Lesson #15

ISAIAH 14:1-25
Lesson #15
THE BURDEN OF BABYLON CONTINUES

• MEMORY VERSE: ISAIAH 14:5

• CHAPTER 14 CONTINUES THE “BURDEN OF BABYLON (SHINAR)” BEGUN IN CHAPTER 13. HOWEVER, THIS IS A SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT CHAPTER BECAUSE IT COVERS SO MANY DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF TIME AND SCOPE.
• FOR EXAMPLE, IT COVERS THE DISTANT PAST AND THE DISTANT FUTURE.
• IT COVERS EVENTS ON EARTH, EVENTS IN HEAVEN, AND EVENTS IN HELL.
• REMEMBER THAT “THE DAY OF THE LORD” CONSISTS OF DARKNESS AND LIGHT. WE SEE BOTH LIGHT AND DARKNESS IN THIS CHAPTER.

• READ ISA 14:1-8
• WHAT PERIOD OF TIME IS THIS PROPHECY MEANT TO PORTRAY?
• WE BEGIN WHERE WE LEFT OFF IN CHAPTER 13…AT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST TO SET UP HIS MILLENNIAL KINGDOM ON EARTH.
• GENTILES WILL SERVE THE JEWS DURING THE MILLENNIUM. (2)
• ALL THROUGH HISTORY THE JEWS HAVE NEVER RULED AND REIGNED TO THE EXTENT THAT GOD PROMISED DAVID. THE KINGDOM UNDER SOLOMON ACHIEVED ITS GREATEST GLORY, BUT THAT FELL FAR SHORT OF GOD’S PROMISE.
• ALL THROUGH HISTORY THE SURROUNDING NATIONS OF ISRAEL NEVER CEASED TO THREATEN, ROB, AND PLUNDER ISRAEL.
• THE PURPOSE OF THIS SECTION IN ISAIAH IS TO SHOW THAT THE SURROUNDING NATIONS WILL PAY FOR THAT HISTORIC LEGACY.
• THE MILLENNIUM WILL BE A TIME OF PEACE BETWEEN GENTILE AND JEW. (3)
• DURING THE MILLENNIUM, THERE WILL BE NO MORE ONE-WORLD FALSE RELIGION OF THE ANTI-CHRIST AND FALSE PROPHET (4)
• DURING THE TRIBULATION, MANY JEWS WILL BELIEVE THAT THE ANTICHRIST IS THEIR MESSIAH.
• HOWEVER, DURING THE MILLENNIUM, BELIEVING JEWS WILL REJOICE THAT THAT LIE HAS BEEN EXPOSED AND THE ANTICHRIST HAS BEEN DESTROYED.
• ALL THE EVIL WORLD RULERS THAT BROUGHT THEIR ARMIES TO THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON WILL BE DESTROYED. (VERSES 5-6)
• IN FACT, AT THE START OF THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM THERE WILL BE NO NON-BELIEVERS.
• THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM IS ALL PEACE AND JOY WITH NO FEAR OF OTHER NATIONS. (7-8)
• READ ISA 14:9-11
• “SHEOL” = THE PLACE OF THE DEAD WAITING FOR FINAL JUDGMENT.
• WHO IS BEING SENT TO SHEOL?
• NOTICE THAT ALL THE KINGS AND POLITICAL LEADERS OF ALL NATIONS THROUGH ALL TIME WHO WERE NON-BELIEVERS ARE THERE.
• NOTICE THE COMING OF THIS ALL IMPORTANT MAN…THE GREATEST DIABOLICAL LEADER OF ALL TIME, IS THERE.
• NOTICE THAT DEATH IS THE GREAT LEVELER. HIS WEALTH AND POWER, IMPORTANCE AND CHARISMA MEAN NOTHING IN THE END.
• NOTICE THOSE PEOPLE THAT MARVEL AT HIS WEAKNESS ARE THERE. THE ANTICHRIST IS NO DIFFERENT THAN EVERY OTHER HUMAN NON-BELIEVING LEADER OF THE WORLD.
• READ ISA 14:12-17 THE FALL OF LUCIFER, SON OF THE MORNING
• WE USUALLY SPEAK ABOUT THIS PASSAGE AS THE FALL OF LUCIFER SOMETIME BEFORE THE GARDEN OF EDEN IN GENESIS 3.
• IT OCCURS HERE IN ISAIAH TO INDICATE THAT IT IS SATAN WHO IS BEHIND THE EVIL NATIONS OF THIS WORLD.
• READ EZE 28:12-19 AND LUK 10:18
• THE TITLE, “LUCIFER, SON OF THE MORNING”
• THE NAME “LUCIFER” MEANS “LIGHT BEARER” OR “SHINING ONE”
• LUCIFER WAS THE LATIN NAME FOR THE PLANET VENUS, THE BRIGHTEST OBJECT IN THE SKY APART FROM THE SUN AND MOON.
• IT APPEARED SOMETIMES IN THE EVENING AND SOMETIMES IN THE MORNING.
• THERE ARE MANY TRANSLATIONS OF THIS PHRASE DEPENDING ON WHICH ENGLISH VERSION OF THE BIBLE YOU READ.
• THE CORRECT HEBREW TRANSLATION IS “HOW ART THOU FALLEN FROM HEAVEN, O SHINING ONE, SON OF THE MORNING”
• SATAN PRESUMED TO BE THE MOST HIGH GOD BECAUSE OF HIS BRIGHTNESS AND BEAUTY. HE, THEREFORE, ASSUMED THE TITLE “MORNING STAR” FOR HIMSELF, BUT REV 22:16 TELLS US THAT THIS TITLE BELONGS TO JESUS CHRIST AS THE TRUE “MORNING STAR”.
• THE TITLE “SON OF THE DAWN” OR SON OF THE MORNING” REFERS TO THE FACT THAT LUCIFER WAS AN EARLY CREATION TO THE FAMILY OF GOD. (“SON” IN HEBREW MEANS MEMBER OF THE FAMILY. “DAWN” OR “MORNING” IN HEBREW ALSO MEANS EARLY.)

• THE CHARACTERISTICS OF LUCIFER (SATAN) FROM EZEKIEL AND ISAIAH:

EZEKIEL 28:12-19	ISAIAH 14:12-17
HE WAS PERFECT IN BEAUTY.	HE WAS CREATED AS A PERFECTLY BEAUTIFUL CREATURE FULL OF BRIGHTNESS.
HE WAS IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN.	HE ONCE HAD A POSITION IN HEAVEN BUT HAS FALLEN FROM GRACE.
HIS BEAUTY COMPARES TO ALL THE PRECIOUS STONES OF THE WORLD (VERY COLORFUL TO LOOK AT)	HIS FALL WEAKENED NATIONS BECAUSE LEADERS FALL FOR HIS DECEPTIONS. (JOH 12:31 EPH 2:1-3 DAN 10:20)
BEFORE HIS FALL HE WAS AN ANOINTED CHERUBIM THAT COVERED THE THRONE OF GOD.	HIS GREAT SIN WAS PRIDE. (THERE ARE 5 STATEMENTS “I WILL”)
HE HAD UNLIMITED ACCESS TO EVERY AREA OF GOD’S KINGDOM.	HE WANTED TO BE GOD, REPLACING THE ONE TRUE GOD.
GOD CREATED HIM WITH A PERFECT CHARACTER.	EVENTUALLY HE WILL BE BROUGHT DOWN TO HELL.
HE HAD FREE WILL TO CHOOSE TO COMMIT SIN.	WHEN THE LEADERS OF THE EARTH SEE HIM FOR WHO HE REALLY IS, THEY WILL MARVEL AT HIS WEAKNESS IN COMPARISON TO GOD.
THE RESULT OF HIS SIN CAUSED HIM TO DESIRE VIOLENCE.	HIS EVIL DESTRUCTIONS HAVE PLAGUED EARTH SINCE HIS FALL.
HIS SIN OF PRIDE CORRUPTED HIS WISDOM
THE KINGS OF THE EARTH WILL SEE HIS DESTRUCTION.
FIRE WILL BE HIS DESTRUCTION.
HE WILL NOT BRING DESTRUCTION ON EARTH FOREVER.

• LIKE ALL BIBLE PROPHECY, THERE IS A DOUBLE FULFILLMENT FOR THIS PROPHECY. WHEN IS THE SECOND FULFILLMENT?
• READ REV 12:3-4
• SATAN, WHO HAS NOT HAD A HOME IN HEAVEN SINCE HIS FALL IN AGES PAST, HAS HAD ACCESS TO HEAVEN.
• WE SEE HIM IN HEAVEN IN THE BOOK OF JOB AS HE CONFRONTS GOD ABOUT JOB.
• WE SEE HIM IN HEAVEN IN REV 12:10 WHERE HE IS CALLED “THE ACCUSER OF THE BRETHREN”. HE ACCUSES US BEFORE GOD DAY AND NIGHT.
• IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRIBULATION, HE IS FINALLY CAST OUT OF HEAVEN FOREVER, NEVER TO HAVE SUCH ACCESS AGAIN.
• WHEN THAT HAPPENS IN THE SPIRITUAL WORLD, HIS ACTIVITIES ARE LIMITED SOLELY TO THIS EARTH.
• HE, THEN, ENTERS INTO THE ANTICHRIST AND POSSESSES HIM COMPLETELY TO REIGN HAVOC ON THIS EARTH DURING THE LAST THREE AND A HALF YEARS OF THE TRIBULATION.
• READ ISA 14:18-25 DESTRUCTION OF BABYLON
• THE CHAPTER AGAIN RETURN S TO THE DESTRUCTION OF BABYLON.
• REMEMBER THAT BABYLON, THE WORLD FALSE RELIGION, WAS CONTROLLED BY SATAN IN TIMES PAST (AT THE TOWER OF BABEL) AND WILL BE CONTROLLED BY SATAN IN THE TRIBULATION.
• THE REMNANT CUT OFF (22)
• THE REMNANT HERE IS THE REMNANT OF UNGODLY MEN THAT HAVE PERPETUATED THE WORLD FALSE RELIGION DOWN THROUGH HISTORY FROM THE TIME OF THE TOWER OF BABEL TO THE WORLD-WIDE ACCEPTANCE OF IT IN THE TRIBULATION AS THE WORLD FALSE RELIGION LED BY THE ANTICHRIST AND THE FALSE PROPHET.
• THE FINAL DESTRUCTION OF THE WORLD FALSE RELIGION AND ITS CITY, BABYLON. (22-23)
• AT THE END OF THE TRIBULATION WHEN CHRIST COMES, HE WILL DESTROY THIS RELIGION AND THE CITY THAT HOUSES ITS HEADQUARTERS..
• THE FINAL DESTRUCTION OF THE LEADERS OF THIS WORLD FALSE RELIGION (24-25).
• REMEMBER “THE ASSYRIAN” IS A PROPHETIC NAME FOR THE ANTICHRIST.
• THE DESTRUCTION OF THE ANTI-CHRIST AND THE FALSE PROPHET OCCUR AT THE SECOND COMING WHEN THEY ARE THROWN INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE.
• IN OTHER WORDS, THESE TWO MEN WILL BE INDIVIDUALLY JUDGED AND CAST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE FOR ETERNITY ABOUT A THOUSAND YEARS BEFORE ALL OTHER NON-BELIEVERS ARE JUDGED AT THE GREAT WHITE THRONE.
• OF COURSE, THE IMMEDIATE FULFILLMENT IN ISAIAH’S DAY WAS THE DESTRUCTION OF ASSYRIA BY THE BABYLONIAN EMPIRE, AND THEN THE DESTRUCTION OF THE BABYLONIAN EMPIRE BY THE EMPIRE OF THE MEDES AND THE PERSIANS.
• LATER IN ISA 21:1-10, ISAIAH WILL AGAIN TURN TO THE SUBJECT OF BABYLON AND ITS JUDGMENT. HOWEVER, ISAIAH SEPARATES THESE TWO PROPHECIES WITH SIX OTHER “BURDENS” AGAINST OTHER NATIONS.

HOMEWORK
ISAIAH 14:26-32
This is a self-study. Please do not send homework answers to the teacher forcorrection.

• APPLICATION OF ISAIAH 14:1-25
• LUCIFER’S SIN WAS NO DIFFERENT THAN MAN’S SIN. WE CAN REDUCE ALL SIN TO THE SAME BASIC CATEGORY OF PRIDE. PRIDE IS A DETERMINATION TO DO ONE’S OWN WILL IN OPPOSITION TO THE WILL OF GOD. IT IS MAN SHAKING HIS FIST AT GOD AND SAYING, “I WILL BE THE GOD OF MY OWN LIFE.” “I WILL MAKE MY OWN DECISIONS AND DO MY OWN WILL.”
• WE ALL HAVE ELEMENTS OF PRIDE TO SOME DEGREE OR OTHER IN OUR LIVES. WHAT AREAS OF PRIDE DOES THE HOLY SPIRIT WANT YOU TO DEAL WITH AT THE PRESENT TIME?
• ASK GOD TO FORGIVE YOU OF PRIDE, AND DETERMINE TO DO HIS WILL IN THIS AREA OF YOUR LIFE THIS WEEK.
• PREPARATION FOR ISAIAH 14:26-32
• READ ISA 14:26-27
• GOD’S PURPOSE FOR THE WHOLE EARTH REFERS BACK TO ISA 14:1-25.
• REFERRING BACK TO OUR LAST LESSON, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS GOD’S PURPOSE FOR THE WHOLE EARTH?
• READ ISA 14:28-32
• “PALESTINA” REFERS THE LAND OF THE PHILISTINES. IF POSSIBLE, LOCATE THIS LAND ON A MAP.
• WHAT WAS THE ATTITUDE OF THE PEOPLE TOWARD THE DEATH OF THE KING?
• WHY ARE THEY TOLD TO CHANGE THEIR ATTITUDE?
• MEMORY VERSE: PROVERBS 21:1