Babylon's Fall Foretold

Jehovah declares:  "Now hear this, you pleasure-given woman, the one sitting in security, the one saying in her heart:  'I am, and there is no one  else. I shall not sit as a widow, and I shall not know the loss of children.' " (Isaiah 47:8) Babylon's reputation for pleasure-seeking is well-known.  Fifth century B.C.E.  historian Herodotus tells of a "most shameful custom" of the Babylonians, namely that all women are required to prostitute themselves in homage to tier goddess of love. Ancient historian Curtius likewise said:  "No contamination  can surpass the manners of the city; no systematic corruption can offer more stimulations and allurements to debauchery."

Babylon's penchant for pleasure-seeking will hasten her fall. On the ever of her fall, her king and his grandees will feast, drinking themselves into a stupor. Thus, the will pay no heed to the Medo-Persian armies invading the city.  (Daniel 5:1-4)  "Sitting in security," Babylon will imagine that her seemingly impregnable walls and moat will protect her from invasion. She tells herself that "there is nobody else" who could ever occupy her place of supremacy. She does not imagine that she could become 'a widow," losing her imperial ruler as wells as her "children," or populace.  Still, no wall can protect here from the avenging arm of Jehovah God!  Jehovah will later say:  "Even it Babylon should ascend to the  heavens and even if should make the height of her strength unapproachable, from me the despoilers will come to  her."-Jeremiah 51:53.

What will result to Babylon?  Jehovah continues:  "But to you these two things will come suddenly, in one day: loss of children and widowhood.  In their complete measure they must come upon you, for the abundance of your sorceries, for the full might of your spells-exceedingly." -Isaiah 47:9)  Yes, Babylon's supremacy as the world power will suddenly come to an end. In the ancient Eastern lands, becoming a widow  and losing children  were the most calamitous experiences that a woman could undergo. We do not know how many "children" Babylon loses on the night of her fall.  In due time, though, that city will be abandoned entirely.  (Jeremiah 51:29)  She will also suffer widowhood in that her kings will be dethroned.

 Babylon's mistreatment of the Jews, however, is not the only reason for Jehovah's rage.  'The abundance of her sorceries' also incites him to anger. God's Law to Israel condemns the practice of spiritism; Babylon, though, avidly pursues the occult.   (Deuteronomy 18:10-12; Ezekiel 21:21)  The book Social Life Among the Assyrians and Babylonians says that the Babylonians' lives "were passed in perpetual fear of the multitudinous demons by which they believed themselves to be surrounded."

Next time: Trusting in Badness

From the Book Isaiah's Prophecy Light for all Mankind, Volume II, 2001