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DRAFT: A Chiastic Reconfiguration Of Isaiah 13-14

Kuruvilla Thomas
Bangalore
Published on 3 February 2024 *




Isaiah 13-14 Timeline
Fig. 1


Introduction

This study treats Isaiah 13:2-14:27 as a cryptochiasmus in order to arrive at a coherent reconfiguration of the text ( see definition of cryptochiasmus in [1] ). If you wish to skip the technicalities of a chiastic parse, you may read starting from Section 4 of the Discussion section, which has the reconfigured text.

The focus of this prophecy is on the defeat of Satan's empire at the start of Christ's Millennial Reign. Although the prophecy has a straightforward chiastic structure, its chiastic design is obscured by language that describes times of adversity that can apply to any period of war.



Discussion

1. Presuppositions

We base our parse of Isaiah 13:2-14:27 on the assumption that it refers to 3 periods:

  1. The Destruction of Jerusalem (70AD) during the First Jewish–Roman War (66AD–73AD).
  2. The defeat of Satan at the start of Christ's Millennial Reign (2027AD).
  3. End-Times Tribulation (circa 2967AD).

2. Parsing the chiasmus

We will use the NIV Bible for this parse.

Parsing this chiasmus involves dividing portions of the text into three categories as above. We will call the period of the First Jewish-Roman War Period 1, the defeat of Satan at the start of Christ's Millennial Reign Period 2 and the End-Times Tribulation Period 3.

We will go into some detail on our parsing decisions because portions of the text can apply to any Period.


Categorizing Isaiah 13:2-14:27

Ch 13 Vs 2-5 belong to Period 2. God's warriors from around the world mass for an uprising against Satan's empire "Babylon". One reason we do not believe that this refers to the Medo-Persian defeat of Babylon (as it may appear from 13:1) is that the warriors come from the "ends of the earth".

Ch 13 Vs 6-8 belong to Period 1. The people of Jerusalem are terrified of the marauding Roman army, aware of the certain death that awaits them. The exhortation to "wail" at the start of verse 6 seems to indicate that the verse begins a section about the destruction of God's own people.

Ch 13 Vs 9-13 belong to Period 3. This is the end-times "Day of the Lord" that affects the whole world. These calamitous events are also predicted to occur in this period in Revelation (Rev. 6:12-14) [6] and in the Olivet discourse (Matt.24:29) [5]. We include vs 9 in this subunit, so that this Period also has the "Day of the Lord" text.

Ch 13 Vs 14-17 belongs to Period 1. The horrors described in these verses (the killing of infants, rape) could have occurred in any ancient war, but we believe that these more human-level details are reported in this section because they apply to God's own people and because of the exceptional cruelty of this Roman attack. We take the "Medes" of 13:17 to be the Romans who act as God's instruments, like the Medes under Cyrus. ( The passage in 13:17,18 is particularly difficult to parse, as both verses could be categorized as Period 1 or Period 2. We have parsed them in such a way as to get proper regular chiasmi within the Periods.)

Ch 13 Vs 18 - Ch 14 Vs 27 belong to Period 2. The description of the final destruction of "Babylon" in 13:19-22 echoes that in other prophecies on this period, like Revelation 18 [3]. We believe the young ones of 13:18 are not literally human children (see commentary below). The passage in Isaiah 14 is more clearly about Satan's defeat before Christ's Reign.


Original text

We color-code the chiastic units of the original text (NIV) below for easy visual identification using: red for Period 1, blue for Period 2 and green for Period 3. We have retranslated parts of the text.


Isaiah 13 2 Raise a banner on a bare hilltop, shout to them; beckon to them to enter the gates of the tyrants [a]. 3 I have commanded My sanctified ones [b]; I have summoned my warriors to carry out my wrath— those who rejoice in my triumph.
4 Listen, a noise on the mountains, like that of a great multitude! Listen, an uproar among the kingdoms, like nations massing together! The Lord Almighty is mustering an army for war. 5 They come from faraway lands, from the ends of the heavens— the Lord and the weapons of his wrath— to destroy the whole country.

6 Wail, for the day of the Lord is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty. 7 Because of this, all hands will go limp, every heart will melt with fear. 8 Terror will seize them, pain and anguish will grip them; they will writhe like a woman in labor. They will look aghast at each other, their faces aflame.
9 See, the day of the Lord is coming —a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger— to make the earth [c] desolate and destroy the sinners within it. 10 The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light. 11 I will punish the world for its evil, the wicked for their sins. I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty and will humble the pride of the ruthless. 12 I will make people scarcer than pure gold, more rare than the gold of Ophir. 13 Therefore I will make the heavens tremble; and the earth will shake from its place at the wrath of the Lord Almighty, in the day of his burning anger.
14 Like a hunted gazelle, like sheep with none to gather them [d], they will all return to their own people, they will flee to their native land. 15 Whoever is captured will be thrust through; all who are caught will fall by the sword. 16 Their infants will be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses will be looted and their wives violated. 17 See, I will stir up against them the Medes, who will not think of silver and will not favor gold. [e]
18 Their bows will strike down the young men; they will have no mercy on infants, nor will they look with compassion on children.
19 Babylon, the jewel of kingdoms, the pride and glory of the Babylonians, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah. 20 She will never be inhabited or lived in through all generations; there no nomads will pitch their tents, there no shepherds will rest their flocks. 21 But desert creatures will lie there, jackals will fill her houses; there the owls will dwell, and there the wild goats will leap about. 22 Hyenas will inhabit her strongholds, jackals her luxurious palaces. Her time is at hand, and her days will not be prolonged.


Retranslation notes for Isaiah 13
[a] vs 2 "tyrants" instead of "nobles".
[b] vs 3 "My sanctified ones" instead of "those I prepared for battle".
[c] vs 9 "earth" instead of "land".
[d] vs 14 "sheep with none to gather them" instead of "sheep without a shepherd".
[e] vs 17 "who will not think of silver and will not favor gold" instead of "who do not care for silver and have no delight in gold".


Isaiah 14 1 The Lord will have compassion on Jacob; once again he will choose Israel and will settle them in their own land. Resident foreigners [a] will join them and unite with the descendants of Jacob. 2 The people who had captured them will return them to their place. Israel will take possession of them [b] and make them male and female servants in the Lord’s land. They will make captives of their captors and rule over their oppressors.
3 On the day the Lord gives you relief from your suffering and turmoil and from the harsh labor forced on you,
4 you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon:
How the oppressor has come to an end! How his fury has ended! 5 The Lord has broken the rod of the wicked, the scepter of the rulers, 6 which in anger struck down peoples with unceasing blows, and in fury subdued nations with relentless aggression. 7 All the earth is at rest and at peace; it breaks out in song. [c] 8 Even the junipers and the cedars of Lebanon gloat over you and say, “Now that you have been laid low, no one comes to cut us down.”
9 The realm of the dead below is all astir to meet you at your coming; it rouses the Rephaim [d] to greet you— all those who were leaders in the world; it makes them rise from their thrones— all those who were kings over the nations. 10 They will all respond, they will say to you, “You also have become weak, as we are; you have become like us.” 11 All your pomp has been brought down to the grave, along with the noise of your harps; maggots are spread out beneath you and worms cover you.
12 How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! 13 You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. 14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” 15 But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit.
16 Those who see you stare at you, they ponder your fate: “Is this the man who shook the earth and made kingdoms tremble, 17 the man who made the world a wilderness, who overthrew its cities and would not let his captives go home?”
18 All the kings of the nations lie in state, each in his own tomb. 19 But you are flung out unburied [e] like a rejected branch; you are covered with the slain, with those pierced by the sword, with those thrown to the bottom [f] of the pit. Like a corpse trampled underfoot, 20 you will not join them in burial, for you have destroyed your land and killed your people.
Let the offspring of the wicked never be mentioned again. 21 Prepare a place to slaughter his children for the sins of their ancestors; they are not to rise to inherit the world [g] and cover the earth with wars [h].
22 “For I [i] will rise up against them,” declares the Lord Almighty. “I will wipe out Babylon’s name and survivors, her offspring and descendants,” declares the Lord. 23 “I will turn her into a place for owls and into swampland; I will sweep her with the broom of destruction,” declares the Lord Almighty.
24 The Lord Almighty has sworn,
“Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will happen. 25 I will crush the Assyrian in my land; on my mountains I will trample him down. His yoke will be taken from my people, and his burden removed from their shoulders.”
26 This is the plan determined for the whole world; this is the hand stretched out over all nations. 27 For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?


Retranslation notes for Isaiah 14
[a] vs 1 "Resident foreigners" instead of "Foreigners".
[b] vs 2 "The people who had captured them will return them to their place. Israel will take possession of them" instead of "Nations will take them and bring them to their own place. And Israel will take possession of the nations".
[c] vs 7 "All the earth is at rest and at peace; it breaks out in song" instead of "All the lands are at rest and at peace; they break into singing".
[d] vs 9 "Rephaim" instead of "spirits of the departed". The word "Rephaim" is sometimes used as a metaphor for "spirits of the departed"; but we believe the word is to be taken literally here, because the passage is regarding the underworld, where literal Rephaim exist.
[e] vs 19 "flung out unburied" instead of "cast out of your tomb".
[f] vs 19 "with those thrown to the bottom" instead of "those who descend to the stones".
[g] vs 21 "world" instead of "land".
[h] vs 21 "wars" instead of "their cities".
[i] vs 22 "For I" instead of "I".


3. Building the reconfigured text

From this parse, it appears that Isaiah 13:2-14:27 forms a cryptochiasmus as below:

A1   Ch 13 Vs 2-5 Period 2. God gathers a mighty army
  B1   Ch 13 Vs 6-8 Period 1. The Judahites are terrified at the Roman attack
    X   Ch 13 Vs 9-13 Period 3. End-Times Tribulation
  B2   Ch 13 Vs 14-17 Period 1. Judahites are slaughtered
A2   Ch 13 Vs 18 - Ch 14 Vs 27 Period 2. Satan is defeated at the start of the Millennial Reign


We now reconstruct the passages in the right order based on the chiastic structure above and based on the ordering rules of a cryptochiasmus [1].

We lead with central pivot point 'X'. The corresponding subunits (For example; subunit A1 corresponds to A2) are placed contiguously to form units (For example, A1,A2 is a unit ) so that we get a list of such units.


The sequence selected for rearrangement is:

X  [A1,A2]  [B1,B2]        (1)

Translating (1) into verse numbers, we get:

Ch 13 Vs 9-13  [Ch 13 Vs 2-5, Ch 13 Vs 18 - Ch 14 Vs 27]   [Ch 13 Vs 6-8, Ch 13 Vs 14-17]        (2)

We arrive at the reconfigured passage in the next section by rearranging the verses so they are in sequence (2).



4. Isaiah 13:2-14:27 Reconfigured

End-Times Tribulation (circa 2967AD) (Ch. 13 Vs 9-13)

Ch 13 9 See, the day of the Lord is coming —a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger— to make the earth desolate and destroy the sinners within it. 10 The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light.
11 I will punish the world for its evil, the wicked for their sins. I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty and will humble the pride of the ruthless.
12 I will make people scarcer than pure gold, more rare than the gold of Ophir. 13 Therefore I will make the heavens tremble; and the earth will shake from its place at the wrath of the Lord Almighty, in the day of his burning anger.


The defeat of Satan at the start of Christ's Millennial Reign (2027AD) (Ch 13 Vs 2-5, Ch 13 Vs 18 - Ch 14 Vs 27)

Chiasmus 1: Satan's empire "Babylon" is destroyed by God

Ch 13 2 Raise a banner on a bare hilltop, shout to them; beckon to them to enter the gates of the tyrants. 3 I have commanded My sanctified ones; I have summoned my warriors to carry out my wrath— those who rejoice in my triumph. 4 Listen, a noise on the mountains, like that of a great multitude! Listen, an uproar among the kingdoms, like nations massing together! The Lord Almighty is mustering an army for war. 5 They come from faraway lands, from the ends of the heavens— the Lord and the weapons of his wrath— to destroy the whole country.
18 Their bows will strike down the young men; they will have no mercy on infants, nor will they look with compassion on children.
19 Babylon, the jewel of kingdoms, the pride and glory of the Babylonians, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah. 20 She will never be inhabited or lived in through all generations; there no nomads will pitch their tents, there no shepherds will rest their flocks. 21 But desert creatures will lie there, jackals will fill her houses; there the owls will dwell, and there the wild goats will leap about. 22 Hyenas will inhabit her strongholds, jackals her luxurious palaces. Her time is at hand, and her days will not be prolonged.

Chiasmus 2: God's nation is restored and Satan's nation is destroyed

Ch 14 1 The Lord will have compassion on Jacob; once again he will choose Israel and will settle them in their own land. Resident foreigners will join them and unite with the descendants of Jacob. 2 The people who had captured them will return them to their place. Israel will take possession of them and make them male and female servants in the Lord’s land. They will make captives of their captors and rule over their oppressors.
3 On the day the Lord gives you relief from your suffering and turmoil and from the harsh labor forced on you, 4 you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon: How the oppressor has come to an end! How his fury has ended!
5 The Lord has broken the rod of the wicked, the scepter of the rulers, 6 which in anger struck down peoples with unceasing blows, and in fury subdued nations with relentless aggression. 7 All the earth is at rest and at peace; it breaks out in song. 8 Even the junipers and the cedars of Lebanon gloat over you and say, “Now that you have been laid low, no one comes to cut us down.”

Chiasmus 3: Satan and the Antichrist are defeated

9 The realm of the dead below is all astir to meet you at your coming; it rouses the Rephaim to greet you— all those who were leaders in the world; it makes them rise from their thrones— all those who were kings over the nations. 10 They will all respond, they will say to you, “You also have become weak, as we are; you have become like us.” 11 All your pomp has been brought down to the grave, along with the noise of your harps; maggots are spread out beneath you and worms cover you.
12 How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! 13 You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. 14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” 15 But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit.
16 Those who see you stare at you, they ponder your fate: “Is this the man who shook the earth and made kingdoms tremble, 17 the man who made the world a wilderness, who overthrew its cities and would not let his captives go home?” 18 All the kings of the nations lie in state, each in his own tomb. 19 But you are flung out unburied like a rejected branch; you are covered with the slain, with those pierced by the sword, with those thrown to the bottom of the pit. Like a corpse trampled underfoot, 20a you will not join them in burial, for you have destroyed your land and killed your people.

Chiasmus 4: Satan's human empire is completely destroyed

20b Let the offspring of the wicked never be mentioned again. 21 Prepare a place to slaughter his children for the sins of their ancestors; they are not to rise to inherit the world and cover the earth with wars. 22a “For I will rise up against them,” declares the Lord Almighty.
22b “I will wipe out Babylon’s name and survivors, her offspring and descendants,” declares the Lord. 23 “I will turn her into a place for owls and into swampland; I will sweep her with the broom of destruction,” declares the Lord Almighty. 24 The Lord Almighty has sworn, “Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will happen. 25 I will crush the Assyrian in my land; on my mountains I will trample him down. His yoke will be taken from my people, and his burden removed from their shoulders.”
26 This is the plan determined for the whole world; this is the hand stretched out over all nations. 27 For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?


The Destruction of Jerusalem (70AD) during the First Jewish–Roman War (66AD–73AD) (Ch 13 Vs 6-8, Ch 13 Vs 14-17)

Ch 13 6 Wail, for the day of the Lord is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty. 7 Because of this, all hands will go limp, every heart will melt with fear. 8 Terror will seize them, pain and anguish will grip them; they will writhe like a woman in labor. They will look aghast at each other, their faces aflame.
14 Like a hunted gazelle, like sheep with none to gather them, they will all return to their own people, they will flee to their native land.
15 Whoever is captured will be thrust through; all who are caught will fall by the sword. 16 Their infants will be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses will be looted and their wives violated. 17 See, I will stir up against them the Medes, who will not think of silver and will not favor gold.


5. A Commentary on the Reconfigured Text

5.0 Introductory Passage (Ch 13 Vs 1)

Chapter 13 1 A prophecy against Babylon that Isaiah son of Amoz saw:

We believe that the "Babylon" of this passage is a global secret empire of Satan worshippers with its seat of power at the Vatican (see Rev 17 in [3]). We will show that this prophecy is primarily regarding the destruction of this empire at the beginning of the Millennial Reign. ( This verse lies outside the chiasmus but is included here because it introduces the prophecy.)



5.1 End-Times Tribulation (circa 2967AD) (Ch 13 Vs 9-13)

This Period is structured as a chiasmus. The subunits, A1 [13:9-10] and A2 [13:12-13], summarize the punishments in the heavens and on the earth during the End-Time Tribulation. The pivot, X [13:11], lists the reasons for the punishment. The "heavens" in this passage refers to Satan's empire of fallen angels in the spiritual realm.


Subunit A1: The heavens and the earth are punished (13:9-10)

Chapter 13 9 See, the day of the Lord is coming —a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger— to make the earth desolate and destroy the sinners within it.

When Christ comes in glory at the beginning of this Period, he gathers the righteous to heaven in the Rapture (Rev. 7:9-10), and leaves the rest on earth to face the End-Times Tribulation. This time of tribulation is one of the three great "Days of the Lord" (or "day of His burning anger" in 13:13) of Joel (see Joel 2:11), and through this time of great affliction, God destroys the earth and all the wicked in it (Rev 8-11).



Chapter 13 10 The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light.

At Christ's coming, the fallen angels in the spiritual realm will also be punished. The sun, moon and stars in the heavens represent Satan's angels (Deut. 17:3, 4:19, Acts 7:42) that control the nations outside Israel; their reign ends at this time and they face judgement ("the sun will be darkened...") (see also Rev 6:12-14, Isaiah 24:21-23, Psalm 82:6-8).



Pivot X: The reason for the punishment of people (13:11)

Chapter 13 11 I will punish the world for its evil, the wicked for their sins. I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty and will humble the pride of the ruthless.

The two primary reasons that the people on earth are punished are listed in this pivot: they worship other gods ("wicked", "evil") (see also Isaiah 2:8), they exhibit pride and arrogance in their dealings with God (see also Isaiah 2:11,17).



Subunit A2: The heavens and the earth are punished (13:12-13)

This subunit restates the prophecies in the corresponding subunit A1 above.


Chapter 13 12 I will make people scarcer than pure gold, more rare than the gold of Ophir.

The population of the earth is reduced considerably during the Tribulation, as God punishes those who obstinately refuse to turn from their wicked ways and obey Him (Rev. 8-9). ( Pure gold was scarce in Isaiah's time. The gold of Ophir was known for its purity - cf. 2 Chron. 9:10.)



Chapter 13 13 Therefore I will make the heavens tremble; and the earth will shake from its place at the wrath of the Lord Almighty, in the day of his burning anger.

Both Satan's spiritual realm and the earth face devastating punishment, as God unleashes His wrath in this Period (see also Isaiah 24:1-3,19-21). Note that the "day" in this passage and 13:9 above do not refer to a single day but to this entire Period.



5.2 The defeat of Satan at the start of Christ's Millennial Reign (2027AD) (Ch 13 Vs 2-5, Ch 13 Vs 18 - Ch 14 Vs 27)

This Period is structured as a series of 4 chiasmi.

Chiasmus 1: Satan's empire "Babylon" is destroyed by God

The passage below in 13:2-5,18-22 is structured as a chiasmus. The subunits, A1 [13:2-5] and A2 [13:19-22], predict that "Babylon" will be destroyed. The pivot, X [13:18], indicates that "Babylon's" subsidiaries will also be destroyed.


Subunit A1: "Babylon" is destroyed (13:2-5)

Chapter 13 2 Raise a banner on a bare hilltop, shout to them; beckon to them to enter the gates of the tyrants. 3 I have commanded My sanctified ones; I have summoned my warriors to carry out my wrath— those who rejoice in my triumph. 4 Listen, a noise on the mountains, like that of a great multitude! Listen, an uproar among the kingdoms, like nations massing together! The Lord Almighty is mustering an army for war. 5 They come from faraway lands, from the ends of the heavens— the Lord and the weapons of his wrath— to destroy the whole country.

God summons an "army" (He "raises a banner/standard on a bare hilltop" so that it is visible at a distance) of the faithful ("sanctified ones", "those who rejoice in my triumph") from around the world to rise up and overthrow Satan's worldwide kingdom of "Babylon" at the start of the Millennial Reign of Christ.

The "Babylon" of this Period (Rev. 17) is a cabal of Satan-worshippers, spread around the world, that tyrannically controls the world for Satan. It may own physical assets, like the Vatican city, but it is not a country in the common sense of the word; so the passages of this Period that treat it as a country are figurative. Note that the phrase, "the ends of the heavens", in vs 5, refers to the distant horizon, and means "the ends of the earth".



Pivot X: "Babylon's" subsidiaries are destroyed (13:18)

Chapter 13 18 Their bows will strike down the young men; they will have no mercy on infants, nor will they look with compassion on children.

Many organizations around the world are secretly "Babylon's" subsidiaries - subordinate institutions that help it control the world. The death of the "young"/"infants"/"children" of this passage represents the destruction of these subsidiaries (this metaphor is also used in 14:22 below and in Psalms 137:9).



Subunit A2: "Babylon" is destroyed (13:19-22)

Chapter 13 19 Babylon, the jewel of kingdoms, the pride and glory of the Babylonians, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah. 20 She will never be inhabited or lived in through all generations; there no nomads will pitch their tents, there no shepherds will rest their flocks. 21 But desert creatures will lie there, jackals will fill her houses; there the owls will dwell, and there the wild goats will leap about. 22 Hyenas will inhabit her strongholds, jackals her luxurious palaces. Her time is at hand, and her days will not be prolonged.

"Babylon", that wealthy, powerful international organization ("kingdom") that rules the world, will be destroyed forever (see also Rev. 18), as indicated by the figurative description ("Babylon" is not a literal country) of utter desolation in this passage ("no nomads will pitch their tents, jackals will fill her houses..."). Since "Babylon" executes Satan's reign over the earth, its destruction represents the end of Satan's control over the world. The reference to Sodom and Gomorrah in 13:19 indicates the extent of "Babylon's" depravity (cf. Rev. 18:2-3, see Gen. 19) and the extent of its consequent punishment (Rev. 18:4-7).



Chiasmus 2: God's nation is restored and Satan's nation is destroyed

The passage below in 14:1-8 is structured as a chiasmus. The subunits, A1 [14:1-2] and A2 [14:5-8], indicate there will be a New World Order. In the pivot, X [14:3-4], the righteous exult at the Antichrist's defeat.


Subunit A1: A New World Order: God's nation Israel is restored (14:1-2)

Chapter 14 1 The Lord will have compassion on Jacob; once again he will choose Israel and will settle them in their own land. Resident foreigners will join them and unite with the descendants of Jacob.

God will forgive the Israelites for their past sins as a nation and will once again make them His chosen people. He will gather them into their own land, and the non-Israelite residents of this land will become a part of the Israelite family.



Chapter 14 2 The people who had captured them will return them to their place. Israel will take possession of them and make them male and female servants in the Lord’s land. They will make captives of their captors and rule over their oppressors.

During the reign of the Beast, powerful organizations had taken a portion of the Israelites into captivity as slaves (see also Joel 3:4-6). At the start of the Millennial Reign, these Israelites will be freed and the people who had captured them will themselves become servants in Israel (see also Joel 3:7-8).



Pivot X: The righteous exult at the Antichrist's defeat (14:3-4)

Chapter 14 3 On the day the Lord gives you relief from your suffering and turmoil and from the harsh labor forced on you, 4 you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon: How the oppressor has come to an end! How his fury has ended!

With "Babylon's" defeat, its "king" the Antichrist is brought low; the Antichrist ruled the world for a short time as a human representative of Satan (see Rev 13:11-15). The righteous of the world are greatly relieved, because their tormentor no longer reigns (see also Rev 18:20).



Subunit A2: A New World Order: Satan's nation is destroyed (14:5-8)

Chapter 14 5 The Lord has broken the rod of the wicked, the scepter of the rulers, 6 which in anger struck down peoples with unceasing blows, and in fury subdued nations with relentless aggression.

God defeats Satan's empires (see also Rev. 18), "Babylon" (Rev 17) and the Beast (Rev 13), that had tyrannically ruled over the earth and tormented the righteous during the reign of the Beast.



Chapter 14 7 All the earth is at rest and at peace; it breaks out in song. 8 Even the junipers and the cedars of Lebanon gloat over you and say, “Now that you have been laid low, no one comes to cut us down.”

All the earth will be at peace, rejoicing at the fall of "Babylon" and the Beast. The stately trees of Lebanon, representing all of nature, say that no one assaults them anymore (cf. Romans 8:18-22), for Satan's empires attacked nature as well as humans.



Chiasmus 3: Satan and the Antichrist are defeated

The passage below in 14:9-20a is structured as a chiasmus. The pivot, X [14:12-15], predicts Satan's defeat and punishment. The subunits, A1 [14:9-11] and A2 [14:16-20a], are regarding the Antichrist's defeat and death.


Subunit A1: The Antichrist is defeated and killed: His soul is mocked in Sheol (14:9-11)

Chapter 14 9 The realm of the dead below is all astir to meet you at your coming; it rouses the Rephaim to greet you— all those who were leaders in the world; it makes them rise from their thrones— all those who were kings over the nations. ”

The spirits of the Rephaim kings in the Realm of the Dead (Sheol, the underworld) are raised to meet the Antichrist at his death. The Rephaim are a race of Nephilim, the hybrid offspring of fallen angels and human women (Genesis 6:4). Since the Nephilim have their own place in the Realm of the Dead - under the waters (see Job 26:5 in Hebrew, Rev. 20:13) - this passage seems to indicate that the Antichrist will be of the Nephilim bloodline. Note that the Rephaim that were kings on earth will continue to reign in the Realm of the Dead (as indicated by "rise from their thrones").



Chapter 14 10 They will all respond, they will say to you, “You also have become weak, as we are; you have become like us. 11 All your pomp has been brought down to the grave, along with the noise of your harps; maggots are spread out beneath you and worms cover you.

The Rephaim kings mock the Antichrist, saying that Satan's glorious, all-powerful ruler of the world has become weak like them at his death. They point out that all the benefits of royalty that the Antichrist enjoyed in the physical realm are now gone: the pomp and the music are ended ("brought down to the grave/Sheol" in vs 11 is figurative); his body lies on maggots instead of a kingly bed, and under worms instead of a royal blanket.



Pivot X: Satan is defeated and punished (14:12-15)

Chapter 14 12 How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!

Satan is defeated ("fallen", "cast down") in the war for men's souls that takes place during the reign of the Beast (Rev. 12:12, Rev. 13). During this war, Satan was given tyrannical control over the whole earth ("laid low the nations") so that he may try to win souls by using his power over mankind.

Note that before his original fall from heaven, Satan had been given the title "Morning Star", one of the most exalted priestly titles (see Job 38:7, cf. Rev. 22:16, 2:28). Note also that "fallen from heaven" and "cast down to the earth" in this passage refer to Satan's defeat in this war at the start of the Millennial Reign (Rev. 20:1-3) and not to his original rebellion and fall at the time of creation (Rev. 12:7-9).



Chapter 14 13 You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. 14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” 15 But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit.

Satan had aimed to set himself above all of God's angels (Mount Zaphon is considered the home of the "gods"/angels) and rule all God's creation; he planned to do this by winning a majority of human souls in the war for men's souls that took place before the Millennial Reign (Rev. 12:12). But instead Satan is defeated and dispatched to the bottomless pit ("depths of the pit"), a place of torment, where he will remain chained for a thousand years (Rev. 20:1-3).



Subunit A2: The Antichrist is defeated and killed: His body is dishonoured (14:16-20a)

Chapter 14 16 Those who see you stare at you, they ponder your fate: “Is this the man who shook the earth and made kingdoms tremble, 17 the man who made the world a wilderness, who overthrew its cities and would not let his captives go home?”

At the start of the Millennial Reign the Beast army, led by the Antichrist, launches an attack on the New Israel (this is the Gog and Magog war of Ezekiel 39, Rev 19:11-21). But the Israelites defeat and kill this giant army with divine help, and the bodies of the Antichrist and his soldiers lie unburied for a long time (Ezekiel 39:4,5). All who see this are in wonder at the undignified end of this man who once tyrannically ruled the earth, caused great destruction on it, and killed or kept imprisoned all those who disobeyed him (Rev. 13).



Chapter 14 18 All the kings of the nations lie in state, each in his own tomb. 19a But you are flung out unburied like a rejected branch; you are covered with the slain, with those pierced by the sword, with those thrown to the bottom of the pit.

The kings of the world are honoured after their deaths and buried in magnificent mausoleums ("lie in state", "in his own tombs"), but the Antichrist's body is thrown into an open pit ("flung out unburied") like an abhorred member of a family ("rejected branch"). The dead soldiers of the Beast army are also thrown into the same pit (Ezekiel 39:11), so the Antichrist's body is "covered with the slain, with those pierced, with those thrown to the bottom of the pit".



Chapter 14 19b Like a corpse trampled underfoot, 20a you will not join them in burial, for you have destroyed your land and killed your people.

While lesser kings of the earth are honoured in death (the "them" of vs 20a refers to the kings of v 18), the body of the once great Antichrist lies in utter humiliation under other bodies ("like a corpse trampled underfoot"). There is no one left to give him a proper burial, as he has led his people, the empires of "Babylon" and the Beast, to utter destruction.



Chiasmus 4: Satan's human empire is completely destroyed

The passage below in 14:20b-27 is structured as a chiasmus. The pivot, X [14:22b-25], predicts the destruction of Satan's human empires of "Babylon" and the Beast. The subunits, A1 [14:20b-22a] and A2 [14:26-27], are regarding the destruction of the Satanic royal bloodline families that control the world for Satan.


Subunit A1: Satan's royal bloodline families are destroyed by God (14:20b-22a)

Chapter 14 20b Let the offspring of the wicked never be mentioned again. 21 Prepare a place to slaughter his children for the sins of their ancestors; they are not to rise to inherit the world and cover the earth with wars. 22a “For I will rise up against them,” declares the Lord Almighty.

Satan's reign on earth has been executed by the members of a few royal/priestly families of the Satanic bloodlines, probably descendants of Nimrod (see appendix in [4]). These families have ruled the earth for Satan through millennia, and they have done much evil on earth ("sins"); notably, they have started wars all over the world, to consolidate their power and for other wicked purposes. These families will be destroyed by God, so they can never use their spiritual powers to rule over the earth again, and so that the world can be at peace. ( Note that the "children"/"offspring" of this passage in 20b-21 are literal descendants, while the "offspring"/"descendants" in 22b below are figurative.)



Pivot X: "Babylon" and the Beast are destroyed (14:22b-25)

This Pivot X is itself structured as a chiasmus. The pivot of this Pivot X, 14:24, indicates that the destruction of Satan's empire is according to God's plan, and the subunits predict the destruction of Satan's empires: "Babylon" and the Beast.

Chapter 14 22b “I will wipe out Babylon’s name and survivors, her offspring and descendants,” declares the Lord. 23 “I will turn her into a place for owls and into swampland; I will sweep her with the broom of destruction,” declares the Lord Almighty.

"Babylon" and its subsidiary organizations will be completely and eternally destroyed by God (Rev. 18) ("survivors"/ "offspring"/ "descendants" represent subsidiary organizations - see similar metaphor in 13:18 above and Psalms 137:9). Note that phrases indicating "Babylon's" utter destruction, like "turn her into a place for owls", in vs 23, are figurative, because "Babylon" is an organization and not a literal nation (see similar images for Babylon's destruction in 13:20-22 above and Isaiah 51:37).



Chapter 14 24 The Lord Almighty has sworn,
“Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will happen.

These Satanic empires, "Babylon" and the Beast, were given power over the world according to God's plan, so that He may test and refine mankind. After their purpose is accomplished, He will dispose of them. Satan's empires will be defeated according to God's wishes, though they are all powerful during the reign of the Beast.



Chapter 14 25 I will crush the Assyrian in my land; on my mountains I will trample him down. His yoke will be taken from my people, and his burden removed from their shoulders.”

At the start of the Millennial Reign of Christ, God will defeat the Beast ("Assyrian") army on the mountains at the borders of the New Israel (the Gog and Magog war of Ezekiel 39), so that the righteous of the world no longer are under Satan's yoke. "Assyria" here represents "Babylon's" enforcing empire, the "7-headed Beast" (see Rev 13, Rev 19:17-21), through which Satan controls the world (Assyria was the empire from which Satan ruled the world at the time of Isaiah, and the ancient city of Babylon was Satan's spiritual headquarters).



Subunit A2: Satan's royal bloodline families are destroyed by God (14:26-27)

Chapter 14 26 This is the plan determined for the whole world; this is the hand stretched out over all nations. 27 For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?

This passage continues from the corresponding subunit A1 above. God had allowed the wicked Satanic royal families to rule over the world and cause much suffering, all as part of His plan to test and refine mankind. But since their purpose is now accomplished, God will destroy this evil from the earth. When God orders the execution of His plan ("His hand is stretched out") for the destruction of these families, it will definitely take place, though it may seem unlikely when they have tyrannical control over all mankind in the time before the Millennial Reign.



5.3 The Destruction of Jerusalem (70AD) during the First Jewish–Roman War (66AD–73AD) (Ch 13 Vs 6-8, Ch 13 Vs 14-17)

This Period is structured as a chiasmus. The pivot, X [13:14], is regarding the escape of the non-Judahites living in Jerusalem during The First Jewish–Roman War. The subunits, A1 [13:6-8] and A2 [13:15-17], are regarding the massacre of the Judahites in Jerusalem, as decreed by God.


Subunit A1: The Massacre at Jerusalem: Before the Roman assault (13:6-8)

Chapter 13 6 Wail, for the day of the Lord is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty. 7 Because of this, all hands will go limp, every heart will melt with fear. 8 Terror will seize them, pain and anguish will grip them; they will writhe like a woman in labor. They will look aghast at each other, their faces aflame.

During the First Jewish-Roman war, the Roman army launched a terrifying and brutal attack on the Judahite centres surrounding Jerusalem before arriving at the capital city in the spring of 70AD. The Judahites in Jerusalem went into a state of great terror ("hands go limp", "hearts melt") and anguish ("faces aflame" and "writhing bodies" refers to faces and bodies animated by extreme agitation) when they realised that they faced a horrific death.

After a short siege, the Romans would go on to destroy Jerusalem and massacre its people in the summer of 70AD; this period of the devastation of Jerusalem is one of the three "Days of the Lord" - times of great punishment from God (see Joel 1:15). ( See our paper on Daniel 9 [2] for more details on this Period.)



Pivot X: The foreigners in Jerusalem flee to their native lands (13:14)

Chapter 13 14 Like a hunted gazelle, like sheep with none to gather them, they will all return to their own people, they will flee to their native land.

Most of the non-Judahites living in Jerusalem fled to their own lands on hearing of the Roman attack. They were allowed to escape because God's wrath was directed against His own people - the Judahites who rejected Christ - and not against those of other races.



Subunit A2: The Massacre at Jerusalem: The Roman assault (13:15-17)

Chapter 13 15 Whoever is captured will be thrust through; all who are caught will fall by the sword. 16 Their infants will be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses will be looted and their wives violated.

Almost all of the Judahites that the Romans caught were killed, for the Romans did not spare anyone - men, women, children, infants, those who were loyal to Rome, those who were not (see also Hosea 10:14,15). Jerusalem was looted and destroyed. Only Christian Judahites escaped this massacre by fleeing to the mountains at the Romans' arrival in Jerusalem (see Matthew 24:15,16).



Chapter 13 17 See, I will stir up against them the Medes, who will not think of silver and will not favor gold.

It was God that instigated the Romans ("Medes") to attack the Judahites; He made a covenant with Titus that gave the Roman general free rein in Judea for 7 years, so that he may completely destroy God's people (as we have shown in [2]). Titus' primary objectives in this war were to punish and wipe out the Judahites for their rebellion in 66AD - these are not the typical goals of war, which are to gather loot ("gold"/"silver') and expand territory.

In what sense are the Romans called "Medes" in this passage? We propose that just as God calls on the Medes under Cyrus to destroy Babylon (Dan 7:5, 2 Chron, 36:23), God uses the Romans to devastate the "Babylon" of this Period - Judea. Judea was like Babylon, because the Judahites had been corrupted through the wicked teachings of Babylon during their exile in that land (Judah is similarly called "Babylon" in Jer. 50:35). ( Note that the Roman Empire did not exist in Isaiah's time.)



Conclusion

With this chiastic reconstruction, we show that the passage contains three interwoven prophetic passages. This prophecy is regarding the three great "Days of the Lord's wrath" against the wicked. The passages for Period 1 are regarding the punishment of the wicked Judahites in 70AD, and Periods 2 and 3 are regarding the punishment of the wicked at the start and end of Christ's Millennial Reign.



References

[1] A Definition of Cryptochiasmus
[2] A Chiastic Reconfiguration Of "The 70 Weeks Of Daniel"
[3] A Chiastic Reconfiguration Of Revelation 4-22 Part 2: Commentary on Period 2
[4] A Chiastic Reconfiguration Of Daniel 8
[5] A Chiastic Reconfiguration Of "The Olivet Discourse" in Matthew 24
[6] A Chiastic Reconfiguration Of Revelation 4-22 Part 3: Commentary on Period 3
[7] A Chiastic Reconfiguration Of Joel





* First version published on 28 January 2020.