V. THE ONE TRUE GOD WILL BRING BABYLON TO DOOM (46:1-48:22)
A. A Comparison Is Made Between Babylon's Idols And Israel's God (46:1-13)
1. Babylon carries their idol on their shoulders whereas the Lord carries Israel, not they Him (46:1-7)
(1) Bel is a title given to the Babylonian god Marduk. Nebo is the son of Marduk, and has its name incorporated into the names of the rulers of Babylon (e.g.: Nebuchadnezzar). The prophet makes a distinction between the so-called deities and the idols that represent them. These idols are cumbersome and cause the beasts of burden that transport them to become weary.
(2) These gods will be unable to deliver their people, so they will go into captivity. History shows that Cyrus accepted the idols as part of the surrender of Babylon and paid homage to them. While this acceptance by Cyrus extended their "life," they were eventually cast down and destroyed forever.
(3-5) Isaiah now urges the remnant to hearken (v.3), remember (v. 8), and hearken (v. 12). He does this to call attention to the striking differences between the idols and Jehovah. The heathen idols must be carried about, while Jehovah has born Israel both physically and spiritually (Ex. 19:4; Deut 32:11; 1:31; Isa. 40:11; 63:9). Today we must consider our own religion in the same light: are we carrying it our does it carry us?
(6) Isaiah points out that in every aspect idolatry is diametrically opposed to the real God. An idol must be created by man, yet man was created by the real God. The materials used to create an idol were first created by the real God.
(7) The idol is inanimate, while the real God is omnipresent. When called on by its followers the idol remains silent, yet the real God answers the prayers of His true believers.
2. God's purpose will be established (46:8-13)
(8) Now the admonition to remember. Remember that idols cannot save, but God can. God calls the people to repentance. Israel had transgressed God's laws by rebelling against Him, their sovereign King. Because of this rebellion, Israel will find itself in Babylonian captivity.
(9) They must also remember the things that God said in the past. The things that God prophesied in the past to come true, have come true and thus confirm that His new prophecies will come true. God repeats His claim to absolute deity, that is "the Being who unites in Himself all divine majesty by which reverence is evoked." (Delitzsch)
(10) The people must not waver in their allegiance - it is either God or the idols, but not both. God has always declared what He would do before He did it. The people should look back into their own history as God's chosen ones to see this fact.
(11) Now the man God has chosen will come from a far country to the east of Babylon. When Cyrus does come, conquers Babylon, and allows God's people to return, this will further establish Jehovah's claim to being the One True God.
(12) Jehovah calls on the stubborn-hearted (probably the transgressors of v.8) to hearken. These are far from God's moral, ethical, and spiritual standard. It is their transgressions that have caused the need for the Babylonian captivity.
(13) The basis for all of Jehovah's actions is His righteousness. In addition to His righteousness is His grace which in turn brings forth His salvation. Righteousness, grace, and salvation are characteristics of the One true God, not idols. The stubborn-hearted cannot experience salvation until they repent, that is, have a change of affection, mind, and will. It is after this repentance and through faith in God that a man will have the impetus to be consistently obedient to God's word. The righteous will be returned to Zion and stand as a sign for Jehovah's glory.
B. Babylon Will Be Transformed From A Queen To Widowhood (47:1-15)
1. She will no more be called "tender and delicate" (47:1-11)
a. The humiliation of Babylon (vv. 1-7)
(1) The former queen will become a slave girl. This is God's prediction as to the fate of the city of Babylon. The time of luxury and power will come to an end for the Chaldean Empire.
(2) Babylon will be relegated to menial tasks far below her former station. The glory of the nation will be stripped away as an act of humiliation for all the world to see.
(3) Babylon will be mocked by men as she stands stripped of her power, wealth, and glory. God's righteousness demands that all unrighteousness be avenged. Those that refuse to repent will not avoid God's judgment.
(4) It is uncertain who is speaking here, the prophet or the captives. In either case it calls to mind Psalms 118:23: "This is Jehovah's doing;/ It is marvelous in our eyes."
(5) The former proud queen is now commanded to sit in the silence of her shame and grief. She is doomed to obscurity and finally oblivion.
(6-7) The Lord explains why the judgment against Babylon will be so severe. Babylon totally disregarded all the God-given rights that mankind is entitled to as ones made in the image of Him. Because their methods were cruel and inhuman, their punishment would fit their crimes. Babylon had tried to elevate herself to the realm of deity through her pride, but this same pride would be her downfall.
b. Babylon's blasphemous claims and their consequences (vv. 8-11)
(8) Babylon would make claims that only Jehovah could truly fulfill. These included: saying I am, claiming that nothing could stand in the way of her destiny, and that she would never be relegated to slavery.
(9) To prove her wrong, God will bring calamity upon her quickly and thoroughly. Her magical arts of witchcraft, astrology, and sorceries could not protect her.
(10) In addition to cruelty and arrogance Babylon was guilty of trusting in wickedness which would include her self-deification and the occult arts. Babylon's own wisdom and knowledge would not save her, indeed they would contribute to her downfall.
(11) Babylon will not see her destruction coming until it is too late. When she does realize that the end is near, none of her magical arts will be able to charm the destruction away. Calamities and devastation will come upon her suddenly (1 Thess. 5:3).
2. The occult arts will not be able to deliver Babylon (47:12-15)
(12) The Lord challenges the city to use all of her occult arts to try and withstand Him. These practitioners were as serious about their arts as scientists are about their studies today. They were not amateur magicians, but full-fledged warlocks.
(13) Man has always had the urge to look into the future, but this has always been God's prerogative. Babylon will consult astrologers, star-gazers, and monthly prognosticators. All of these men were those who studied the heavens to try and predict future events. God directly challenges these men.
(14) Not only will these occultists not be able to save Babylon, they will not be able to save themselves either. They will be consumed in a flash fire, a flame that is good for nothing except to use up all its fuel and then be gone.
(15) Earthly pursuits of things that are only the work of God are bound for failure. Babylon's occult arts will fail her, as will her allies in arms and trade. There shall be none to save thee.
C. Israel's Troubles Were The Result Of Their Obstinate Attitude (48:1-22) - In this chapter the prophet Isaiah projects himself into the time of the Babylonian captivity and then from that vantage point looks back at the cause of the captivity and forward to the deliverance by Cyrus (Hailey).
1. Israel had not leaned on the Lord in truth and righteousness (48:1-11)
(1) The people are called by the name Jacob rather than the preferred Israel because their lives had reflected their forefather's former attitude - the supplanter. They appeal to God in an oath, but that oath is not in truth.
(2) They claim to have leaned on the Lord for support and to outward appearances it may have seemed they had, but inwardly they were far removed from Jehovah.
(3) Jehovah affirms His power of prediction. A power that no heathen god has demonstrated. The history of God's dealings with Israel prior to the time of Isaiah stood as proof of God's power in this respect.
(4,5) Jehovah declares in advance what He will do to counteract Israel's rebellious attitude. Here He lists three of their most unappealing characteristics: 1, they are stubborn; 2, they are stiff-necked; and 3, they are hardheaded as they fight against their God-given duties. They even would ascribe the actions of Jehovah to their own carved images.
(6) Because of all that they had seen and experienced at the hands of Jehovah you would expect the people to confess His name and preach His word, but they refused. Failing to benefit from their own history, God, through Isaiah, will now show them more hidden things. Since Isaiah has already revealed Cyrus, it is likely that these new and hidden things will be concerning the Ideal Servant (Isa. 49:1-13;53), the enlargement and glory of redeemed Zion (Isa. 54), and the new heaven and the new earth (Isa. 65:16,17,25). These things are not new in the mind of God, because He foreknows all things. They are new in the minds of the people because they have been hidden from them.
(7) Our comments on verse 6 show us in what sense these things are being created now. Israel did not have previous knowledge of how Jehovah would bring these things to past because then they would have been able to attribute their knowledge to their idols.
(8) Much of what God has revealed to Israel through the years would have led them to believe that He indeed had an ultimate plan for them, but their ears were not opened to understand (1 Cor. 2:8-13). Because of their unfaithfulness, treachery, and total disregard for the terms of God's covenant from the beginning, they were unable to comprehend what Jehovah had in mind.
(9) Even with such evidence of their unfaithfulness, God still chose to defer a full expression of His anger because the Savior had not yet come. Please note that when the Savior did appear and Jehovah no longer needed Israel to continue His covenant, they were destroyed.
(10) To refine silver an intense heat must be applied for it to be totally purified. Jehovah did not apply enough heat to Israel to totally purify it, therefore dross and impurities remained. The fire afflicted Israel but did not purify it.
(11) Jehovah's anger will be deferred for His own sake. He will not destroy Israel so that His name will not be defiled, desecrated, or dishonored by the heathen. He will not allow the heathens to give their idols credit for His doings.
2. God is faithful and will carry out His purposes against Babylon (48:12-16)
(12) By His own name Jehovah guarantees that Israel will be returned to their homeland. His name stands as such a warranty because He is eternal. As He expresses it - I am He, I am the first, I also am the last.
(13) The foundation of the earth refers to that which holds its position in space (Job 26:7; Ps. 96:10). Both the earth and the heavens are God's handiwork, therefore they are subject to His commands and they stand up together, that is they stand at attention and await His orders.
(14) Israel is commanded to assemble and answer questions posed by Jehovah concerning who had predicted the deliverer from the east. The Lord loved Cyrus in the sense that Cyrus was chosen to do God's work against Babylon and he did it faithfully.
(15) Israel's hope of complete deliverance rests totally in their faith in Jehovah. Jehovah asserts these three things concerning Cyrus: 1, I have called him; 2, I have brought him; and 3, he shall make his way prosperous. Cyrus will fulfill what Jehovah has called him to do. This is the last mention of Cyrus.
(16) Jehovah prepares his listeners for what He is about to say. He has spoken to the people from the beginning through His prophets. Through them He has made known His will in an understandable way. Who is the one the Lord God and His Spirit had sent? It is either Isaiah or the Ideal Servant. Hailey in arguing for the Servant appeals to the previous mention of the Servant (Isa. 42:1-13) and the rest of the book (Isa. 49:1-13; 50:4-11; 52:13-53:12; 61:1-3).
3. Had Israel only been faithful, God's deliverance would never have been necessary (48:17-22)
(17) Jehovah stands as the Redeemer and Teacher of Israel. Sending them into captivity would not be to harsh of a lesson for them based on their previous unbelief, reliance on Egypt, and worship of idols. For teaching to be profitable for the pupils, they must be willing to follow its directions. There will be no right conduct unless there is proper teaching of that conduct and a holding to that teaching.
(18,19) Jehovah wants blessings for His people. If they would have only listened, learned, and practiced what they learned! By not listening they have accepted all the responsibility for their own captivity and suffering. If they would have only hearkened to God's word: 1, their yearnings would be fulfilled; their lives would flow full and calm; 2, the fruits of their pure life would be innumerable and constant; 3, their posterity would be uncountable; and 4, their name would not be cut off. The Jews are no longer God's chosen people. While they still exist as a race, they are cast out from Him as a people (Gal. 4:24-31).
(20) Jehovah provides the people with a glimmer of hope. They will flee Babylon, they will escape back to their homeland. As they leave they are to declare that Jehovah is their deliverer. Having executed His judgment and carried out His purpose, God delivers His people. This is Isaiah's last mention of Babylon.
(21) Jehovah will provide for the needs of the people as they journey home (Isa. 43:19; Ezra 8:21-23). The language here is reminiscent of their return from Egypt.
(22) While Jehovah promises deliverance, peace, and protection for the righteous, the wicked shall have no peace. The godless among Israel will receive none of God's grace or mercy. Their end will be only chaos. [TOP OF THIS CHAPTER][TOP OF THIS PAGE]