Isaiah 13 and 14
Satan, King of Babylon

Isaiah 13 and 14 and Revelation 18 are all speaking of Babylon's destruction in the latter days during the time of God’s wrath. Isaiah 13, by itself, is a double or extended prophecy speaking of the eminent destruction of Babylon by the Medes thousands of years ago and then the latter day destruction of the end times city of Babylon. Isaiah 13:1-13 speaks to the end times Babylon. The end times ten-nation empire of the beast may not be called Babylon, but the city of Babylon will be at the center of it. The city could actually be called by a different name, but more than likely it will be called Babylon and be built right alongside the ancient city of Babylon. Regardless of what it is called, it will be the manifestation of the direct rule of Satan on the earth after his beloved city in heaven is cast down. Verses 14-16 speak to both old and new Babylon as though they were one. In a very real sense, they are one as we have seen by the historical and spiritual threads that bind them together. And finally, Verse 17 through the end of the chapter speak only to ancient Babylon.

Isaiah 13 makes several references to the Day of the Lord and the heavens withholding their light, etc., which refers to the coming judgment of wrath. Verse 13:17 refers to the Medes who, in league with the Persians, are one of the seven world powers represented by the seven mountains, the seven heads of the dragon, and the seven kings that enabled those empires to exist and dominate Israel at various times. The Medo-Persians are one of the kingdoms that has already fallen, but it will also be a part of the league of ten nations that the anti-Christ will control during the end times. The league of ten nations, or final empire, will destroy the literal end times city of Babylon with fire, and that will be followed by a great earthquake and the third coming of Christ to put down all earthly authority and rule as He defeats the armies of the world at Armageddon.

Notice that Isaiah 13 starts with the words “The burden of Babylon” and then continues with God calling upon His holy army in heaven to the battle. This is the final battle at Armageddon, but why is it called the burden of Babylon? Again, this is speaking of Mystery Babylon. When we look at Isaiah 14, we are going to see that Satan himself is the king of Babylon. Satan rules from his place in heaven until he is cast out, and then, according to this prophecy, his forces will be defeated on the earth and everything that even smells of Babylon will be destroyed. Verse 10 describes the same heavenly events as in Matthew 24:29, which Jesus assured us would take place immediately after the Tribulation when He comes for His New Testament elect. In fact, it declares that the sun shall be darkened “in His going forth.” Verse 11 shows the Wrath of God beginning immediately after the skies are darkened. The Rapture is not mentioned here because the focus is on the punishment of Babylon and not the victory of the Church. Even though the Rapture is not spoken of here, these verses are further confirmation that the Rapture separates between the Tribulation and the Wrath of God because Jesus said that He would come for His New Testament elect at that time after the Tribulation when the skies turn black, and that time immediately precedes God’s wrath in these verses.

The army that He is calling upon is made up of His righteous servants who have just finished participating in and enjoying the marriage supper of the Lamb in heaven while God’s wrath is being poured out upon sinners below, and now those warring saints will help bring a conclusion to the Day of the Lord at Armageddon. Remember, this is an Old Testament prophecy that showed a faded glimpse of what was to come. It is only through the New Testament that we are able to bring it into a much sharper focus, giving us a clearer understanding of what is happening here.

Isaiah 13:1-22

(Verses 1-13 are directed at the end times Babylon.)

1 The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.

2 Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.

3 I have commanded My sanctified ones, I have also called My mighty ones for Mine anger, even them that rejoice in My highness.

4 The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the LORD of hosts mustereth the host of the battle.

5 They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the LORD, and the weapons of His indignation, to destroy the whole land.

6 Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.

7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt:

8 And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.

9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and He shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.

10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in His going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.

11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.

12 I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.

13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of His fierce anger.

(Verses 14-16 are directed at both old and new Babylon.)

14 And it shall be as the chased roe, and as a sheep that no man taketh up: they shall every man turn to his own people, and flee every one into his own land.

15 Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is joined unto them shall fall by the sword.

16 Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished.

(Verses 17-22 are directed at ancient Babylon.)

17 Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver; and as for gold, they shall not delight in it.

18 Their bows also shall dash the young men to pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eye shall not spare children.

19 And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.

20 It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there.

21 But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there.

22 And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged.

The whole first half of Isaiah 13 repeatedly makes mention of the fierce anger and wrath of God. Verse 6 declares that the Day of the Lord will come as destruction from the Almighty after the sun and moon are darkened. We are told that His wrath comes to punish the world and to destroy sinners from the land. This is speaking of God’s stored up anger that He withholds from mankind while His compassion is being extended to them until the work of salvation is done. This anger and wrath is being directed at the whole world and not just the inhabitants of the empire of Babylon even though He was about to judge the ancient empire for its sins at the time that the prophecy was written.

God’s wrath is not an unholy thing. It is focused towards and against the wrath and anger of Satan and those who follow after his patern of rebellion. In Verse 6 below, we see that Satan’s wrath and anger is ongoing and unending. It continues all day and into the night, which is just the opposite of the mercies of the Lord which are new every morning. Satan’s wrath will continue until God brings an end to it. We also see that Satan’s wrath and anger is directed towards all people, including those who willingly obey him. Satan’s wrath has been against mankind from the very beginning in the Garden of Eden and will only intensify after his heavenly Babylon is cast down, and he is thrown out into the earth. Revelation 12:12 tells us that Satan’s wrath will be elevated to “great wrath” in the final days after he is cast out of heaven and he sees that his days are running out. Satan’s wrath causes tribulation throughout the earth on an ongoing basis until the very end when his “great wrath” will cause great tribulation to all that dwell on the earth. Once again, the Great Tribulation is not the wrath of God and it does not coincide with the wrath of God. It is the wrath of Satan, and the Church will not be raptured until it has been buffeted by the wrath of Satan and his anti-Christ. The Church will be in its greatest glory at the time of its greatest persecution during the Tribulation. Since the gospel has already been preached to all the world before the Tribulation begins, the Tribulation will provide the clearest contrast between good and evil that the world has ever seen. The Church will be tasked at that time with bringing in a tremendous harvest of souls as multitudes of people make their final decisions.

Isaiah 14 speaks primarily of Satan as the ruler of Babylon. The prophecy was leveled against Babylon in general, but the whole prophecy probably did not make a lot of sense to anyone unless they possessed great spiritual insight. The kings of Babylon were not known for their spiritual acumen. However, as the prophecy unfolded, Satan no doubt was trembling in his little red jump-suit because he knew that parts of it were against him and his home place. God’s mention of the golden city in Verse 4 is probably a literal description of Mystery Babylon in heaven—a city made of gold, nothing but the best for Satan. Until he is able to take the throne of God and rule over the city with gates of pearl and streets of pure gold, he pampers himself with his own city made out of the gold of heaven. Ancient Babylon was a fabulous city that had much gold in it, and the end times Babylon will be a city full of gold. However, they are no match for the ancient city in heaven where Satan rules the earth as a surrogate god. In Verses 13 and 14, God lays bare the secrets of Satan’s heart. His desire to be like God is published for all creation to see. In Verse 12, God calls him by name and declares his fate thousands of years before it befalls him. Mystery Babylon is going to fall and Satan is going to be cast out of heaven. Many of the other verses either give further description of him as the one who ruled the nations in wrath and wasted the cities thereof, or they speak of his final destination in the pits of hell with all the kings of the earth looking down upon him and wondering with amazement how he could have been brought to such a lowly state.

Isaiah 14:1-22

1 For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob.

2 And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the LORD for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors.

3 And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve,

4 That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!

5 The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers.

6 He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth.

7 The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing.

8 Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us.

9 Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.

10 All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us?

11 Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.

12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;

17 That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?

18 All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house.

19 But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcass trodden under feet.

20 Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned.

21 Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities.

22 For I will rise up against them, saith the LORD of hosts, and cut off from Babylon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew, saith the LORD.

23 I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom (dust broom) of destruction, saith the LORD of hosts.

Isaiah 14 is a double prophecy that declares the fall of ancient Babylon just like Isaiah 13, but more than that it is a declaration of the fall of Satan and his heavenly city in the end times. As of yet, he has not been brought down to hell to the sides of the pit. That doesn’t occur until Revelation 20:1-3 where he is cast into the bottomless pit for a thousand years, and in Verse 10 of the same chapter, Satan is cast into the Lake of Fire which is the final place of unrest for all of those who bring corruption and devastation upon the creation of God.

Think about it!

­Considering that Lucifer, or Satan, and the end of the world are tied repeatedly to Babylon, do you think that the prophecies concerning Babylon were fulfilled when ancient Babylon fell?

~Selah~For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day... Ephesians 6:12-13

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