And Babylon, the glory— The prophet in this eloquent passage describes to us the consequence of the fury of the enemy raised up by God against Babylon; namely, the devastation and desolation of Babylon; and that extreme and everlasting; so as to exclude all hope of the restoration of this once magnificent city to its former state. The prophet heightens the desolation of Babylon by the consideration of its former great and flourishing state; Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the ornament of the excellency of the Chaldees. According to Herodotus, this city was 480 furlongs or sixty miles in compass. By one means or other it became so celebrated as to give name to a very large empire; and its beauty, strength, and grandeur, its walls, temples, palaces, and hanging gardens, the banks of the river, and the artificial canals and lake made for draining of that river when it overflowed, are described with such pomp and magnificence by heathen authors, that it might deservedly be reputed one of the wonders of the world. This prophesy has been most remarkably fulfilled; both ancient geographers, and modern travellers, informing us, that they cannot trace even its ruins, or fix upon the spot where it once stood. St. Jerome informs us from a certain Elamite, who had been in this place, that Babylon was converted into a royal chace for hunting and breeding wild beasts, which was an exact accomplishment of the words of the prophet, Isaiah 13:21. Wild beasts of the desert shall dwell there: he adds, Their houses shall be full of doleful creatures, and dragons shall cry in their pleasant places: and Benjamin of Tudela, a Jew, in his Itinerary, written above 700 years ago, asserts, "Babylon is now laid waste, excepting the ruins of Nebuchadnezzar's palace, which men are afraid to enter, on account of the scorpions which have taken possession of it." This account is confirmed by Rauwolf, who informs us, that the supposed ruins of the tower of Babylon are so full of venomous creatures, that no one dares approach nearer to them than half a league; and, to sum up the evidence of the completion of this prophesy, Mr. Hanway informs us, that the ruins of this city are so much effaced, that there are hardly any vestiges of them to point out its situation. What makes the present desolate condition of this place the more wonderful is, that Alexander the Great intended to have made it the seat of his empire, and actually set men to work to rebuild the temple of Belus, to repair the banks of the river, and to reduce the waters again to their old channel; but he met with too many difficulties. How is Babylon become a desolation! How wonderful are such predictions, compared with the events! And what a convincing argument of the truth and divinity of the Holy Scriptures! Well might God allege this as a memorable instance of his prescience, and challenge all the false gods, and their votaries, to produce the like; ch. Isaiah 14:21 Isaiah 46:10. And indeed where can be found a similar instance, but in Scripture, from the beginning of the world to this day? See Bishop Newton on the Prophesies, diss. 10 and the Observations on S. S. page 63.
REFLECTIONS.—1st, A new vision here is given the prophet concerning the fate of the neighbouring kingdoms; and as the captivity of the Jews in Babylon approached, they have this prophesy to comfort them before the time arrives,—that the rod of their oppressor should be broken. It is called the burden of Babylon, a prophesy concerning it, denouncing her heavy doom, crushed in pieces under the combined forces of Media and Persia; and this Isaiah saw in prophesy clearly revealed to him.
1. God gives the command; his standard is unfurled; the forces haste to join their colours, and he musters them armed for the battle. The kings of Media and Persia, with their officers, were employed to summon the soldiers, beckon them to enlist, and lead them to the gates of the nobles, the proud walls of Babel; but it was God's secret impulse which stirred up their spirit, strengthened them for the battle, and crowned their arms with success.
2. The persons employed are his sanctified ones, the Medes and Persians; not that they were therefore gracious souls, but raised up to serve his purposes, and qualified by him for their work: his mighty ones, Cyrus, and Darius, who were instruments in his hand, and clothed with strength to execute his decree: even them that rejoice in my highness, or, as the words will bear to be rendered, that rejoice my highness; they rejoiced in their successes, whereby God was glorified; and a vast army followed them from different nations, from the ends of the earth, the farthest parts of their dominion, and very distant from Babylon; but, when sent on God's errand, no distance or danger could deter them.
3. The design of them is, as weapons of the Lord's indignation, to destroy the whole land of Chaldea, and Babylon the metropolis. Note; When God gives the word against a sinful nation, to pluck up and to destroy, his armies are quickly ready, and resistance is vain.
2nd, The destruction of Babylon being commanded, we have an awful account of its accomplishment.
1. It is the day of the Lord's wrath, and therefore must be terrible; and destruction from the Almighty, and therefore irresistible. Though God for just correction suffered his people to be brought into bondage, he would fully avenge the ill usage they had received.
2. Dismay and terror would overtake the hosts of Babylon. Howling for distress, and trembling, their courage should fail them: pangs like those of a travailing woman should seize them, and each increase the panic by reciprocally communicating their fears: their faces should be dark, as if burnt to a coal, or pale as flames; the terrible wrath and fierce anger of the Lord upon them, and certain ruin, the wages of sin, approaching; the very heavens black and lowering, and the bright luminaries hid: or this is figuratively expressed to describe the ruin of their king and princes, and the dreadful gloom of horror which surrounded them, while no opening appeared for their escape; and all should be embittered by conscious guilt, of which this is the just punishment. God will lay low the arrogance of Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar, and bring their pride into the dust; their country and capital so ruined, that scarcely a man should be left; or so merciless their conquerors, that no ransom would engage them to spare their captives. The thunders above, and the quaking earth beneath, should help forward their destruction; or by these may be signified the utter dissolution of the government. Like a chased roe their warriors should flee; and as a sheep straying from the flock, defenceless, becomes a prey to the wolf, so should they be devoured. Their auxiliary forces shall desert their sinking cause, and, glad to escape with life to their own country, leave the devoted city to ruin. Note; (1.) That is complete misery upon earth, where the terrors of a guilty conscience are added to the heavy judgments of affliction. (2.) Sin, sin is the cause of all human wretchedness. (3.) They who never trembled before shall in the day of God be overwhelmed; and the boldest countenance turn pale at God's bar. (4.) When God devotes a nation to ruin, all her allies will desert her, and fly as from a falling house.
3. The executioners of God's vengeance approach: the Medes, more thirsty for blood than for the spoil, shall raven like lions; universal massacre shall ensue of all that were found in arms, whether Babylonians or auxiliaries. The laws of humanity find no place in a city taken by storm; and God in just retaliation for the violences offered to his people, (Lamentations 5:11; Lamentations 5:22.) will suffer the children of Babylon to be dashed in pieces. Note; (1.) When the native cruelty of the heart is unrestrained, no beast of the forest is more savage than man. (2.) If we shudder at the infant's miseries, let us remember how bitter and evil a thing sin is, and read in their sufferings a pregnant evidence of original guilt. (3.) They who are companions with the wicked, will share in their plagues.
3rdly, The inimitably lively and striking images of the utter desolation of Babylon here displayed, cannot be read without admiration.
1. Her former towering height of glory serves to strengthen the contrast which should be evidenced by her fall, even the fall of Babylon, the beauty of Chaldaea. Utter destruction, like that of Sodom and Gomorrah, approached. Instead of crowded streets, not an inhabitant should remain among the dreary ruins for ever: instead of a fertile soil, such barrenness should succeed, that not even an Arab's tent, or a shepherd's fold, should be seen. Those late proud palaces, where riot, mirth, and pleasure reigned, abandoned, ruinous, are become the dens of ravening beasts; and owls, dragons, satyrs, and every doleful creature, occupy the desolate mansions.
2. The nearness of this heavy judgment is intimated for the comfort of God's Israel when in their captivity. It was more than two hundred years from the time of the prophesy; but with God that is but a moment; it would be quickly at hand, for her days shall not be prolonged, but a final period put to Babylon's prosperity and power; yea, to her very being. And thus shall mystical Babylon also perish, when the day of her recompence shall arrive, Revelation 4:11.