The Message About Babylon
This is the message about Babylon that Isaiah, the son of Amoz, saw.
Raise up a flag on the high mountain. Shout to them. Wave your hand so they can go through the gates of the rulers. I have given orders to my holy ones. I have called my strong warriors. I am not angry with those who are happy about my greatness. Listen to the loud noise in the mountains. It sounds like many people. Listen to the noise of kingdoms and nations coming together. The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is getting his army ready for battle. They come from a faraway country. They come from the end of heaven. The Lord brings the weapons he will use to show his anger. He will destroy the whole land.
The Day of the Lord
Cry out! The day when the Lord will judge is near. It will come like destruction from God. Everyone’s hands will be weak. Every person’s heart will melt. They will be scared. Pains and sadness will grab hold of them. They will be shocked as they look at each other. Their faces will be red like flames.
Look, the day of the Lord comes. He will be angry and full of rage. He will make the land empty. He will destroy the sinners. The stars of heaven will not give their light. The sun will be dark when it rises. The moon will not shine.
I will punish the world for its evil. I will punish the wicked for their sins. I will stop the pride of those who think they are better than others. I will end the cruelty of those who are mean. I will make people more rare than pure gold. They will be harder to find than the gold from Ophir. I will shake the heavens. The earth will move from its place. This will happen when the Lord of Heaven’s Armies is angry.
It will be like a deer running away. It will be like a sheep that no one takes care of. Each person will turn to their own people. Each person will run to their own land. Every proud person will be killed. Everyone who joins with the wicked will die by the sword. Their children will be hurt in front of them. Their houses will be robbed. Their wives will be attacked.
The Medes Will Attack
Look, I will bring the Medes to fight against them. They will not care about silver and gold. They will not want it. Their bows will shoot the young men. They will have no mercy on babies. They will not feel sorry for children.
Babylon Will Be Empty Forever
Babylon, the most beautiful kingdom, the pride of the Chaldeans, will be destroyed like God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. It will never have people living in it again. No one will live there for many years. The Arabs will not set up tents there. Shepherds will not bring their flocks there. Wild animals will lie there instead. Their houses will be full of sad creatures. Owls will live there. Wild goats will dance there. Wild animals will cry in their empty houses. Dragons will live in their beautiful palaces. Her time is almost here. Her day will not last much longer. I will destroy her soon. I will be kind to my people. But the wicked will die.
Influences
- 23:2 — Isaiah 13:2 (KJV)Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.
- 23:3 — Isaiah 13:3 (KJV)I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness.
- 23:4 — Isaiah 13:4 (KJV)The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the LORD of hosts mustereth the host of the battle.
- 23:5 — Isaiah 13:5 (KJV)They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the LORD, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.
- 23:6 — Isaiah 13:6 (KJV)Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.
- 23:8 — Isaiah 13:8 (KJV)And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.
- 23:9 — Isaiah 13:9 (KJV)Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
- 23:10 — Isaiah 13:10 (KJV)For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
- 23:11 — Isaiah 13:11 (KJV)And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.
- 23:12 — Isaiah 13:12 (KJV)I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.
- 23:13 — Isaiah 13:13 (KJV)Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.
- 23:14 — Isaiah 13:14 (KJV)And it shall be as the chased roe, and as a sheep that no man taketh up: they shall every man turn to his own people, and flee every one into his own land.
- 23:15 — Isaiah 13:15 (KJV)Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is joined unto them shall fall by the sword.
- 23:16 — Isaiah 13:16 (KJV)Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished.
- 23:17 — Isaiah 13:17 (KJV)Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver; and as for gold, they shall not delight in it.
- 23:18 — Isaiah 13:18 (KJV)Their bows also shall dash the young men to pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eye shall not spare children.
- 23:19 — Isaiah 13:19 (KJV)And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
- 23:20 — Isaiah 13:20 (KJV)It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there.
- 23:21 — Isaiah 13:21 (KJV)But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there.
- 23:22 — Isaiah 13:22 (KJV)And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged.