Isaiah 14 Commentary

Isaiah 14 Commentary

Isaiah uses all sorts of visuals and images for his message. Jacob means Israel, the nation. Yes, the same restored nation. But the restoration itself represents yet another restoration that comes with the Son.

So the term “Jacob” represents the remnant. Salvation is extended to strangers, the Gentiles. They both enjoy restoration.

Objects represent actual objects. Events represent actual events – using realities as models for His ultimate design.

The promise that the restored Israel would rule over “their” oppressors is yet another image. Otherwise, how does Israel rule over an oppressor who is completely destroyed?

It’s possible if the “total” destruction is also an image! But the message forbids us from direct equations or mapping. But an image doesn’t exist without an object!  

Isaiah communicates his message in a complex web of visuals. At one point, Babylon is the tool that the LORD uses to inflict punishment on Judah.

At another point, Babylon’s fate is compared to that of Sodom and Gomorrah. Of course, it is easy for the reader to remember the wickedness of the two cities. What may not be obvious is the fact that the prophet wants us to appreciate God’s judgment on wickedness.

The punishment is divinely orchestrated. It is not a consequence of random occurrences of civil strife.

We can identify a couple of scenarios. Evil punishing evil. But we also have evil persecuting righteousness. Eventually, righteousness punishes evil while rescuing the righteous in divine justice – when the Son rules.

Babylon’s wickedness is Sodom’s wickedness. It is actually the wickedness of humanity in the Garden of peace and tranquility. It is satan’s perversion manifesting itself down the generations.

So, Isaiah’s visuals include the mention of Lucifer’s fall – the source of deception, wickedness, and darkness.

Play satan. Manifest evil. Use his language. Cruelty. Pride. Note the repeated usage of the word ‘I’. It’s pride at its best. That is Babylon!

He said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” Daniel 4:30. This is Nebuchadnezzar’s sin; it is Babylon’s sin. But Isaiah knows better. It is humanity’s sin, instigated by satan, whose words we hear in this chapter. Isaiah has gone back to the beginning.

“I will be like the Most High”. Verse 15. Adam was drawn to this thought – to be like God. And here we are! The drama of Genesis plays once again!

But Isaiah looks to the future. Babylon will be punished exactly because of this root wickedness.

This is the purpose that is purposed against the whole earth, and this is the hand that is stretched out over all the nations. Verse 26. We are not reading history; this is our situation. The LORD will punish wickedness – divine justice at full stretch!

Isaiah is so timeless in his message that you often forget he is writing within the context of his own time!

So we have moments of actual historical events to remind us of Isaiah’s time and moments. King Ahaz has died, and the prophet must address this specific event. As usual, it becomes a teaching aid for God’s judgment against the Philistines.

Remember that the LORD deals with the wickedness of the world. Named nations and groups give us details of the judgment as well as the circumstances.

At the head of it all is satan whose establishment the LORD promises to break down. The mention of Zaphon – the sacred mountain of the Canaanites, draws our thoughts to the evil establishments and shrines that seek to replace the worship of the Most High. But satan and everything associated with wickedness will be brought down to the realm of the dead, so orders the Creator God, LORD God Almighty.

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