13A PROPHECY ABOUT BABYLON As the prophet spoke of the Lord Christ and His glory, he did not want anyone to think that this thing will happen in his time, or in the near future. That is why he prophesied about Babylon, and what is going to happen to the people during the Babylonian captivity, and their return from captivity. Before the first coming of the Lord Christ, the kingdom of Babylon appeared with all its might, to get destroyed afterwards. The Messiah then came to reign, with no end to His reign. The same thing is to occur on His second coming, when the kingdom of the antichrist would appear, like the kingdom of Babylon, to oppose the Church and to prevail over the world, then eventually to collapse before the Lord of glory, who will come on the clouds. Babylon and all the other fierce nations represent opposition to God and His Church. The prophecy here came to tell that all the forces opposing God, His Christ, and His people, will eventually collapse and fall. 1. A prophecy about Babylon 1. 2. A call to the nations to fight Babylon 2-5. 3. The day Babylon was destroyed 6-22. 1. A PROPHECY ABOUT BABYLON “The burden against Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw.” (Is. 13: 1) The prophet wanted to confirm that he was the author of that prophecy proclaimed against Babylon. As to the confirmation that he was the one who saw it, that was for two reasons: a. If Isaiah had prophesied about Judah and Jerusalem, he is now talking about the destiny of the neighboring countries; a confirmation that the God of saints is Himself the God of all nations. b. As Babylon was not taken into seriously at that time, it was rather difficult for anyone to believe the prophecies concerning it. The word ‘prophecy’ in Hebrew is ‘massah,’ translated in the Targum, Vulgate, and Syrian versions as ‘burden.’ That was probably on account of, that the prophet, due to his gentle nature, had a feeling of bitterness that weighed upon him like a burden, toward the troubles and divine chastisements that are to happen to these nations. Although he knew that they have earned them, and will finally turn to their benefit, yet, as a man of God, he was filled with sorrow. With such a spirit, the early Church used to chastise, yet with love and compassion, never to close the door of repentance before sinners, even those who denied faith. Novatius and his likes were considered heretics, because of their harsh attitude toward sinners. And as St. Ambrose says concerning them: [By this, they condemned their corrupt teaching; denying their authority to loosen they also denied their authority to bind... What should I say of their arrogance? It contradicts the Spirit of the Lord who tends more toward mercy. The Judge, who has the right to chastise, is, through His mercy, the forgiver! When He says, “For I desire mercy and not sacrifice.” (Hosea 6: 6) How can He receive offerings from those who deny mercy? He who says, “For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies, says the Lord God. Repent and live” (Ezekiel 18: 32) 1.] Certain scholars believe that what was mentioned about Babylon in chapters 13 and 14 are not by the prophet Isaiah, basing their view on the following grounds: a. Babylon at that time has been closely allied with Judah (Is. 39); how could he proclaim such a harsh prophecy against it? b. Babylon has been, out of weakness, submitted to Assyria. c. According to the prophecy, it seems that Israel would be captivated to Babylon. To respond to this, we say that the prophet spoke of the future with the spirit of prophecy. So he referred to chastising Israel by Assyria, then to the situation of Babylon later on, when it becomes a great kingdom after the destruction of Assyria; to the captivity of the people and their return; and finally to the coming of Immanuel, the Savior, at the fulfillment of time. The prophet talks about the future as a present, he is living through, which was natural to all prophets, in order to confirm that what they proclaim is to be eventually fully realized. We cannot also ignore that the prophet who happened to present such details on the Person of the Lord Christ, His life, His redeeming work, and features of His time can surely prophesy on establishing the kingdom of Babylon, and the captivity of the people by it, something to be realized after about 100 years of the proclamation of that prophecy. The prophet Jeremiah, later on, during the Babylonian time, echoed the same cries of Isaiah. Lastly, the prophet Isaiah’s talk about the return from Assyrian captivity (Is. 11) and his warnings concerning the Babylonian captivity (Is. 39) indicate that that topic was not far from his thoughts. 2. A CALL TO THE NATIONS TO FIGHT BABYLON The greatness of Babylon was not yet there, but the prophet saw it coming, its capital a city of nobles. That is why he begins his prophecy concerning it by God’s persuasion of the nations to join forces against Babylon, to break through its gates, and to trample on its pride, saying, “Lift up a banner on a bare hilltop.”(Is. 13: 2). God is issuing a decree to declare a war against Babylon, by inviting the nations to lift up a banner on the top of a mountain bare of trees, to let it be easily seen by all the armies, as a declaration of war. “Raise your voice to them. Wave your hand that they may enter the gates of the noble (the mighty).” (Is. 13: 2) He encourages the forces to break through the city of the nobles with courage. What is Babylon, but that arrogant soul, which we have to overcome, not by banners of war, by the voices of horns, nor by waving of human hands, but through lifting up the banner of love that of our crucified Christ, to say, “His banner over me was love.” (Song 2: 4) Let us blow the horn of the gospel, joyful to the souls. Let us stretch the hand of practical love, to support the weak soul, humiliated by pride. That way, we overcome the soul, by the Spirit of the Lord working in us, to draw it to His heavenly kingdom, through the spiritual war, active by divine grace, and not by human work. The talk here is far greater than to be confined to a call to Persia and Medes to declare war against the great empire of Babylon. It is rather an invitation concerned with the eternal salvation of the soul. That is why he goes on saying, “I have commanded My sanctified ones. I have also called My mighty ones for My anger - 1 On Repentance 1. those who rejoice in My exaltation. The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like that of many people! A tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together! The Lord of hosts musters the army for battle. They come from a far country, from the end of heaven. Even the Lord and His weapons of indignation, to destroy the whole land.” (Is. 13: 3-5) In this text, it is to be noticed: (1) Who are those sanctified ones, referred to God, to be used in that battle? Some believe that they were the military leaderships of Persia and Medes, called to a holy war, not because they were saints in their life or their faith, but because God invited them to realize, unaware, His holy goals, and granted them the strength to act. They were counted as God’s heroes, despite their disbelief in Him; like the pagan king Cyrus, who was called “God’s anointed,” whose right hand God held to trample nations before him etc. (Is. 45: 1). Such is the amazing goodness of God; turning the works and energies of even the wicked, to the growth of His kingdom and the edification of souls. If God calls the pagans who have overcome Babylon, ‘His sanctified,’ how will He consider His children, the ‘spiritual soldiers,’ who are truly His saints, being chosen for the holy spiritual work, who are fighting against the devil, and all his evil acts, for the sake of sanctifying their depths, and those of others, through gaining them by divine love. He calls them His ‘heroes,’ as they work by His strength and His Holy Spirit, and counts them as “those who rejoice in my exaltation,” realizing the glory of the great name of God. The saintly Fathers believe that Baptism is an entrance into spiritual military corps. The seal of the Holy Spirit signs those who are baptized, to be counted as spiritual soldiers for the kingdom of the Lord. As each of you comes and presents himself before the Lord, in the presence of the uncountable angelic hosts. The Holy Spirit puts His sign on your souls, to be counted among the hosts of the Great King2. St. Cyril of Jerusalem As a seal is put on soldiers, the Holy Spirit is put on believers3. St. John Chrysostom Whoever receives the bath of renewal likens a novice soldier who is placed among veterans; yet to prove his worthiness for that honor4. St. Gregory of Nyssa (2) “A tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together! The Lord of hosts musters the army for battle.” (Is. 13: 4) What is that noise, but the noise of the Church gathering together in the spirit of love and unity on the holy mountains, to enjoy the exalted life. She dwells on the summit of blessed commandments, not at the plains. She is gathered from numerous kingdoms and nations, as “an army with banners.” (Songs 6: 10) There are numerous Churches, of various cultures, yet, through the one faith and one thought, live as a heavenly spiritual army. This is the sign of the true Church; a heavenly Church! The apostle Paul says, “We all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, such as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 3: 18) 2 PG. 33:333A, 428 A. 3 PG. 61:418. 4 PG. 46. 429C. Many, who have waged war against the Church, perished, but the Church soared up in the skies. The Church is your hope, salvation, and refuge. It is higher than heaven, and wider than the world. St. John Chrysostom5 “They come from a far country, from the end of heaven. Even the Lord and His weapons of indignation, to destroy the whole land.” (Is. 13: 5) The Church gathers together “from a far country.” Most of her members were before pagans attached to the world, foreigners to the house of God. But they became now the Lord’s heaven and sanctuary, destroying worldly thoughts and earthly love, to carry others to experience heavenly life. It is as though the destruction of land, means destruction of the closure of the heart around the earthly things, to open to heaven. And as St. Clement of Alexandria says, [The land, for the (Gnostic) believer turns into heaven.] That is from the allegoric side; but literally, God has called on Nations: Persia and Medes, to use them to destroy the great land of Babylon. 3. THE DAY BABYLON WAS DESTROYED The prophet presents to us a horrible portrait of the day Babylon was destroyed on the hands of Persia and Medes, as the day of the Lord, in which He proclaims His wrath on Babylon His opponent and that of His children. Cyrus who, though he, himself, was not that fierce, but his army has been savage and wild realized that. The troops destroyed Babylon, not to loot its treasures, as much as for the sake of shedding blood. Some believe that what actually took place, is going to happen on a larger and more comprehensive scale at the end of time, as recorded in the book of Revelation (17), concerning “the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, the great Babylon, mother of harlots.” I say that this prophecy proclaims what is to happen to the kingdom of the devil, not just in the last days, but in the heart of every one who receives the Lord Christ as a King, to establish in it a new Jerusalem in place of Babylon the harlot; that is to say, to establish His holy city in place of the kingdom of the devil. a. The prophet says, “Wail, for the day of the Lord is at hand! It will come as destruction from the Almighty. Therefore all hands will be limp.” (Is. 13: 6) Babylon became the mistress of the whole world. God was longsuffering toward it for years. Yet, the Babylonians, getting far with their pride of heart and their arrogance even toward the Lord Himself, He caused them to fall under His wrath, and their fierce hands to get limp and so weak to be able to bear their arms, to become the subject of mockery. This is the image of the devil as revealed by St. John Chrysostom in a letter to his fallen friend Theodore, saying that the devil appears fierce and mighty, yet, as we bear our Christ, he becomes weak and collapses. And in an essay about: the authority of man to oppose the devil, he says, [The devil is evil; I admit that. But he is evil as far as himself is concerned, and not to us, as long as we are cautious. This is the nature of evil. It is destructive for those who attach themselves solely to him6.] b. “Every man’s heart will melt, and they will be afraid.” (Is. 13: 7, 8) Thus all will be overcome by fear and horror - men, women, youth, elders and children - all 5 On Eutropius, hom 2. 6 Ep. To the fallen Theodore, 2. will collapse, nobody will be able to support his brother, but everyone will destroy himself as well as all those around him! The source of their fear is their deprivation of the fear of God. He who fears God does not fear any man or event, but becomes filled with joy and peace. It is said: “The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.” (Psalm 111: 10) And St. Ephram the Syrian says, [Brother, let the fear of God be in your heart, as a weapon in hand7.] c. “They will be in pain as a woman in childbirth.” (Is, 13: 8) They have inside them the fruit of evil, and will deliver its bitterness. It is strange that the Holy Bible likens the pains of the evil ones to the pains of labor, and likewise the pains of believers (John 16: 21). The formers cry out with fear and despair, as they would bring forth only wind (Is. 26: 18), while the others would rejoice amid the bangs of pain, “ for a human being has been born into the world” (John 16: 20). d. “Their faces will be like flames,” (Is. 13: 8) red with shame, because of their cowardice; and sometimes pale, because of their fear. e. “To lay the land desolate; and He will destroy its sinners from it.” (Is. 13: 9) As a symbol of all what would happen to the body (the earth), of loss of all true vitality. Whoever opposes the Lord for the sake of carnal desires will lose even his body, and will have his inner soul destroyed; as it is said: “Therefore I will shake the heavens (the soul), and the earth (the body) will move out of her place.” (Is. 13: 13) He probably refers here to the anger of nature against whoever disobeys its Creator. As though, who disobeys the Lord will be disobeyed by nature itself! f. “The stars of heaven and their constellations will not give their light. The sun will be darkened in its going forth. And the moon will not cause its light to shine.” (Is. 13: 10) This refers to the darkness of ignorance that befalls whoever opposes the Lord. He would not see the light of all the stars including the sun and the moon. He would not see the Sun of righteousness, namely, faith in Christ, who is capable to grant him wisdom and knowledge. He would not see the light of the moon, namely, the life of the Church, enlightened by the Lord, being the moon that reflects the light of the sun. And would not enjoy the light of other stars, namely, the fellowship with the saints, who emit light as shining stars. g. Men will be killed in war; and as women in Babylon were used to loosened life, so when they seek men to fulfill their ugly lusts, they are unable to find them. “I will make a mortal more rare than fine gold; a man more than the golden wedge of Ophir.” (Is. 13: 12) Ophir was probably located south east of Arabia, or somewhere on the western frontier of India. That may also refer to the scarcity of manpower because of war, together with the return of the captives, and the nations getting free of the Babylonian authority. h. “It shall be as the hunted gazelle, and as a sheep that no man takes up. Every man will turn to his own people, and every one will flee to his own land.” (Is. 13: 14) A sign of loss of leadership and care; on the day of the defeat of Babylon, the army loses its leadership; so the mercenary forces from nations would return, each to his own land. That would be the condition of a soul that is away from God. It would lose its inner leadership, so that man leads a life like a fugitive, or like sheep with no القمص سمعان السریاني: سیرة وأقوال مار آف ا رم السریاني، 1988 ، ص 7 .123 shepherd to keep together. He carries within himself bitter conflicts, a distracted mind, together with destroyed inner energies. i. A total devastation for all, with no distinction between military and civil, man, woman, or child (Is. 13: 15). Here he portrays what Persia and Medes will do against Babylon. As they “do not regard silver, and do not delight in gold; their bows will dash the young men to pieces; and will have no pity on the fruit of the womb... And Babylon... will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.” (Is. 13: 17, 18, 10) j. “(Babylon) will never be inhabited, nor it will be settled from generation to generation; nor will the Arabian pitch tents there, nor will the shepherds make their sheepfolds there, but wild beasts of the desert will be there.” (Is. 13: 20, 21) It will be desolate, its houses full of owls, ostriches, wild goats, hyenas, and jackals. Abbot Serenius says, [We should not take these names lightly, as they refer to the beastly and fierce nature of the demons, symbolized by the wild beasts, though more evil8.] It is a portrait of the soul that submits to the evil one, to use for the kingdom of darkness to fill it with evil, and to convert it to a plant for corruption: “Wild beasts of the desert will lie there” (Is. 13: 21) to be inhabited by violence, fierceness, and love of shedding innocent blood for no reason whatsoever. “Their houses will be full of owls.” (Is. 13: 21) Most eastern peoples consider an owl’s voice as a bad omen. As though, nothing is to be heard within an evil man, except voices of despair and pessimism that reveal an inner void. “Ostriches will dwell there.” (Is. 13: 21) An ostrich is full of uncleanness (Leviticus 11: 16; Deuteronomy 14: 15); with mourning voice (Micah 1: 8); lacking heavenly joy; of hard and cruel nature even toward its own eggs (Lamentations 4: 3); burying its head in the sand when a hunter approaches it. It was previously assumed that it does that because it thinks that the hunter would not see it; but it is now known that it is actually out of cowardice, to see itself falling a victim to hunters. “Wild goats will caper there.” (Is. 13: 21) As these animals are only found in the wild places so also the demons will caper and have fun in the evil soul. “The hyenas will howl in their citadels, and jackals in their pleasant palaces,” (Is. 13: 22) namely the palaces and temples will be transferred from pleasant places into a dwelling place for the wild beasts. All that happened to Babylon, which was considered as “the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldeans’s pride,” (Is. 13: 19) “the golden city,” (Is. 14: 4) “the abundant in treasures” (Jeremiah 51: 13), and “the praise of the whole earth” (Jeremiah 51: 41). It was likened to the golden head of the statue that was mentioned in the book of Daniel. Prophecies about it were literally realized. History states that Cyrus destroyed a great part of Babylon’s walls and buildings; and after 20 years, Darius destroyed what remained of them, and took away its brass gates, beside crucifying 3000 of its elite. It is claimed that the walls of Babylon were 60 miles long, 300 feet high, and 80 feet thick. They were wide enough for 6 chariots to go one beside the other over it9. Its foundation went down 35 feet deep, to make it impossible for an enemy to dig a way beneath it. On the walls 250 watching towers were set, leading through them were 100 huge shining brass gates. Eventually Babylon transformed into ruins; Alexander the Great tried to restore its glory, but died before he could. Its stones were used in building Baghdad, and several of its public buildings. 8 Cassian: Conf. 7:32. 9 Bultema, p. 158. Lastly, the prophet confirmed that what he said would be soon realized: “Her days will not be prolonged.” (Is. 13: 22) Babylon’s stars began to shine in the year 606 B.C.; to fall to Persia and Medes in 536 B.C.; while the prophecy came in the eighth century B.C. Babylon remained a symbol of every soul, proud and rebellious, as, according to the book of revelation: “In one hour (its) judgment has come.” (Revelation 18: 10)
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