Isaías 13
John MacArthur · Citado em PreceptAustin
Isaías 13
MacArthur: Title, Author, Date, Background, Setting, Historical, Theological Themes, Interpretive Challenges, Outline by Chapter/Verse. Excellent overview. From Grace To You ministries - same intro as in MacArthur Study Bible) Isaiah 13:1 The oracle concerning Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw: Oracle: Isa 14:28 15:1 17:1 19:1 21:1,11,13 22:1,25 23:1 Jer 23:33-38 Eze 12:10 Na 1:1 Hab 1:1 Zec 9:1 12:1 Mal 1:1 Babylon: Isa 14:4-23 21:1-10 43:14 44:1,2 47:1-15 Jer 25:12-26 50:1-51:23 Da 5:28-6:28 Rev 17:1-18:24) Saw: Isa 1:1 ISAIAH LAYS A HEAVY BURDEN ON BABYLON As you read and study the great prophetic book of Isaiah, keep the context in mind, remembering that chapter 12 marks the end of the first major section of Isaiah (refer to the preceding Table). Isaiah takes an abrupt turn to the oracle concerning Babylon beginning in Isaiah 13:1 followed by additional oracles to the nations through chapter 27.. Isaiah 1-12 precedes from worst (Isa 1:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) to best, from divine judgment to divine comfort, chapter 12 (Isa 12:1-6) culminating in the promise of salvation and the presence of the Savior (Isa 12:6). Isaiah 13-27 records God's prophecies against 10 Gentile nations that opposed Israel, as well as judgments against Judah and Israel. Matthew Henry's introductory comments on this section are worth pondering...The threatenings we find here against Babylon, Moab, Damascus, Egypt, Tyre, etc., were intended for comfort to those in Israel that feared God, but were terrified and oppressed by those potent neighbours, and for alarm to those among them that were wicked. If God would thus severely reckon with those for their sins that knew Him not, and made no profession of His name, how severe would He be with those that were called by His name and yet lived in rebellion against Him! (Ed: E.g., study Hebrews 12:5-11-notes) And perhaps the directing of particular prophecies to the neighbouring nations might invite some of those nations to the reading of the Jews' Bible, and so they might be brought to their religion. ISAIAH 13-27 JUDGMENT OF THE GENTILES BEGINNING WITH THE BURDEN ON BABYLON The oracle (massa') concerning Babylon - Note that this oracle extends through the end of Isaiah 14. As discussed below Babylon is the second most mentioned city in the Bible and is found from Genesis to Revelation. Genesis 11 identifies it as the seat of man's prideful rebellion against God's authority and Revelation 18 predicts the final fall of this "great" city. Isaiah 13-14 give us previews of coming attractions. The interpretation in this commentary is based on a literal approach to the Scripture and as discussed below identifies Babylon as a city with both a past fulfilled history and a future yet to be fulfilled prophecy. The ESV Study Bible offers a more generic, "symbolic" interpretation of Babylon seeing it as "the proud evil that sets the whole world against God (Isa 13:11, 19; cf. Ge. 11:1–9; Isa. 14:26; Da 4:30; Rev. 14:8; 17:5; 18:2, 3)." While this statement is true, it does not address the fact that Babylon is a literal city, which is the approach taken by these notes, which will go into some detail to defend the interpretation of Babylon as a literal city, not just in Isaiah's day but also in our day, a city in Iraq which will one in the future rise to a position of power and prominence before its final demise in the Revelation.
Isaías 13
MacArthur commenting on Isaiah 13:19ff agrees that Isaiah's reference to Babylon's demise had only a partial fulfillment in her defeat by the Medes and Persians and that a final fulfillment will occur in the future - "From the near future (Medes defeating Babylon - Isa 13:17), Isaiah returned to the distant future. The ultimate fulfillment of these prophecies of Babylon’s desolation will come in conjunction with Babylon’s rebuilding and utter destruction when Christ returns (Rev 14:8+; Rev 18:2+). Obviously, Isaiah was unable to see the many centuries that separated Babylon’s fall to the Medes from the destruction of the final Babylon by God (see Revelation 17+, Rev 18+)." (Borrow MacArthur Study Bible page 956) Note from Wikipedia - By 1905, there were several villages in Babylon, one of which was Qwaresh with about 200 households located within the boundaries of the ancient inner city walls. The village grew due to the need for laborers during the German Oriental Society excavations (1899-1917) Those who say that Babylon of the ancient world was utterly destroyed are choosing to ignore the truth that Babylon was still a literal city in the first century AD. Peter mentions Babylon in his first letter (see below). While some have said this was "code language" and that he really meant "Rome". A normally literal interpreter Dr Charles Ryrie chooses to jettison literal in 1Pe 5:13 and writes "She who is in Babylon" is the "church in Rome." He is guilty of doubly allegorizing the pronoun "she" and the location "Babylon!" Amazing! The ESV Study Bible actually goes so far as to say this description refers to the "church of Rome"!. This is simply not good hermeneutic technique! There is nothing in Peter's letter to suggest this is not the literal city of Babylon and thus there is no Scriptural support for interpreting this name symbolically. And note that Peter has already described the literal geographic areas of "Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia." (1Pe 1:1). Why would he suddenly switch to symbolic language in chapter 5? There is nothing in the context of chapter 5 which remotely supports that Babylon should be interpreted allegorically! If Peter had meant "Rome," he could have easily written the name "Rome." Paul was not afraid to use the name "Rome" (Ro 1:7, Ro 1:15, 2Ti 1:17)! (See related topics: The Art and Science of Interpretation, The Rise of Allegorical Interpretation and Understanding Symbols and Figures) She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings, and so does my son, Mark. (1Peter 5:13-note) It is notable that several Bible translations jettison accurate translation of the Greek text and translate "she" (which is feminine) with the word "CHURCH." It is surprising that even the normally excellent NET Bible renders it "the church in Babylon" as does the CSB, NLT, NRS, and KJV. The NET Note adds "Most scholars understand Babylon here to be a figurative reference to Rome. Although in the OT the city of Babylon in Mesopotamia was the seat of tremendous power (2 Kgs 24–25 ; Isa 39; Jer 25), by the time of the NT what was left was an insignificant town, and there is no tradition in Christian history that Peter ever visited there (ED: SINCE WHEN DOES TRADITION TRUMP THE INSPIRED TEXT?). On the other hand, Christian tradition (ED: SAME COMMENT ON "TRADITION!") connects Peter with the church in Rome, and many interpreters think other references to Babylon in the NT refer to Rome as well (Rev 14:8; 16:19; 17:5; 18:2, 10, 21) (ED: WHO CARES WHAT "MANY INTERPRETERS THINK?" IF WE ARE TO BE GOOD BEREANS, WE WILL STICK WITH THE TEXT AND WHEN GOD SAYS "BABYLON" HE MEANS "BABYLON!") Thus it is likely Peter was referring to Rome here. (ED: IT DOES NOT FOLLOW THAT "IT IS LIKELY" BUT THAT IT REFLECTS THE BIAS OF MANY INTERPRETERS WHO REFUSE TO INTERPRET THE TEXT LITERALLY.). Comment - The statement that Peter never went to Babylon simply cannot be supported and yet it is made by many commentators. They seem to forget that Peter actually had had contact with Jews from Babylon. How do I know? Glad you asked! Luke records that at the feast of Pentecost there were "Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia." Mesopotamia is "between the rivers," which in fact is where Babylon was located. Could Peter have visited Jews in Mesopotamia? That seems as reasonable as relying on "tradition" to say Peter was in Rome when he wrote this letter! Henry