishment beyond what the Lord intended.

v5 "They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the LORD, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land."

This chapter comes after the 'chapter of hope' and tells of the coming destruction of Babylon.

Babylon was an actual city of about 200 square miles. It grew into a far reaching kingdom. At this time it was built on both sides of the Euphrates River. Babylon also has a spiritual application in that it represents Satan's kingdom on earth. It sometimes refers to Rome and is mentioned in the book of Revelation.

This chapter is about the city's total destruction to the point of being inhabited by animals.

v21 "But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there."

I saw one picture of the city that showed it appear to be a raised up place in the desert. I'm not sure what the former dictator of Iraq did there but we know his fate.

In the next chapter, three is an eerie mention of Lucifer in connection to this city.