Introduction
Isaiah finished his prophetic career in 685 BC, 100 years before Babylon defeated Judah in 586 BC. At the time of this prophecy, Babylon was an emerging power, but overshadowed by the Assyrian Empire.
A. Babylon’s Destruction Foretold in Chapter 13.
B. Babylon’s Destruction Fulfilled in Chapter 14 and Daniel 5.
The Severity of Babylon’s Destruction, vv. 1-21
A. Babylonians will be paralyzed by fear, vv. 6-8.
B. Land and people will be destroyed, v. 9.
C. The heavens/sky will be blackened with black smoke blocking the sun and stars, v. 10.
D. Survivors will be scarce as gold, vv. 11-13.
E. Babylonian armies will flee as a scared deer, v. 14.
F. Children will be killed and women raped, vv. 15-16, and run through by the sword.
The Source of Babylon’s Destruction, vv. 17-22
A. The Medes will be used by God to effect this destruction, v. 17.
B. The Medes will not spare the innocent, v. 18.
C. Babylon will become desolate and uninhabitable, vv. 19-22.
“When Cyrus conquered Babylon, he did not devastate the city. The walls were left standing until 518 B.C., and general desolation did not set in until the third century B.C. Babylon gradually fell into decay, and the prophecy of Isaiah was fulfilled. Babylon became completely depopulated by the time of the Muslim conquest in the seventh century A.D., and to this day it lies deserted.” (Wolf)
This is also true in its ultimate fulfillment. When Jesus returns in glory and conquers the world system, He will rule the earth for 1,000 years. As He does, there will be no more “world system” in opposition to God as we know it. In this sense, the world system in opposition to God will never be inhabited again.