Isaiah 21 THREE ENEMY NATIONS Babylon, Edom and Arabia were all long-time enemies of Israel and Judah in the days of Isaiah. Babylon was the place of origin of idolatry; it was an ancient commercial center; and it was a place to be visibly admired for all its grandeur - and yet it all has come to nothing. Even archaeologists had a hard time finding where it was because there is nothing there now but desert. It had a great appeal in the past to the “lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.”
Dumah (Edom), was made up of the descendants of Esau, the twin brother of Jacob, who was named Israel by the Lord. There was a bitterness between Esau and Jacob while they lived, and that same antagonism existed between the Jews and the Edomites as nations. So, there was a prophecy regarding Babylon as a type of the world, that is, and always will be, an enemy of the people of God. Also, there is the enmity of the flesh, natural ties, that hinders the development of spiritual life in the children of God.
Arabia and Philistia alliance is the third nation that was an enemy of the Jews, and those people were descendants of Ishmael, the half-brother of Isaac, who was sent away from the home of Abraham. The animosity between Arabs and Jews continues today, dividing them, creating deep-seated bitterness, and bringing war between them often, that have settled none of the problems between the nations of the Middle East. This has all the characteristics of the devil. “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.”
Those ancient enemies of the people of Israel and Judah are not dead in our day. The nations may be, but the spiritual enemies are still actively opposed to us as the people of God. The world, the flesh and the devil have not, and will not cease their antagonism against us until this life is over, and/or the Lord comes to take us to Himself at the rapture. The opposition of those ancient enemies will be allied against the Jews in the tribulation, but will surrender all vestiges of power to the Lord Jesus Christ, “The Lion of the Tribe of Judah,” when He comes to earth again.
As Isaiah looked ahead prophetically, the Lord showed him what would happen to Babylon. The area in which Babylon was located was where the Garden of Eden likely was when humans were created. That area had become like a wilderness of swampy ground until it was drained. When the drainage ditches were neglected it would return to the state of neglect instead of being a fruitful place. Now it is desert. The city of Babylon was an ancient wonder, and the power of Nebuchadnezzar was feared all over the Middle East in years following Isaiah’s prophecy. Isaiah had likely passed away before the time of Daniel’s interpretation of Belshazzar’s dream.
The Medes and Persians came with chariots and horsemen in pairs as a safety precaution so they could look around and deal with any opposition. When they got to Babylon during the great feast, they were able to gain entrance to the city, slay Belshazzar, and conquer the whole empire. As Isaiah looked ahead prophetically through the years to the disastrous results, it troubled him so much in his compassionate soul that he found it hard to sleep. John, in the book of Revelation, was also greatly disturbed by what he saw as the end of the coming Babylon. It gives no pleasure to prophets, preachers and the people of God when we see the suffering and consequences that sin will bring on those who ignore God and will not repent of their sins and turn in faith to the Lord. The “Come” of divine invitation will not always be heard.
The mounted army of the Medes and Persians was a formidable foe. They were fast and fearful on hoses and camels as they would rush upon an unmounted group of defenders with lances and would wield their swords and weapons like a sickle mowing wheat. The defenders could roar like a lion to the people for a defense warning, but the lion of war would overcome them. Isaiah saw Babylon as a flat plain where, like wheat being beaten on a threshing floor, they were pounded into subjection. There was a watchman for Babylon who could see what was coming before it arrived. Isaiah saw ahead to the time of Daniel, and could see “the handwriting on the wall.”
The work of the watchman is to be able to tell what is happening at the present time. A watchman for God learns the counsels of God regarding what is coming, and watches and waits for those events to take place. A true watchman doesn’t speculate but applies himself to the scriptures and accepts what God says to be true, and warns, exhorts and teaches others those truths. It is his responsibility to tell others what they do not know, either because they don’t take time to find out for themselves from the word of God, or they don’t want to face the reality of the truth.
People who are dead in trespasses and sins, cause grief to those who read and believe the Bible. We know the word of God to be true. It tells of the present state of those who do not believe God’s word, do not believe the words of prophecy, and some do not even believe there is a God. We look not only at the present state of unbelievers, but we look ahead through the word of God to the future destiny of those who are forever lost to God. The eternal state of those who die in their sins is a fearful knowledge to have, and it deeply troubles our souls to know the future of those we know and love. That is why we are so concerned about going forth with the Gospel.
Isaiah also so saw what was going to happen to Edom. He responded to the watchman regarding the future of the descendants of Esau, and could see there was a morning coming for some and a night for others. There will be a “morning” of recovery for Israel when light will again come into the nation and the whole world will recognize the uniqueness of that nation to the Lord. That morning of deliverance has not yet really come. Isaiah also saw the night of Edom’s total demise from history. Present day Jordan is there now and is called the Hashemite kingdom. The warning was to the Arabs and the Philistines who had joined in ransacking Jerusalem when Jehoram was king. Later Uzziah the king defeated them, but this warning against them was regarding the Assyrians and Chaldeans who would crush them completely. The watchman in this part of the chapter gave his message to Isaiah who could tell him what was coming in the future.
Arabia as well would be overcome by the Assyrians at the precise time of “the years of a hireling.” Whether that is one or three years, isn’t so much the point of the warning as is that fact that God knows not only the place of prophetic fulfillment, but the time. We have clear testimony in the scriptures as to what is going to take place in relation to Israel and the church in the future. We do not know all the events as to the whole unfolding of the prophetic warnings and entreaties, but we do know that Israel has a future; other nations have and will yet experience divine justice and judgment, and the fact that whatever we sow we will reap is not only in regard to individuals, but nations too will experience similar responses to their actions.
As the watchmen asked the prophet what was to be expected in the future, so we watchmen in our day go to the word of God and get from our Divine Prophet understanding of the times and events yet to take place. Our work is to call to those of our generation and the one behind us, to look ahead and prepare. That begins with repentance. Repentance begins with an earnest desire for change. Then there is the requirement to turn from sin to God. Following that is the invitation to act in faith on what God tells us by putting full faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. These are all offered to anyone who wants deliverance from the wrath to come.