13 Should We Be Scared About The End of The World?

“, the jewel of kingdoms, the glory of the pride of the Chaldeans, will be like when God overthrew them.” Isaiah 13:19

Main Idea: God predicts things that will come to pass, like the fall of Babylon, centuries before they happen. Often, we live in the between stages of what God has decreed and what He does.

1. Babylon’s Symbolic Role in Redemptive History. • Believers have three enemies against our souls, the flesh, the world, and the devil. o The Devil

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8

o The Flesh

“For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.” Romans 7:18-20

o The World

“For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.” 1 John 2:16

• “This roiling cauldron of rebellion against the rule of Almighty God is a vicious, relentless, alluring, cold-hearted enemy to the soul; it is the enemy territory through which every pilgrim for Jesus is making his way to heaven. It has a symbolic name in the : Babylon” — Andrew Davis • Genesis 11 (Tower of Babel)

• 1 Peter 5:13

“She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings, and so does Mark, my son.”

• Revelation 18-19 (Fall of Babylon)

2. God Summons an Army Against Babylon (vv. 1-13) • God’s sovereign actions in history “On a bare hill raise a signal; cry aloud to them; wave the hand for them to enter the gates of the nobles. I myself have commanded my consecrated ones, and have summoned my mighty men to execute my anger, my proudly exulting ones. The sound of a tumult is on the mountains as of a great multitude! The sound of an uproar of kingdoms, of nations gathering together! The LORD of hosts is mustering a host for battle.” Isaiah 13:2-4

“I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I will put an end to the pomp of the arrogant, and lay low the pompous pride of the ruthless. I will make people more rare than fine gold, and mankind than the gold of . Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken out of its place, at the wrath of the LORD of hosts in the day of his fierce anger.” Isaiah 13:11-13

• He raises an army and darkens the stars.

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” Matthew 24:29-30

3. Desolation Decreed and then Fulfilled (vv. 14-22) • They will be overthrown like Sodom and Gomorrah. • There will be few survivors. • The carnage will be a cold-hearted slaughter. • Their destruction will happen in stages. • Darius Mede conquers Babylon in 539 BC. (Daniel 5) • Alexander the Great made it his capital in 323 BC. • Roman Emperor Trajan visited the rubles of Babylon in 116 AD. • God’s decree had been fulfilled, Babylon was not rebuilt.

Questions for Further Reflection:

1. How do the world, the devil, and the flesh attack you on your spiritual pilgrimage? 2. What does the slow decline of Babylon teach us about how sin works?

Notes adapted from “Exalting Jesus in Isaiah, Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary” by Andrew M. Davis, Ph.D.

Isaiah 14 Who Is Behind All The Chaos In The World?

"Shining morning star, how you have fallen from the heavens! You destroyer of nations, you have been cut down to the ground." :12

Main Idea: This chapter deals with the fall of "the king of Babylon" with soaring language that depicts Satan's fall, the great evil behind every evil throne.

1. The Power behind the evil thrones of the world. • Verse 12-15 goes beyond what we would expect regarding a human dictator.

“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!” Isaiah 14:12 (KJV)

• The Latin word "Lucifer" means "light-bearer." • His ambition is relentless. He wants to be like God. • Verses 13-14, five "I will statements."

"So behind any human "King of Babylon" we must see the 'puppet master' Satan, who invisibly dominates world history by controlling the tyrants who do his bidding." —Andrew Davis

“In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” 2 Corinthians 4:4

“In which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—" Ephesians 2:2

2. The Power above every throne. • The tone of Isaiah 14 is an unbridled celebration because of the victory of God's people through His redemptive love and sovereign power.

“That struck the peoples in wrath with unceasing blows, that ruled the nations in anger with unrelenting persecution.” Isaiah 14:6

“The LORD has broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of rulers,” Isaiah 14:5

“But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit.” Isaiah 14:15

“This is the purpose that is purposed concerning the whole earth, and this is the hand that is stretched out over all the nations.” Isaiah 14:26

3. God's Sovereign Plan: The Eternal Joy of His People

“For the LORD of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back?” Isaiah 14:27

• God will is God's people in their land and ruling over their oppressors in power. “For the LORD will have compassion on and will again choose , and will set them in their own land, and sojourners will join them and will attach themselves to the house of Jacob. And the peoples will take them and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will possess them in the LORD'S land as male and female slaves. They will take captive those who were their captors, and rule over those who oppressed them.” Isaiah 14:1-2

“And if you are Christ's, then you are 's offspring, heirs according to promise.” Galatians 3:29

• No tyrant is strong than death.

“For ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’” Acts 17:28

• The evil one will not escape God's final judgment.

“And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” Revelation 20:10

Questions for Further Reflection:

1. How does the evil one, Satan, act through evil leaders who do his bidding? 2. After reading Isaiah 14, read Ezekiel 28. What are the similarities between the passages?

Notes adapted from “Exalting Jesus in Isaiah, Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary” by Andrew M. Davis, Ph.D.

Isaiah 15-18 What is God’s Purpose For Me?

“The nations rage like the rumble of a huge torrent. He rebukes them, and they flee far away, driven before the wind like chaff on the hill and like tumbleweeds before a gale.” :13 (CSB)

Central Idea: God rules over the raging, turbulent sea of the nations to accomplish His purpose: salvation extending to the ends of the sea.

1. The Central Issue: The Wise Plan and Sovereign Hand of God (14:26-27)

“So God strengthens the faith of His people by giving Isaiah a series of clear oracles against the nations in Isaiah 13-23.” —Andrew Davis

• God is sovereign over all nations. • All nations are sinful and corrupt and deserve the judgment of God. • Please do not trust in the power of nations; it is fleeting at best. • Fear God and obey his commandments which point to Jesus as the author of life.

2. The Oracle Against . (15:1-16:14) • Refugees fleeing in terror. • Moabites descended from Lot, who was a refugee.

“For we are about to destroy this place, because the outcry against its people has become great before the LORD, and the LORD has sent us to destroy it.” Genesis 19:13

• Ancient enemies of Israel

“No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the assembly of the LORD. Even to the tenth generation, none of them may enter the assembly of the LORD forever, because they did not meet you with bread and with water on the way, when you came out of , and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you. But the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam; instead the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the LORD your God loved you. You shall not seek their peace or their prosperity all your days forever.” Deuteronomy 23:3-6

• invaded Moab around 715 BC, causing the tragic events. • and Kir were destroyed in one night.

“An oracle concerning Moab. Because Ar of Moab is laid waste in a night, Moab is undone; because is laid waste in a night, Moab is undone.” :1 • Moab resorts to a false god.

“He has gone up to the temple, and to Dibon, to the high places to weep; over and over Medeba Moab wails. On every head is baldness; every beard is shorn;” Isaiah 15:2

• The slaughter is so terrible that the rivers are filled with blood.

“For the waters of Dibon are full of blood; for I will bring upon Dibon even more, a lion for those of Moab who escape, for the remnant of the land.” Isaiah 15:9

• They are like birds pushed from a nest.

“Like fleeing birds, like a scattered nest, so are the daughters of Moab at the fords of the Arnon.” :2

• Isaiah weeps for the refugees.

“My heart cries out for Moab; her fugitives flee to Zoar, to Eglath-shelishiyah. For at the ascent of Luhith they go up weeping; on the road to they raise a cry of destruction;” Isaiah 15:5

“And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, ‘Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.’” Luke 19:41-44

3. The Oracle Against Damascus and Ephraim. (17:1-14) • Damascus, capital of Syria () • Another enemy of Israel • One of the oldest inhabited city on earth • Founded more than 1000 years before Rome was settled in 753BC. • The oracle is clear, total devastation.

“An oracle concerning Damascus. Behold, Damascus will cease to be a city and will become a heap of ruins. The cities of Aroer are deserted; they will be for flocks, which will lie down, and none will make them afraid.” Isaiah 17:1-2

• The city never finds peace.

“The LORD said to Satan, ‘From where have you come?’ Satan answered the LORD and said, ‘From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.’” Job 1:7

“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none.” Matthew 12:43

4. The Oracle Concerning Cush. (18:1-7) • Cush is the present-day country of Ethiopia.

“And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,” Acts 17:26 • Cush is more than 1500 miles away from . • “The Cushites were the tallest and most handsomest men in the whole world.” —Herodotus, Histories • Many prophecies tell of the people of Cush bringing gifts of worship to Jerusalem.

“Nobles shall come from Egypt; Cush shall hasten to stretch out her hands to God.” Psalms 68:31

“Among those who know me I mention Rahab and Babylon; behold, Philistia and Tyre, with Cush— ‘This one was born there,’ they say.” Psalms 87:4

• The culmination of this is seen in the account of the Ethiopian Eunuch.

“And he said, ‘How can I, unless someone guides me?’ And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this: ‘Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.’ And the eunuch said to Philip, ‘About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?’ Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, ‘See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?’ Philip said, ‘If you believe with all your heart, you may.’ And he replied, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.’” Acts 8:31-37

Questions for Further Reflection:

1. Read Psalm 2, do you have a better understanding to why the nations rage? 2. What is God calling you to do to spread His kingdom to the ends of the earth?

Notes adapted from “Exalting Jesus in Isaiah, Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary” by Andrew M. Davis, Ph.D.

Isaiah 19-20 Why Do We Run to Others Instead of God?

“When they cry out to the LORD because of their oppressors, he will send them a savior and leader, and he will rescue them. The LORD will make himself known to Egypt, and Egypt will know the LORD on that day. :20-21 (CSB)

Main Idea: God judges Egypt, completely stripping her of pride in every area—militarily, economically, politically, religiously—so that he can save some Egyptians by Christ.

1. Egypt’s Comprehensive Judgment (19:1-16)  The Lord’s wrath against the nation. (19:1)  The Lord’s judgments on all areas regarding the nation. (19:2-15)  Egypt’s strength is sapped completely. (19:6)

2. The Shame of Relying on Egypt (20:1-6)  ’s temptation to run to Egypt. (:1-7)  Isaiah’s strange mission (20:1-4)  The shame of all who rely on Egypt and not on God. (20:5-6)

3. The Glorious Future of Egypt and the World (19:17-25)  A reminder: God’s saving grace for all nations

“I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:3 (ESV)

 The transformer: A savior from God to Egypt (19:20-22)

“He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” Hebrews 1:3

 Transformed fear: The fear of the Lord, the beginning of wisdom (19:17)

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” Proverbs 9:10

 Transformed cities: Swearing allegiance to the LORD Almighty (19:18)  Transformed religion: An altar to the LORD in the heart of Egypt (19:19)  Transformed hearts: A new life in Christ (19:21)

“As indeed he says in Hosea, ‘Those who were not my people I will call my people, and her who was not beloved I will call beloved.’” Romans 9:25

 Transformed relationships: worshipping as one people on the earth (19:23-25)

Questions for Further Reflection:

1. Why do you run to others instead of God? 2. How does the story of Egypt remind you of the destructive nature of sin, yet the glorious message of hope we have in Christ?

Notes adapted from “Exalting Jesus in Isaiah, Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary” by Andrew M. Davis, Ph.D.