Outline of Isaiah chapters 13, 14
—The fall of Babylon predicted
This page provides an outline of Isaiah chapters 13 and 14 for your reference. The complete outline of Isaiah is spread over several lessons.
1 Context Overview
Chapters thirteen to twenty-seven of Isaiah deliver oracles from the Lord to various nations, principally to Babylon who will rise up to crush Judah and destroy Jerusalem. Isaiah warns all these nations that God is over them and will take away their glory because of their sins. After delivering these oracles to particular nations, Isaiah then looks to the much more distant future, to the destruction of the whole world.
2 Fall of Babylon Predicted (Isaiah 13)
- 1. The battle hymn (Isaiah 13:1-5).
- 2. The day of the Lord (Isaiah 13:6-16).
- 3. The Medes’ destruction of Babylon predicted (Isaiah 13:17-22).
The middle section of the triad predicts the destruction of the Chaldean empire. At the time Isaiah wrote this poem, God was letting the Assyrians rise to power. They would be God’s instrument to destroy Israel. Then God would let the Chaldeans conquer the Assyrians. He would also use the Chaldeans to destroy Judah and Jerusalem. After that, he would let the Medes and Persians destroy the Chaldeans and their beautiful capital Babylon. The middle section of the triad is a figurative description of this. However, like several of Isaiah’s prophecies, the passage has not only this fulfillment in the nearer future, but also looks to a fulfillment in the much more distant future —in this case the very end of the world.
3 A Taunt Against the King of Babylon (Isaiah 14)
- 1. Return and restoration of Israel promised (Isaiah 14:1-4).
- 2. A taunt against the king of Babylon (Isaiah 14:4-21:).
- 3. God’s plan regarding Assyria and Babylon will come to pass and none can stop it (Isaiah 14:22-27).
The middle section of this triad is a taunt against the king of Babylon. Many people see this passage as also a taunt against Satan, but I have deep reservations about that...
A Note on the Name “Lucifer”
At Isaiah 14:12, the King James Version says, "How you have fallen from heaven O Lucifer, son of the morning".
The name Lucifer means shining one, and was used by the King James translators to render the Hebrew helel. The Hebrew word most likely means day star or morning star. The Bible calls Jesus Christ "the day star" and "the bright and morning star" (2Peter 1:19, Revelation 22:16). It would be contradictory for Satan to legitimately hold the same description.
Isaiah 14:4-22 is a taunt against the king of Babylon. The statement "How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn!" (verse 12) is a taunt full of irony. It is referring to the arrogance of the king who said in his heart, "I will ascend to heaven, I will raise my throne above the stars of God..." (verses 13-14). He never did of course, because God punished him.
Some tie Isaiah 14:12 to Luke 10:18 and Revelation 9:1 where Satan is spoken of as falling from heaven. Even if we allow that there might be a double meaning in Isaiah 14:12 so that Satan is regarded as the antitype of the king of Babylon, we would still have to see that calling him "O star of the morning, son of the dawn!" is sarcasm and irony. In other words Satan is anything but a shining star. So the name Lucifer is wrongly applied to him as a legitimate name.
Satan is the Deceiver of deceivers, and the Antichrist of antichrists. Of course he would enjoy appropriating the name Lucifer. It helps him to "disguise himself as an angel of light" (2Corinthians 11:13-15). Let the name Lucifer be on pagan lips, but never let a Christian honour Satan with that name.