Sermon # 140 Series: Isaiah

Title: The Judgment of God Upon Babylon

Text: Isaiah 47:1-15

Subject: Divine Judgment Illustrated in Babylon’s Destruction

Date: Sunday Evening – February 14, 1993

Introduction:

1. Throughout the Scriptures Babylon represents false religion. Babylon is the great whore of Revelation. Babylon is freewill, works religion- All false religion is freewill, works religion- (Gen. 11:1-9).

• It is The Religion of Man (v. 3).
• It is The Religion of Works (v. 4).
• It is The Religion of Confusion (v. 9).

Babylon has many names, many creeds, many denominations, many religions. The servants of God and the people of God are one and speak with one voice- “Salvation is of the Lord!”

2. The Lord God calls for his people to come out of Babylon- (Rev. 18:4; Isa. 48:20; 52:11; Jer. 51:6; II Cor. 6:17).

If you are yet trying to embrace the people of Babylon, it is time for you to make a decision. Either come out or perish! You cannot walk with Christ and satan. You cannot be saved by God’s free grace and continue to worship at the altar of freewill. You must come out of Babylon!

Illus: Baptism – The Mark of Separation.

3. Babylon is marked for Destruction – This cage of every foul spirit and every unclean thing must be and will be destroyed. This murderess of God’s prophets and of his saints shall be overthrown in the wrath of God (Rev. 18:1-3; 21-24).

My subject tonight is The Judgment of God Upon Babylon. Isaiah 47 is a prophecy, it is a prophetic song celebrating God’s destruction of Babylon and his salvation of his people by the hand of Cyrus. But this prophecy looks beyond the physical city of Babylon and the deliverance of the Jews.

Proposition: The destruction of Babylon portrayed in these fifteen verses is prophetic of God’s judgment upon the religions of this world by which the souls of men have been and are being deceived.

• Except for verse 4, The Person speaking throughout this chapter is the Lord God himself! Let us now hear what God has to say.

I. The Judgment of God shall be thorough and Just (vv. 1-3).

With God judgment is a matter of justice, a vindication of righteousness, the avenging of his holiness. The wheels of divine justice often grind slowly. Babylon got by with her abuses against Israel for years and years. Then judgment came, and Babylon was gone! The wheels of justice grind slow; but they grind to powder.

• Babylon is called “Virgin Daughter” because she was until God came against her, an unconquered kingdom- (v. 1).
• God caused that kingdom to collapse to the ground- (v. 1).
• God made slaves out of the Babylonians- He brought them to shame (vv. 2-3).
• Not one of the people of Babylon was spared (v. 3).
• Be Warned- There is a day of reckoning to come. Soon you too must do business with God himself. The God of the Bible is the God of Justice and of Judgment- (Rev. 20:11-15).

II. But, the God of Judgment is also the God of Mercy, He is the Redeemer of All Who Trust Him (v. 4).

While Isaiah wrote God’s word of judgment he could not refrain from interjecting a word of grace and hope. The fourth verse is light in the midst of darkness. Blessed be God…

• There is A Redeemer!
• He is Our Redeemer!
• He is A Sovereign Redeemer!- “The Lord of Hosts is His Name!”
• He is A Holy Redeemer!- “The Holy One of Israel!”

III. God in Great Mercy Chastens His Erring People That He Might Preserve Them in His Grace- (v. 5).

He used Babylon to chasten his people, to do them good. Yet, Babylon was responsible for the evil she did to his people. God uses even the wicked deeds of reprobate men against his people to do them good.

Note: Judgment begins at the house of God; but it never ends there! (I Pet. 4:17; Heb 12:5)

IV. God’s Judgment is Always a Matter of Retribution and Justice.

In verses 6-15 the Lord God tells the Babylonian exactly why he was determined to destroy them.

A. Their Cruelty to His People- (v. 6).

Note: God will avenge his elect!

B. Their Pride and Carnal Security- (vv. 7-9).

Illus: A Refuge of Lies (Isa. 28:14).

C. Their Conceit, Their Confidence in Themselves and Their Contempt of God (v. 10).

D. Their Idolatrous Superstitions and Sorceries (vv. 11-15).

Application:

1. The Judgment of God is Sure.

2. The Judgment of God will fall upon you Suddenly.

3. The Judgment of God is Just.

4. The Judgment of God is Endless.

5. The Judgment of God will Cause No Sorrow to the Redeemed. (Rev. 19:1-6).

6. Your Religion will not save you from The Judgment of God (Matt. 7:22-23).

7. The Only One who can save you from the Judgment of God is Christ, the Son of God, who bore the Judgment of God For Sinners!