Wednesday, September 26: Isaiah 14- Jesus is our safe harbor.

It amazes me how our minds make associations and connections with its thoughts. An idea here, a comment there weave our web of thoughts.

As I was reading verses 3 and 4, On the day the LORD gives you relief from your suffering and turmoil and from the harsh labor forced on you, you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon: How the oppressor has come to an end! How his fury has ended!  My mind connected these words with the New Testament words "Fallen, Fallen is Babylon."  I knew those words were from Revelation, so I looked them up. Sure enough, Revelation 18:1-2: After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. With a mighty voice he shouted: " 'Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!' She has become a dwelling for demons and a haunt for every impure spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.

This chapter of Revelation pictures the judgment of the great harlot Babylon… the name for all that is vile and evil in the world, God's enemy Satan and his kingdom. The judgment spoken in Revelation 18 comes immediately before the Halleluiahs of chapter 19 and the description of the final end of God's enemy and the establishment of God's forever kingdom the new heaven and new earth of chapters 19-22.

Is God in Isaiah foretelling the destruction of earthly Babylon or spiritual Babylon? I am not certain. Either way the overarching message for me is that God will judge all that is evil. And God will establish His people forever and ever. In that day all aligned with Jesus will sing with the multitudes of God's people in glory, "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants" (Revelation 19:1b-2).

What a day that will be… what a day that will be.

Lord, I long for Your day, that day when evil is crushed and Your new and perfect kingdom is reality. Until then, Lord, I pledge my life to You. To live for You, to obey You, and to follow You in the power of the Holy Spirit. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.