In the figurative language of prophecy, the Lord describes the destruction of Babylon. The army that shall come against Babylon, the Lord calls his sanctified ones, and his mighty ones. By sanctified, we must not, as we are very apt to do, suppose is meant God's holy ones; but only such as the Lord hath set apart, and appointed to this service. The word sanctified, doth not always mean holy. The army by which, as the Lord's instruments, the Lord would destroy Babylon, were no more holy than the Babylon to be destroyed. Babylon was now, by the Lord's appointment, to take his people into captivity, and afflict them. But Babylon, after that is over, shall be accounted with, and be herself ruined. Hence therefore, the Lord sends by whom he will send, and when he is pleased to correct his whole Church, or any one individual of that Church, the rod the Lord corrects with, shall, when he hath finished the correction, be thrown away. Reader! mark this observation for present times, as well as those that are past, for it will be found uniformly true. If the Reader will compare what is said in this chapter, with what the Lord hath said in another part of Isaiah's prophecy, he will find a beautiful and striking correspondence. See Isaiah 45:1-4.
Isaiah 13:2-10
2 Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.
3 I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness.
4 The noise of a multitude in the mountains, likea as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the LORD of hosts mustereth the host of the battle.
5 They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the LORD, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.
6 Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.
7 Therefore shall all hands be faint,b and every man's heart shall melt:
8 And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazedc one at another; their faces shall be as flames.
9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.