Isaiah’s Prophecy Against Babylon

The southern part of modern-day Iraq is the location of the ancient kingdom of Babylon, situated between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Babylon was a nation that despised and did not fear God. Its people were also given to idolatry, divination, necromancy, and other evil practices, which greatly angered God. Therefore, God used prophets to foretell the downfall of the Babylonian kingdom.

In the Book of Isaiah, God, through Isaiah, proclaimed prophecies against Assyria, Babylon, and other neighboring nations that caused trouble for Judah. Isaiah 13:1-14:27 is themed “God will punish Babylon,” and some Bible translations refer to it as “The Burden of Babylon.” The prophet first delivers prophecies concerning Assyria, then those concerning Babylon. When speaking of Assyria’s demise, Isaiah also prophesies the return of the people of Israel.

Through prophecies against foreign nations, God revealed that He is not just the God of Israel but the sovereign Lord of the universe and history. God disciplines His people with righteousness and will also justly deal with His enemies. God did not abandon His people but used the events that occurred among the nations to make them recognize His mighty power, their relationship with Him, and His eternal purpose, showing them the way forward.

In Abraham’s time, Babylon was a great power in Mesopotamia, but by Moses’ time, it had entered a period of decline, being superseded by the empires of Egypt, Assyria, and the Hittites. In Isaiah’s time, Babylon was just a small kingdom under Assyrian rule. The Judeans of that era completely misunderstood Isaiah’s prophecy, not comprehending Babylon’s relevance to them. While Isaiah was alive, the city of Babylon was completely destroyed by Sennacherib but was soon rebuilt by Sennacherib’s son.

Before Babylon’s rise, God first declared its downfall, bringing comfort and hope to the exiled people who would later fall under God’s discipline. A hundred years after Isaiah delivered his prophecy, Nebuchadnezzar established the Neo-Babylonian Empire, reaching the height of its power. Babylon became one of the most beautiful cities in the ancient world, and its splendor and beauty became the “glory of kingdoms.” To the people of that time, the prophet’s prophecy seemed incredible, as Babylon was then an extremely powerful nation, making its demise hard to imagine.

Later, the Babylonian Empire destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple and took the Southern Kingdom of Judah captive, fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy. The Medes and Persians conquered Babylon and continued to use it as their capital. Two hundred years after the prophecy was given, it was fulfilled. In 562 BC, King Nebuchadnezzar passed away. In the subsequent seven years, three different kings reigned, the nation’s power steadily declined, and internal strife broke out. As a result, the Medo-Persian forces captured the city of Babylon in a single night in 539 BC. Half a century later, a rebellion broke out in Babylon, and it was partially destroyed by Xerxes. Alexander the Great occupied Babylon in 331 BC, making this partially ruined city one of his capitals. When Seleucus I (312-280 BC) ruled the eastern part of Alexander’s empire, he moved the capital to Seleucia, and Babylon permanently lost its capital status.

Around 20 BC, the historian Strabo described it as a completely desolate place. Even the nomadic Arabs (referring to the Bedouin tribes frequenting the desert east of Israel) avoided the area, as it had become a sign of ill omen. By the time of Trajan (98-117 AD), it was completely deserted. God’s prophecy concerning Babylon has been fulfilled; the city of Babylon has never been rebuilt and remains a ruin to this day. [Isaiah 13:20-22] “It will never be inhabited or lived in from generation to generation; no Arab will pitch his tent there, no shepherds will rest their flocks there. But desert creatures will lie down there, and howling owls will fill her houses; ostriches will dwell there, and wild goats will dance there. Hyenas will howl in her citadels, and jackals in her luxurious palaces. Her time is near, and her days will not be prolonged.”

When Isaiah made these prophecies, the events had not yet occurred and were very distant. However, when they did happen, God’s people saw the accurate fulfillment of God’s word in the observable facts. Therefore, no matter how many changes occur in the future, they can still live in hope. Today, we too should look at these historical facts and see the faithfulness of God’s word. This will lead our thoughts and minds to the hope of faith, allowing us to live in the expectation of Christ’s return.