God’s Warning against Babylon (Isaiah 14:1-27)

God’s Warning against Babylon

 

Isaiah 14:1-27

 

Isaiah 13,14 records God’s warning against Babylon spoken through Prophet Isaiah. Babylon is the ancient city located on the lower Euphrates River, and it was the central city of the Old Babylonian Empire during the 18th century BC and the New Babylonian Empire during the 7th-6th century BC. As the historical background of Isaiah is the 7th-6th century, we may understand that Babylon mentioned in today’s text is the capital of the New Babylonian Empire. This city was greatly expanded through many large-scale construction projects under the rule of Nebuchadnezzar II, the second king of the New Babylonian Empire. By his orders were constructed the Hanging Garden of Babylon, which is known to us as one of the seven ancient wonders, and the Gate of Babylon (Ishtar Gate) excavated in Iraq and restored and displayed in Germany. Along with these historical facts, the name “Babylon” contains more comprehensive spiritual meanings in the Bible. In a word, Babylon symbolizes “evil.” And this evil is arrogance against God and oppression against God’s people. In fact, the name “Babylon” appears throughout the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. According to Genesis 11, after Noah’s Flood, people settled in a plain in Shinar, and, using bricks and tar,  they worked to build a city with a tower that would reach to the heavens. They did so in order “to make a name for themselves, and not to be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” But not pleased with their work, God stopped their project and scattered them by confusing their language. Then the place was called Babel, which means "confusion” or “mixing.” And the name Babylon came from this “Babel.”

 

“Babel” has another meaning, “Gate of God.” We may understand this meaning, considering that people tried to build a high tower that would reach the heavens. In the city of Babylon constructed by King Nebuchadnezzar as well, there were tens of temples, and especially the Temple of Marduk, the patron god of Babylon, was built as a project to restore the Tower of Babel, and the longest side of the complex is known to be 660 feet (200m) long. These suggest what King Nebuchadnezzar would have in his mind when building this city. In 1Peter 5:13, Apostle Peter says, “She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark.” Most of Bible scholars understand that “Babylon” mentioned here by Peter is Rome, the capital city of the Roman Empire. Apostle Paul also mentioned Mark in 4:10 of Colossians, one of his epistles written when he was in prison in Rome, saying, “My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas.” This suggests that Peter was in Rome with Mark when he was writing his letter 1Peter. In those days, Rome was a city of temples, and especially the Pantheon was the assembly of all kinds of gods in the world. In this sense, Rome may be also called “Babylon, Gate of God.” In Revelation, Babylon is described as “the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth” (Revelation 17:5), and as “a dwelling for demons and a haunt for every impure spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal” (Revelation 18:2). Considering all these historical and spiritual meanings, we can say that “Babylon” is a place where the evil pride of the human world meets the unclean spirits of the spiritual world.

 

The basic of all the temptations that the Devil makes against people is this: “You will be like God” (Genesis 3:5). This is how the Serpent tempted the first man and woman, and this is also the motive for people to build the Tower of Babel. That is, they wanted to become as high as God, as wise as God, and as strong as God. In verses 13-14 of today’s text as well, the haughty pride of Babylon is disclosed: “You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High!’” We may say, “I don’t have any desire to be like God.” Nevertheless, we also build our own tower. And we want to build it as high as possible, and higher than others’. The tower we have built up through our lives, we call it “my achievements.” This is a high tower built with bricks and tar, which are my learnings, my works, my human relations, my earnings, my possessions, and so on. The word “achievement” was made from two etymological roots “ad” and “chief.” “Ad” means “motion to~” or “direction toward~,” and “chief” means “head” or “top.” Thus, “achievement” is the outcome of my efforts to rise to a higher position, and as a matter of course, is what raises me to a higher ground. Of course, we all want to attain great achievements through our lives, and we will be very sad if our achievements are not so great, or not greater than others’. Why do we want great achievements? It is because we want to place ourselves on top of the great achievements. Then, we ourselves will be found “great.” In this sense, we are all the citizens

of Babylon and the worshippers of Marduk. With our human nature, it is barely possible to deny Satan’s temptation, “You will be like God.” Even we think that this is the way to come closer to God in heaven. The Basilica of the Sagrada Família, which was designed by architect Antoni Gaudi, is still under construction in Barcelona, Spain. This basilica includes 18 towers, and the highest one of them is the Tower of Jesus Christ. It is said that when this tower is completed, it will be as high as 566 feet (172.5m), the highest structure in the City of Barcelona. An article introduces this tower, “the tallest, which is in the center, will be 172.5 metres high, symbolizing Jesus Christ!” They say that this highest tower symbolizes Jesus Christ. In terms of height, however, it is similar more to the Tower of Babel or the Temple of Marduk.

 

Who are those who come closer to God? Are they those who have made great achievements or those who have reached the highest ground? No! They are those who humble themselves before God’s will. And they are those who willingly take the lowest ground in order to meet God’s will. Because of this, God humbles us so that He may get closer to us. God grinds our hearts as fine as the finest flour. It is for shaping us into the exact image that He desires. Verse 1 of today’s text says, “The Lord will have compassion on Jacob; once again he will choose Israel and will settle them in their own land.” Verse 3 also says, “The Lord gives you relief from your suffering and turmoil and from the harsh labor forced on you.” Using Babylon, God gave sufferings to Israel, and humbled the people. In Jeremiah 43:10, God called Nebuchadnezzar, “my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.” In God’s eye, he is nothing but a “rod” held in God’s hand. He is only an instrument set to be used in God’s works. However, he made a giant golden statue of himself, and ordered all the people fall down before the statue and worship him (Daniel 3). He also oppressed people under his rule and treated them with fury and cruelty. In Zechariah 1:14-16, the Lord God says, “I am very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion, and I am very angry with the nations that feel secure. I was only a little angry, but they went too far with the punishment.” Out of his jealous love, God tried to discipline his people “just a little” using the rod of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. Sympathizing this heart of God, Nebuchadnezzar should have treated the people gently. But the king of Babylon struck down them mercilessly with all his forces. And he provoked God’s wrath. God says he is jealous for Jerusalem, but he is very angry with Babylon. God showed his mercy to Jerusalem, but Babylon was to be brought down to the grave, to the depth of the pit (v. 15).

 

Verse 24 of today’s text says, “The Lord Almighty has sworn, ‘Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will happen.’” Verses 26-27 also say, “This is the plan determined for the whole world; this is the hand stretched out over all nations. For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?” These words tell what achievements we can make through our lives, and how. God declares, “as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will happen.” And nobody can thwart God against His purpose or turn God’s stretched hand back. Thus, the only way for us to make a meaningful achievement is having God’s heart and mind and participating in God’s plans, committing our whole life into God’s projects. And this was exactly the life of Jesus Christ. Jesus’ life is summarized into one word “humility.” But his humility is totally different from human humility. Jesus’ humility is “humility to obey God’s will.” In Mark 14:36, Jesus prays, “Abba, Father, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” On the cross, Jesus was lowered to the lowest bottom of the world. There was only pain, loneliness, and death. But Jesus declared, “It is finished.” This is Jesus’ achievement. He went down to the lowest position in obedience to God’s will. This is the “humility” meant in the Bible.

 

Biblically speaking, a man cannot attain any “achievement” throughout his life “even with his best achievements”. Only God’s wills are fulfilled, only God’s achievements are built up, and only God’s glory shines. In Luke 17:7-10, Jesus tells “the parable of unworthy servants.” “Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? Won’t he rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’” This word of Jesus Christ is quite unacceptable. The servant has worked hard in the field all day long, and when he comes back from the field, the master orders him to prepare his supper and wait on him while he is eating and drinking. Only after that, the servant is allowed to eat and drink. And even with all these works, he says, “I am an unworthy servant; I have only done my duty.” He has nothing to boast of or nothing to complain about. There is only God’s will and God’s work. We don’t have anything to build up. Accordingly, we always stand at the position of this unworthy servant. Under our feet, we don’t have any achievement that raises me up. In fact, this is the most secure place. Babylon ascended above the tops of the clouds. But he falls as deep as the ascent. He is brought down to the grave, the depths of the pit. He is even cast out of his tomb (19). His name is mocked, his land is deserted, and his descendants are cut off. All his glories become his shames.

 

These days, the tower of human civilization far exceeds Babylon. We humans have built up a tower higher than ever. And this tower will keep growing higher. This is the spirit of this age, and the spirit of each individual living this age. In Ephesians 2:2, Paul says, “in which (your transgressions and sins) you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.” According to this word, the spirit of this age is “the spirit of disobedience.” In disobedience, people compete with one another, and compete with God, thinking that we get higher and closer to the Gate of God. This is not the Gate of God. When Jesus humbled himself on the cross, the curtain of the temple was divided, and the tombs broke open (Matthew 27:51-52). The heaven was torn apart and the Spirit of God descended upon the believers. “Humility to obey God’s will” is truly the Gate of God. I pray that we may step down of our stony pride, whatever it is, and pour us into God like the finest flour so that we fade away into God and only God may be praised, “You are great and do marvelous deeds; You alone are God” (Psalm 86:10).