Dave Burnette's Commentary

Isaiah Chapter 14

Written By: God through Inspiration
Penned By: Isaiah
Date Penned: (700-681 BC)
Overview: To Tell of God's Salvation through the Messiah (c 1-66)
Theme: Words of Judgment (c 1-39)
Message: God Promises Compassion on Israel (v 1-32)

Isaiah 14 Commentary 

(14:1) The Messiah - A prominent theme in Isaiah is that non-Israelites would join the returning Israelites (56:6-7; 60:10; 61:5). God's intention has always been that through his faithful people all the world would be blessed (Genesis 12:3). Through the family line of Jacob would come the Messiah, who would offer salvation to all who put their faith and trust in him. God's plan has always been that the Good News of salvation and eternal life with him must be available to all people. We must not act as if God's love is limited to our own people or those like us. God loves the whole world. We must support and help those who are reaching out to people who haven't heard God's Good News of salvation. 

(14:4-11) Babylon will Rise - These verses could have significance for Babylon both during the time this prophecy was given and in the future. The historical city and empire certainly were destroyed. But it is also possible that Babylon will rise in the future, either literally or figuratively, and then be permanently destroyed. In Scripture, Babylon is used as a picture of all those who oppose God (1 Peter 5:13; Revelation 14:8; 17-18). In the end times, all who oppose God will be destroyed, and all evil will be removed from the earth forever. 

(14:5-6) Temporary Power - Human power fades quickly. God permitted Babylon to have temporary power for a purpose-to punish his wayward people. When the purpose ended, so did the power. Beware of placing confidence in human power, because one day it will fade, no matter how strong and secure it appears now. Tie your hopes to God and his unfailing purposes. 

(14:12-14) The Fallen One - There are several interpretations of who the fallen one in these verses is: (1) He is Satan, because the person here is too powerful to be any human king. Although Satan may fit this passage, he does not fit well with the rest of the chapter. (2) This could be Sennacherib or Nebuchadnezzar, one of the kings with supreme power. Their people looked upon them as gods. These kings wanted to rule the world. (3) This could refer to both Satan and a great human king, possibly Nebuchadnezzar, because Babylon is pictured as the seat of evil in Revelation 17-18. Pride was Satan's sin as well as Babylon's. Common to all three viewpoints is the truth that pride willfully opposes God and will result in judgment. Israel made the mistake of being too proud to depend on God, and we are vulnerable to that same mistake. 

(14:12) Lucifer - "Lucifer" and "son of the morning" could be names used to worship the kings of Assyria and Babylon. More likely, this verse is saying that the Babylonians will fade away like the morning star when the sun rises. 

(14:24-27) A Prophecy Predicted -  This prophecy came true as Isaiah predicted (see 2 Kings 19; Isaiah 37:21-38). 

(14:28-31) Smoke from the North - Isaiah received this message from the Lord in 715 BC, the year that King Ahaz of Judah died. "Palestina" refers to the land of the Philistines. "Him that smote" was not Ahaz but Shalmaneser V or Sargon of Assyria. The "smoke" from the north was the soldiers of Assyria.


Dave Burnette's Life Application

Promises

Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today, we continue in the Book of Isaiah with Chapter 14. In our text today, we see how God promises compassion to Israel. Amid disobedience by the people of God, we see God keeping His promises to us. Yes, God judges sin, but He keeps His promises to us. Today, we have many promises in the Bible that the Lord will fulfill. We can rest knowing that He will be faithful in bringing us the promises contained in the Bible. How about you? Do you understand that the Lord is faithful? Let us learn from our text today to remember that the Lord is faithful and will fulfill His promises.

 

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Isaiah 14

Isaiah 14

 1For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob.

 2And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the LORD for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors.

 3And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve,

 4That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!

 5The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers.

 6He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth.

 7The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing.

 8Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us.

 9Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.

 10All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us?

 11Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.

 12How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

 13For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

 14I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

 15Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

 16They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;

 17That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?

 18All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house.

 19But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet.

 20Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned.

 21Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities.

 22For I will rise up against them, saith the LORD of hosts, and cut off from Babylon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew, saith the LORD.

 23I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the LORD of hosts.

 24The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand:

 25That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders.

 26This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations.

 27For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?

 28In the year that king Ahaz died was this burden.

 29Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote thee is broken: for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent.

 30And the firstborn of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety: and I will kill thy root with famine, and he shall slay thy remnant.

 31Howl, O gate; cry, O city; thou, whole Palestina, art dissolved: for there shall come from the north a smoke, and none shall be alone in his appointed times.

 32What shall one then answer the messengers of the nation? That the LORD hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it.