Isaiah 47 THE DISGRACE OF BABYLON This chapter is like a song of victory over Babylon that was reduced from being like a queen to a half-naked slave girl grinding grain with a millstone. Babylon was the major hotbed of idolatry in the Middle East from the time of Nimrod who began the kingdom of Babel, all down through the generations to the time of Isaiah’s writing of this prophecy. The influence of Babel brought sorceries, black arts, astrology and occultic practices that led many of those nations astray thinking that those powers of darkness were to be worshipped. Even today in this country, people look in the newspaper to see what their horoscope is for the day. Some people don’t do business until they consult astrological charts.
The Babylonians were permitted the conquest of Judah by the Lord in order to bring chastening on His own people in Judah and Jerusalem who had turned to idolatry. But the Chaldeans became a proud and arrogant power that God left alone to face their own enemies by themselves. Like the Assyrians, the Babylonians showed no mercy, and no mercy would be shown it by the Medes and Persians who would conquer them.
Before Babylon had even become the mighty power that made it known as the “lady (queen) of kingdoms,” and conquered the Middle East under the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Isaiah prophesied of its downfall one hundred and fifty years earlier. Like all of humanity: nations and individuals alike, God is determined to bring the proud down and the humble up. “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” “[God] will bring into contempt all the honorable of the earth.”
Just like Isaiah predicted, Babylon would become like a captive female slave, open to public view in humiliation and shame. The people of Babylon had become an indulgent, ungodly, self-centered society to the extent that they even worshipped themselves as if they were gods. They had been used by God for His purposes, but because of their lack of response to Him, after the reign of Nebuchadnezzar and the guidance of Daniel, they had to be removed. The humbling of Nebuchadnezzar to be like an animal eating grass for seven years, didn’t seem to stick to Belshazzar who desecrated the things of God at a feast and died the same night the warning came to him from the Lord through Daniel.
The Medes and Persians had been outside the city for some time and would not take anything but full surrender. Complacency was a problem to the Babylonians because they felt secure inside their city walls. When the time of reckoning came, there was no nation or false god who could defend or help them. No business, no military power or no idol can defend and help those who turn away from God when He sets Himself against them.
An independent attitude on our part toward God and His word is an affront to Him. If we consider our own ideas to be of great importance when we think about the Bible and God, we are setting ourselves up for a great fall. Babylon believed in its own greatness and power. They became captivated by their own press releases. No matter how powerful and smart we think we are, it can all be taken away in a very short time. Then we too will be exposed for who we really are – like a half-naked slave woman who chose her own way and had to pay the price of sin herself. The second Babylon that is coming in the future, will fall from pride in the same way only with far great consequences, and there will be none to help it either. Like Cyrus was to the first Babylon as the conqueror, so our Lord Jesus Christ will be to the future Babylon to come in the time of tribulation. It will fall quickly to the great King of kings, and there will be no one to save it.