Isaiah 21

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Dave Burnette's Commentary

Isaiah Chapter 21

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: Prophecy Against Babylon (v 1-17)

Isaiah 21 Commentary

(21:1) Desert of the Sea - The "desert of the sea" is a reference to Babylon, which was near the Persian Gulf. Some say this prophecy was fulfilled at Babylon's fall in 539 BC (see Daniel.5); others say this was a prophecy of Babylon's revolt against Assyria around 700 BC.

(21:5) Fall of Babylon - If this prophecy refers to the fall of Babylon in 539 BC, this may picture the feast in Daniel 5.

(21:6-7) A Watchman - Watchmen on the city walls often appear in prophetic visions of destruction. They are the first to see trouble coming (Ezekiel 33:6-7). The prophet Habakkuk was a watchman (Habakkuk 2:1). The vision of the chariots and warriors on horses could represent the Medes and Persians attacking Babylon in 539 BC. We need Christians today to be watchmen who are alert to approaching spiritual dangers for the church and for individuals as well as alert to opportunities for God's redeeming work.

(21:8-9) Against God - Babylon was not only a great and powerful city but also filled with horrible sin (idolatry, witchcraft, and temple prostitution). Babylon was, and remains, a symbol of all that stands against God. Despite all its glory and power, Babylon would be destroyed, along with all its idols. They would give no help to Israel in times of trouble.

(21:10) Threshing and Winnowing -Threshing and winnowing were two steps in ancient Israel's farming process. Many places in the world still use this method today. Threshing was the step in which heads of wheat (often used to symbolize Israel) were first trampled to break apart the seeds and rub off the outer husks, exposing the valued grain inside. This was followed by winnowing: The seeds were thrown into the air, and the worthless chaff blew away while the grain fell back to the ground. Israel would experience this same kind of process--the worthless, sinful, rebellious people (the "chaff") would be taken away, but God would keep the good "grain" to replenish Israel.

(21:11) People of Edom - Dumah, or Edom, had been a constant enemy of God's people. The people of Edom rejoiced when Israel fell to the Assyrians, and this sealed their doom (34:8-17; 63:4). Seir was another name for Edom because the hill country of Seir was given to Esau and his descendants (see Joshua 24:4). Obadiah foretells, in great detail, the destruction of Edom.

(21:13-17) Prediction of Disaster - The places listed here are all in Arabia. They are border cities that controlled the trade routes through the land. Nabonidus, king of Babylonia, would attack Arabia and make the people his servants. He would set up court in Tema, leaving his son Belshazzar in Babylon as regent (Daniel 5:1-30; 7:1-8:27). This is Isaiah's prediction of disaster. Judah kept trying to make alliances with Arabia against Nabonidus, but Isaiah warned the people against such alliances.

Dave Burnette's Life Application
A Watchman

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 21. Today's text shows more prophesy fulfilled at the fall of Babylon, Edom, and Arabia. In this prophesy, we are introduced to the watchman who first sees trouble coming to warn others, just as Habakkuk proclaimed the truth of the Word of God. In making application, we know how the Word of God, the Bible, is a modern-day watchman as it proclaims that judgment is coming but how much Jesus loves us, giving us the free pardon of sin that He provided at the Cross of Calvary. How about you? Do you see the Bible as a Watchman? Let us learn from our text today and this book of Isaiah to see the prophecy contained within its pages for both Babylon and our modern-day situation here in the world in which we live.

Isaiah 21

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Isaiah 21

¹The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass through; so it cometh from the desert, from a terrible land.

²A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease.

³Therefore are my loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth: I was bowed down at the hearing of it; I was dismayed at the seeing of it.

⁴My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me.

⁵Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield.

⁶For thus hath the LORD said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.

⁷And he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, and a chariot of camels; and he hearkened diligently with much heed:

⁸And he cried, A lion: My lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights:

⁹And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground.

¹⁰O my threshing, and the corn of my floor: that which I have heard of the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you.

¹¹The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?

¹²The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come.

¹³The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies of Dedanim.

¹⁴The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, they prevented with their bread him that fled.

¹⁵For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.

¹⁶For thus hath the LORD said unto me, Within a year, according to the years of an hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail:

¹⁷And the residue of the number of archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished: for the LORD God of Israel hath spoken it.

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