Babylon’s Prophecy
Isaiah 13:1-22
Introduction
- Isaiah 11 and 12 had us examining who will we serve; and who do we worship
- We examined that even in mass chaos, God can perform perfect harmony
- The root of Jesse (lineage of Jesus) has already been prepared for us; grafted
- But the action we must take is upon you and I to respond – to respond
- Tonight, we see Isaiah’s continued vision of Babylon, and how we must respond
- Read Isaiah 13:1-22
- Pray
Point 1 – The Remnant in Action
- We must understand that God will get our attention, no matter what it takes
- God’s appointed ones, or his remnant, will be the ones used by Him to serve
- The prophet Isaiah was seeing the final judgment of the wicked; used by God
- We have been discussing for several messages about this remnants importance
- Those who serve God, who are called to exalt/serve Him; He will use
- Isaiah sees this calling of men and women to obey and conquer evil that exists
- APP:
-- But, how does a prophecy of this magnitude apply to us today?
-- Expound on the victory of the church … will we be a part of this action now?
- God’s authority allows the church to do mighty things; to even defeat the wicked
- His power can reach out to the farthest lands; even as Isaiah understands distance
- Consider the USA … Is this not far off from where Isaiah lived (Jerusalem)?
- Could Isaiah be seeing the enemies of God will be destroyed no matter where?
- Even though he is discussing Israel here; what are we to do with this information?
- Should we not act and take part in preparing the way of the Lord? Of course!
- Because of the victory we have in Christ; the desire to defeat evil is in our DNA
- It is what makes us the remnant, and why we have been grafted into the Body
- TRANS: So, if the church is to be the remnant; what is our role today?
Point 2 – The Battle Defined
- v9 – talks about the day of the Lord and I want to expound on this a bit
- The Day of the Lord for the believer is a good thing, but I believe at the same time we must take heed to understand that it is a terrible moment also
-- Rev 8:1 demonstrates God’s authority that we must pay attention: “When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in Heaven for about half an hour”
- How can I accurately depict that ALL of Heaven will be silent; holding breath
-- The destruction that comes upon mankind and this Earth is like none other
- Isaiah gets a glimpse of this to tell his people; (BIG APP) AND SO DO WE!
v10 – Stars in heaven will not shine; true darkness will fall upon the land
-- Revelation 8:12 says, “The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night.”
-- If the stars stopped shining, it would be incredibly dark outside
- Everything that is in the Heavens gives off light; and without it we are lost
- So lost that we need light in order to fellowship and to find others who need it
- Little infants will continue to suffer (which shows that there is an original guilt)
- Our lives are forfeited as soon as it is begun; this sin plagues us all
- In this time, all that men have, they would give for their lives for relief
- But, no man's riches shall be the ransom of his life; the wages of sin is death
- APP: Pause here and wonder that men should be thus cruel and inhuman
-- Will we see how corrupt the nature of man is become? Will we change it?
-- The day of the Lord will be terrible with aggression and fierce anger
- Rev 18 depicts the fall of Babylon with such wrath, that we should be shaken
- There is no place to escape from God’s judgment; we should cry out to the lost
- But few act as though they believed these things (church’s response to this)
-- APP: We exist to connect people to Jesus Christ (expound)
-- We each have a ministry, called to serve and to teach – no matter what
Point 3 – Babylon’s Future
- v19 refers to Babylon as jewel of Kingdoms – but compared to Sodom/Gomorrah
- Babylon was a noble city; yet it should be wholly destroyed; without pause
-- None shall dwell there; it shall be a haunt for wild beasts; all this is fulfilled
-- The fate of this proud city is a proof of the truth of the Bible, and an emblem of the approaching ruin of the New Testament Babylon
- It’s a warning to sinners to flee from the wrath to come; to be aware and respond
- It encourages believers to expect victory over every enemy of their souls
- APP: But before we can have victory we must endure the battle, which isn’t ours
-- We are not in charge, life is not about us, but about Jesus in Heaven
-- 2 Chronicles 20:15 (remember we discussed Jehoshaphat) says, “… he said, Listen King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s!’”
- We must see that God still remembers the wicked and doesn’t wink at sin
- Babylon is remembered – Rev 16:19, “… God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of His wrath.”
- TRANS: If God will remember an entire city’s deeds and pour out His wrath upon it, you can bet He will remember ours and we need to repent of them
Conclusion
- The whole world changes and is liable to decay; everything that lives will die
- APP: Everything that lives will bow its knee to God (Rom 14:11); regardless
- Presidents, Kings, leaders, servants, slaves, and the wicked one as well
- We must decide if we will be part of the remnant or part of the problem
- This church exists to show that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life
- If we will not, who will? Who will warn the world of what is coming?
- Isaiah captured a vision of the time to come; will we do the same
- Will we sound the alarm? Will we be part of the remnant that stands for God?
- Pray
