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- [00:05]
Host
Hey, you're listening to A Year in the Bible with Daily Grace. Don't forget to follow or subscribe wherever you're listening, so you don't miss an episode. Paul. Today we're in chapters 13 through 15 of Isaiah, and this has kind of become our catchphrase. But there's a lot going on in these chapters. So I'm wondering if we can first start with just a little overview so of what's going on in these chapters, and then maybe we can break them down further.
- [00:31]
Paul
Yeah, so today we have a pretty marked shift in Isaiah. So we've been talking about Judah and a lot of judgments against Judah, but now we're going to have some judgments against foreign nations. And today it's especially about Babylon. But we also see Assyria, Philistia and Moab mentioned today.
- [00:50]
Host
Yeah, these are not easy to read. We have some difficult chapters. We've walked through many difficult chapters so far as we've read through the Bible this year. But here we're seeing a description of people being chased and people being killed, children are being killed, women are being violated. Like, this is really, really hard to read. So I'm hoping you can help us break this down, bring some understanding to what it is that we read today.
- [01:19]
Paul
Yeah, you're absolutely right. It can be kind of difficult to read. And we kind of find ourselves cringing at it and sometimes even wondering, is God the one doing this himself? Is he committing these atrocities himself? But I think it's important for us to read these passages in context. And so this passage does relate to Babylon, the historic nation of Babylon. But Babylon in the Bible is kind of a figurehead for human evil, if you will. So we saw this way back in Genesis 11 with the tower of Babel, or Babylon, as it says in some Bibles. And then we also see in Revelation that Babylon is kind of this cosmic nation of evil that's destroyed and defeated by Jesus. And so Babylon at Isaiah's time would have received this judgment. But it's also talking more broadly of the judgment that God has for humans that reject Him. But that doesn't. Still doesn't really explain this very jarring description. And I think the thing to remember, though, is that God is the one that is arranging judgment, but he's not the one that's actually commanding the specific actions that are being committed. And these, frankly, I think despicable. I think that's the best word we can use. Despicable actions were pretty common to war during Isaiah's time. And I think for those of Us in the west, you know, that have lived under relative peace for most of our life, we may not really understand the cruelties of war, but Babylon, you know, probably would have done these very things to Judah or to other nations. And so if we put ourselves in Israel's shoes, that probably saw their own family members having this done to them. It's actually almost a hopeful word to them that God saw them in their suffering. God saw them in the atrocities that Babylon committed against them. And so this may not even be a specific description of what will happen to Babylon, but an encouragement to Israel that he saw them in. In their suffering when they receive these atrocities, and that he will not let it go unpunished. And he's saying to Israel, I sought you, and Babylon will receive due payment for what they did to you.
- [03:34]
Host
Yeah, I think that context is really helpful because there definitely, yeah, is a gravity that you read these passages with. So, okay, all of what you said might be true, but I think we're still left wondering, what do I do with these passages? Is there an application in here for me today as a Christian?
- [03:57]
Paul
Yeah. And I would actually say sometimes these more difficult passages can even have rich, even more rich application than easier to read passages. And I think for us, it's the reminder that God is wrathful and he is just. And as Christians, that's actually an encouragement because through Jesus, we. He received the wrath and the judgment that we deserved. And it also reminds us that all of the evil that we see in our world is seen by God. Sometimes we can feel a little alone when we see, you know, terrible things happen on the news, but God sees these things and he will pay evil for evil at the final day. But it also is a reminder for us that we are not meant to take judgment. That's God's duty alone. And so Romans 12:9 has a pretty specific word for this. It says, friends, do not avenge yourselves. Instead, leave room for God's wrath. Because it is written, vengeance belongs to me. I will repay, says the Lord. And so we actually are meant to do the exact opposite of judgment and vengeance. We're supposed to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute you, and even pray that the people that commit these horrible things would turn and receive mercy from God. Because even Babylon, even the most evil of our world, can be. Can receive forgiveness through Christ.
- [05:13]
Host
Yeah, I think that's a really helpful application to take away. And mine is right along those same lines, just that God sees and will justly repay for all evil. And I think we even need to remember that we too have committed sin and that Christ has received the punishment for that sin on our behalf. And so sometimes when we read passages like this, we picture ourselves as like like the righteous person who's done no wrong. But this is also just a reminder that Christ also died for us because we too have sinned. So thank you for walking us through these chapters today, Paul. We're going to continue in the Book of Isaiah tomorrow.
- [05:59]
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