CALVARY PANDAN - idols of gold, silver or wood but a life of PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH superstition and immorality followed. was the rod of DHW BIBLE CLASS correction used by the LORD to bring LESSON 47 back to the narrow path of truth and righteousness. This included exile. Babylon was sent by God to destroy CHAPTER 47 the cities of Judah culminating in the destruction of 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 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 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

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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. The LORD was angry Christ. He will restore Judah back to with Judah because of her continuous holiness when the time comes. sins of idolatry resulting in many Verse 5 – Using two immoral and sinful acts. Despite the imperatives here, the daughter of the many attempts by the LORD to turn Chaldeans (as if they were nothing Judah around through the ministries of and nobodies by the use of their His prophets, Judah refused to obey. original name before they became The LORD had to scatter Judah. The Babylon) was commanded to sit instrument He used to scatter Judah silently and get into darkness i.e. into was the Babylonians. The LORD used ignominy, either into prison or the word "pollution" to describe the shameful mourning. Nothing can destruction of Judah, Jerusalem, the protect and prevent this from Temple of Solomon as well as the happening to Babylon. She will rise killings of thousands under the hand of and she will surely fall. the Babylonians. Babylon will no longer be called Due to the LORD's anger with "the Lady of kingdoms". Lady is a term Judah, He handed Judah into the hand of dignity and pompous distinction like of the Babylonians. It was not because a queen in a kingdom. The plural of Babylon's power or gods that "kingdoms" is not unnoticed as it defeated Judah. It was the LORD who surely describes the Babylonian gave Judah to Babylon as a gift! Empire, which is made on many However, in the course of punishing nations such as the Assyrians, Judah, the Babylonians did not show Egyptians, , Moabites, mercy. The ancient refers to the Ammonites, etc. These were all elderly or aged and infirmed old people captured by Nebuchadnezzar in the in Judah. The Babylonians laid a very days of Daniel, and Ezekiel. Babylon's heavy yoke on them. The yoke refers fame and fortune would come and go, to slavery or captivity. It was one thing never to rise again. Today, Babylon to take the young and strong men but (present day Iraq) is like any other when they took the old men and made nation that once shined but it is shining them into slaves, Babylon had no more as a super power. overstepped its boundaries. Now the LORD will exact revenge on them for

4 DHW LESSON 47 ISAIAH 47 not showing mercy to these helpless In this verse, the LORD further old men. The Babylonians did not revealed that he knows what was in allow the old men to die peacefully in their heart even before they were born. the Land. He also warned them in this verse to The Price for Haughtiness – 47:7-10 listen to what He has declared concerning their end. Using the Verse 7 – Babylon boasts that imperative in the word "hear", the she will be a lady forever enjoying her LORD highlights the urgency of the prestigious and luxurious lifestyle. She matter to the wayward Babylonians. will be lost in her high opinion of They are given to pleasures, which herself as she surrounds herself with include all sorts of sexual sins her mighty military might and wealth including sodomy, fornication and untold. The city of Babylon was known adultery. Gluttony and all sorts of as one of the seven wonders of the appetites are included in this word ancient world. It was not only vast but "pleasures". enjoyed air-conditioned comfort in the hanging gardens of Babylon in a time Verse 9 – Whether or not they when electricity was not yet acknowledge the prophecies of the discovered. The engineering skill of LORD, the inevitable that the LORD the Babylonian engineers was had prophesied would surely come to extraordinary to be able to design and pass. The LORD does not need construct such a phenomenal garden Babylon's permission before He for the king to enjoy. destroys her. Therefore the LORD used the adversative "but" to contrast Blinded by these material what He had prophesied and what the surroundings, it is no wonder that the Babylonians had chosen to ignore. conclusion of the LORD is that These two things will come to pass Babylon would not lay these things to very suddenly and rapidly i.e. in a their heart. Neither will they remember moment and in one day—the loss of how they will end by the mighty hand children and widowhood. The children of God. They will carry on in their evil of the Babylon will die or be sent into ways as if the revelations of God had slavery. The husbands of many not been given at all. Babylonian women would be killed in Verse 8 – If anyone were to tell battle. the Babylonians about their demise Babylon would become so weak and destruction because the LORD that they could not delay or slow down God of Israel had prophesied so, the the Medo-Persians when they Babylonians would say, "I am and surrounded and captured Babylon. none else beside me; I shall not sit as These two calamities would come a widow, neither shall I know the loss upon the Babylonians in its perfection of children." In other words, they would i.e. completeness. There will be no half rebuff the prophecies of the LORD. measures when their children are They would not believe or care what killed or forcibly taken away from them. the LORD says.

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The husbands will die quickly. Not only and none else beside me" such did the pleasures of this life dull the haughtiness must be brought down by sense of the hearts of the Babylonians, the LORD. The worship of idols will the spiritual darkness that had snared bear the fruit of haughtiness. them will bind them deeper in their None Shall Save Babylon! sins. These include their sorceries i.e. – 47:11-15 witchcraft and the great abundance of their enchantments i.e. casting spells. Verse 11 – For all the reasons Satan will blind the Babylonians by mentioned above, evil shall come upon way of their false gods and prophets Babylon. Babylon will not be able to and priests. Black magic and spells stop the destruction that the LORD have been effective means employed had prophesied would surely befall by Satan to deceive millions her. Babylon will not know from when it throughout the ages. These are still will rise up. Babylon was a large city. very successful even in this age of When the Persians invaded her, technological advancement. Aristotle said that some parts of Babylon were not even aware that the Verse 10 – The LORD further Persians have entered and destroyed charged Babylon for trusting in her part of her. wickedness i.e. evil. The wickedness and deceit of sorcery and witchcraft is Mischief i.e. ruin shall fall upon that one thinks no one sees when they her and Babylon will not be able to put hide their sins and commit wickedness it off i.e. appease. There is nothing in secret. Hiding one's sin is a deadly Babylon can do and no payment of exercise that has destroyed many lives any tribute will prevent this ruin from and innumerable relationships. occurring. Desolation i.e. wasteness Deceiving one into thinking that as will come upon Babylon suddenly long as no man sees my heart or which she will not know. When the secret sins, I can continue to indulge in Medo-Persians surrounded Babylon, them. This is a lie of Satan. Man tends the king was feasting inside foolishly to want other men to think well of them believing that he and his kingdom were when the only Person whom they still safe. Destruction came upon ought to regard if He thinks well of Babylon very quickly. them is God. Verse 12 – The LORD In her deception, Babylon challenged Babylon with a little sense sincerely believes that they are wise of sarcasm calling on Babylon to stand and they are right. But the LORD's now with her enchantments and the retort and condemnation against them multitude of her sorceries. Babylon is that their wisdom and knowledge had been standing with them since her have perverted them i.e. led them youth if she thinks that she can profit away enticingly. This evidence is that from it and if she thinks that she can Babylon will bear the fruit of their belief prevail over her enemies with them. i.e. they will say in their heart, "I am Following the LORD cannot be forced or done at gunpoint! Obedience and

6 DHW LESSON 47 ISAIAH 47 accepting Christ as Lord and Saviour easily burned up. The fire shall burn has to be from the heart and not from them like stubble. Stubble has no some external enticement or threat. resistance against the flames. The The LORD wants Babylon to moment the flame comes into contact see and understand the futility of with them, they burn immediately. If following idols because these idols can the heat of the fire is strong enough, never help Babylon stop her enemies the stubble might catch fire even from destroying her. Babylon will not before any contact with the flame. This profit at all from these idols. They have is how useless these counselors are. eyes that are completely blind. They They shall have no power at all have ears that are totally deaf. They to deliver themselves from the power have hands that are paralyzed since of the flame. The flame of the stubble the beginning of its creation. They is quick and useless to lit coals. It will have feet that are dead as stones and not keep any fire burning and give heat will never be able to walk. How can to benefit anyone. The LORD said that such useless objects help Babylon! these "counselors" are like the stubble But Babylon must experience it herself that will be destroyed themselves. before she learns her lessons and turn Their advice will not help at all and will from her foolishness. not bring any comfort. It is utterly Verse 13 – Babylon is tired i.e. useless and will not be able to prevent made disgusted by the many voices the prophecies from coming to pass. from her so called advisers. They gave Babylon will surely be destroyed as all kinds of counsel. These included prophesied. the astrologers (i.e. read horoscopes Verse 15 – These counselors through the heavens), the stargazers are like the stubble to Babylon. (i.e. tell fortune by aligning the stars), Babylon had paid them as they and the monthly prognosticators (i.e. assembled in Babylon supposedly to giver of knowledge based upon the help and guide Babylon, but they are months such as which month is good useless to help. Babylon had paid for what and so on). The LORD called them and many have come into on Babylon to cry to these Babylon to make a living from their "counselors" to stand up and save her trade. If they cannot even help from these prophecies that the LORD themselves, how can they help had declared! Babylon! Those that are not killed will These "counselors" are like wander back to their own quarters. No their idols that they worship and one will come to save Babylon. consult. They are dead like them. They Babylon is doomed for destruction if are blind and deaf like the idols they the LORD of hosts of Israel has call gods. Tell them to stand up and sanctioned it to be so. help the Babylonians! Isaiah was preaching more to Verse 14 – These "counselors' Judah than to Babylon. Judah was are like stubble i.e. dry straw very given the Word of God. Judah also

7 DHW LESSON 47 ISAIAH 47 bowed to idols. Israel was destroyed ______because of it. Judah must not repeat ______the same folly of her northern ______neighbour. Sadly, Judah did not listen ______and Babylon had to come and destroy ______her and remove her from the land. ______Amen. ______

DAILY READINGS & DISCUSSION 3. What are the three elements that QUESTIONS make a nation? Can we say that Israel was a Christian nation? Can Daily Readings we say that America was or is a Christian nation? Please explain. MONDAY: Isaiah 47:1-6 ______TUESDAY: Isaiah 47:1-10 ______WEDNESDAY: Isaiah 47:1-15 ______THURSDAY: Isaiah 47:1-15 ______FRIDAY: Isaiah 47:1-15 ______DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Do you think that Singapore will 4. Is it true to say that every nation is continue her fine dining and living? given a time to shine like the sun Do you think that CPBPC or any for a moment and then fall into sound local church would continue ignominy never to rise again, in her spiritual "fine dining and except Israel? Please elaborate. living"? Is there such a thing as "spiritual fine dining and living"? ______

2. Is taking vengeance sinful and wrong? Please explain.

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5. Will America be different from past ______superpowers and will not fall like ______the past superpowers including ______Great Britain? Please explain. ______8. Do you think that the Charismatics ______who preach that believing in Christ means that one would never fall ill 6. What is it that prevents sinful men and will always be rich are sincere from turning to God and stop and teach this from their hearts? sinning against Him? Can we Do you believe that those who reason that since the LORD had teach that there are mistakes in the prophesied that Babylon would be Bible are sincere and that they are punished by God for their cruelty on God's side and doing God's against God's people, they have no will? Do you think that those who choice but to obey and be teach evolution or theistic evolution punished in the end? Please are sincere and that man really explain. evolved over billions of years? What is your take on these? ______7. Are you conscious of the principalities that confront you daily? What evidence have you 9. Are you a haughty person? shown to demonstrate that you are ______conscious of the spiritual warfare ______that you are in constantly? How do ______you defeat Satan? ______

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______

10. What lessons have you learnt from this chapter about God’s Word and about yourself? ______

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