January 19 - Isaiah 13

Answer to yesterday's question: Isaiah did not live to see Jerusalem fall so most likely this is all prophecy... especially the chapter today is talking about babylon which didn't fall until mid 500 BC to the Persians. Isaiah lived about 200 years before Babylon fell

Notes:
v. 2 - "Banner" refers to a flag/banner-type thing they used to signal for war... like they would wave a green banner to say go or red to stop or white to surrender.. Or a banner would display what nation was coming.

The Pride of Babylon
Babylon is a great nation that will eventually be conquered by the Persians.
Even in our study of ancient history, Babylon is known as one of the great powers of the ancient world. As I write I still remember the pictures of the famous hanging gardens in my 6th grade history book.

Yet, even this great nation - once thought invincible was destroyed. As I drove around my neighborhood and even along River Rd which runs along the Hudson River with a view of Manhattan - I wondered what this place would look like if we were in the situation Haiti was in. And we can begin to rationalize saying that Haiti had horrible building standards, weak government, few medical professionals (hospitals)... basically Haiti was just a weak country in the first place. We can think that no disaster like that in Haiti can happen to us. We're advanced and we're powerful.

Most likely a 7.0 magnitude earthquake won't decimate New Jersey and New York. It will be devastating but we will be able to recover.

And this is probably what the Babylonians were thinking to themselves. There's no way we can be destroyed. We are magnificent and we are great. Who do they think they are - God?

No one can go up against God and win. No one can face the wrath of God and live.

Today, may we humble ourselves before the Almighty God and place our trust in Him. Let us pray for the United States that we would put aside our arrogance and pride - and submit before the one SUPERPOWER that is worthy of praise and glory.