[:en]SCRIPTURE: ISAIAH 13
“Wail, for the day of the Lord is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty. Because of this, all hands will go limp, every man’s heart will melt. Terror will seize them, pain and anguish will grip them; they will writhe like a woman in labor. They will look aghast at each other, their faces aflame” (Isaiah 13:6-8)
“See, the day of the Lord is coming – a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger – to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it” (Isaiah 13:9)
“I will punish the world for its evil, the wicked for their sins. I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty and will humble the pride of the ruthless. I will make man scarcer than pure gold, more rare than the gold of Ophir. Therefore, I will make the heavens tremble; and the earth will shake from its place at the wrath of the Lord Almighty, in the day of his burning anger” (Isaiah 13:11-13)
A PROPHECY AGAINST BABYLON
God announced judgment on Gentile nations as well as Judah and Israel. One day, Babylon will swallow up Assyria and take Judah captive. Then the Medes and Persians will defeat Babylon.
Isaiah saw a picture of how Babylon will be defeated. The wrath of God was coming to destroy the whole country. Terror will seize them, pain and anguish will grip them. The land will be made desolate. Sinners will be destroyed. Stars will not show light. Sun will be darkened. Heaven will tremble and the earth will shake. Those captured will fall by the swords. Infants will be dashed into pieces before their eyes. Houses will be looted and their wives ravished. The Medes will invade them. Young men will be stricken down. there will be no mercy on infants nor compassion on children. Babylon will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah. She will never be inhabited or lived in through all generations. Desert creatures such as jackals, owls, wild goats, hyenas will dwell there (vs. 9-8-19)
Today’s world is like Babylon. It seems so successful and progressive. People live like there is no God. But one day, when God’s judgment comes, the whole system will fall. Therefore, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers” (2 Corinthians 6:14)[:]