Isaiah 14

CHAPTER 14THEME: The millennial Kingdom established after the final destruction of Babylon; the origin of evil and its judgment; and the burden of PalestineThis chapter is a continuation of the burden of Babylon begun in chapter 13. The burden of Babylon is actually a judgment on Babylon. Babylon was the first of several nations upon which the judgment of God was to fall. All of the nations to be judged had something to do with Israeleither by physical proximity or political involvement. Great issues are at stake in chapter 14. The origin of evil and its judgment and final removal from this earth is the theme of this section. Local situations and nations are the expression of these worldwide themes and eternal issues. This chapter looks at nations and the problems of life through the telescope rather than placing them under the microscope for inspection. This chapter opens on a joyful note because of the final judgment of Babylon. The millennial Kingdom is established with all fears and dangers removed. No enemy of God is abroad. The judgment here and elsewhere in this Book of Isaiah is explained. We will see here God’s plan and purpose for the earth. This chapter is a mixture of light and darkness. The chapter changes from the ecstasy of the Kingdom to the punishment of hell. Satan and the problem of evil are brought before us. There is an extended section on the final destruction of Babylon. This chapter of great subjects and strong contrasts closes with the insertion of the burden of Palestine, which was probably brought about by the sudden demise of King Ahaz (see 2Ki_16:19-20).

Isaiah 14:1

THE FUTURE RESTORATION OF ISRAEL AND THE PEACE OF THE KINGDOMThis verse reaches down to the end times. God has said again and again that the nation Israel will be restored to her land. Now I do not think you see fulfillment of the prophecies there today. When God restores them to the land, Israel will not have any problems with other nations. They won’t need to turn to Russia or the United States or to the United Nations for help. The Lord Jesus will reign there. There are many people who say they believe in the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Scriptures, but they will turn right around and say that this passage is not literal. When you deny its reality and the fact that it is literal, you deny the inspiration of Scripture. “For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel"He has said that too many times for anyone to say, “I didn’t quite get it,” or, “It means something else.”

Isaiah 14:2

My friend, this has not yet been fulfilled. “The people” in this verse are Gentiles. The Gentiles are going to return them to Palestine. But the Gentiles up to this point have actually hindered them. Even Great Britain, when they had a mandate in the land, would not let the Jews return after World War II. But the Jews went in anyway, because they had to go somewhere. How the multitudes went to that land is a real saga of suffering. As I write, Russia is hindering the Jews from returning to Palestine. Other nations are not concerned for them either. Now the Jews throughout the world are interested in helping their brethren return to the land, but Gentiles are not helping them. I take it, therefore, that we are not seeing the fulfillment of Scripture.

Isaiah 14:3

The Jews have sorrow in that land today, and they are in fear. I walked through the streets of Jerusalem and through the streets of some other cities in Palestine some time ago, and there were soldiers everywhere. Why? The nation is fearful. Even if things were settled, they would still be in fear. There is no rest from sorrow for them.

Isaiah 14:4

I think “Babylon,” in this passage, represents the great enemy in the last days who will be headquartered in Babylon. It represents all the enemies of Israel. Babylon was an inveterate hater of this nation.

Isaiah 14:5

These verses speak of the final judgment at the end of the Great Tribulation period. Judgment has to take place. This earth must be judged. There is too much injustice here. Someone is going to have to handle the judgment, and I thank the Lord that it won’t be me. I am thankful that we don’t have to look to men in these matters. The Lord Jesus will do the judging.

Isaiah 14:7

What is described in this passage has not yet taken place. After the War of Armageddon and the coming of Christ, rest and peace come to the earth. Instead of sorrow there is singing. Weeping is only for the night. The morn of joy has come.

Isaiah 14:9

THE FINAL RULER OF THE WORLD CAST INTO SHEOL"Hell,” in this verse, is Sheol. It can mean the grave or the place of torment. Evidently the latter meaning is in view here.

Isaiah 14:10

All the pomp and glory of man is removed.

Isaiah 14:12

THE ORIGIN OF SATAN AND EVIL"Lucifer" is none other than Satan. Lucifer, according to Ezekiel 28, is the highest creature that God ever created. But he was a Judas Iscariothe turned on God. He set his will over God’s will. In Luk_10:18 the Lord Jesus says, “…I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.” In 1Jn_3:8 we are told, “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.” Then in Rev_12:7-9 we are told, “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” This is a picture of this creature Lucifer at the very beginning. What was the sin of this creature created higher than any other? Well, what is sin in its final analysis? I’m not speaking philosophically, but theologicallywhat is sin?

Isaiah 14:13

These are the five “I wills” of Lucifer. He was setting his will over against the will of God. This is sin in embryo. This is the evolution of evil. There is no evolution of man, but there is evolution of sin. It began by a creature setting his will against the will of God. As a free moral agent, the creature must be allowed to do this. It is nonsense to talk about a creature who has a free moral will, who can do anything he wants to, but is restricted in his movements in a certain area. Lucifer had a free will. This is man’s original sin: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isa_53:6). Murder is sin, not just because God says it is, but because it is contrary to the will and character of God. Anything that is contrary to the character and will of God is sin, regardless of what it is. I think that some people can even displease God by going to church. Imagine little bitty puffed-up creature man, who says to God, “I won’t do what You want me to do. I am going to do it my way.” That is exactly what man is saying today. Well, friend, you are not going to do things your way, because God’s will is going to prevail in the final analysis. Therefore, the prayer of all God’s people should be, “…Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Mat_6:10). Anything contrary to His will is sin, regardless of what it is. The sin of Satan was overweening pride. He did not go out and get drunk, and he didn’t steal anything. He went against God’s will. He was created as an angel of light; he was the “son of the morning,” a perfect being. He was given a free moral willhe could choose what he wanted. But he was lifted upso lifted up by pride that he set his will against the will of God. It wasn’t the purpose of Satan to be different from God; he wanted to be like God. In other words, he wanted to be God. He put his will above the will of God, and any creature who does that puts himself in the place of God. There are many men like Lucifer today. They put their wills above the will of God and take His place. That is what sin is all about in the human family. There are only two ways: God’s way and man’s way. That is what the Lord Jesus Christ meant when He said, “…I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (Joh_14:6). My friend, you live in God’s universe today. You breathe His air and enjoy His sunshine. He never sends you a bill for either one or for the life He furnishes. You are His creature. You owe Him a great deal. You are to obey Him. In his natural state, man is unable to obey God; that is why we have to come to Him through the Lord Jesus Christ as lost sinners. Then we are given a new nature. That is what it means to be born again.

Isaiah 14:15

God is yet going to judge Satan, and that judgment will be severe. Satan is finally going to be cast into the lake of fire which was prepared for him. God is working out a great plan and purpose that is far beyond the thinking of anyone here on this earth. It is not for you and me to question it. Rather, we need to trust Him, because He is prepared to extend to us mercy, grace, and love.

Isaiah 14:18

THE FUTURE REBELLION OF BABYLONBabylon was controlled by Satan. You remember that Satan offered to the Lord Jesus the kingdoms of this world (see Luk_4:5-7). Babylon belonged to him. Back of Babylon and all the kingdoms of this world is Satan. In the future, Babylon will evidently become the rallying point for all the nations which are against God.

Isaiah 14:22

If you have ever seen pictures of the ruins of Babylon, you realize how literally these verses have been fulfilled. In the future, Babylon will be rebuilt (though at a different site). It will once again be a place of world rulership, and it will be a Tower of Babel lifted against God. And again God will come down to judge, and that will be the final judgment. The reason that these great truths have been given to us is so that we will know what is coming in the future.

Isaiah 14:24

“The Assyrian” represents the king that is coming from the north. Verses Isa_14:19-27 give a detailed account of the coming judgment of Babylon and all that it represents. It has been only partially fulfilled in the past, but it has been fulfilled quite literally.

Isaiah 14:28

THE FIERCE REPUDIATION OF PALESTINEThere is inserted at this point the burden of Palestine which was precipitated by the death of Ahaz. Ahaz had reigned for sixteen years and had been an evil king. The people felt he would be followed by an evil king, but they were delighted to be rid of him. There was a bare possibility that a good king might follow himand they did get one, by the way.

Isaiah 14:29

Two more good kings ruled after Ahaz, but the worst kings are yet to come. The people are to understand that just the rule of man will not bring about improvement in the world. In this country we seem to feel that if we change presidents or parties there is going to be an improvement. We have done that, and there has been no improvement. God tells Palestine not to rejoice just because Ahaz is dead. Things are not going to get any better at all. Before the Kingdom blessings prevail, there will be a severe judgment of God upon that land. It will be more severe than that of the surrounding nations, because this nation had light, and light creates responsibility. Isaiah is looking into the future when there will be the Great Tribulation period and the Antichrist’s rule. There are those who do not feel that the burden mentioned here is much of a burden but it is called a burden, and it is about Palestina. The name Palestina is quite interesting. It refers to those who gave that name to the land, the Philistines. They had come up the coast of Egypt, and they slipped into the land. They were there when Israel arrived. Apparently the Philistines had not been in the land during the days of Abraham, because the Canaanites were then in the land.

But when the children of Israel returned four hundred years later, the Philistines had come into the land. In the Books of Zephaniah and Zechariah are specific prophecies against Ashdod and Ashkelon, two Philistine cities. They were to be destroyed, and it was literally fulfilled. Verses Isa_14:30-32 describe the judgment in detail, and it is fierce!