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Babylon Will Be Punished
1 This is the message that I was given about Babylon:
2From high on a barren hill
give a signal, shout the orders,
and point the way
to enter the gates
of Babylon's proud rulers.
3The Lord has commanded
his very best warriors
and his proud heroes
to show how angry he is.
4Listen to the noisy crowds
on the mountains!
Kingdoms and nations
are joining forces.
The Lord All-Powerful
is bringing together
an army for battle.
5From a distant land
the Lord is coming
fierce and furious—
he brings his weapons
to destroy the whole earth.
6 Cry and weep!
The day is coming
when the mighty Lord
will bring destruction.
* 7All people will be terrified.
Hands will grow limp;
courage will melt away.
8Everyone will tremble with pain
like a woman giving birth;
they will stare at each other
with horror on their faces.
There Will Be No Mercy
9I, the Lord,
will show no mercy or pity
when that time comes.
In my anger I will destroy
the earth and every sinner
who lives on it.
10 Light will disappear
from the stars in the sky;
the dawning sun will turn dark,
and the moon
will lose its brightness.
11I will punish this evil world
and its people
because of their sins.
I will crush the horrible pride
of those who are cruel.
12Survivors will be harder to find
than the purest gold.
13I, the Lord All-Powerful,
am terribly angry—
I will make the sky tremble
and the earth shake loose.
14Everyone will run
to their homelands,
just as hunted deer run,
and sheep scatter
when they have no shepherd.
15Those men who are captured
will be killed by a sword.
16They will see their children
beaten against rocks,
their homes robbed,
and their wives abused.
17The Medes can't be bought off
with silver or gold,
and I'm sending them
to attack Babylonia.
18Their arrows will slaughter
the young men;
no pity will be shown
to babies and children.
The Lord Will Destroy
19 The city of Babylon
is glorious and powerful,
the pride of the nation.
But it will be like the cities
of Sodom and Gomorrah
after I, the Lord,
destroyed them.
20No one will live in Babylon.
Even nomads won't camp nearby,
and shepherds won't let
their sheep rest there.
21 Only desert creatures,
hoot owls, and ostriches
will live in its ruins,
and goats will leap about.
22Hyenas and wolves will howl
from Babylon's fortresses
and beautiful palaces.
Its time is almost up!
Reflect
In chapter 13, Isaiah describes the vision God gives him of the destruction of Babylon. He tells how the city that is now glorious and powerful will become a wasteland where wildlife roam.
Isaiah also clearly states how the destruction will come about: The Lord himself will muster an army. He is coming “fierce and furious” and will show no mercy. And the destruction will leave people dismayed, anguished, and feeble.
For those of us who know the rest of the story of God’s redeeming grace through Christ, the violence, judgment and wrath depicted in these verses can leave us breathless. How do we reconcile this devastation with the love and grace displayed in John 3:16?
Verse 11 provides the key: “I will punish this evil world and its people because of their sins.” Our sin provokes God’s wrath and requires payment. We owe, but we can’t pay, and it is only because God loves us to the utmost and because Jesus died for us that we can be forgiven.
Isaiah’s vision served as a warning to the people of his time, a signal of what was to come. For us as well it serves as a sober reminder of the seriousness of our sin and disobedience, which are offensive to our Lord. It is only through the saving grace of Jesus that we are saved from His wrath.
Respond
Almighty God, you are holy and righteous. I long to be filled with your holiness as well. Please help me to see those areas where I fall short and to become more like Jesus each day. 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.