Isaías 14

Isaías 14

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 14:1 When 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. the Lord: Isa 40:1,2 44:21,22 54:7,8 Lev 26:40-45 De 4:29-31 Ne 1:8,9 Ps 98:3 102:13 136:10-24 143:12 Jer 50:4-6,17-20,33 Jer 51:4-6,34-37 Lu 1:54,72-74 choose: Isa 27:6 Zec 1:17 2:12 settle: De 30:3-5 Jer 24:6,7 29:14 30:18-22 31:8-12 32:37-41 Eze 36:24-28 39:25-29 strangers: Isa 19:24,25 49:16-23 56:6-8 60:3-5 66:20 Ru 1:14-18 Es 8:17 Jer 12:15,16 Zec 2:11 Zech 8:22-23 Mal 1:11 Lu 2:32 Ac 15:14-17 Eph 2:12-19 ISAIAH 14 OUTLINE Isaiah 14:1-3 PROMISES TO ISRAEL Isaiah 14:4-21 TAUNT AGAINST "THE KING" OF BABYLON Isaiah 14:22-27 TAUNT AGAINST BABYLON, THE CITY Related Passages: Deuteronomy 30:1-5+ “So it shall be when all of these things have come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind in all nations where the LORD your God has banished you, 2 and you return to the LORD your God and obey Him with all your heart and soul according to all that I command you today, you and your sons,then the LORD your God will restore you from captivity, and have compassion on you, and will gather you again from all the peoples where the LORD your God has scattered you. 4 “If your outcasts are at the ends of the earth, from there the LORD your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you back. 5 “The LORD your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers. A DESCRIPTION OF ISRAEL IN THEIR LAND Note that Isaiah 14 is a continuation of "the oracle concerning Babylon" described in Isaiah 13:1-23. Recall that an oracle is the Hebrew noun massa' which means burden and was used in prophets to indicate a divine message of judgment, a "heavy load" because it announces the certainty of heavy divine judgments (Isa 13:1, 15:1, 17:1, 19:1, Hab 1:1, Nahum 1:1, Zec 12:1, Mal 1:1). Now imagine if you will that there is no chapter break (because there was not in the original manuscripts -- the chapter breaks were added as described below), and what you can discern is a progression in the narrative. Why do I say that? Read the preceding passages in Isaiah 13:19-23 and what you see is the utter, complete and final destruction of BABYLON. When will this prophecy be fulfilled? Has this prophecy been fulfilled? And the answer is a resounding "NO," it has not been fulfilled, but it will be fulfilled when the 7th Bowl (the final bowl = "It is Done!" - Rev 16:17+) is poured out on the rebuilt city of Babylon (Rev 16:19+ - IT HAS TO BE REBUILT IN ORDER TO FULFILL Isa 13:19-22), a truth which the Spirit expands on in Revelation 17+ and Revelation 18+, two chapters that follow the 7th Bowl Judgment (17-18 are not chronological but are added to explain how God remembered Babylon as described in Rev 16:19+ - watch the question/answer session I recorded on the Identity of Babylon Part 1). The upshot is that Isaiah 13:19-23+ coincide with the return of Christ (Rev 19:11-21+, 2Th 2:8+) to defeat the Antichrist (who himself along with 10 kings has just burned Babylon, Rev 17:16-17). The defeat of Babylon and the Antichrist ushers in the Kingdom of Christ (chronologically following Revelation 16:19 and Rev 19:19-20), the so-called Millennial Reign of Christ described in Revelation 20:4-6+ (Rev 5:10+). Also coinciding with the defeat of Babylon and the Antichrist at the Lord's return is the conversion of 1/3 of the nation of Israel (see Zech 12:10-14+, Zech 13:1+, Zech 13:8-9+, Da 12:1b+, Jer 30:7b+, Ro 11:26+). It is this remnant of Israel which moves into the Millennial Kingdom and as Isaiah 14:1 says will "settle them in their own land." (READ THAT POSSESSIVE PRONOUN "OWN" AGAIN - GOD GAVE THE LAND TO THE NATION OF ISRAEL -- NOT THE CHURCH -- AS AN IMMUTABLE PROMISE AND HE HAS NEVER RENEGED!) The chapter divisions commonly used today were developed by Stephen Langton, an Archbishop of Canterbury. Langton put the modern chapter divisions into place in around A.D. 1227. The Wycliffe English Bible of 1382 was the first Bible to use this chapter pattern. Since the Wycliffe Bible, nearly all Bible translations have followed Langton’s chapter divisions. (Gotquestions.org) When the LORD will have compassion on Jacob and again choose Israel, and settle them in their own land - As described above, Isaiah 14:1-3 is a description of what happens to the saved (rescued, delivered) remnant of Israel after experiencing the dread 70th week of Daniel, the time of the Great Tribulation (Mt 24:15, 21+), the time of Jacob's Distress/Trouble (Jer 30:7+), the time of great distress (Da 12:1b+), all of which describe the time during which many Jews will be refined, purged and purified (Da 11:35+, Da 12:10+, Zech 13:9+). What time does this describe following Israel's "purification"? It introduces the Millennial Kingdom. The picture in Isa 14:1–23 is that of a mighty monarch whose pride brought him to destruction. This is what happened to Belshazzar when the Medes captured Babylon in 539 B.C. (Da 5:30, 31), but that was only a partial fulfillment because defeated Babylon was not utterly, completely destroyed like Sodom and Gomorrah (Isa 13:19+). That sudden and complete destruction of the city of Babylon awaits a future fulfillment on the destruction of a rebuilt Babylon as described in the introductory comments above. Then strangers will join them and attach themselves to the house of Jacob - When is then in context? Clearly this introduces the Millennial Kingdom. Zechariah alludes to this same time writing that "many peoples and mighty nations will come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the LORD.’ “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘In those days ten men from all the nations will grasp the garment of a Jew, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”’” (Zechariah 8:22-23) Isaiah 14:2 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. the house: Isa 18:7 60:9-12 61:5 Ezra 2:65 Ro 15:27 2Co 8:4,5 Ga 5:13 and they: Ps 68:18 2Co 10:5 Eph 4:8 take their captors captive: Heb. that had taken them captives, they shall rule over. Isa 60:14 Jer 30:16 Da 7:18,25-27 Zec 14:2,3 Rev 3:9 11:11-18 Rev 18:20-24 A "ROLE REVERSAL" CAPTORS CAPTURED The peoples will take them along and bring them to their place - Who is the peoples? This refers to the Gentiles (those who are saved out of the Great Tribulation and enter in the glorious Millennial Kingdom.) They will escort "them," the saved Jews. Note the phrase "their place." There is now no arguing about who owns the land of Israel as we see almost daily on the news from the Middle East! In the Millennial Kingdom, the Promised Land will be their place! and the house of Israel (the saved remnant) will possess them as an inheritance in the land of the LORD as male servants and female servants - The NLT says "and those who come to live in their land will serve them." And they will take their captors captive and will rule over their oppressors - Israel will rule over those who once ruled over them, a description that can only reasonably be ascribed to the time of the Millennium, after the total and final destruction of Babylon (Rev 16:19). Isaiah 14:3 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, Isa 12:1 32:18 De 28:48,65-68 Ezra 9:8,9 Jer 30:10 46:27,28 50:34 Eze 28:24 Zec 8:2,8 Rev 18:20 19:1-3 YAHWEH'S PROMISE OF REST TO ISRAEL IN THE FUTURE 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 This has to be the MILLENIUM...the Jews will look back on Babylon and take up a taunt against the King of Babylon. your pain and turmoil and harsh service surely alludes to the varied manifestations of anti-semitism over the centuries, from holocausts, to pogroms, to "Christian" (these were not genuine believers!) crusades. See Dr Reagan's review of their pain and turmoil and harsh service in his video The Evils of Replacement Theology. Rest (lay, leave, place/put, set/settle, deposit)(05117) nuach/nuah Root = absence of movement/being settled in a particular place with overtones of finality. It means to rest or pause and as noted from the many ways it is translated (see list of words below), nuach has many uses in the OT. Nuach essentially conveys a basic sense of absence of movement and of being settled in a particular place with overtones of finality. The first use in Ge 2:15 describes how God "put" Adam in the Garden. The next use describes a physical setting down of something (Ge 8:4, cp 2Sa 21:10, Ex 10:14, Josh 3:13). Isaiah 14:4 that you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon, and say, “How the oppressor has ceased, And how fury has ceased! taunt taunting speech, Jer 24:9 Eze 5:15 Hab 2:6 How: Isa 14:6,17 47:5 49:26 51:23 Jer 25:9-14 27:6,7 50:22,23 Jer 51:20-24,34,35 Da 7:19-25 Hab 1:2-10 2:6-12,17 Rev 13:15-17 16:5,6 17:6 18:5-8,20 how fury has ceased Isa 13:19 45:2,3 2Ch 36:18 La 4:1 Da 2:38 Rev 18:16 ISRAEL'S TAUNT AGAINST BABYLON that you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon - When do they take up the taunt? The nearest time reference is it will be in the day when the LORD gives you rest. So presumably this will be Israel's song of triumph in the Millennium. What the Bible Teaches - Since vv. 1-3 describe Israel's ultimate restoration to the land, the words, "And it shall come to pass in the day", place the fulfilment of the prophecy firmly in the future. Whilst Belshazzar, the king of Babylon, died at the hands of Darius the Mede (Dan 5:30-31), the requirements of this prophecy are not fully satisfied by the demise of a past king, and must therefore envisage the downfall of a future king....The language here hardly fits Belshazzar. The identity of the "king of Babylon" is withheld, but in view of the fact that vv. 1-3 describe Israel's millennial joy, it can be concluded that this is a future "king of Babylon". If the past "king of Babylon" was the founding father of the "times of the Gentiles", with complete dominion, then the last "king of Babylon" will emerge at the end of the "times of the Gentiles", and also have worldwide dominion. The "the king of Babylon" in 14:4, and the "beast" of Revelation 13:1-10 are one and the same person. Both terms are used of a great enemy of God's people, and they evidently refer to the same individual. (What the Bible Teaches - What the Bible Teaches – Song of Solomon and Isaiah) E J Young's interpretation seems highly unlikely - "this king is not an individual, historic person, but rather the Babylonian dynasty conceived as an ideal person", and say, “How the oppressor has ceased, And how fury has ceased! - The fact that Jewish oppression and fury against Israel has ceased has to speak of the Millennium because anti-Semitism will not cease until that time! Isaiah 14:5 “The LORD has broken the staff of the wicked, The scepter of rulers Isa 14:29 9:4 10:5 Ps 125:3 Jer 48:15-17 GOD IS SOVEREIGN OVER EARTHLY SOVEREIGNS The LORD has broken the staff of the wicked, The scepter of rulers - Yahweh rules over both the wicked and the rulers (many of whom presumably are also wicked). Isaiah 14:6 Which used to strike the peoples in fury with unceasing strokes, Which subdued the nations in anger with unrestrained persecution. Which used to strike : Isa 33:1 47:6 2Ch 36:17 Jer 25:9 Da 7:19-21 Jas 2:13 with unrestrained persecution: Isa 13:14-18 21:1-10 47:1-15 Jer 25:26 50:31 Rev 17:16,17 18:8-10 and none: Isa 46:10,11 Job 9:13 Pr 21:30 Da 4:35 THE TYRANNY OF EVIL RULERS Which used to strike the peoples in fury with unceasing strokes, Which subdued the nations in anger with unrestrained persecution Isaiah 14:7 “The whole earth is at rest and is quiet; They break forth into shouts of joy. they: Isa 49:13 Ps 96:11-13 98:7-9 126:1-3 Pr 11:10 Jer 51:48 Rev 18:20 Rev 19:1-6 Related Passages: Revelation 18:20 “Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced judgment for you against her.” Revelation 19:1-3 After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God; 2 BECAUSE HIS JUDGMENTS ARE TRUE AND RIGHTEOUS; for He has judged the great harlot (BABYLON) who was corrupting the earth with her immorality, and HE HAS AVENGED THE BLOOD OF HIS BOND-SERVANTS ON HER.” 3 And a second time they said, “Hallelujah! HER (BABYLON'S) SMOKE RISES UP FOREVER AND EVER.” A DESCRIPTION OF THE MESSIANIC KINGDOM The whole earth is at rest and is quiet - Where and who? The entire world at rest and quiet! There has never been a year since Isaiah's time that the whole earth was at rest. This prophecy will not be fulfilled until the return of Christ when Babylon and all it stands for is destroyed. So this is a prophecy of the future when Messiah is reigning in the Millennium. Babylon has been finally and fully destroyed. Her wicked influence on the world is finished forever. They break forth into shouts of joy - Who are they? This would be the saints, saints in Heaven as shown above in the Related Passages and likely the saints on earth, those saved Jews and Gentiles who have survived the Great Tribulation and entered the Messianic Kingdom (cf the Judgment of the Sheep and Goats). Isaiah 14:8 “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.’ Isa 55:12,13 Eze 31:16 Zec 11:2 Related Passages: Isaiah 55:12; 13 “For you will go out with joy And be led forth with peace; The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, And all the trees of the field will clap their hands. 13 “Instead of the thorn bush the cypress will come up, And instead of the nettle the myrtle will come up, And it will be a memorial to the LORD, For an everlasting sign which will not be cut off.” EVEN TREES WILL REJOICE 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.’ - The trees and cedars could be both literal and figurative. Who is you...laid low? In context this refers to the king of Babylon. Isaiah 14:9 “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. Sheol from: Pr 15:24 It arouses for you: Eze 32:21-32 EVEN SHEOL IS EXCITED 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 - When will the king of Babylon come to Sheol? Clearly this will occur when he dies. The dead king of Babylon will be welcomed into Sheol by the already dead kings of other nations. As an aside, if this is a literal welcoming party, it implies that there is consciousness in Sheol. Isaiah 14:10 “They will all respond and say to you, ‘Even you have been made weak as we, You have become like us. You have become like us: Ps 49:6-14,20 Ps 82:6,7 Eccl 2:16 Lu 16:20-23 OTHER KINGS AFFIRM KING OF BABYLON'S FRAIL END They will all respond and say to you, ‘Even you have been made weak as we, You have become like us - Even the mighty king of Babylon was but a man, a man created by God and was not immune to the effect of sin which brings death to all men, whether great or small. Death plays no favorites. Even the great cannot escape their fate! Isaiah 14:11 ‘Your pomp and the music of your harps Have been brought down to Sheol; Maggots are spread out as your bed beneath you And worms are your covering.’ pomp: Isa 21:4,5 22:2 Job 21:11-15 Eze 26:13 32:19,20 Da 5:1-4,25-30 Am 6:3-7 Rev 18:11-19 the worm: Isa 66:24 Job 17:13,14 24:19,20 Mk 9:43-48 THE PARTY'S OVER! Your pomp and the music of your harps Have been brought down to Sheol - The times of pomp and celebration with music have come to an end with the death of the king of Babylon. THOUGHT - This verse could be said of most of the fallen, sin loving, God hating world under the control of Satan. One day the music stops and the party is over! Are you really ready to meet your Maker? Have you placed your faith in Jesus Christ, the only One Who can save you from eternal death where your worm does not die. Maggots are spread out as your bed beneath you And worms are your covering - The decaying body of the king would be the home of maggots and worms. Isaiah 14:12 “How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations! How you have fallen from heaven: Isa 13:10 34:4 Eze 28:13-17 Lu 10:18 2Pe 2:4 Rev 12:7-10 O star of the morning, son of the dawn Lucifer or, day-star, 2Pe 1:19 Rev 2:28 22:16 You who have weakened the nations Isa 14:4-6 Jer 50:23 51:20-24 A SHIFT OF FOCUS TO LUCIFER'S FALL How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! - Note the shift from Sheol to Heaven! The taunt shifts to what many consider to be a description of the origin of Satan and his rebellion and fall to the earth to wreak havoc. He was once a "rock star" (so to speak) as star of the morning. But in rebellion his starlight went out (so to speak) and he because the prince of darkness and we see his initial attack was on the nations of the earth. You have been cut down to the earth - This refers to Satan's rebellion against God's sovereign rule. When Satan rebelled, he took 1/3 of the angelic hosts with him. Rev 12:4 says "And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth." (See commentary below). You who have weakened the nations! - Satan the master architect of rebellion tears down nations rather than building them up. John MacArthur - Jesus' use of v. 12 to describe Satan's fall (Lk 10:18; cf. Rev 12:8-10) has led many to see more than a reference to the king of Babylon. Just as the Lord addressed Satan in His words to the serpent (Ge 3:14, 15), this inspired dirge speaks to the king of Babylon and to the devil who energized him. See Eze 28:12-17 for similar language to the king of Tyre and Satan behind him. (The MacArthur Study Bible) Gotquestions - The King James Version and the New King James Version have “Lucifer” in Isaiah 14:12, but other translations have “morning star” (NIV), “Day Star” (ESV), or “shining one” (NET). Is the term meant as a proper name, or simply as a metaphor for the king’s greatness? Scholars are divided on the issue. Clearly, the primary interpretation of Isaiah 14 is that of a prophecy against the human king of Babylon. However, the poetic descriptions of his grandeur, his sin, and his fate are so extravagant as to cause many scholars to consider a secondary interpretation, viz., a reference to Satan....We believe the best way to look at Isaiah 14 is as a dual condemnation: the human king of Babylon and the spiritual force behind him are both facing God’s judgment for their pride and wickedness. The human king had occupied a glorious throne in this world—he was a “star” among rulers—and the spiritual entity had occupied a glorious position in the heavenlies—a true “Lucifer,” or “star of the morning.” Is Lucifer Satan? Does the fall of Lucifer describe Satan Revelation 12:4 Commentary - "his (SATAN'S) tail drew - Drew is “To drag, pull, draw...in catching fish,” “as moving someone or something along by force.” He exhibited considerable influence over the stars with his tail. He was key in their rebellion. This is not his final casting out, but his original fall in sin and corruption of a portion of the heavenly host (Isa. 14:12; Eze. 28:14). This occurred early in God’s created order, prior to the temptation of Eve in the Garden of Eden (Ge 3:1-5). a third of the stars of heaven - Stars refer to the angels (messengers or leaders) of the churches (Rev. 1:20+). They also refer to angels (Job 38:7; Rev. 9:1+; (4). Here, they refer to angels which followed the dragon in his rejection of God and fall into sin (Isa. 14:12; Eze. 28:15). They are “his angels” (Rev. 12:7, 9+). Since there is an innumerable host of angels one-third of such a vast number is countless. Those angels which remained in heaven are God’s elect (1Ti. 5:21). threw them to the earth - Fallen angels (demons) were on the earth well in advance of Christ’s advent (Ge 6:2-4; 1KI. 22:22-23; 2Chr. 18:21-22). See commentary on Revelation 9:1. Isaiah 14:13 “But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. But you said in your heart: Isa 47:7-10 Eze 27:3 28:2 29:3 Da 4:30,31 Zep 2:15 Rev 18:7-8 I will ascend: Eze 28:9,12-16 Da 8:10-12 the mount: Isa 2:2 Ps 48:2 THREE MORE PRETENTIOUS "I WILL'S" But you said in your heart - This surely must be figuratively for Satan is a spirit. And to think such an evil creation would even have a figurative heart is difficult to conceive. But the point is axiomatic that the heart of our problems is the problem in our heart. ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north - Three I will's emanating from Satan's jealous heart. One thinks of Genesis 3:5 where he deceived Eve telling her "you will be like God." If "I" is the God, then there is really no accountability, no fear of reprisals. Note that the middle letter of pride is "I"! Furthermore "I" is the middle letter of sIn, which is not only Satan's problem but the root problem of every soul ever born (except One, the sinless Messiah, Who came to bear the sin and receives God's holy wrath on our sin. You have believed in Him for your salvation haven't you?)