Isaiah 14: 20-23

²⁰ “You will not be united with them in burial,
Because you have ruined your country,
You have slain your people.
May the offspring of evildoers not be mentioned forever.
²¹ “Prepare for his sons a place of slaughter
Because of the iniquity of their fathers.
They must not arise and take possession of the earth
And fill the face of the world with cities.”

²² “I will rise up against them,” declares the Lord of hosts, 

“and will cut off from Babylon name and survivors, 

offspring and posterity,” declares the Lord.

²³ “I will also make it a possession for the hedgehog and swamps of water, 

and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction,” declares the Lord of hosts.

[Next Wednesday is our official study break. But, as you can tell, I am having difficulty with the summer schedule. There is definitely a different rhythm at the homestead when the kids are around. It's been really tough to write with focus this week. A little late, but we're gettin' it done!....]

All songs have to end at some point, and this is the finish of the taunt-song of Babylon. But even as the people's verses close, God Himself picks up the themes, continuing to spell out the nation's doom.

As we pick up with verse 20, we recall that former kings of the nations, now in Sheol, are at first shocked and then mockingly critical of the king of Babylon, who has come to take up residence alongside them. But, as we read, "You will not be united with them...." Remember what we read last week, that as the "kings of the nations lie in glory, each in his own tomb (vs. 18)...you have been cast out of your tomb like a rejected branch." (vs. 19) This king is at a level that none have fathomed.

"...And what did he get by that, when the wealth of the land and the multitude of the people are the strength and honour of the prince, who never rules so safely, so gloriously, as in the hearts and affections of the people? But tyrants sacrifice their interests to their lusts and passions; and God will reckon with them for their barbarous usage of those who are under their power, whom they think they may use as they please."

 --Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible

This is a king who had such little regard for the people defending and supporting him that he killed them and "ruined his (your) country." (vs. 20) Even the kings of Sheol received an appropriate burial--each to his own tomb. But not so this king, who will be laid to rest "like a trampled corpse." (vs. 19)

"To be denied decent burial is a disgrace, which, if it be inflicted for righteousness’ sake (as Ps. 79:2), may, as other similar reproaches, be rejoiced in (Matt. 5:12); it is the lot of the two witnesses, Rev. 11:9. But if, as here, it be the just punishment of iniquity, it is an intimation that evil pursues impenitent sinners beyond death, greater evil than that, and that they shall rise to everlasting shame and contempt."

--Matthew Henry

The shame of the king of Babylon will not be trampled out with his body; it will remain within his family. The NASB has the end of verse 20 and the beginning of verse 21 written in the plural--multiple kings and multiple sons, implying, to me that this is a general principle of the Word. As such, it is also applied to one as corrupt as the king of Babylon. We need only revisit the words of the Ten Commandments to remember God's direction on this:

"You shall not worship them [idols, graven images] or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me...."

--Exodus 20:5 (emphasis mine)

Bottom line is that sin is costly, especially without a Savior in the picture. The places we fall short are oftentimes those very same places that can be seen in our children. Not that we are responsible for the consequences of our children's sin, but if we aren't training them up in the way they should go (Proverbs 22:6), we are in a position of contributing to the furtherance of our own sinful nature down through the generations. All of this designates the king of Babylon in the position of not being remembered and facing eternal life in "a place of slaughter." (vs. 21)

Another reason the family line is to come to an end is that evil sons in power breed evil cities with more evil people (vs. 21). Certainly we can see this modeled in Babylon through Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar. Had God not intervened and shut down Babylon at the Belshazzar dinner party, who knows how far awry things would have been, not only for Israel but for the rest of the world? Matthew Henry notes that it was Nimrod, great-grandson of Noah, who grew in stature through the acquisition of cities for his kingdom (beginning with Babel!). "Pharaoh oppressed Israel in Egypt by setting them to build cities, Exod. 1:11," he said. The sons of the king of Babylon will face a demise in which there is no ability to build an evil empire.

And with that, the taunt-song ends! No long-held high note or cymbal crash at the end of verse 21. Instead, God steps in, speaking with the beginning of verse 22, reiterating that He will not stand for a king of Babylon regime and will "cut off" any remembrance of that line, through offspring or note of posterity. Again, this is not an action unique to one of the king of Babylon, thus showing consistency in God's actions. The reigns of the Jeroboams in Israel met a similar fate:

"...Therefore behold, I am bringing calamity on the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam every male person, both bond and free in Israel, and I will make a clean sweep of the house of Jeroboam, as one sweeps away dung until it is all gone."

--I Kings 14:10

God pulled the "broom of destruction" (vs. 23) from His closet in a wave of renewal. There will be not a Babylon dust bunny remaining! Unlike Israel, for which, as we know, a remnant will be preserved, even in the midst of God's cleansing.

Exploration of this passage comes at the same time my daughter and I have been in discussions over the nature of God. She is often frustrated that God's grace and merciful spirit are highlighted in teaching and materials more so than His wrath and fury, as if those didn't exist any more. I appreciate that she has this view, because God is an all-consuming fire! But my daughter doesn't fully understand the how's and why's of His use of wrath [as if anybody truly does? Uh uh....]. She doesn't see it as particularly fair that some people receive this punishment while others get off, seemingly, scot-free. I found Matthew Henry's commentary noteworthy:

"The providence of God consults the welfare of nations more than we are aware of by cutting off some who, if they had lived, would have done mischief. Justly may the enemies cut off the children: For I will rise up against them, saith the Lord of hosts (Isa. 14:22), and if God reveal it as his mind that he will have it done, as none can hinder it, so none need scruple to further it."

--Matthew Henry

Not necessarily a satisfactory answer for a young teenager, but something to ponder all the same. [Because Mama doesn't have an answer for everything!]

Final note concerning verse 23:

"I will also make it a possession for the hedgehog and swamps of water...."

There seems to be a translation issue with 'hedgehog.' I was wondering what the significance of the hedgehog might have been in this passage. You never know what you'll find when you start exploring word choices. So, I find that the passage probably doesn't refer to a hedge-scouring mammal but to a water bird. The King James Version uses 'bittern' for 'hedgehog'. A bittern is "a solitary bird, frequenting marshy ground," according to Easton's Bible Dictionary. "The Hebrew word (kippod) thus rendered in the Authorized Version [bittern] is rendered 'porcupine' in the Revised Version."

So why is bittern better, perhaps? There's a note in my study Bible about what happened the night Belshazzar was killed:

"One ancient account alleged that Persia's General Ugbaru had troops dig a trench to divert and thus lower the waters of the Euphrates River. Since the river flowed through the city of Babylon, the lowered water enabled besiegers to unexpectedly invade via the waterway under the thick walls and reach the palace before the city was aware."

Notes in the Amplified Bible support this account, saying that the area around Babylon became flooded, allowing for the development of marshy areas and, thus, creatures that would support a marshy environment, like bitterns. Verse 23 might well relate to that picture of Babylon post-Belshazzar, though we know that, ultimately, the "broom of destruction" will be a permanent clean sweep.

An official study break next week (and a renewed focus on the schedule, let's hope!).... 'Til next Wednesday a week from now!

Photo: www.123rf.com

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Next week: Isaiah 14: 24-27
 
Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.
I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Isaiah 14: 5-9

⁵ "The Lord has broken the staff of the wicked,
The scepter of rulers
⁶ Which used to strike the peoples in fury with unceasing strokes,
Which subdued the nations in anger with unrestrained persecution.
⁷ "The whole earth is at rest and is quiet;
They break forth into shouts of joy.
⁸ "Even the cypress trees rejoice over you, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying,
‘Since you were laid low, no tree cutter comes up against us.’
⁹ "Sheol from beneath is excited over you to meet you when you come;
It arouses for you the spirits of the dead, all the leaders of the earth;
It raises all the kings of the nations from their thrones."

We join Isaiah, Chapter 14, in the midst of the singing of a taunt-song. God has provided the words and approved of its boisterous singing in the face of the "king of Babylon," representing the "rulers" (vs 5) who have oppressed His people Israel. We will continue to study this song over the next couple of posts.

"The oppressor has ceased...," (vs 4) because God has brought a final end to the tyranny of the oppressors. Verses 5 and 6 explain that God is the only one who could have (and will) break the "staff" and the "scepter" of those who have kept Israel in bondage. The power of these kings could not be broken otherwise.

"He smote the people, not in justice, for their correction and reformation, but in wrath, to gratify his own peevish resentments, and that with a continual stroke, pursued them with his forces, and gave them no respite, no breathing time, no cessation of arms. He ruled the nations, but he ruled them in anger, every thing he said and did was in a passion; so that he who had the government of all about him had no government of himself."

--Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible

Again, this "king" is a representation of all the rulers who came up against Israel. The time in Babylon was particularly brutal, but encounters with the Romans hadn't even happened yet, much less the arrival of the Antichrist. There are many for whom this taunt-song will be sung come that Day. Verse 7 describes the time: "rest" and "quiet." There is no more warring against each other, nor are God's people restrained, imprisoned or crushed. Aye, there is a victory song to be sung, as the Lord's people will know the true joy of being with--not just being ruled under the Law by--Him:

"O sing to the Lord a new song,
For He has done wonderful things,
His right hand and His holy arm have gained the victory for Him.
The Lord has made known His salvation;
He has revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nations.
He has remembered His lovingkindness and His faithfulness to the house of Israel;
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God."

--Psalm 98: 1-3

What else expresses this joy? The Creation! In this passage, it is two of the mightiest trees of the region--the cypress (above) and the cedar--that respond with thanksgiving to the presence of God. "'Since you [king of Babylon] were laid low, no tree cutter comes up against us.'" If I were a tree, I would probably say that, too. But the Reformation Study Bible provides a bit more insight into the significance of the quote: "Assyrian kings boast in their annals of the magnificent trees they carted off from pillaged lands to build their splendid palaces." The sacred items of the Temple were "chopped off" and taken to Babylon for use at a cocktail party. No more would such "trees" by such "tree cutters" be used against God.

Verse 9 closes out today's passage, though we will continue with these thoughts into next week's passage. "Sheol from beneath is excited over you to meet you...." We looked at Sheol a bit earlier in Isaiah. It is the Hebrew word for the grave. Figuratively--and Isaiah, we know, is a writer and poet and metaphor-lover--the word means death. Some refer to it as a place of the dead and some to Hell itself. Poetically, Isaiah is suggesting that there is a place where all humiliated oppressors of the Jews will gather. The Bible (Revelation) is clear as to what actually happens at judgment time.

So, Sheol is excited to have some new people to join the party, if you will. How do we know it's a party? The "kings of the nations" will arise "from their thrones" [of Sheol] to meet the new guests. I really like how the Amplified Bible elaborates on the end of verse 9: "...It raises from their thrones [in astonishment at your humbled condition] all the kings of the nations." (emphasis mine) "You, really? Here? How is that possible? You were the best! The very best! He got you, too, huh? I...I can't believe you're here. Let's grab a hot hors d'oeuvre ['cause what other kind are there here?!] and chat."

It is not lost on me how huge this turnabout is. Who was going to Sheol in Isaiah 5? Jerusalem!
 

"Therefore Sheol has enlarged its throat and opened its mouth without measure; and Jerusalem’s splendor, her multitude, her din of revelry and the jubilant within her, descend into it."

--Isaiah 5:14

Ask an Israelite carried off into Babylonian captivity and he might well have said it was Sheol. But even after their tortuous existence there, God delivered them! Because He is not a ruler who "subdued the nations in anger with unrestrained persecution." Harsh punishment, no doubt. But He delivers out of love, out of a covenant promise to love. He does it continually as He seeks to save the lost for His sake. He knows that the days of ultimate righteousness are on the horizon, and is waiting for all to be in His number before the singing starts.

 
The preparations in Sheol.... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: asthependulumswings.wordpress.com

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Next week: Isaiah 14: 10-15
 
Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.
I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Isaiah 14: 1-4

Israel’s Taunt

¹When the Lord will have compassion on Jacob and again choose Israel, 

and settle them in their own land, then strangers will join them 

and attach themselves to the house of Jacob.

² The peoples will take them along and bring them to their place, 

and the house of Israel will possess them as an inheritance 

in the land of the Lord as male servants and female servants; 

and they will take their captors captive and will rule over their oppressors.

³ And it will be in the day when the Lord gives you rest from your pain and turmoil 
and harsh service in which you have been enslaved,
⁴ that you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon, and say,

“How the oppressor has ceased,
And how fury has ceased!...."

With judgment pronounced upon Babylon, Isaiah moves, in Chapter 14, to a picture of Israel at the end times, post-Babylon's destruction. Mind you, there is a flavor of post-exilic, return-to-Jerusalem times here, too, as other commentaries suggest. Since Isaiah didn't report exact years, and prophecies can have more than one application and fulfillment, we have to leave open the possibility that some verses may apply to more than one time. As a whole, though, I agree with John MacArthur and crew that our verses today speak more of the end times. Just something to keep in mind. Please comment and discuss as you feel led....

My study Bible uses "Israel's Taunt" as the Chapter title, with 'taunt' also translated as 'proverb.' (vs. 4) A proverb of 16 verses is not what we might think of as a proverb, given the style of sayings in the Book of Proverbs. But, given the Hebrew definition of a proverb--"properly a pithy maxim, usually of a metaphorical nature; hence a simile (as an adage, poem, discourse)" [Strong's]--it would appear that Isaiah penned prophecy that would later become fulfilled and used as a taunt-song in the end times. At that time, no interpretation will be necessary.

Verse 1 does establish a time in that this occurs when God "has compassion" and "chooses" Israel (Jacob). Let's be clear that Israel has always been God's chosen people. However, over the course of the history of that covenant, God has shown favor but He has also withdrawn His favor in the form of tough love. Recall that the Apostle Paul ministered mostly to Gentiles, but his heart was for his own people, the Jews, to obtain salvation through Jesus Christ. They had not recognized God's compassion in sending the Messiah. In Chapters 9 through 11 of Romans, Paul answers the question of why Israel sees Christ as a stumbling block in their salvation:

"What then? What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened; just as it is written,

'God gave them a spirit of stupor,
Eyes to see not and ears to hear not,
Down to this very day.'"

--Romans 11:7-8

God had not abandoned Israel, but He often put His people in a position of not knowing His compassion and mercy; He gave them hardened hearts. As the verse in Romans says, "down to this very day." It's still true! But, God's covenant with His people is still intact, and these days will not always exist. Thus, verse 1, the time had come around again for God to show His compassion and providence over Israel. And it will come around once and for all for Israel at the end times.

Verse 1 also brings up "strangers" who will join Israel in Jerusalem. Who are they? If you look at this as a near-fulfillment prophecy, this would suggest displaced Babylonians who would return with the Israelites to Jerusalem after the Medo-Persian takeover. In a more far-reaching view, "strangers" could refer to those who come to faith in Christ during the time of the Tribulation. New Jewish believers, as Revelation 11:13 tells us, will arise amidst the "fury." (Isa. 14:4)

 

"...But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one...."

--Ephesians 2:13-14a (spoken to the Gentiles, but applies to lost Jews, too)

Let's look at verse 2 from the Holman Christian Standard Bible:

 

"The nations will escort Israel and bring it to its homeland. Then the house of Israel will possess them as male and female slaves in the Lord’s land. They will make captives of their captors and will rule over their oppressors."

Getting into verse 2 really illustrates to me that this is Israel in the last days. God will have paved the roads for His people. Recall Isaiah 11:16, "...A highway from Assyria for the remnant left of His people...." God's people are coming home! Those that had held them captive will now be their captors, and Christ and His people will rule. How's that for a turnaround of events?! The "them" in the passage refers back to the "strangers." If it seems odd that Israel would make their fellow newly converted Jews "slaves," then we need to look at that from a different perspective:

"These proselytes should not only be a credit to their cause, but very helpful and serviceable to them in their return home: The people among whom they live shall take them, take care of them, take pity on them, and shall bring them to their place—as friends, loth to part with such good company—as servants, willing to do them all the good offices they could.... Those whose lot is cast in the land of the Lord, a land of light, should take care that their servants and handmaids may share in the benefit of it, who will then find it better to be possessed in the Lord’s land than possessors in any other."

--Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible (emphasis mine)

Verse 3 gives us another time reference: "And it will be in the day when the Lord gives you rest...." Even in their release from Babylon, the Israelites did not escape physical slavery completely nor would they know complete spiritual freedom. But when they do, the taunt-song will be sung against Babylon (much like singing Justin Bieber annoys certain siblings in this house!). 

The last part of verse 4 actually begins the song: "How the oppressor has ceased,and how fury has ceased!" The King James Version uses "the golden city ceased" instead of 'fury,' which would certainly relate to Babylon. The note in my study Bible says, "Amended from the meaningless medhebah to marhebah." In Hebrew, 'marhebah' means boisterous, raging behavior (from which would come 'fury'. Remember, in Isaiah 13:13, we looked at 'fury' to mean unrelenting, passionate violence). In the NIV The New American Commentary by Gary V. Smith, he explains that 'medhebah' could come from an Aramaic form of 'gold' or might refer to a tribute, again, the "golden city." However you translate it, the result is the same: Peace, peace, peace and reconciliation for God's people!

 

More singing from Israel as the taunt-song continues.... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: www.eburke.org

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Next week: Isaiah 14: 5-9
 
Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.
I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).