“They come from distant countries, from beyond the farthest horizons. They are the Lord’s weapons to carry out his anger. With them he will destroy the whole land. Scream in terror, for the day of the Lord has arrived— the time for the Almighty to destroy.
For see, the day of the Lord is coming— the terrible day of his fury and fierce anger. The land will be made desolate, and all the sinners destroyed with it. The heavens will be black above them; the stars will give no light. The sun will be dark when it rises, and the moon will provide no light.
Everyone in Babylon will run about like a hunted gazelle, like sheep without a shepherd. They will try to find their own people and flee to their own land.
Babylon, the most glorious of kingdoms, the flower of Chaldean pride, will be devastated like Sodom and Gomorrah when God destroyed them.
Hyenas will howl in its fortresses, and jackals will make dens in its luxurious palaces. Babylon’s days are numbered; its time of destruction will soon arrive.”
Isaiah 13:5-6, 9-10, 14, 19, 22 NLT
The apocalyptic language of Isaiah 13 is grim reading. The prophetic judgement that will fall on “Babylon” will come on “the day of the Lord”, with terrible things about to happen. Those familiar with the plagues described in Revelation will immediately notice the similarity of the events. One verse that is repeated several times in Scripture is verse 10, “The heavens will be black above them; the stars will give no light. The sun will be dark when it rises, and the moon will provide no light”. Jesus said to His disciples, and after the time of tribulation, quoting Joel 2:10, “Immediately after the anguish of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will give no light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken” (Matthew 24:29). There is also a reference to cosmic disasters in Revelation 6.
But Babylon represents the ultimate, global system of sin and opposition to God. Isaiah 13 historically forecasted the fall of the ancient Babylonian empire, but Revelation 17-18 uses the name Babylon the Great as a symbol for the end-time, worldly system of evil and commercial corruption that faces final judgment. In Revelation 17:4-5, we read, “The woman wore purple and scarlet clothing and beautiful jewellery made of gold and precious gems and pearls. In her hand, she held a gold goblet full of obscenities and the impurities of her immorality. A mysterious name was written on her forehead: “Babylon the Great, Mother of All Prostitutes and Obscenities in the World””. And then, over the page, we find, “He gave a mighty shout: “Babylon is fallen—that great city is fallen! She has become a home for demons. She is a hideout for every foul spirit, a hideout for every foul vulture and every foul and dreadful animal” (Revelation 18:2). The scriptures weren’t referring to a literal Babylon because that was destroyed many years before Jesus came, but the sin and evil that made the city of Babylon great, at least in the world’s eyes, were the very things that God would eventually have to judge and destroy. Today, in our countries and societies, the spirit of Babylon is alive and unfortunately well, but it won’t last forever.
In Isaiah 13:6, we read, “Scream in terror, for the day of the Lord has arrived— the time for the Almighty to destroy”. The “day of the Lord” is also referred to in Revelation 6:17, “For the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to survive?” And there are other references and similarities between Isaiah 13 and Revelation’s plagues of trumpets and bowls. It’s a fascinating read to compare the plagues in Egypt, the destruction of Babylon in Isaiah 13 and the chapters in Revelation that describe the end-time judgements.
But Isaiah 13 and the events in Revelation were not primarily given to satisfy our curiosity about the future. Instead, they reveal the character and purposes of God. We learn that God is patient, but He will not tolerate evil forever. Another feature is that human power and pride are only temporary, and nations and empires are accountable to God. Ultimately, He will defeat evil and will rescue and vindicate His people. As we look back over history, we see that it is moving towards God’s appointed conclusion. So we learn that “Babylon”, the world system, may appear powerful and evil may appear entrenched. The world may appear chaotic as we look on at man-made and natural events, but God has appointed a day when He will put everything right. That day may not come in our lifetimes (of course, it might – we just don’t know), but come it will.
The same God who judged Babylon will ultimately defeat every power that opposes His kingdom. For us pilgrims, therefore, the Day of the Lord is not simply a message of judgment. It is also a message of hope. Evil will not have the final word. Suffering will not last forever. The kingdoms of this world will pass away, but the kingdom of God will endure. Until that day, we are called not to live in fear, but in faithfulness.
Dear Lord, when the world seems troubled and evil appears strong, help us to remember that You are sovereign over history. Give us faith to trust You, and courage to remain faithful. Please help us to stand firm in the promise that Your kingdom will ultimately triumph. Amen.
Being a Pilgrim 