In a trio of short prophecies, Isaiah sees many painful days ahead for several nations. We note there is some variation in how this chapter is read among scholars. However, the basic message is too obvious. The scope of suffering these three must endure is what ties them together.
Before it was built up, the area of Babylon was just a salt marsh. The whole region upward from the shore of the Persian Gulf (which had then a northern shore far inland from where it rests today) even today is pretty much a wilderness. When the city was built, during times when the hands of maintenance were lax, the canals quickly became brackish pools. So it is this kingdom on the shore is essentially built up from the wilderness. In spiritual terms, it remained a wilderness while it stood.
More than a century into Isaiah's future, Babylon would rise up and throw off the Assyrian yoke. In so doing, they would have the help of their allies, the Medes and Persians. While Babylon lives her short time of glory, the Medo-Persian Empire is welded together under Cyrus, whose driving theme is his new religion, Zoroastrianism. Perhaps his new devotion gave him release from his nation's alliance with Babylon. At any rate, the Medo-Persian Empire is seen as deceiving and treacherous in their dealings with Babylon. Because the Persians arose from the eastern slope of the Zagros Mountains, and very early conquered the Elamites just over on the west slope of the same mountains, Isaiah calls the Persians "Elam," and recognizes the Medes by their homeland, Media.
This conquest by the Medo-Persian forces was quite bloody, and it would have been gut-wrenching as visions go. The Fall of Babylon is a tale well established, of Belshazzar with no accomplishments, attempting to play the bigshot with the nobles by throwing a big party. Their watchmen partied, too, and the princes had not bothered to bring the typical ceremonial battle garb. So the whole thing came upon the city utterly defenseless. Had there been a watchman, he might have seen the characteristic first wave riders on chariots pulled by horses, onagers, or even camels. These were quite common in Persian assault troops.
The watchman symbolizes the spiritual man who sees with spiritual eyes. The futility of calling out to God's people to turn back to Him and be faithful is seen in all the power God gathers to conquer the Nation of Israel, too. The watchman cries with all his passion (literally, "He cried as a lion"). But nothing stops the doom. So while he is watching, along comes a charioteer with news of the battle. Babylon is fallen carries a massive weight of meaning not obvious from a quick reading. As a pagan nation, it is most surely fallen, but as the symbol of all the worst in man's sins, where everything can be had for a price, and nothing else really matters. Eventually, this will bring Babylon down in a literal sense, but woe to those who pull from the ashes that same materialistic attitude of life.
So it is, Isaiah warns there is in the Fall of Babylon both good and bad news. For the Exiles, it will mean they can come home to Judea. The bad news is the whole region of Canaan Land is in for a series of very brutal conquests. Isaiah refers to his people as those about to be threshed for their sins.
"Dumah" is obviously Edom, and scholars guess it is play on words, for it means a place which is quiet and empty. Edom was, of course, the nation which arose from Esau. The land was quite rich in mineral resources, particularly copper and sulfur. It was also a toll booth on the ancient Kings Highway, running from the upper crossing of the Euphrates down to the port at Ezion Geber, or the Way of Shur to the Nile Delta. The small nation was quite rich, but typically rejected Esau's God.
So it was the Edomites were in for some bad times. Assyria made them pay a crushing tribute in copper, but so did Babylon and Persians. More than once the main cities were nearly leveled in reprisals for rebellion. Should they have come to the Temple to ask of the Lord their fate, He would tell them nothing because they reject Him as Lord. So He tells them, "If you want to enquire of Me, you must do so as My servants. Come back to Me as your Lord." Half measures of devotion would not be acceptable.
There were a wide array of Arabian tribes scattered on the periphery of the settled lands in Palestine. Dedan and Kedar were ascendant among those tribes during Isaiah's lifetime. Dedan could be quite friendly, known for rescuing those who became lost in their grazing lands. Assyria crushed them at some point, making Tema an alternate palace of the empire. Assyria also enslaved a large portion of Kedar who had long struggled to remain independent. Again, Isaiah uses the image of man under a labor bond -- when the termination draws near, he will work less and be likely to leave a little early. This came in just under a year from the prophecy Isaiah records here.
At times these were all rivals and enemies of Israel. Yet Isaiah cannot help but be stirred by the suffering in store for them. Such sorrow cannot avoid touching Israel, for she is hardly any better in God's eyes, in a sense.
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By Ed Hurst
15 October 2008
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