Yahweh vs. Babylon • 03.02.25
Yahweh vs. Babylon
Isaiah 47:1-15
Witness God’s salvation as he opposes wicked ways
- Accountability is inevitable for the wicked
- Rebellious desires of the heart are known and opposed by God
- Proudly pursuing worldly wisdom leads to destruction
Manuscript:
What a sweet morning of worship! Glory to the King of Kings! It is good to be in the house of the Lord, worshiping with the people of God this morning. Today we are diving back into the book of Isaiah, as we continue our series The Lord Saves.
Dismiss 4th + 5th graders
Ushers + Bibles (Isaiah 47; page 722)
I’m so thankful for the men who preached the Word the last two weeks. It is a blessing to our church to have multiple preachers who are willing and able to do the work of preparing and delivering sermons for our edification. So, thank you Frasier and Jack for serving us so well.
Since resuming our study of Isaiah in 2025, we’ve heard a common theme throughout chapters 40-46 – there is an incomparably great God named Yahweh who rules and reigns over all things. When we say incomparably great, what we mean is there is none like him. He alone is God. He does not share his glory with another. (Isa. 42:8) This great God is trustworthy and able to deliver, which was good news to the people of Judah who were stuck in exile in Babylon. In comparison to this great God are all the idols that the Judeans and Babylonians and other nations have been worshiping. These are mere wooden statues overlaid with precious metals and held up by chains or, as we heard last week, carried by beasts of burden.
These idols have been the focus of people’s pursuits. They have turned away from God and put their hopes in these things. Surely Bel or Nebo can save! … No, no they can’t… Because they are blocks of wood gathered from the forest… They are blind, deaf, and dumb. Unable to see, hear, or speak, they can do NOTHING to help you or save you in time of need! They cannot predict the future, nor bring it to pass. But YAHWEH can and has!
These chapters have continued to reveal that there is NONE BESIDES THE LORD (Isa. 45) and that GOD IS CALLING (Isa. 46) to his people. Today, as we venture into chapter 47, we arrive at the showdown between Yahweh and Babylon. Chapters 14 and 21, which we studied last year, foretold that a day was coming when the LORD would defeat them, and in these next two chapters, we hear of how God will do it. These chapters serve as a reminder that Yahweh alone can save. Those who hope in themselves, who walk in pride and self-sufficiency, who think that they are in control or in charge will inevitably find themselves facing off against the One, True God. With that in mind, let’s turn our attention to the text for today.
Isaiah 47:1–15 (ESV)
Come down and sit in the dust,
O virgin daughter of Babylon;
sit on the ground without a throne,
O daughter of the Chaldeans!
For you shall no more be called
tender and delicate.
2 Take the millstones and grind flour,
put off your veil,
strip off your robe, uncover your legs,
pass through the rivers.
3 Your nakedness shall be uncovered,
and your disgrace shall be seen.
I will take vengeance,
and I will spare no one.
4 Our Redeemer—the Lord of hosts is his name—
is the Holy One of Israel.
5 Sit in silence, and go into darkness,
O daughter of the Chaldeans;
for you shall no more be called
the mistress of kingdoms.
6 I was angry with my people;
I profaned my heritage;
I gave them into your hand;
you showed them no mercy;
on the aged you made your yoke exceedingly heavy.
7 You said, “I shall be mistress forever,”
so that you did not lay these things to heart
or remember their end.
8 Now therefore hear this, you lover of pleasures,
who sit securely,
who say in your heart,
“I am, and there is no one besides me;
I shall not sit as a widow
or know the loss of children”:
9 These two things shall come to you
in a moment, in one day;
the loss of children and widowhood
shall come upon you in full measure,
in spite of your many sorceries
and the great power of your enchantments.
10 You felt secure in your wickedness;
you said, “No one sees me”;
your wisdom and your knowledge led you astray,
and you said in your heart,
“I am, and there is no one besides me.”
11 But evil shall come upon you,
which you will not know how to charm away;
disaster shall fall upon you,
for which you will not be able to atone;
and ruin shall come upon you suddenly,
of which you know nothing.
12 Stand fast in your enchantments
and your many sorceries,
with which you have labored from your youth;
perhaps you may be able to succeed;
perhaps you may inspire terror.
13 You are wearied with your many counsels;
let them stand forth and save you,
those who divide the heavens,
who gaze at the stars,
who at the new moons make known
what shall come upon you.
14 Behold, they are like stubble;
the fire consumes them;
they cannot deliver themselves
from the power of the flame.
No coal for warming oneself is this,
no fire to sit before!
15 Such to you are those with whom you have labored,
who have done business with you from your youth;
they wander about, each in his own direction;
there is no one to save you.
What you’re hearing is God turning his attention and speech to the Babylonians. He intends to humiliate them for their wicked ways. They have proudly exalted themselves for long enough and he will endure it no longer. Now the time has come to see the salvation of the LORD as he reminds everyone that he alone is God! Today we have the privilege to…
Witness God’s salvation as he opposes wicked ways
We begin in verses 1-7, where we hear God commanding the Babylonians to take a position of humiliation before him. Did you notice how many commands there were in such a short number of verses?
- Come down
- Sit in the dust
- Sit on the ground without a throne
- Take the millstones
- Grind flour
- Put off your veil
- Strip off your robe
- Uncover your legs
- Pass through the rivers
- Sit in silence
- Go into darkness
11 imperatives in 7 verses! God is making his point. Babylon is not in control. Though they may say in their hearts, “I am, and there is no one besides me” that simply is not true. That claim belongs to God alone, as he previously stated 4x in chapter 45 and once again chapter 46:
Isaiah 45:5, 6, 18, 22 (ESV)
5 I am the Lord, and there is no other,
besides me there is no God;
6, 18 I am the Lord, and there is no other.
22 For I am God, and there is no other.
Isaiah 46:9 (ESV)
9 remember the former things of old;
for I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me,
Now God demonstrates the reality of this proposition as he humiliates proud Babylon. He speaks to her as a spoiled queen who has puffed herself up too far. She thinks she is powerful and mighty and that no one dares oppose her. After all, she defeated the Assyrians who had ruled for hundreds of years as the dominant world power! Who could possibly withstand her? She knew great wealth and military success. Her nation had spread tremendously, and her cities prospered. But God… Those two words are incredibly comforting when they come in context of those whom God loves, but they are words of terror in context of those whom God opposes. And God opposes the wicked ways of Babylon!
Verses 1-7 reveal to us that…
- Accountability is inevitable for the wicked
They would not continue in their wicked ways. God would hold them accountable for their treatment of his people. He said in verse 3, “I will take vengeance and I will spare no one.” More of his motive is revealed in verses 6-7, “I was angry with my people; I profaned my heritage; I gave them into your hand; you showed them no mercy; on the aged you made your yoke exceedingly heavy. You said, ‘I shall be mistress forever,’ so that you did not lay these things to heart or remember their end.’”
God reveals that he is the one who disciplined his people for their idolatry by sending them into exile in Babylon. That is not news to us or to the Judeans who had heard Isaiah or his peers prophesy to them. God sovereignly brought Babylon to conquer Judah. But Babylon is still responsible for their treatment of his people! They did not show mercy, they were ruthless to the elderly, and, on top of that, they boasted in themselves – assuming they would rule forever! They foolishly failed to learn from God’s discipline of Judah and instead set themselves up as the Ultimate Ruler. This, as we are hearing, invited God’s judgment upon them. *pause*
Can you imagine hearing this message from Isaiah as one of the Judeans in that day? How humbling to be reminded that God is the one who sent you into exile… and yet, how exciting to know that he would not leave you there! He always planned to provide accountability for the wicked!
This is God’s justice on display for all to see. Using the imagery of a pagan, self-exultant queen – God commands her to sit down in the dust on the ground… removed from her throne… “Sit in silence and go into darkness! Gone are days of your pomp and circumstance! Now you will serve like a slave at the millstones – the job of the lowliest in society. Your fancy clothes will be removed, and you will be exposed and disgraced. No one will think of or call you queen or mistress of kingdoms because you have been thrown down!”
Now you may hear that and think, “Ok, cool.” Followed by, “What in the world does that have to do with me?” Everything.
The sovereign God who disciplined Judah and Babylon is the same God who rules and reigns today. He is willing and able to oppose those who treat Him or His people poorly. He will provide accountability for the wicked in our day, just as he did in theirs.
This is incredibly good news for weak and weary souls in a broken world. We live in a society that exalts the worldly and mocks the godly. This text is a reminder that a day of reckoning will come. God will not be mocked. Men/women will reap what they sow. I think of Paul’s admonitions and encouragement to the Galatians:
Galatians 6:7–10 (ESV)
7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
The testimony of Scripture is that there is a God who is righteous and just who rules and reigns over all. As Isaiah interjected in this chapter in verse 4, “Our Redeemer – the LORD of hosts is his name – is the Holy One of Israel.” It was a beautiful reminder of who God is and whose they are. This God has a standard of holiness for His creation, and we are all called to abide by it. Those who mock and reject Him and His standard will find themselves on the receiving end of God’s accountability one day. Everyone must stand before God and answer for how they’ve lived, that is also repeated throughout Scriptures:
2 Corinthians 5:9–10 (ESV)
9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
You do not want to join the Babylonians in receiving God’s judgment for living wickedly. Far better to embrace the salvation he provides to those who seek him. One important takeaway from this text today is to recognize that God alone is Redeemer and Savior and to trust in him! Trust in him is revealed by the way that you live… He produces a genuine desire to please Him in you that leads to doing good to everyone, especially to fellow believers. It would be wise to evaluate whether this desire and fruit of trust in God is being revealed in your own life. *pause*
As we have seen through verses 1-7, God opposes those who pursue wicked ways. But that is not the end of the showdown between God and Babylon. We also read this in verses 8-11:
Isaiah 47:8–11 (ESV)
8 Now therefore hear this, you lover of pleasures,
who sit securely,
who say in your heart,
“I am, and there is no one besides me;
I shall not sit as a widow
or know the loss of children”:
9 These two things shall come to you
in a moment, in one day;
the loss of children and widowhood
shall come upon you in full measure,
in spite of your many sorceries
and the great power of your enchantments.
10 You felt secure in your wickedness;
you said, “No one sees me”;
your wisdom and your knowledge led you astray,
and you said in your heart,
“I am, and there is no one besides me.”
11 But evil shall come upon you,
which you will not know how to charm away;
disaster shall fall upon you,
for which you will not be able to atone;
and ruin shall come upon you suddenly,
of which you know nothing.
They were boasting and exalting themselves to the position of God! God knew the thoughts and intentions of their hearts – they had no use for him; they wanted to be him! They proudly declared what would not happen to them. These are the kind of proud declarations you make when you are certain you are in control! Yet how does God respond to them? “These two things shall come to you in a moment, in one day!” He’s saying, “You’re not in charge! Your pride will bring about the very things you do not want. Even though you think you’re great/strong in magic, you shall be utterly humiliated and brought low!”
These people were playing a dangerous game! They thought their wicked desires were hidden and unknown to anyone. But God knows the deepest desires of our hearts! Nothing is kept secret from him!
Psalm 44:21 (ESV)
21 would not God discover this?
For he knows the secrets of the heart.
Psalm 139:1–2 (ESV)
1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
Proverbs 21:2 (ESV)
2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,
but the Lord weighs the heart.
There is no security in pride and wickedness! Trusting in your own wisdom and knowledge will lead you down the path of folly! This was true for Babylon, and it is still true for us to this day. From this section of Scripture, we witness that…
- Rebellious desires of the heart are known and opposed by God
Three times in these verses God reveals that he knew what they were harboring in their hearts. Now consider this… God led Isaiah to write these prophetic words down ~150 years ahead of time. God knew their hearts in advance and exposed them. Truly the words of Psalm 139 are lived out before our eyes:
Psalm 139:16 (ESV)
16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them.
Nothing is hidden from God. Nothing surprises God. And neither can those who harbor rebellious desires in their heart escape God’s opposition. It is utter folly to think, “No one sees me.” That was a lie the Babylonians believed, and it led them down a wicked path. One commentator I read had this insightful commentary:
No one sees me is the voice of ethical relativity. Such a position assumes that whatever I want is alright if I can get away with it (Ps. 10:11; 94:7; Ezek. 8:12; 9:9; Job 22:14; 24:15)… In this context, the implication may also be that there is no one higher than I (Babylon), who is in a position to judge my actions. (John Oswalt, NICOT)
We enter dangerous territory when we think that our desires/thoughts/words/actions are not known by anyone else or that no one else has the right to call us to give an account for them. With this mindset, you can justify just about anything! And this is not some “pie in the sky” scenario, this is the reality we live and exist in today.
Likely this week, there were decisions you made that were informed by this type of mindset – “No one sees me.” You thought you were in the clear with that desire you cultivated, that thought you dwelt upon, that action you took, those words you said when no one else was around… But you forgot that the Lord of Heaven and Earth was there! He saw. He heard. He knows your heart. There is no room for the Babylonians or us to excuse rebellion in our hearts and lives! We must realize we live coram Deo – in the presence of God. Babylon was about to find out the very real consequences of living sinfully before God…
Listen to verse 11 again:
Isaiah 47:11 (ESV)
11 But evil shall come upon you,
which you will not know how to charm away;
disaster shall fall upon you,
for which you will not be able to atone;
and ruin shall come upon you suddenly,
of which you know nothing.
The Babylonians were known for their deep commitment to dabbling in magic and sorcery. If you read the book of Daniel, you’ll notice King Nebuchadnezzar summons the magicians of his court often to do divination and to interpret dreams. They were also known for creating the first organized system of astrology, which is a pagan system that seeks to foretell the future through the observation of the stars/Sun/Moon/planets. Yet for all their years of commitment to these dark arts, they will be of no use when judgment from the Lord comes. God’s opposition and judgment cannot be charmed away by magic or atoned for or appeased by worldly wealth.
The very things these people thought provided them with security were going to be their downfall! They had believed lies that had now led them astray and to their demise. (repeat)
Is it any different in our day? Surely these warnings to the proud and self-sufficient resonate with modern hearers. We live in a day of the “New Age” and occult practices being en vogue again. Crystals are said to have healing powers. Tarot cards are used to read fortunes and predict the future. And I’m not talking about carnivals, I’m talking about the lives of regular people that we know and interact with. People in our community, people in my extended family, and perhaps in yours too.
Mysticism has found a home in many world religions, including Christianity. Pastor Jack and I recently had the opportunity to record a podcast that addresses some aspects of this in the “God called or God told me” language that is casually tossed around. But it has shown up in other ways as well. Many of you may remember the name Sarah Young. She became well known for her very popular and very awful book Jesus Calling where she falsely spoke on behalf of God to the readers and mimicked occult practices. That was mysticism. Or how about the worship of relics to appease or gain favor with God that we see in some sects of Christianity? Or the pursuit of new, divine revelation? These are examples of mysticism.
These things are all around us. Perhaps you have even participated in them without understanding. Perhaps you are here today, and you are engaging in them willingly! If that is the case, I’m glad you are here, and I’m exhorting you to forsake any rebellious desire that invites God’s opposition. This goes much broader than embracing mysticism, this is about entertaining and harboring pride within our hearts! It is about setting ourselves in opposition to the One, True God through the desires we cultivate and the ways we think/speak/act. Again, Scripture is quite clear on this matter:
Proverbs 16:18 (ESV)
18 Pride goes before destruction,
and a haughty spirit before a fall.
James 4:6 (ESV)
… Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
This reality of God opposing the proud is foundational to our created order. This is the way it has always been since the beginning. Lucifer the angel indulged in pride and was thrown down from heaven as the Devil. Adam and Eve listened to Satan in the garden and proudly defied God’s direct command. At Babel, the people thought they should make a name for themselves… And so, it has continued throughout human history, pride has thrived in the human heart as we think we know better than God. As C.S. Lewis put it:
According to Christian teachers, the essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere fleabites in comparison. It was through pride that the Devil became the Devil: Pride leads to every other vice. It is the complete anti-God state of mind. (C.S. Lewis, The Great Sin, 1942)
Pride is at the root of the Babylonian’s conflict with God. They had chosen to elevate themselves and trust in their own “wisdom and knowledge”. Listen again where that leads them in verses 12-15. And, as I read this, try to hear the biting sarcasm in it:
Isaiah 47:12–15 (ESV)
12 Stand fast in your enchantments
and your many sorceries,
with which you have labored from your youth;
perhaps you may be able to succeed;
perhaps you may inspire terror.
13 You are wearied with your many counsels;
let them stand forth and save you,
those who divide the heavens,
who gaze at the stars,
who at the new moons make known
what shall come upon you.
14 Behold, they are like stubble;
the fire consumes them;
they cannot deliver themselves
from the power of the flame.
No coal for warming oneself is this,
no fire to sit before!
15 Such to you are those with whom you have labored,
who have done business with you from your youth;
they wander about, each in his own direction;
there is no one to save you.
Verses 12-13 are God’s mocking of the Babylonians for choosing magic/sorcery/astrology over him. He sarcastically invites them to put their trust in those things to see if it saves them. (Spoiler alert: It will not! They will just grow weary with their seeking!) God tells them inevitable outcome in verses 14-15, these things are just stubble that ignites in the fire of God’s judgment. This is not a friendly campfire to warm yourselves by, but a fire that consumes! When the day of judgment comes, no one will be found to help in time of need. Their counselors will be busy running away – it is everyone for themselves when judgment day comes! “There is no one to save you…” because you’ve rejected the only God who could and would save.
Our final observation in witnessing God’s salvation as he opposes wicked ways is…
- Proudly pursuing worldly wisdom leads to destruction
To put it another way… False gods/religions are impotent to save. Choosing a lifestyle that directly contradicts the revealed wisdom of God’s Word will not prosper. It will not end well… for the Babylonians… for the Judeans… or for you.
As we said earlier, God alone is Redeemer and Savior. This has been the central message of Isaiah. The Lord saves! Trust in Yahweh. Forsake pride and pursue humility.
Learn from God’s Word through Isaiah. Do not presume that God’s silence is proof of his non-existence or blessing on your folly/sin. He has a standard of holiness by which he will hold the entire world accountable. The reality is that none of us measure up in our own ability or strength.
Thankfully, God knew this and had a plan from eternity past to address our need. He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to make a way of salvation for us. This is foretold in Isaiah 53, where it says:
Isaiah 53:4–6 (ESV)
4 Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53:11 (ESV)
11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
Isaiah foretold of the Suffering Servant who would come to bear the sins of his people, so that might be forgiven and redeemed – declared righteous!
We know this was fulfilled 700 years later in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus! Of this, the Apostle Paul gladly testifies to the Romans:
Romans 3:21–26 (ESV)
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
It was always God’s plan to send His Son to rescue and redeem sinners like us! As we just heard, all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory. Yet all who believe in Jesus Christ are justified… DECLARED INNOCENT… BY HIS GRACE… AS A GIFT. God put Jesus forward as a propitiation – which is a fancy word that means he satisfied and removed God’s wrath from all who believe in him. There is NO WRATH left for you if your faith is in Christ! Jesus paid it all!
This is a wonderful reality that Christians ought to celebrate. Though we are men and women who struggle still with the temptation towards pride and selfishness, in Christ we are forgiven and redeemed. Through Christ, we have access to daily grace and the indwelling Holy Spirit who continues to make us holy as He is holy. These are tremendous blessings that give us every hope, despite our frailties and failures.
The best possible outcome of our time together today is that you would not only witness God’s salvation as he opposes wicked ways, but that you would personally EMBRACE this salvation in Jesus Christ.
The teachings of Isaiah and the rest of the Scriptures bring us to an important conclusion:
- Everyone needs a savior.
- The gods and mystical worldviews of the nations cannot save you.
- The One, True God can save and has made the way through Jesus Christ.
Whom will you choose to believe and follow?
If your faith is not in Jesus, then I am exhorting you to confess your sin and ask him to forgive and save you. He delights to do just that! If you want to talk more about that or have questions, please come talk to me after the service or let’s plan a time to meet up this week.
If your faith is already in Jesus Christ, then I would encourage you to let this text invigorate you to trust God and to continue forsaking sin/pride wherever it shows up in your life. Ask God to help you double-down this week on pursuing humility and righteousness. Let it serve as a helpful reminder that God rules and it is wise to cling to him rather than your own ways.
From this text, we also learn that present hardships do not mean God has forgotten/forsaken you. The Judeans had to learn to trust God in their 70 years in exile. He was still at work. We must remember that God is working out a GRAND, GLOBAL, ETERNAL plan and knows exactly what is needed to accomplish it. He is worthy of your trust and worship, even when life is hard.
Let’s pray.
Pray – that we would trust God. For salvation. For sanctification. That we would recognize the lies of the enemy and our own flesh and forsake them. That pride would lose its luster and we would recognize God as Lord & Savior. That it would be our delight to worship him.