Fallen, Fallen Is Babylon

Fallen, Fallen Is Babylon

The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass through; so it cometh from the desert, from a terrible land.. Isa. 21:1

The burden of ... The 23rd prophecy in Isaiah (Isa. 21:1-10, fulfilled). Next, Isa. 21:11.

The 23rd Prophecy in Isaiah

Seven Predictions—Fulfilled:

1. Destruction of Babylon would come from the desert and a terrible land like the whirlwind passing through from the south (Isa. 21:1).

2. Judgment upon Babylon was to come from the Elamites and the Medes (Isa. 21:2).

3. The destruction was to be so terrible that the prophet was filled with pains like a woman travailing. He was dismayed and filled with fear at seeing it (Isa. 21:3-4).

4. The King of Babylon would make a feast, setting watchmen in the watchtower to make the people feel secure in their reveling; but while they were eating and drinking the attack would come (Isa. 21:5). This was fulfilled exactly this way, as stated in Dan.5:1-31.

5. Babylon was to fall by the coming invader (Isa. 21:6-9).

6. All the graven images of Babylon were to be destroyed (Isa. 21:9).

7. Babylon was to be trodden down like wheat on a threshing floor (Isa. 21:10).

This is a second prophecy of the destruction of Babylon, which was not then a world power but was soon to rise to greatness by overthrowing the Assyrian empire and becoming he next or third world empire to persecute Israel in the times of the Gentiles. Here we have the immediate judgment upon Babylon by the Medes and Persians, while in the first prophecy the latter-day destruction of Babylon was the main theme (Isaiah 13:1-14:27), the Medes being mentioned in only two verses (Isa. 13:17-18).

desert of the sea... This refers to Babylon.

as whirlwinds... Babylon will be destroyed by a mighty army passing through like a whirlwind that leaves destruction everywhere.

south pass... Whirlwinds are spoken of as coming from the south (Job. 37:9; Zec. 9:14), and the north (Eze. 1:4).

from the desert... from a terrible land] The army that destroyed Babylon came out of the desert and mountainous country of the Medes and Elamites or Persians (Isa. 21:1-2).

A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease. Isa. 21:2

Go up... Elam was the name of the country originally possessed by the Persians—so-called from Elam, son of Shem (Gen. 10:22). It was east of the river Euphrates and the Persian Gulf. It was one of the earliest powers (Gen. 14:1, Gen. 14:9). Shushan was its capital (Neh. 1:1; Est. 1:2-5; 2:3-8; 3:15; 4:8, 4:16; 8:14-15; 9:6-18; Dan. 8:2). Elam is mentioned in prophecy (Isa. 21:2; 11:11; 22:6; Jer. 25:25; 49:34-39; Eze. 32:1-32 : 34; Dan. 8:2).

besiege,... Besiege Babylon—fulfilled (Dan. 5:1-31).

O Media... Media was located north of Persia, east of the Euphrates, and south of the Caspian Sea and Armenia. It derived its name from Madai, son of Japheth (Gen. 10:2). It was long under the Assyrians, until Cyrus the Great (about 556 B.C.) who united Media and Persia, forming the Medo-Persian empire (Est. 1:3, 1:14, 1:18; 10:2; Dan. 6:8, 6:12, 6:15; 9:1). The Medes are mentioned in prophecy (Isa. 21:2; 13:17; Jer. 25:25; 51:11, 51:28; Dan. 5:28-31; 8:20).

Therefore are my loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth: I was bowed down at the hearing of it; I was dismayed at the seeing of it. Isa. 21:3

The Prophet’s Travail

pangs have taken... The prophet was so moved by the coming destruction of Babylon that as he described himself, he had the feelings of a woman in travail.

Isaiah’s Sevenfold Description of Himself:

1. My loins are filled with pain (Isa. 21:3).

2. Pangs have taken hold of me, as the pangs of a woman in travail.

3. I was bowed down at hearing it.

4. I was dismayed at seeing it.

5. My heart panted (Isa. 21:4).

6. Fearfulness terrified me.

7. My pleasure was turned into fear.

I was bowed... As the vision of these things passed by, Isaiah saw such indescribable and great sufferings in Babylon that he was appalled and pained with sympathetic feelings.

My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me. Isa. 21:4

panted... Hebrew: ta‛ah, to reel or stray; stagger; wander.

fearfulness... It seems that when Isaiah saw in the Spirit the destruction of Babylon, he experienced deep sufferings for the people facing such calamities, as though he were in their place.

night of my pleasure... This was no doubt the night of Belshazzar’s drunken feast (Dan. 5:1-31). Isaiah called it his pleasure, writing as though he himself was in Babylon when the city was taken. That night began with the pleasure of banquet, but ended in terror. Watchmen were in the watchtower, and the people ate and drank in apparent security. Then suddenly they had to fight, for the Medes and Persians had gained entrance to the city. It was time for it to fall as predicted (Isa. 21:3-5; Dan. 5:1-31).

Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield. Isa. 21:5

eat, drink... They continued in a festive attitude (Isa. 21:5) not realizing the implications of what was happening. Perhaps Isaiah had in mind the feasting which would be done when Marduk-apal-iddina’s (Merodach-Baladan’s) men came to Jerusalem (Isa. 39:1-8). Isaiah realized that Babylon under Marduk-apal-iddina’s control could not change what God had ordained. So rather than eating they should have prepared for battle, implied by the words oil the shields.

anoint the... Many shields were made of multilayered leather stretched over a metallic rim, and strengthened and ornamented with pieces of metal. An occasional rubbing with oil—especially before a battle—was necessary to prevent the leather from becoming dry and cracked, and to keep the metal from rusting.

For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth. And he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, and a chariot of camels; and he hearkened diligently with much heed: Isa. 21:6-7

Go, set... Isaiah still writes as though in Babylon; that is, he seemed to be there in the vision. The Lord commanded him to set a watchman in the tower to announce what was to come to pass.

he saw a... The watchman saw chariots (some render it cavalry two abreast) marching to the destruction of Babylon (Isa. 21:6-7), horsemen and chariots approaching with the speed, fierceness, and terror of a lion upon its prey; and a voice cried: "Babylon is fallen, is fallen" (Isa. 21:8-9). "Is fallen" was repeated for emphasis, to denote certainty.

And he cried, A lion: My lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights: Isa. 21:8

And he cried... The Lookout called “My Lord” according to the Dead Sea Scrolls. “The watchman cried, my Lord”. The watchman whom Isaiah had stationed (verse 6), continued his report.

And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground. Isa. 21:9

all the graven... Babylon was noted for its idolatry; this is where idolatry started. The principal god was Bel (Isa. 46:1; Jer. 50:2; 51:44).

O my threshing, and the corn of my floor: that which I have heard of the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you. Isa. 21:10

O my threshing,... The destruction of Babylon is compared to threshing wheat by treading it under foot in a threshing floor (Jer. 51:33).

have I declared... This man from the Desert by the Sea (Marduk-apal-iddina) would not be successful.

The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night? Isa. 21:11

The burden of... The 24th prophecy in Isaiah (Isa. 21:11-12, fulfilled). Next, Isa. 21:13.

This prophecy refers to Dumah, a son of Ishmael (Isa. 21:11; Gen. 25:14; 1Ch. 1:30). Seir was the name of a mountain range in Edom, so that prophecy concerns Edom. Isaiah was the watchman (Isa. 21:6, 21:11), and inquiry was made to him out of Edom about the night, which no doubt refers to calamity that had fallen upon the Jews as well as themselves. The prophet replied that daylight would soon come, and also another night, meaning another calamity. The night probably refers to the invasion of the land of Judah by the great Assyrian people who were then conquering one nation after another, including Syria, Ephraim, Philistia, Moab, Edom and much of Judea. They were about to take Jerusalem, but this would soon pass like the night. There would be another morning and a day and then another night, which would be the coming Babylonian invasion of all these same nations, when they would be taken into captivity.

The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come. Isa. 21:12

return, come... Some understand this to mean conversion to God; but it could only mean that Isaiah invited the inquirers to return if they wanted more information of the present night, the new day, and the new night to follow the morning.

The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies of Dedanim. Isa. 21:13

The burden...The 25th prophecy in Isaiah (Isa. 21:13-17, fulfilled). Next, Isa. 22:1.

Two predictions—fulfilled:

1. The inhabitants of Dedanim were to flee the invading Assyrians and be protected and fed by other Arabian tribes (Isa. 21:13-15). This was one of the most outstanding of Arabian traits—hospitality.

2. Within a year the other parts of Arabia would also suffer from the same invade (Isa. 21:16-17).

Arabia... A large country south of Syria and Trans-Jordan, west of Euphrates and the Persian Gulf, north of the Red Sea and east of Palestine (1Ki. 10:15; 2Ch. 9:14; Jer. 25:24; Eze. 27:21; Gal. 1:17; 4:25).

forest in... There aren’t great forests in Arabia, but thick underbrush makes some places very rugged and inaccessible.

O ye travelling... Caravans or roving tribes of Arabs.

of Dedanim... Descendants of Dedan, son of Abraham by Keturah (Gen. 25:3; Jer. 25:23; 49:8; Eze. 25:13; 27:15, 27:20; 38:13).

The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, they prevented with their bread him that fled. Isa. 21:14

Tema... Descendants of Abraham through Hagar and Ishmael (Gen. 25:15; 1Ch. 1:30; Job. 6:19; Jer. 25:23).

For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war. Isa. 21:15

for they... The Arabians would be fugitives, running for their lives from the sword.

For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Within a year, according to the years of an hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail: Isa. 21:16

Lord saith unto me... Within a year another time-element prophecy; it could be tested as true or false in one year. Within one year Kedar’s pomp would end (Kedar was known for its tents, Psm. 120:5; Son. 1:5; also cf. Jer. 49:28-29, which were a beautiful black).

And the residue of the number of archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished: for the LORD God of Israel hath spoken it. Isa. 21:17

Kedar... Another descendant of Abraham through Hagar and Ishmael (Isa. 21:16-17; 42:11; 60:7; Gen. 25:13; 1Ch. 1:29; Psm. 120:5; Son. 1:5; Jer. 2:10; 49:28; Eze. 27:21).

the number of... The warriors of Kedar would experience a great defeat (Isa. 21:16-17). The Arabians would be fugitives, running for their lives from the sword. The oracle would be fulfilled, for the Lord, the God of Israel, had spoken (Isa. 21:17). In 715 Sargon II wrote that he had defeated a number of Arabian tribes and had them deported to Samaria.