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The Lord's People
1The Lord will have mercy on Israel and will let them be his chosen people once again. He will bring them back to their own land, and foreigners will join them as part of Israel. 2Other nations will lead them home, and Israel will make slaves of them in the land that belongs to the Lord. Israel will rule over those who once governed and mistreated them.
Death to the King
3The Lord will set you free from your sorrow, suffering, and slavery. 4Then you will make fun of the King of Babylonia by singing this song:
That cruel monster is done for!
He won't attack us again.
5The Lord has crushed the power
of those evil kings,
6who were furious
and never stopped abusing
the people of other nations.
7Now all the world is at peace;
its people are celebrating
with joyful songs.
8King of Babylonia,
even the cypress trees
and the cedars of Lebanon
celebrate and say,
“Since you were put down,
no one comes along
to chop us down.”
9The world of the dead
eagerly waits for you.
With great excitement,
the spirits of ancient rulers
hear about your coming.
10Each one of them will say,
“Now you are just as weak
as any of us!
11Your pride and your music
have ended here
in the world of the dead.
Worms are your blanket,
maggots are your bed.”
12 You, the bright morning star,
have fallen from the sky!
You brought down other nations;
now you are brought down.
13 You said to yourself,
“I'll climb to heaven
and place my throne
above the highest stars.
I'll sit there with the gods
far away in the north.
14I'll be above the clouds,
just like God Most High.”
15But now you are deep
in the world of the dead.
16Those who see you will stare
and wonder, “Is this the man
who made the world tremble
and shook up kingdoms?
17Did he capture every city
and make earth a desert?
Is he the one who refused
to let prisoners go home?”
18When kings die, they are buried
in glorious tombs.
19But you will be left unburied,
just another dead body
lying underfoot
like a broken branch.
You will be one of many
killed in battle and gone down
to the deep rocky pit.
20You won't be buried with kings;
you ruined your country
and murdered your people.
You evil monster!
We hope that your family
will be forgotten forever.
21We will slaughter your sons
to make them pay for the crimes
of their ancestors.
They won't take over the world
or build cities
anywhere on this earth.
22The Lord All-Powerful has promised to attack Babylonia and destroy everyone there, so that none of them will ever be remembered again. 23The Lord will sweep out the people, and the land will become a swamp for wild animals.
Assyria Will Be Punished
24 The Lord All-Powerful
has made this promise:
Everything I have planned
will happen just as I said.
25I will wipe out every Assyrian
in my country,
and I will crush those
on my mountains.
I will free my people
from slavery
to the Assyrians.
26I have planned this
for the whole world,
and my mighty arm
controls every nation.
27I, the Lord All-Powerful,
have made these plans.
No one can stop me now!
The Philistines
28 This message came from the Lord in the year King Ahaz died:
29 Philistines, don't be happy
just because the rod
that punished you
is broken.
That rod will become
a poisonous snake, and then
a flying fiery dragon.
30The poor and needy will find
pastures for their sheep
and will live in safety.
But I will starve some of you,
and others will be killed.
31Cry and weep in the gates
of your towns,
you Philistines!
Smoke blows in from the north,
and every soldier is ready.
32If a messenger comes
from a distant nation,
you must say:
“The Lord built Zion.
Even the poorest of his people
will find safety there.”
Reflect
How reassuring the words of Isaiah 14 must have been to the nation of Israel! They were surrounded by powerful enemies who flourished. They’ve heard the proclamation of punishment against those enemies. And now Isaiah shares God’s promises to them, that he will have mercy on them and they will remain his chosen people.
Many times in life it appears that evil is winning and there’s little hope for those who choose to follow God. Yet Isaiah’s words remind us that there is a holy One who is all knowing and all powerful. While the eyes of the world focus on the rich and strong, he’s watching the poor, the needy and the oppressed.
Isaiah 14 also holds important truths about God’s nature that are relevant for us today. In verses 26-27, the Lord makes clear that he has plans for the future and those plans will not change. We find throughout scripture even more verses which speak of God’s steadfast nature.
Consider Numbers 23:19 which states that God doesn’t change his mind and always keeps his promises. Similarly Psalm 33:11 tells us that the Lord’s counsel and plans of his heart stand forever.
In a world filled with uncertainty, God’s unchanging character provides a much needed balm for our anxieties. Just as he promised his mercy to Israel, that promise stands today for those who choose to follow him.
Respond
Lord, you are the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. I ask that you help me to remember that always. Even when my circumstances make me doubt that your promises, draw me back to your Word to remind me that you never change. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Pam Caudill
Dr. Pamela Caudill, a Nebraska-based researcher and psychologist, writes and speaks about life transformation and spiritual growth. As the Center for Bible Engagement's Senior Researcher, Pam conducts studies on scripture engagement, church health, and life transformation. A frequent conference speaker, Pam is the author of Managing Your Family’s High Tech Habits and Better Relationships, Better Life, in addition to dozens of academic journal articles and white papers.