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CALVARY PANDAN BIBLE- idols of gold, silver or wood but a life of PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH superstition and immorality followed. Babylon was the rod of DHW BIBLE CLASS correction used by the LORD to bring LESSON 47 Judah back to the narrow path of truth and righteousness. This included exile. ISAIAH Babylon was sent by God to destroy CHAPTER 47 the cities of Judah culminating in the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple built by Solomon. Despite Theme: “Babylon shall Be Destroyed” being sent by the LORD to do God's will, Babylon was not given the liberty to exact on Judah all forms of cruelty THEME VERSES and devastation. In short, Babylon Isaiah 47:6 (KJV) "I was wroth with my cannot over punish. If Babylon does, people, I have polluted mine God would punish her too. God can inheritance, and given them into thine use any nation to do His will and hand: thou didst shew them no mercy; punish that nation in the process after upon the ancient hast thou very the nation has completed God's will, heavily laid thy yoke." especially when that nation sinned against God! INTRODUCTION The amazing thing about this chapter is that these prophecies were When God sends Gentile given by God to Isaiah, who ministered nations as His instruments of during the destruction of Israel and not chastisement on Israel, there is a line Judah. Judah would not be destroyed drawn where chastisement must not by the Babylonians until the year 586 become devastation or destruction. B.C. nearly one hundred and forty The people of Babylon were God's years after the destruction of Israel in instruments against Judah just as the 722 B.C. In other words, Judah would Assyrians were against Israel, the know that she would be destroyed in Northern Kingdom. Judah was the future by God through the hands of idolatrous and her sins were full. She the Babylonians who were only a small had to be exiled from the Land of and weak nation at this juncture. Promise just as the LORD promised Babylon was not a super power at all He would do if Judah continued in sin. during Isaiah’s time. She was just one Judah refused to repent of her sins of many small nations that existed in despite the many attempts by the the Middle East at that time. Yet she LORD to stop her from sinning. The would become such a powerful and LORD sent prophets to rebuke Judah great empire in the near future. but to no avail. The sin of idolatry became worse and worse. The sin of Why would the nations like idolatry does not stop at bowing to Babylon not learn even after God had DHW LESSON 47 ISAIAH 47 prophesied that she would be used as The LORD began with "come God's instrument of chastisement down" and "sit" in the dust. Babylon against Judah and would be punished must come down from her high horse if she over punished Judah! Why and sit down, not on a throne, but in would Judah not learn too after Israel's the dust! Who sits in the dust? The destruction and prophecies such as beggars and sick and destitute men revealed by God in this chapter of like Job would sit in the dust. It is a Isaiah regarding her demise and exile? position of total abject humility to sit in the dust. From the highest position on earth as king of an empire to the OUTLINE lowest place of earth was basically 1. The Price for Showing No Mercy! what the LORD declared Babylon must (vv.1-6); do. There will be no throne for Babylon's kings. They will be soundly 2. The Price for Haughtiness (vv. 7- defeated and disgraced. 10); Firstly, the LORD called them 3. None Shall Save Babylon! (vv. 11- "O virgin daughter of Babylon". Then 15). He called them "O daughter of the Chaldeans." Babylon seems to be the COMMENTARY new name of the nation whereas Chaldeans is a more localized or tribal The Price for Showing No Mercy! name that finds its first occurrences in – 47:1-6 Genesis 11:28 which states that Verse 1 – The command of the Abram was called out of Ur of the LORD over a Gentile nation like Chaldees. Perhaps the LORD wanted Babylon was to bring her down from to highlight the growth and progress of her position of exaltation. Note that at Babylon from a small and insignificant this time, the nation of Babylon was nation to a glorious empire. In the not the superpower, the Assyrians height of her power (as Babylon), she were. Babylon will replace Assyria in will be humble and sit in dust. As the near future. However, this Chaldeans, she was small and longed prophecy of God to Isaiah was very to sit on thrones in order to become a much in the future. It will be when super power. Her hopes and dreams Babylon is at the height of her will come to naught. The terms "virgin" superpower status, believing that she and "daughter" denote symbols of a is invincible and will rule for eternity. fine, soft and luxurious life. The words While Babylon is in this state of glory, "tender and delicate" confirm this the LORD declared emphatically by understanding. But the days of fine using a series of nine imperatives in living and dining will come to an end. the first two verses to this chapter to Verse 2 – Instead, Babylon was cut her down. commanded by the LORD to take the millstones and grind meal. Such 2 DHW LESSON 47 ISAIAH 47 menial tasks befit slaves, not the The phrase "I will not meet thee delicate and tender Babylonian virgins as a man" simply means that the and daughters. Yet this will be their LORD would not come as a weakling ignoble end when the LORD punishes. or at par with the Babylonians. There They will be in deep disgrace and will be no peace treaty with the shame from living in palaces and being Babylonians. The LORD will come to served to doing servile work that only judge and destroy Babylon and there slaves and the beggarly would be is nothing any man can do to prevent it found doing! from occurring. Next, they were commanded to Verse 4 – Isaiah said that uncover their locks, which mean that Israel's Redeemer i.e. next to kin is their hair would not be tied up neatly The LORD of hosts. This is His Name. and nicely. Instead, they would look He is also called the Holy One of disheveled and untidy. The messy and Israel. The concept of kinsmen unkempt disposition reflects the life of redeemer is emphasized here. The mourners or captives. Their legs would concept of kinsmen redeemer was be made bare up to their thighs as instituted by God (see Deuteronomy they pass over rivers. This would imply 25:5-10) to ensure that Israel will not that they would be shamelessly perish because the lineage of Israel is embarrassed and no longer find cut off due to the death of the firstborn themselves crossing rivers on raised or the loss of property due to poor chairs or platforms. Such luxury and management. The line of the many honours would become a thing of the tribes and clans and families in Israel past. Commoners with no money or are protected by God to ensure that harlots are the ones who would raise Israel as a nation does not die so that their garments to expose their legs up the Messiah would surely come to their thighs as they cross rivers. through Israel. They will receive no help even in their Therefore the use of the term state of shameful humiliation. Redeemer here is to reveal that Verse 3 – This will not be done although Israel or rather Judah would in secret where no one sees but they be devastated by Babylon in days to would be publicly shamed and others come, she will not be utterly cast would see their nakedness. The LORD down. Her Kinsman would come and will take vengeance. He will avenge redeem her. The Name of this those who are His enemies. The sins Kinsman is the LORD of hosts. The of these enemies of the LORD will be emphasis is in the covenantal revealed in later verses. The word relationship rather than the power of "uncovered" means to advertise. The God. God has a personal and LORD would advertise the nakedness covenantal relationship that ensures i.e. nudity of the Babylonians. This Israel's survival. This is the basis for occurred when the Medo-Persian the kinsman "redeemership." The Holy Empire toppled the Babylonians. One of Israel is mentioned here to let 3 DHW LESSON 47 ISAIAH 47 Babylon know that this is the standard Verse 6 – The reason for of God that was used to judge His own Judah's defeat in the hand of the people which resulted in their rebellion Babylonians is explained here. The and exile and defeat by the reason for the punishment of the Babylonians. This attribute of God's LORD upon Babylon is also explained holiness is the key to rejection and here. In the case of God's people, the reconciliation between God and man. LORD was angry with them. Because When man accepts Christ as Lord and of this anger, the LORD polluted Israel Saviour, he is declared holy by God whom He called His inheritance and instantaneously by being baptized with gave her into the hand of the the Holy Spirit which is the work of Babylonians.

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