Thursday, November 28 – 2 Kings 17, Isaiah 13

1. Where did the king of Assyria take the captives of Israel? (2 Kings 17:6)

2. What does it say about the acts of apostasy of the children of Israel? (2 Kings 17:7-12)

3. To which two wicked cities of the past is Babylon compared? (Isaiah 13:19)

4. Could Babylon be rebuilt and inhabited again? (Isaiah 13:20-22)

Commentary and Reflection:

Today’s reading in 2 Kings and Isaiah recounts the story of Hoshea, the last king of Israel. Although his name was the same as a prophet, this king of Israel was an idolater who rebelled against God. As a result, the forces of the Assyrian king Shalmaneser invaded the kingdom of Israel. When Shalmaneser discovered Hoshea’s secret plan to seek help from So, king of Egypt, he captured Samaria, the capital of Israel, taking the people into captivity. This led to the relocation of thousands of pagan foreigners to Samaria, creating a mixed race that would later define the Samaritans, even in the time of Jesus. Despite turning away from God, the people of Samaria were still protected by Him, as He sent a plague of lions to trouble the foreign invaders. Nevertheless, Israel became paganized, absorbing the various religions brought by the foreign inhabitants. What a tragic story of a people who had the privilege of serving the living God but turned to follow false gods!

When disasters come upon us, it is not because God sends them but because we have abandoned Him. The Lord allows these calamities to awaken and draw us back after we have strayed from Him. When we walk in God’s ways, He always protects us. This doesn’t mean we are exempt from hardship, for we live in a sinful world, but divine protection will be with us to deliver us in times of need.

The prophecy of Isaiah 13 is given one hundred years before Babylon’s peak of power and splendor. The new Babylonian Empire, restored by Nabopolassar in 605 B.C., later conquered the kingdom of Judah. By this time, Israel had already fallen to the Assyrians, and now Judah, having also strayed from God, was taken captive by Babylon.

Yet Isaiah 13 prophesied a century before that this mighty Babylonian kingdom would eventually fall to the Medo-Persians in 539 B.C. Picture this: around 720 years before Christ, though God had revealed Babylon’s future dominance over Judah, He had also foretold that this great power would ultimately collapse.

When Saddam Hussein tried to rebuild the ruins of Babylon near Baghdad, aiming to restore the glory of the ancient empire, he minted coins bearing Nebuchadnezzar’s profile and his, declaring himself to be a new “Nebuchadnezzar.” However, his dreams crumbled; he never succeeded in restoring the ancient city. Little did he know that instead of sitting on a Babylonian throne, he would end up hanging for the atrocities he committed against his people. God’s Word declares that Babylon “will never be inhabited.” Woe to anyone who attempts to defy this divine pronouncement!

Isaiah 13:22 assures us that the day of destruction is “near to come.” Indeed, Sennacherib destroyed the city in 689 B.C. while Isaiah was still alive. Although Isaiah did not witness this event firsthand, he knew his prophecy was fulfilled. However, Babylon was later rebuilt and reached its zenith under Nabopolassar and then Nebuchadnezzar, who adorned it with the Hanging Gardens, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

God had a purpose in allowing Babylon’s temporary restoration. The Jews were to be taken captive to this city to be cured of idolatry. Furthermore, the prophetic ministry of Daniel was yet to unfold, reaching even to the end times, including the remarkable revelations concerning the Heavenly Sanctuary and the Messiah’s role as both the Lamb and High Priest. Finally, in 539 B.C., Babylon fell to Cyrus of the Medo-Persians. It was further dismantled under Alexander the Great, with some mighty stones repurposed to build the city of Seleucia by the Tigris River. Today, the prophetic declaration still resonates over the desolate ruins of what was once the most magnificent city: “Babylon will never be inhabited again!”

May you have a blessed day.