The Fall of Lucifer
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Isaiah
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| An artist's view of The Hanging Gardens of Babylon |
16. An
expository study of Isaiah, chapter 14
I find it
necessary to remind God´s people that in order to understand the Bible and
godly principle, we must often change our understanding of many words. We see
them in the popular form in which they are used, according to the present
modes. In that way, it is easy to stray in our minds from what God wants us to
understand. This is also true concerning historic meaning of words, as they
have been used in the church.
Let´s take
into account the word revival. What
comes into your mind when you hear that word? In the south of the U.S., the
word means a series of evangelistic meetings. In Spanish-speaking countries it
might mean an awakening of unbelievers or sinners. This is true, because the
Spanish word is avivamiento, which
can simply mean something…an event, a
movement or a time that brings life. However,
the classical use of the word in the church is, as is found in Psalms 85:6: “Will You not Yourself revive us again, that your people may rejoice in thee.” It
means to live again, closely related to the word resurrect. If that is the
case, then it has to do with people, who had been alive, but need a new
infusion of life.
The revival of Israel
This leads us
to verse 1 of this chapter, where Isaiah writes of God choosing Israel again: “When the Lord will have compassion on
Jacob and again choose Israel, and settle them in their own land…” They
were chosen from the beginning, but He will confirm their election and make it
evident. Quite often, the word remember is
used in this way, in reference to God, such as in Genesis 30:22: “God remembered Rachel, and God gave heed
to her and opened her womb.” Does it mean that God had forgotten about her?
No, of course not, it meant that, at a certain time, He took her condition into
account and moved concerning it. He actively remembered her. Can you see how
much trouble we could get into, if we interpreted according to our common usage
of these words?
“Strangers will join them and attach themselves to the house of Jacob” may be applied to the Jews’ return from captivity and the rebuilding in
the time of Cyrus. It can also refer to the grafting in of the gentiles into
the Jewish trunk, but these are partial fulfillments of the ultimate
restauration of the Jews in the last days. The inspiration of the Holy Spirit
upon Isaiah comes also upon Zechariah years later. In Zechariah’s time, the
Jews had returned to their land and yet, he speaks of a future time: “In those days ten men from all the nations
will grasp the garment of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard
that God is with you” (Zech.8:23).
In the second
verse, we again see that Zechariah’s prophecy is tied to that of Isaiah. He
speaks of the oppressive nations becoming plunder for their slaves (Zech.2:9)…
the slaves being Israel. Isaiah said that “they
will take their captors captive and will rule over their oppressors”. In
the power of the redemptive gospel influence upon the Jews, they will rule in
love, as we have already seen in Zechariah 8:23. This is a beautiful time for all the world, but especially for the
Jew, when they will rest from their past history of persecution and hardship
(v.3).The Jew will suffer through many times of hardship, right through the
Nazi prison camps and the Great Tribulation.
Isaiah
focuses on the Babylonian bondage of the end times and the great liberation
that the Lord will bring. In fact, He invites His people to taunt them, as
their power is broken at that time (v.4). The cruel reign of persecution has
ceased (v.5-6), millennial peace has come over the whole earth and joy reigns
(v.7).
The destiny of Babylon
We have the
symbol of the trees before us again (v.8), as we did in chapter two and in our
study over a year ago of Zechariah 11:2. They seem to symbolize the proud state
of men and nations and the tyranny of Babylon against them. However literally,
when the tyrant falls, nature has rest and no longer is the high quantity of lumber
required to satisfy the lust for elegance and comfort.
The emotions
of hell are aroused and a committee of kings, conquered by Babylon, are sent to
its gates to welcome the new arrival from this world-governing power (v.9).
They testify to the fact that the spirits of the mighty on earth come to the
same place as their weaker brothers. In hell, earthly rank gets no respect and
alike all are made weak (v.10). Great and small share the same destiny. May all
the earth pay attention and receive warning before it is too late! The time of
luxurious living will come to an end. Music and entertainment will be no more. Physical
shells are laid in the grave, left to rot and become food for the maggots
(v.11).
The fall of Lucifer
We have come
to a very interesting portion of Scripture. It is one that Jesus referred to in
Luke 10:18: “I saw Satan fall from
heaven like lightning.” Isaiah spoke of the fall that Jesus witnessed and
gives us the clearest picture of it to be found in the Old Testament (quoting
the KJV): “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!” (v.12).
In order to
understand what we are studying, we must consider Nebuchadnezzar’s dream
(Dan.2) and a dream by Daniel (Dan.7) with a similar significance. I want to
refer to Nebuchadnezzar’s, because it shows one image with four components,
those components being four empires: Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome. The
Roman Empire is comprised of historic Rome, as well as a last-day revival of
that Empire.
It is
important to see this, as God sees it; that is, four major world powers, built
upon one another, in order to ultimately form one image. It can all be called Babylon. A spiritual power energizes this
one image, composed of four physical nations, and God observes both
simultaneously and reveals them to us as He addresses them. In it we learn God’s
view and expression concerning the union of men’s power with the diabolical
spiritual power. Satan made it his personal concern to usurp control over the
king of Babylon. He became the spiritual king of Babylon.
John
MacArthur comments: “Jesus’ use of verse
12 to describe Satan’s fall has led many to see more than a reference to the
king of Babylon. Just as the Lord addressed Satan in his words to the serpent
(Gen.3:14-15), this inspired dirge speaks to the king of Babylon and to the
devil who energized him. See Ezekiel 28:12-17 for similar language to the king
of Tyre and Satan behind him." It was no different when Jesus addressed both
Peter and the source behind his thinking and words, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not
setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s” (Mt.16:23).
MacArthur
refers to Ezekiel 28:12-17, which is very similar to Isaiah’s vision, in that Satan
is addressed in conjunction with a human king, as MacArthur suggests. In
Ezekiel’s time, he has personally taken charge of Tyre and its king, so that he
has become the spiritual king of Tyre. He chooses these cities and their
governments, because they are strategic on the earthly scenario, Babylon
because of its governmental influence and Tyre because of its economical
influence.
In Ezekiel we
get a character description of the pre-fallen Lucifer, the star of the morning.
This powerful and influential angel “had
the seal of perfection”, meaning that he had received a seal, as a seal is
given to something, which has been completed; in his case, to perfection. He
was beautiful and wise (Ez.28:12). “You
were in Eden, the garden of God”, and he was adorned with nine of the
twelve precious stones that were on the high priest’s breastplate and similarly,
the stones are set in gold. It seems like they were created just for him (28:13).
He was a guardian angel, a cherub, anointed for that purpose and had access to
the highest heavenly realms (28:14). He was perfectly righteous in every way,
from the moment of his creation, until… something, which mystifies us and
reaches far beyond our understanding occurs.
A point is
described, where unrighteousness apparently originates in him. Where else could
it have come from? It is outside of his creation and outside of his
environment, but there it is. It cannot be explained, but also, it cannot be
denied. It is very important that we see the reason behind Lucifer’s fall in
order to learn something of his present nature and how men are influenced by
him. “Your heart was proud because of
your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom…” (28:17). Now we return to Isaiah’s account for more detail on his fall: “You
said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the
stars of God, and I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the
north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like
the Most High’” (v.13-14). It is the arrogance of a creature… in this case,
a beautiful, powerful, angelic creature… to raise himself to the heights of his
Creator. Apparently, as well, he deceived a great host of angels, of all ranks,
who fell with him. We see them throughout Scripture, sometimes as an evil army,
warring against the angels of God.
At many
points, in the Old Testament as well as the New, we see their influence on
individuals to the point, at times, of total possession of their faculties. “You will be like God,” he said to Eve
and influenced her with the same toxic arrogance that caused his own fall. And
so, man fell from his high position before God and became a totally depraved
creature, incapable of doing good. It is insane pride that brings man to
challenge God and place himself above His Word.
This source of
evil is condemned to the deepest recesses of Hell (v.15), and eventually to the
Lake of Fire, “prepared for the devil
and his angels” (Mt.25:41). Man, in his fallen state, will follow, led by
his own sinful nature. Therefore from verse 16 on, the curse returns upon the
human king, who has been so thoroughly possessed by the devil.
Disgrace to Babylon’s kings
All those who
are allowed to witness the condemnation of the king will wonder at the eternal
depths, to which he is destined. The one, who shook the earth, destroyed nature
and overthrew cities and their populace, does not receive a decent burial
place. He led his prisoners captive to Babylon away from their homeland. He
brought them totally under his dominion. They were manipulated, dehumanized and
made eunuchs (v.17).
He was the
most powerful, the head of gold, yet he becomes the most dishonored of all. His
destructive reign, not only reached his enemies, but his sword was turned on
his own people. In the end, power fueled his ego to the point, to which only
one person was important and that person was himself.
He is the “offspring of evildoers”, the “son of
perdition”. We mentioned in the last chapter the unpopular reign of Nabonidus,
the father of Belshazzar, who left his son to revel in the city. He was a
tyrant and Belshazzar partook of the guilt of his father. In the night that
Daniel interpreted the writing on the wall, the invading Medo-Persians entered
the city without resistance. It is reported that they found Belshazzar and
dragged him behind Persian horses through the streets of Babylon (v.18-21). As
the city ends in ruin, so its rulers’ graves have been destroyed. Who can tell
how literally bodies have been exhumed from their tombs during the destruction
of Babylon?
The fall of
the city, which possessed one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, The Hanging Gardens, is more shameful,
due to the beauty that it once possessed. “I
will sweep it with the broom of destruction” (v.23), says the Lord. More
dreadful still, is the utter annihilation of its populace. In contrast to the
disciplinary action of the Lord towards His people, in which a remnant is
always preserved, “‘I will rise up
against them,’ declares the Lord of hosts, ‘and will cut off from Babylon name
and survivors, offspring and posterity,’ declares the Lord” (v.22).
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| Isaiah's place in Judah's history (click to enlarge) |
Death of Ahaz; fall of the Philistines
God always
carries out His purposes, just as He declares, whether in blessing or in
judgment. He swears to judge (v.24), just as he swears to bless (Heb.6:13,14).
Judgment is declared upon Assyria “in my
land” (v.25) and we read of it in the time of Hezekiah and Judah was spared
the “yoke” that fell upon their
brothers to the north. So has He determined judgment upon the whole earth and it
will happen unfailingly, for there is no one with the power or authority to
hold back His hand (v.26,27).
The chapter
ends with another oracle or burden. It is the funeral dirge upon the death of
King Ahaz (v.28). Even though this king did not do right in the eyes of the
Lord, much as in the case of King Saul (2 Sam.1:20), Israel’s enemies were
denied the right to rejoice over his death (v.29). They were assured that before
they can bring revenge upon Israel for the damage received from Uzziah (2
Chr.26:6), a greater destruction was on the way through Hezekiah (2 Kgs.18:8).
Even the
weakest of Judah will have sustenance and peace from the continual threat that
the Philistines imposed in the past, but the Lord will add his curse along with
the sword of Hezekiah in bringing about Philistine ruin. (v.30). Verse 31 describes
the terror upon the arrival of the armies of Judah from the northeast. Verse 32
is the testimony to the nations concerning Zion: The Lord is its founder and guards
it with His eye, as the very center of His attention at all times. Because of
His presence, it continues to be the place to find refuge in Isaiah’s time.
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