ISAIAH CHAPTER 14 1) For 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. a) They were held captive in Babylon and the Lord had said in the previous chapter how that he would destroy Babylon. This verse looks back to that and the promise made to his people. He had not cast away Israel, but would have mercy on them and set them in their own land. We saw that the previous chapter spoke of events that seem not to have been fulfilled totally when the Medes and Persians took Babylon, but spoke of a future destruction of Babylon. Gill even admits "for the word not only denotes settlement and continuance, but rest, which they had not in Babylon; but now should have, when brought into their own land; and no doubt but reference is had to the original character of the land of Canaan, as a land of rest; and hither shall the Jews be brought again, and be settled when mystical Babylon is destroyed." So Gill says that this has reference to a future placement of the Jews in their homeland by the sovereign act of Jehovah. b) The word for set was translated "leave" 24 times and "set" 4 times. Other ways translated: up 10, lay 8, suffer 5, place 4, put 4, set down 4, let alone 4, ...him 2, bestowed 1, leave off 1, pacifieth 1, still 1, withdraw 1, withhold 1; 75 c) and strangers: Gill says "that proselytes should be made to the Jewish religion." He said that many went back with the Jews when they returned after the babylonian captivity. Gill says that it had it greatest fulfilment when the Gentiles were brought into the church state during the Gospel times. But if this is looking to the end times then it would seem that many strangers would receive the preaching of the 144,000 perhaps besides just Jews and that they would turn to Christ. Our verse says that they should cleave to the house of Jacob and not be assembled into the Church of Christ. The house of Jacob is not the Church, but rather Israel. 2 And 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. a) GILL: That is, the people among whom the Jews dwelt in Babylon, who had a kindness for them, and especially such of them as were proselyted to their religion should attend them in their journey home, and supply them with all necessaries for provision and carriage, as they were allowed to do by the edict of Cyrus, (Ezra 1:4) and this will have a further accomplishment in the latter day, when the Gentiles shall bring their sons and daughters in their arms, and on their shoulders, and on horses, and in chariots, to Jerusalem, (Isaiah 49:21) (Isaiah 66:20). So even Gill sees a future fullfilment in these scriptures. b) and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the LORD for servants and handmaids: Gill thinks this speaks of those Chaldeans who returned with the Jews and wished to stay with them and be their servants rather than return to their own land. c) and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors: Gill says that this must be the babylonians who ruled over them, but he could not see any fulfilment after their return from the Babylonian captivity. Gill's words are, "that is, the Babylonians, who had carried the Jews captive, should be taken captives by them, and made slaves of which might be true of those they bought of them, when they returned to their own land; or, as some think, this had its accomplishment in the times of the Maccabees, when they conquered many people, who before had carried them captive, and oppressed them; and in a spiritual and mystical sense has been fulfilled in the times of the Gospel, through the spread of it in the Gentile world, by the ministry of the apostles, who were Jews; by which means many of the nations of the world were brought to the obedience of Christ and his church. This seems to have its fulfillment in the later time when Babylon and mystical Babylon is destroyed along with the antichrist and Israel is saved by Jesus Christ and he rules from Jerusalem during the millenium. 3 And 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, a) Rest from the bondage of the Babylonish captivity and in a future sense from being under the bondage of antichrist after he makes a covenant with them for 1 week. 4) That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased! a) GILL: Or "concerning" him, his fall, and the fall of the Babylonish monarchy with him; if we understand this of any particular king of Babylon, it seems best not to interpret it of Nebuchadnezzar, whom Jerom mentions, in whom the empire was in its greatest glory: but of Belshazzar, in whom it ended; the king of Babylon may be here considered as a type of antichrist, and what is said of the one may be applied to the other: So we see again that even Gill applies this also to antichrist. The Golden City did not cease with the fall of Belshazzar, nor were the Babylonians as a whole made servants of Israel. Then what is said in the next verses of this king of Babylon could not all be applied to Belshazzar. And which Babylonian king is it? It was Nebuchadnezzar which took Israel captive, but then he later acknowledged that the God of Israel was the only true God. It seems that the oppressor and the golden city ceased together with their destruction from Almighty God, himself. 6) He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, [and] none hindereth. a) Speaking of the King of Babylon and in a future sense of the antichrist. While the king of Babylon ruled many nations, yet not the Medes and Persians, for they conqured him. Yet we see in the Revelation that antichrist will rule all the nations of the world until he is destroyed by Jesus Christ. Speaking of antichrist, Revelation says, "And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." (Rev 13:7-8). Gill applies this to the Romish antichrist also. 7 The whole earth is at rest, [and] is quiet: they break forth into singing. 8 Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, [and] the cedars of Lebanon, [saying], Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us. a) Was the whole earth at peace after the Medes and Persians took Babylon? Has no feller (one who cuts down) come up against them since Belshazzar fell under the Medes? Again, even Gill says that this speaks of the latter time when the antichrist is destroyed and the world is at peace during the millenial reign of Jesus Christ. 8) Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, [and] the cedars of Lebanon, [saying], Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us. a) Gill says that often inanimate objects are said to be rejoicing and singing in the scriptures. It is poetic. The trees will no longer be cut down for the war machine as they were when the Assyrian king came into the land. Or else men are meant by the fir trees, as the Asyrian army was compared to trees in the forest back in cahpter 10. Also, if you will remember back in chapter 10 that the Assyrian king was compared to an axe in the hand of the Lord. b) laid down: the Lexicon says to lie down to rest or to lie down in death. It says nothing about being cut down. The context tells us that the king here who called a feller is laid down in death. And since he has died no feller has come up against us (meaning either Israel or the fir trees and cedars of Lebanon. It is the fir trees and cedars that are speaking and the one they are speaking about is a feller, or one who cuts trees down. If you will read the war of the Jews you will see that the Roman army did exactly that, in that they cut down many trees for their war machine when the beseiged Jerusalem, so this prophecy must speak of some time in the future other than when Belshazzar was laid down and babylon was taken by the Medes. We believe it even looks past the Roman occupation of Jerusalem to the end time and antichrist and speaks of when antichrist is laid down. c) feller: to cut down or to cut a covenant 9) Hell 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. a) hell: sheol, underworld, grave, hell, pit Translated hell 31 times and grave 31 times depending on the context. 1a) the underworld 1b) Sheol - the OT designation for the abode of the dead 1b1) place of no return 1b2) without praise of God 1b3) wicked sent there for punishment 1b4) righteous not abandoned to it 1b5) of the place of exile (fig) 1b6) of extreme degradation in sin b) at thy coming: coming = entrance according to Lexicon His entrance into hell. c) stirreth up the dead: the word dead here is "rapha'" {raw- faw'} or "raphah" {raw-faw'}. It was translated "Rephaims" in Ge 14:5; 15:20; Isa 17:5 and "Giants" in Deut 2:11,20; 3:11,13 and several places in Joshua, 2 Samuel, and 1 Chron. Gill says that it suggests more than the ordinary of the dead but kings, etc. and notice that the verse mentions the chief ones of the earth and kings. d) The chief ones of hell appear to meet this man as he enters into hell. And perhaps the Rephaims even suggest the demons in hell meet him upon his entrance into hell. If this is speaking of the antichrist then perhaps it speaks about when he recieved the deadly head wound but was afterward healed, because after that he was cast into the lake of fire before the 1000 year reign of Christ and the rest of the dead were not cast there until after the 1000 years. Just as Jesus Christ is called the resurrection and the life so antichrist is death and hell. e) compare: Eze 28:6 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God; 7 Behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations: and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness. 8 They shall bring thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of [them that are] slain in the midst of the seas. 10) All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us? 11 Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, [and] the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee. a) It appears that he is nothing bu a man and no god at all. We believe this has its fulfillment in antichrist who will declare that he is God when Satan is entered into him. You will remember that Satan entered into Judas. While the Bible spoke of men being demon possessed, yet Satan himself entered into Judas and we believe that it will be the same with antichrist., thus we read in verse 12, "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! [how] art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!" b) compare: Eze 28:2 Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart [is] lifted up, and thou hast said, I [am] a God, I sit [in] the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou [art] a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God: ... 9 Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I [am] God? but thou [shalt be] a man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth thee. 2Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. c) thy pomp is brought down to the grave: or brought down to hell. d) the noise of thy viols: That is it is also brought down to hell. viols: nebel {neh'-bel} or nebel {nay'-bel} AV - psalteries 22, bottle 8, viol 4, flagons 1, pitchers 1, vessel 1, variant 1; 38 1) a skin-bag, jar, pitcher 1a) skin-bottle, skin 1b) jar, pitcher (earthen) 2) harp, lute, guitar, musical instrument Since the verse says NOISE of thy viols it must mean musical instruments. Compare: Da 3:5 That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: Rev 18:16 And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! ... 22 And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; 12) How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! [how] art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13 For 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: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. a) Lucifer: heylel {hay-lale'} Lucifer = "light-bearer" 1) shining one, morning star, Lucifer 1a) of the king of Babylon and Satan (fig.) 2Co 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. So antichrist will be Satan's bearer. He will carry that transformation into an angel of light. Bearer: to carry in the mind; to hold up, to support; to move while supporting; carry; to transmit; to have as a visible characteristic (he bore a scar); to carry oneself in a specified way. b) We believe that this not only speaks of the Babylonian king, Belshazzar, and Satan figuratively, but it speaks of Satan literally as he will be in the person of antichrist sitting in the temple of God declaring himself to be God. Just as Christ was worshiped as God in the flesh, so antichrist is Satan in the flesh and he desires to be worshiped also. If you will remember Satan wanted Christ to bow down and worship him (Mt 4:9). Rev 13:4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. Gill says that Lucifer does not refer to Satan but the king of Babylon and the future antichrist, but if we will compare this to Ezek 28 it seems to make sense that it is referring to Satan also as he will be in the person of antichrist. Just as Christ recalled his time with His Father before he ever came into this world, I believe that antichrist will be able to recall his time in Eden and in Babylon after that when Satan enters into him. So what is said about one is said about the other. Just as Christ said, "he that hath seen me hath seen the Father" (Joh 14:9). So too, in the same sense, he who sees antichrist hath seen Satan. c) which didst weaken the nations: Gill says, which is a fit description of antichrist. Compare: Rev 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. {wounded: Gr. slain} 4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. {to continue: or, to make war} 6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. d) I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: Some think this to mean the temple. Gill says that Mount Zion was to the south of Jerusalem. But we read: Ps 48:2 Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. Gill says that Jarchi thinks it means the north side of the altar where the sacrifice was killed. We know that antichrist will sit in the temple of God declaring himself to be God. e) I will be like the most High: This is the same thing that Satan promised Eve in Eden. 15) Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. 16 They 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; 17 [That] made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; [that] opened not the house of his prisoners? a) In verse 12 he is called Lucifer which has fallen from heaven, and in this verse he is called "the MAN that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms" He declared that he was God, but was a mere man. b) Instead of ascending into heaven he will descend into the bottomless pit. Instead of the sides of the north, the sides of the pit. 18) All the kings of the nations, [even] all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house. 19 But 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. 20 Thou 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. a) Christ is the Branch, so antichrist is the abominable branch. b) slain THY people: Will antichrist be a Jew? Da 11:37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. 38 But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. c) Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial: Gill: that he should not be buried in like manner, be embalmed as they, or have odours burned for him, or lie in such state and pomp, or have a "pyramid" or "mausoleum", or any rich monument, erected over him; unless this can be understood of his ancestors, the kings that were before him; and the sense be, that he should not have a burial with the kings of Babylon, or be inferred where they were, but, as before said, should be cast out, or be kept from the place of sepulture. Gill also though that this looked forward to the destruction of the Great Whore of Babylon. Seems to me that it speaks of Antichrist not being buried at all. The Book of Revelation speaks of him receiving a deadly head wound by recovering and then later being destroyed by Christ by casting him alive into the Lake of Fire, which means that antichrist will never be buried at all. Re 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21) Prepare 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. 22 For 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. a) prepare slaughter: Gill says that this is said to the Medes and Persians that they should slaughter the whole royal family of Belshazzar. Gill points out that the same thing is said to the Jezebel of the book of Revelation. Rev 2:22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. 23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. b) for the iniquity of their fathers: Evidently for the iniquity of the Babylonian king and his fathers. All of the places that I found where the iniquities of the fathers is mentioned, it seemed to do with the people of Israel. I also read in Psalms: Ps 109:14 Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with the LORD; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out. This of course is speaking of Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus and who was called the "son of perdition" as is antichrist who was a Jew. c) cut off from Babylon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew: Speaking of the name of the King of Babylon and his relatives. 23) I 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. a) bittern: a shrinking animal Jer 50:13 Because of the wrath of the LORD it shall not be inhabited, but it shall be wholly desolate: every one that goeth by Babylon shall be astonished, and hiss at all her plagues. Jer 51:37 And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwellingplace for dragons, an astonishment, and an hissing, without an inhabitant. These verses are why some think that this speaks about a future Babylon. However Gill says concerning the pools of water: Babylon being situated in a marshy ground, and by the river Euphrates; and when that river was turned by Cyrus, and afterwards its banks neglected, in course of time the water overflowed the place where the city was, and all about it, and so easily came to be what is here predicted it should. But then, Gill also quotes Rev 18 for some future fulfillment: Rev 18:21 And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. b) sweep it with the besom of destruction: Besom = broom sweep it with the broom of destruction. Just as a house is swept clean of all its dust, so Babylon should be swept clean of inhabitants. 24) The 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: a) The context is what he has purposed concerning the Assyrian King in the next verse. But it would be safe to say that all what God purposes comes to pass and on that basis what he says concering the Assyrian King will come to pass. If any of what God purposed did not come to pass then there would be no guarantee of what he said concerning the Asyrian King should come to pass either. Compare: Isa 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times [the things] that are not [yet] done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: 11 Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken [it], I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed [it], I will also do it. 25) That 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. a) the Assyrian: Sometimes that King of Babylon is called the King of Assyia. Compare: 2Ch 33:11 Wherefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon. After the children of Israel had come out of the Babylonian captivity we read: Ne 9:32 Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the trouble seem little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the time of the kings of Assyria unto this day. b) However Gill points out that Belshazzar, king of Babylon, was not broken in the land of Israel (God's land) or tread under foot on God's mountains (Gill: mountains around Jerusalem). Gill says that this either looks back to another Assyrian king, Sennacherib in particular (Isa 10:1-34) or is a new prophecy for the future looking past Belshazzar. Gill points out that the King of Babylon may be a type of the Romish antichrist. c) then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders: Israel would be free of the King of Babylon. The Jewish people shall also be free of Antichrist in a similar manner. 26 This [is] the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this [is] the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations. 27 For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul [it]? and his hand [is] stretched out, and who shall turn it back? a) Gill does not think that this respects the end of the world and the judgement but the nations under the Assyrain rule, which could be called the whole earth as was the Roman empire. But Gill had pointed out that the Babylonian King was a type of antichrist and that the babylonian Kings were called Assyrain Kings also. So why would this not look forward to the end times. God is working all things right now for a particular end. he has purposed to bring antichrist on the scene and for him to be destroyed by Christ at His coming. It is a thing that he has purposed for the whole earth. Antichrist will make a covenant with Israel and will rule all nations for a time. b) who shall disannul [it]?: Not the greatest politicians, not the greatest thinkers, or scientist, not the greatest armies. None shall be able to change the course of events that will happen concerning the coming of the antichrist. For God will send a strong delusion that they should believe a lie (2Th 2:11). 28 In the year that king Ahaz died was this burden. a) 726 BC: The following prophecy concerning the destruction of the Philistines. 29 Rejoice 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. a) Gill says that the Palestinians or Philistines rejoiced at the death Uzziah who was too poweful for them. b) the rod of him that smote thee is broken: Gill: Uzziah, who broke down the walls of their cities, and built others, (2 Chronicles 26:6,7) wherefore they rejoiced at his death; and their joy continued during the reigns of Jotham and Ahaz, and was increased at the death of Ahaz, a new and young king being placed on the throne. c) same thing is going on today with the Palestinians. d) for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a cockatrice: Gill: That is, from the posterity, of Uzziah king of Judah, who greatly annoyed the Philistines, for which reason he is compared to a "serpent", should arise Hezekiah compared to a "cockatrice", because he would be, and he was, more harmful and distressing to them; (see 2 Kings 18:8) 30 And 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. a) The Jews who were brought very low during the times of Ahaz shall feed and be in safety, but the Philistines God shall kill their root with famine and shall slay the remnant. Gill says that "Hezekiah should slay with the sword those that were left of the famine." 31 Howl, 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. a) Some say Hezekiah's army. Some say the Roman army. Gill says that their state should be completely disolved. b) none [shall be] alone in his appointed times: Gill says that this means that none should stay at home when the army marches. 32 What 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. a) The Lord hath given his people Israel protection over their enemies. Hezekiah was no one special but it was his people that were special.