Isaiah 13, the Day of the Lord? or History?

[Jamdoc]

Now first, the chapter begins that this is the burden of Babylon, so the first thing people would think is this is about when the Persian Empire took over the Babylonians
However
Isaiah 13 contains several references to the Day of the Lord, including signs that Jesus gave during the Olivet Discourse, and shown in Revelation 6 at the 6th seal:

6 Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.
7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt:
8 And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.
9 Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.
12 I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.
13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the Lord of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.

The Darkening of the Sun and Moon is the most common sign associated with the Day of the Lord, Joel 2 speaks of it, it's mentioned in the Olivet Discourse, and in Revelation 6, along with an Earthquake and other signs in the sky like the heavens being shaken/rolled up like a scroll.

Matthew 24:

29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

Revelation 6:

12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

In these two locations, it cannot be referring to when the Medes and Persians destroyed Babylon, Jesus was presenting it as a yet future event from His time on Earth, and Revelation presented it as yet future past Jesus' resurrection, so it was not referring to the Day Jesus was crucified, even though those signs happened on a local scale when Jesus was crucified.

However, despite all this Day of the Lord language....

Isaiah 13:

17 Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver; and as for gold, they shall not delight in it.
18 Their bows also shall dash the young men to pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eyes shall not spare children.
19 And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
20 It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there.
21 But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there.
22 And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged.

and while currently Babylon is ruins, it was inhabited for a long time after the Persians took it over, Alexander took it over too, so did the Romans briefly, and then it was still a regional seat of power under future Persian empires until the Muslims took it over, it fell into decay, and was ultimately abandoned around 1000AD.
I have a lot of trouble accepting that this passage in Isaiah 13 was about the conquest of Babylon BC despite the text mentioning the Medes because of over 1000 years of it being inhabited and being an important city.

So how is this reconciled? It talks about the Day of the Lord, which I believe is future, and has to deal with the return of Jesus, which has not happened yet.
But it's talking about Babylonians, Chaldeans, and Medes, which would point in the past, and yet.. mentions that this event leaves it in uninhabitable ruins which doesn't line up with history either.

Isaiah 14 further goes into how the King of Babylon is equated with Lucifer, and also refers to him as the Assyrian, an empire that if using a historicist or preterist interpretation of this, the Assyrians had been destroyed before the Neo Babylonian Empire, it was what led to the Neo Babylonian Empire becoming a power; the Medes and Babylonians conquering Assyria.

The one thing I can think is that both titles, the Assyrian, and the King of Babylon, refer to the yet future Antichrist, as Micah 5 refers to the one destroyed by the Messiah as the Assyrian. It would of course explain the equation with Lucifer.

It can also be referring to Babylon in Revelation 17 and 18, rather than Historic Babylon, Babylon there has ships sailing to it, and Historic Babylon was inland.

However.. the Medes part still throws me for a loop.
It doesn't fit history, because of continued inhabitation, and, I don't really see elsewhere in scripture where there's a possible connection to future Medes. Future Persians yes, Ezekiel 38 and 39.
But not specifically the Medes.

I don't see a reconciliation in either a historical interpretation or a futurist interpretation, and I don't accept that the destruction spoken of was just.. the historic Medo-Persian conquest and remaining inhabited and important for 1000 years, and only 500 years after that being abandoned to ruins, as fulfillment.
That's not good enough for an Omniscient God who declares the end from the beginning.

 

[trophy33]

The Darkening of the Sun and Moon is the most common sign associated with the Day of the Lord, Joel 2 speaks of it, it's mentioned in the Olivet Discourse, and in Revelation 6, along with an Earthquake and other signs in the sky like the heavens being shaken/rolled up like a scroll.

These astrological/astronomical metaphors were used to describe a world changing event.

For example:
"This is what was spoken by the prophet Joel...‘In the last days...the sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord"
Acts 2:16

"This" being the apostolic preaching of the gospel to the nations in the 1st century.

 

[Jamdoc]

These astrological/astronomical metaphors were used to describe a world changing event.

For example:
"This is what was spoken by the prophet Joel...‘In the last days...the sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord"
Acts 2:16

"This" being the apostolic preaching of the gospel to the nations in the 1st century.

I thought what Peter was referring to there was:

Matthew 27

45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.
46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
47 Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.
48 And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink.
49 The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.
50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

So day of the Lord signs at the crucifixion, but I imagine in smaller scale, though apparently the darkening of the sun and moon was seen in China and is recorded in the annals of the Emperor Gwangwu in the book of the Latter Han (and from the translation, the Emperor interpreted the sign as a man from heaven dying and all the crimes of humanity placed on one man and forgiveness being pronounced from heaven, which is uncanny as this was a long time before anyone preached the Gospel to the Chinese)

 

[trophy33]

I thought what Peter was referring to there was...

No, Peter was not referring to crucifixion, but to the preaching in foreign languages (explaining that they are not drunk, but its what Joel prophesized about).

Anyway, in both cases the point would be that this kind of language was used for various world changing events, not about just one.

 

[Jamdoc]

No, Peter was not referring to crucifixion, but to the preaching in foreign languages (explaining that they are not drunk, but its what Joel prophesized about).

Anyway, in both cases the point would be that this kind of language was used for various world changing events, not about just one.

So your reconciliation is that there are multiple Days of the Lord, and some of them are not supernatural at all but just mundane but world changing events.

and what about Babylon still being inhabited for 1000 years after the Medes were supposed to render it uninhabitable for all time?

 

[keras]

Isaiah 13 contains several references to the Day of the Lord, including signs that Jesus gave during the Olivet Discourse, and shown in Revelation 6 at the 6th seal:

Isaiah 13 is one of the over 100 Prophesies in the Bible which vividly describe the soon to happen, terrible Day the Lord will reset our civilization to a similar extent as He did in the days of Noah: Matthew 24:37-39

Isaiah 28:21 The Lord will arise as He did on Mt Perazim, [1 Chron. 14:11] and storm with rage as He did in the valley of Gibeon, [Joshua 10:9-15] to do what He must do, to perform a strange and alien task.

Isaiah 29:5 Suddenly, in an instant the horde of your enemies will crumble into dust, punishment will come from the Lord, with thunder, earthquakes, with storm and tempest and flames of devouring fire.

Isaiah 13:6-13 Cry out: for the Day of the Lord is at hand, it will come in a mighty destruction. Fear will grip everyone, men will lose courage at the coming disaster. That cruel Day of the Lord’s vengeance and wrath is coming to reduce all the earth to a desolation and to destroy the evil and godless people on it. It will be a Day of darkness, on the day that the Lord brings disaster onto the world and due punishment to the wicked. He will put an end to arrogance and will humble the pride of the ruthless. Humans will become as scarce as fine gold, on the Day that the heavens will be moved and the earth shaken from its place, at the wrath of the Lord, in the Day of His blazing anger.

As Isaiah tells us: The Lord has in the past acted to destroy His enemies and now: once again, He will take action and instigate His fiery punishment against the attackers of Israel. Isaiah 66:15-17, Zephaniah 1:14-18, Romans 2:18, +

Isaiah 42:14 Long have I restrained Myself…now I groan like a woman in labour. I shall lay to waste the earth and cause the streams and lakes to dry up. Isaiah 59:18, Isaiah 63:1-6, Isaiah 64:1-2, Psalms 68:1-2, Jer. 12:14, Deuteronomy 32:26-43
Ref. REB, some verses abridged.


The Lord will arise, to perform a strange task – to punish His enemies, the attackers of Israel and to humble the godless. Micah 4:11-12, Habakkuk 3:12, Revelation 6:12-17

Punishment will come from the Lord – not a nuclear war or anything instigated by man, but God controlled, triggered by an Islamic attack onto Israel. Psalms 83, Isaiah 21:2 & 22:6

Suddenly, in an instant – This is the event that ‘will come like a thief’, unexpectedly and shockingly.

earthquakes – Earthquakes will be caused by the microwave effect of the electromagnetic pulse in a huge Coronal Mass Ejection. Isaiah 30:26, Malachi 4:1, Revelation 6:12-17, Deuteronomy 32:22 & 34-43

devouring fire – The fireball of the high temperature hydrogen plasma of a CME. Malachi 4:1-& 3

the Day of the Lord is at hand – This is the logical result of most of mankind’s rejection of God and His Laws. Hebrews 10:27

Fear will grip everyone – This sudden and shocking event will terrify all those people unaware of God’s plans. Ezekiel 7:15-19

a mighty destruction, to reduce the earth to desolation – A worldwide disaster. Luke 21:34-35

a day of darkness – The approaching mass from the sun will obscure it, also smoke from city and forest fires and ash from volcanoes.

Humans will become scarce – Millions will die from the initial strike and millions more from famine afterwards. Jeremiah 9:22

the heavens move – the magnetosphere and the atmosphere will be pushed aside at the impact area; the Middle East. Ezekiel 30:1-5, Isaiah 34:4, Rev. 6:14, Zephaniah 2:4-5

the earth will shake from its place – the hit from this CME may cause the earth’s orbit to speed up, thereby giving us a 360 day year, which is the prophetic year. Isaiah 24:1

His blazing anger – It is appropriate that the Lord will use the sun, our life sustainer, to judge mankind. A CME solar flare perfectly and literally fulfils all the prophesied effects and it will quickly pass by, leaving the world to recover. A world that will never be the same again and the stage will be set for all the other prophesied things to happen before the Return of Jesus for His Millennium reign.

 

[Jamdoc]

Okay literally none of that addresses the big question.
why the reference to the Medes

 

[Matt5]

So how is this reconciled? It talks about the Day of the Lord, which I believe is future, and has to deal with the return of Jesus, which has not happened yet.
But it's talking about Babylonians, Chaldeans, and Medes, which would point in the past, and yet.. mentions that this event leaves it in uninhabitable ruins which doesn't line up with history either.

Isaiah 14 further goes into how the King of Babylon is equated with Lucifer, and also refers to him as the Assyrian, an empire that if using a historicist or preterist interpretation of this, the Assyrians had been destroyed before the Neo Babylonian Empire, it was what led to the Neo Babylonian Empire becoming a power; the Medes and Babylonians conquering Assyria.

The one thing I can think is that both titles, the Assyrian, and the King of Babylon, refer to the yet future Antichrist, as Micah 5 refers to the one destroyed by the Messiah as the Assyrian. It would of course explain the equation with Lucifer.

It can also be referring to Babylon in Revelation 17 and 18, rather than Historic Babylon, Babylon there has ships sailing to it, and Historic Babylon was inland.

However.. the Medes part still throws me for a loop.
It doesn't fit history, because of continued inhabitation, and, I don't really see elsewhere in scripture where there's a possible connection to future Medes. Future Persians yes, Ezekiel 38 and 39.
But not specifically the Medes.

I don't see a reconciliation in either a historical interpretation or a futurist interpretation, and I don't accept that the destruction spoken of was just.. the historic Medo-Persian conquest and remaining inhabited and important for 1000 years, and only 500 years after that being abandoned to ruins, as fulfillment.
That's not good enough for an Omniscient God who declares the end from the beginning.

This chapter appears to be talking about both the past and future.

You see one day of the Lord event. I see many such events. You probably cannot accept this because the implications are profound.

Jesus does return one day, but one would be better off just assuming that every reference to his return is really about one or more obliterations - day of the Lord events. Although, shortly before Jesus returns we would call them harvests.

Generally, confusing language about the future is hiding something - bad news. Otherwise, why bother with the confusion? If the news is bad on the surface then the hidden news is even worse. Controversially, I view Iran (Medes) as the Mystery Babylon. Apparently, I am the only one on the planet who believes this. Anyway, I see that Iran (Medes) will bring down the West before Iran is itself wiped out.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

Now first, the chapter begins that this is the burden of Babylon, so the first thing people would think is this is about when the Persian Empire took over the Babylonians
However
Isaiah 13 contains several references to the Day of the Lord, including signs that Jesus gave during the Olivet Discourse, and shown in Revelation 6 at the 6th seal:



The Darkening of the Sun and Moon is the most common sign associated with the Day of the Lord, Joel 2 speaks of it, it's mentioned in the Olivet Discourse, and in Revelation 6, along with an Earthquake and other signs in the sky like the heavens being shaken/rolled up like a scroll.

Matthew 24:

Revelation 6:

In these two locations, it cannot be referring to when the Medes and Persians destroyed Babylon, Jesus was presenting it as a yet future event from His time on Earth, and Revelation presented it as yet future past Jesus' resurrection, so it was not referring to the Day Jesus was crucified, even though those signs happened on a local scale when Jesus was crucified.

However, despite all this Day of the Lord language....

Isaiah 13:

and while currently Babylon is ruins, it was inhabited for a long time after the Persians took it over, Alexander took it over too, so did the Romans briefly, and then it was still a regional seat of power under future Persian empires until the Muslims took it over, it fell into decay, and was ultimately abandoned around 1000AD.
I have a lot of trouble accepting that this passage in Isaiah 13 was about the conquest of Babylon BC despite the text mentioning the Medes because of over 1000 years of it being inhabited and being an important city.

So how is this reconciled? It talks about the Day of the Lord, which I believe is future, and has to deal with the return of Jesus, which has not happened yet.
But it's talking about Babylonians, Chaldeans, and Medes, which would point in the past, and yet.. mentions that this event leaves it in uninhabitable ruins which doesn't line up with history either.

Isaiah 14 further goes into how the King of Babylon is equated with Lucifer, and also refers to him as the Assyrian, an empire that if using a historicist or preterist interpretation of this, the Assyrians had been destroyed before the Neo Babylonian Empire, it was what led to the Neo Babylonian Empire becoming a power; the Medes and Babylonians conquering Assyria.

The one thing I can think is that both titles, the Assyrian, and the King of Babylon, refer to the yet future Antichrist, as Micah 5 refers to the one destroyed by the Messiah as the Assyrian. It would of course explain the equation with Lucifer.

It can also be referring to Babylon in Revelation 17 and 18, rather than Historic Babylon, Babylon there has ships sailing to it, and Historic Babylon was inland.

However.. the Medes part still throws me for a loop.
It doesn't fit history, because of continued inhabitation, and, I don't really see elsewhere in scripture where there's a possible connection to future Medes. Future Persians yes, Ezekiel 38 and 39.
But not specifically the Medes.

I don't see a reconciliation in either a historical interpretation or a futurist interpretation, and I don't accept that the destruction spoken of was just.. the historic Medo-Persian conquest and remaining inhabited and important for 1000 years, and only 500 years after that being abandoned to ruins, as fulfillment.
That's not good enough for an Omniscient God who declares the end from the beginning.

Not sure why 70 AD is always overlooked when speaking about the " Day of the Lord".

 

[Jamdoc]

Not sure why 70 AD is always overlooked when speaking about the " Day of the Lord".

Because Jesus didn't come back and there was no resurrection in 70AD.
and in this case, Babylon was inhabited and an important city for another 500 years after 70AD.

I'll be blunt, if God goes up and down about how something surely will happen and once He says it it's as good as done, and says that the Medes are going to destroy Babylon and leave it permanently uninhabited, but it doesn't line up with history, and Babylon was incorporated into multiple versions of the Persian Empire as a seat of regional power and wasn't abandoned for 1500 years after the Medes "destroyed" it, it makes God seem all talk, or like He's stretching the truth like taffy. Same goes for when God describes all these dramatic profound supernatural events like the sun and moon darkening... if God was just using colorful language to describe.... some army going in and taking over a city, one empire replaced with another, one religion replaced with another..

what about the other promises, eternal life, new bodies, a new heavens and new earth? If THIS is the New Heavens and New Earth, and it's all summed up as "well Christianity is the most popular religion in the world! Isn't that glorious?" I would say "no, if this is the fulfillment then it's a very disappointing and mundane outcome from a very disappointing and impotent god who's primary effect is to make people feel psychologically better about their sins"

1 Corinthians 15

16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

 

[keras]

Okay literally none of that addresses the big question.
why the reference to the Medes

The BIG question is; what is the Lord going to do to sort out the mess in His holy Land and the general worldwide trend toward atheism, the acceptance of homosexuality along with the deterioration of law and order.
Isaiah 13 and all the rest of the graphically described Prophesies about the Day of the Lords vengeance and wrath, tell us. Believe it or not!

Elam, Media and Persia = modern Iran.
Their crazy mullahs have repeatedly said they will wipe Israel off the map. Satan is their motivator. They WILL attempt to fire nuke missiles to Israel.
THEN the Lord will arise and storm with rage, Isaiah 28:21, and Irans leadership and armies will be destroyed. Jeremiah 49:35-37

All the world will be badly affected, but the entire Middle East will be virtually depopulated. Zephaniah 1:14-18, Hosea 4:1-3, Jeremiah 10:18

 

[Jamdoc]

The BIG question is; what is the Lord going to do to sort out the mess in His holy Land and the general worldwide trend toward atheism, the acceptance of homosexuality along with the deterioration of law and order.
Isaiah 13 and all the rest of the graphically described Prophesies about the Day of the Lords vengeance and wrath, tell us. Believe it or not!

Elam, Media and Persia = modern Iran.
Their crazy mullahs have repeatedly said they will wipe Israel off the map. Satan is their motivator. They WILL attempt to fire nuke missiles to Israel.
THEN the Lord will arise and storm with rage, Isaiah 28:21, and Irans leadership and armies will be destroyed. Jeremiah 49:35-37

All the world will be badly affected, but the entire Middle East will be virtually depopulated. Zephaniah 1:14-18, Hosea 4:1-3, Jeremiah 10:18

so you're thinking along the lines of the reference in Isaiah 13 being about current day Iran, kinda like how Persia in Ezekiel 38 is equated to modern day Iran in a future Gog of Magog invasion? I suppose that might have to be as close as we can understand that they're just using the ancient people group but instead of Persians they went with Medes this time

But that also brings up another question then. Since that'd be meaning Isaiah 13 and 14 have to do with the end times Babylon. Would it be then that this is talking about the 10 Kings destroying that end times Babylon as Revelation 17 and 18 point out, moved by God to destroy Babylon?
Which brings up the question of in Isaiah 14, that King of Babylon is equated with Lucifer, fallen from heaven, and the Assyrian, which as I mentioned is a title for Antichrist. But don't the 10 Kings destroy Babylon and set up the beast who would be the Assyrian?

It makes me think also of Isaiah 49 where God says He will put his throne in Elam, would the Medes at that time be.... fighting on God's side?

 

[Maria Billingsley]

Because Jesus didn't come back and there was no resurrection in 70AD.
and in this case, Babylon was inhabited and an important city for another 500 years after 70AD.

I'll be blunt, if God goes up and down about how something surely will happen and once He says it it's as good as done, and says that the Medes are going to destroy Babylon and leave it permanently uninhabited, but it doesn't line up with history, and Babylon was incorporated into multiple versions of the Persian Empire as a seat of regional power and wasn't abandoned for 1500 years after the Medes "destroyed" it, it makes God seem all talk, or like He's stretching the truth like taffy. Same goes for when God describes all these dramatic profound supernatural events like the sun and moon darkening... if God was just using colorful language to describe.... some army going in and taking over a city, one empire replaced with another, one religion replaced with another..

what about the other promises, eternal life, new bodies, a new heavens and new earth? If THIS is the New Heavens and New Earth, and it's all summed up as "well Christianity is the most popular religion in the world! Isn't that glorious?" I would say "no, if this is the fulfillment then it's a very disappointing and mundane outcome from a very disappointing and impotent god who's primary effect is to make people feel psychologically better about their sins"

1 Corinthians 15

The Day of the Lord refers to God’s special interventions into the course of world events relating to Israel herself or her enemies. He judged His enemies and fulfilled His purpose for the comming of the Messiah. There will also be a " judgment day" ,when all will be resurrected, some to everlasting life and others condemnation. One is physical the other is spiritual. The destruction of Temple Judaism was the end of that age. We now look towards the " last day", judgment.
Blessings.

 

[Jamdoc]

The Day of the Lord refers to God’s special interventions into the course of world events relating to Israel herself or her enemies. He judged His enemies and fulfilled His purpose for the comming of the Messiah. There will also be a " judgment day" ,when all will be resurrected, some to everlasting life and others condemnation. One is physical the other is spiritual. The destruction of Temple Judaism was the end of that age. We now look towards the " last day", judgment.
Blessings.

In Matthew 24 Jesus described His return and the end of the age, and used the same language as Isaiah 13.
not just some judgement.

 

[keras]

But that also brings up another question then. Since that'd be meaning Isaiah 13 and 14 have to do with the end times Babylon. Would it be then that this is talking about the 10 Kings destroying that end times Babylon as Revelation 17 and 18 point out, moved by God to destroy Babylon?

The ten rulers do not come into play until after the Day of the Lords fiery wrath.
Revelation 17 to 18 is about events during the Great Tribulation, in the final 3 1/2 years before Jesus Returns.

It makes me think also of Isaiah 49 where God says He will put his throne in Elam, would the Medes at that time be.... fighting on God's side?

You mean Jeremiah 49:38. But no, they do not fight for God, they fight for Satan and they lose, as He makes an end of them. Some will be restored.

Advance Elam, make your move Media! Isaiah 21:2
In this verse, it seems that God is actually encouraging Iran to attack Israel. It’s like Clint Eastwood saying; C’mon, make my day!
Do not doubt, Iran will attempt to carry out its threats to annihilate Israel. They will do this for several reasons:

1/ The Islamic leadership of Iran is in trouble, the Iranian people no longer support their incompetent and repressive rule.

2/ The Mullah’s believe it is their destiny to bring about the advent of the 12th Imam, the Islamic Mahadi.

3/ The economy is in a shambles, partly due to the sanctions imposed because of their nuclear program and to mismanagement and corruption.

4/ A scapegoat is needed to divert the attention of the people and note the rhetoric of Ayatollah Khomeini; ‘We do not worship Iran, we worship Allah. For patriotism is another name for paganism. I say let this land burn, let this land go up in smoke, provided Islam emerges triumphant’. Quote 1980
Iran's leadership say:: ‘Israel will cease to exist, we will remove the cancer from our midst’. This remains the case now, in 2024 and Iran just waits for the opportune moment to commence their attack on Israel. That moment will be God’s Appointed Day, Habakkuk 2:3, Revelation 6:12-17

5/ But Bible prophesy is the best indication we have that very soon Iran and all the Islamic peoples: Psalms 83:6-8, will commence their attack on Israel.
Isaiah 21:2b...Advance Elam, up Media: To the siege! Do not hesitate!

Isaiah 22:6 Elam took up the quiver, the war chariots of Aram are readied and Kir has uncovered the shield.

Isaiah 22:8a The heart of Judah’s defences are laid open.

Jeremiah 49:35-39 I shall break the bow of Elam, the chief weapon of their might. I shall bring the four winds against them and will scatter them. I will terrify Elam before their foes and bring evil upon them, in My fierce anger, I will consume them with My sword until I have made an end to them. Then I shall set My throne in Elam and destroy their rulers and officers. Yet, in days to come I will restore the fortunes of Elam.

Ezekiel 7:14 The war trumpet has sounded and all are ready, but no war happens, as their actions have instigated the wrath of the Lord.
Ref: REB, verses abridged.

Elam and Media: now Iran. Aram: now Syria. Kir: probably Iraq or Turkey.

Judah’s defences laid open – This may refer to Isaiah 21:2a, how a traitor will betray Israel and possibly the loss of their good leadership, as per Isaiah 3:1-7, Micah 5:1

I shall break the bow of Elam, their chief weapon. - Their nuke weapons explode on the launch pad. Psalms 7:12-16, Hosea 2:18, Jeremiah 49:35

The Lord’s anger will consume them. – As described in Psalms 83:13-17... the Lord’s enemies will be scattered like chaff, with blazing flames and tempests of storm winds, they will suffer disgrace and perish. Zephaniah 1:14-18, Ezekiel 30:1-5
The strongholds of Islam will be destroyed, it and the other false religions will be no more. Isaiah 66:15-17, Hebrews 10:27

The wrath of the Lord – This will be the great and terrible Day of the Lord’s vengeance and wrath, a comprehensively prophesied judgement by fire, described to us as an explosion on the suns surface, a Coronal Mass Ejection . It will literally fulfil the Sixth Seal and the 100+ prophesies about that Day; resulting in the fulfilment of the punishment of all the nations, Habakkuk 3:12, Psalms 2:8-9, 2 Peter 3:7 and the commencement of all the Prophesied end time events.

 

[Jamdoc]

The ten rulers do not come into play until after the Day of the Lords fiery wrath.
Revelation 17 to 18 is about events during the Great Tribulation, in the final 3 1/2 years before Jesus Returns.

You mean Jeremiah 49:38. But no, they do not fight for God, they fight for Satan and they lose, as He makes an end of them. Some will be restored.

Advance Elam, make your move Media! Isaiah 21:2
In this verse, it seems that God is actually encouraging Iran to attack Israel. It’s like Clint Eastwood saying; C’mon, make my day!
Do not doubt, Iran will attempt to carry out its threats to annihilate Israel. They will do this for several reasons:

1/ The Islamic leadership of Iran is in trouble, the Iranian people no longer support their incompetent and repressive rule.

2/ The Mullah’s believe it is their destiny to bring about the advent of the 12th Imam, the Islamic Mahadi.

3/ The economy is in a shambles, partly due to the sanctions imposed because of their nuclear program and to mismanagement and corruption.

4/ A scapegoat is needed to divert the attention of the people and note the rhetoric of Ayatollah Khomeini; ‘We do not worship Iran, we worship Allah. For patriotism is another name for paganism. I say let this land burn, let this land go up in smoke, provided Islam emerges triumphant’. Quote 1980
Iran's leadership say:: ‘Israel will cease to exist, we will remove the cancer from our midst’. This remains the case now, in 2024 and Iran just waits for the opportune moment to commence their attack on Israel. That moment will be God’s Appointed Day, Habakkuk 2:3, Revelation 6:12-17

5/ But Bible prophesy is the best indication we have that very soon Iran and all the Islamic peoples: Psalms 83:6-8, will commence their attack on Israel.
Isaiah 21:2b...Advance Elam, up Media: To the siege! Do not hesitate!

Isaiah 22:6 Elam took up the quiver, the war chariots of Aram are readied and Kir has uncovered the shield.

Isaiah 22:8a The heart of Judah’s defences are laid open.

Jeremiah 49:35-39 I shall break the bow of Elam, the chief weapon of their might. I shall bring the four winds against them and will scatter them. I will terrify Elam before their foes and bring evil upon them, in My fierce anger, I will consume them with My sword until I have made an end to them. Then I shall set My throne in Elam and destroy their rulers and officers. Yet, in days to come I will restore the fortunes of Elam.

Ezekiel 7:14 The war trumpet has sounded and all are ready, but no war happens, as their actions have instigated the wrath of the Lord.
Ref: REB, verses abridged.

Elam and Media: now Iran. Aram: now Syria. Kir: probably Iraq or Turkey.

Judah’s defences laid open – This may refer to Isaiah 21:2a, how a traitor will betray Israel and possibly the loss of their good leadership, as per Isaiah 3:1-7, Micah 5:1

I shall break the bow of Elam, their chief weapon. - Their nuke weapons explode on the launch pad. Psalms 7:12-16, Hosea 2:18, Jeremiah 49:35

The Lord’s anger will consume them. – As described in Psalms 83:13-17... the Lord’s enemies will be scattered like chaff, with blazing flames and tempests of storm winds, they will suffer disgrace and perish. Zephaniah 1:14-18, Ezekiel 30:1-5
The strongholds of Islam will be destroyed, it and the other false religions will be no more. Isaiah 66:15-17, Hebrews 10:27

The wrath of the Lord – This will be the great and terrible Day of the Lord’s vengeance and wrath, a comprehensively prophesied judgement by fire, described to us as an explosion on the suns surface, a Coronal Mass Ejection . It will literally fulfil the Sixth Seal and the 100+ prophesies about that Day; resulting in the fulfilment of the punishment of all the nations, Habakkuk 3:12, Psalms 2:8-9, 2 Peter 3:7 and the commencement of all the Prophesied end time events.

But Isaiah 13 is talking about the Medes destroying Babylon and making it permanently uninhabitable. and the King of Babylon in Isaiah 14 is equated with Lucifer and the Assyrian, a name most associate with Satan, and the Antichrist.
Why are the Medes destroying a future Babylon?

 

[Jamdoc]

like to organize the tangle, here are the facts:

1. The passages of Isaiah 13 and 14 are the burden of Babylon, prophecy from Isaiah's time about Babylon
2. the King of Babylon is equated with Lucifer, a person falling from heaven after desiring to be like God, and the Assyrian
3. God says the Medes will destroy Babylon and leave it uninhabited forever.
4. Several mentions of the Day of the Lord, including signs and language like Jesus used to describe His second coming in the Olivet Discourse, and Revelation 6's 6th seal.

The views

A: Historically fulfilled when the Medo-Persian Empire conquered Babylon before Christ
Strengths
1. The Medes did conquer Babylon and changed the balance of power in the region
2. Babylon is uninhabited today
3. Can be pointed at to show God predicted something and something happened, if you are willing to ignore historical inconsistencies.
Weaknesses
1. The celestial signs did not take place during this conquest, nor did God judge the entire world in this war, just localized to the Babylonian Empire, the signs have to be considered allegory, and the scale has to be considered embellishment and dramatization.
2. Babylon continued to be inhabited and was even a seat of regional power under the Archaemenid Empire, the Hellenistic Empire (Alexander), the Parthian Empire, briefly the Roman Empire, and the Sassanid Empire before being conquered by the Muslims and finally dwindling in population, scavenged for building materials, and abandoned to ruin. That took over 1000 years from the Medo-Persian Empire conquering it. It doesn't match the language Isaiah used for Babylon's destruction
3. With the historical inaccuracies considered, can be pointed out as an inaccurate story, and discredit prophecy and the bible as a whole.
This view makes God a big talker, but delivery on promises is very wishy-washy and you have to accept "close enough"

B: Future prophecy that was not fulfilled historically but will be fulfilled eschatalogically
Strengths:
1. As it has not happened yet, you can't point out historical inaccuracy and discredit it
2. the "Day of the Lord" language lines up with Jesus' Olivet Discourse description of His return, and the 6th seal of Revelation 6.
3. Equating the King of Babylon with Lucifer which is normally understood to be Satan falling from heaven, fits with descriptions of Revelation 12 and 13, where Satan falls from heaven, and then empowers the beast, which many believe is a demonic possession. Use of the term "the Assyrian" lines up with Micah 5 referring to the Assyrian as the one destroyed by Messiah, which Messiah destroys the Beast.
Weaknesses:
1. The Medes are mentioned as the agents of Babylon's destruction, which they did historically, what would they be in a yet future fulfillment?

 

[Maria Billingsley]

In Matthew 24 Jesus described His return and the end of the age, and used the same language as Isaiah 13.
not just some judgement.

I believe that " some judgment"is the end game.
Thanks for engaging.
Be blessed.

 

[keras]

The Medes are mentioned as the agents of Babylon's destruction, which they did historically, what would they be in a yet future fulfillment?

The use of those ancient places and peoples, is metaphorical.
Mefes; modern Iran.
Babylon; all of the modern, ungodly world.

Iran will be the agent of the forthcoming world changing event, as their attempt to send nuke missiles to the holy Land, will bring on the Lords Day of vengeance and wrath. Psalms 7:12-16, Joel 3:4