“Come down, virgin daughter of Babylon, and sit in the dust. For your days of sitting on a throne have ended. O daughter of Babylonia, never again will you be the lovely princess, tender and delicate. [Isaiah 47.1]
Isaiah 47 is about the fall of Babylon.
For all the context of the entire Bible, I cannot help but see Babylon as representing the idolatry of the world, namely, man's idol industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology. Much of Isaiah 47's descriptions of Babylon also describe these idol industries.
Then, the last verse of Isaiah 47 clinches it for me:
And all your friends, those with whom you’ve done business since childhood, will go their own ways, turning a deaf ear to your cries. [Isaiah 47.15]
There it is: business. Finance, insurance, medicine and technology are all businesses that revolve solely around money.
Here's the thing: these industries that revolve around money have to get that money from somewhere. So, they get it from people! Of course they offer a "service" in return, but the business is not about the service as much as it is about the money.
God's anger against His people for trusting idol industries instead of Him ALONE is described:
For I was angry with my chosen people and punished them by letting them fall into your hands. But you, Babylon, showed them no mercy. You oppressed even the elderly. [Isaiah 47.6]
People who have become beholding to idol industries must 'pay tribute' to those idols. That 'tribute' is money - it is exactly what people pay in inordinate amounts to finance, insurance, medicine and technology. Is it any wonder that Isaiah 47.6 mentions the oppression of the elderly? I think not. It is the punishment of God that people become bound to paying tribute to idols.
But what happens when money fails? That's where verse 15 again comes into view:
And all your friends, those with whom you’ve done business since childhood, will go their own ways, turning a deaf ear to your cries. [Isaiah 47.15]
Babylon is destined to fall. Man's idol industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology are destined to fall. Why? Because they are idols and have exalted themselves 'above God.' So, God will prove His dominion, and what better way to do that than to cause the complete collapse of money?
This should cause us to meditate deeply upon Jesus' entire discussion about money in Matthew 6, and particularly verse 24:
“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money. [Matthew 6.24]
Religion will do everything within its power to distract people from the truth about money and the idol industries that operate off of it. Man's failure to trust God ALONE is the driving force that keeps man's idol industries afloat while man, in proud religious denial, vehemently argues otherwise. Yes, false religion argues that "God uses man's idol industries." And, in blatant violation of the 3rd Commandment, false religion goes so far as to deceptively justify that "God gave idol industries" much the same as Aaron tried to cover up Israel's betrayal of God with the gold calf by declaring a "festival to the LORD" (see Exodus 32).
For everything the complex idol industries of man's ways promote, Jesus demanded a simplistic alternative:
If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]
And, what does that look like?
“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. “Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is! “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money. “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. [Matthew 6.19-34]
Idol industries will not acknowledge God's Word. Religion will effectively water it down with abstract spiritualization. And, "Babylon" will survive ...at least until God causes a collapse of money.
“You felt secure in your wickedness. ‘No one sees me,’ you said. But your ‘wisdom’ and ‘knowledge’ have led you astray, and you said, ‘I am the only one, and there is no other.’ So disaster will overtake you, and you won’t be able to charm it away. Calamity will fall upon you, and you won’t be able to buy your way out. A catastrophe will strike you suddenly, one for which you are not prepared. [Isaiah 47.10-11]
Isaiah's prophecy is a harsh warning to Babylon and all who are part of Babylon's money-grubbing systems, the idol industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology. Regardless the 'wisdom' and 'knowledge' claims made by these idols, God will prove Himself supreme and ALONE worthy of all glory. Isaiah 46.2 describes idolatry's demise well:
Both the idols and their owners are bowed down. The gods cannot protect the people, and the people cannot protect the gods. They go off into captivity together. [Isaiah 46.2]
Father in heaven, help us see the warning to Your people today to separate ourselves from "Babylon" -- the idol industries of man's making that revolve around money. May our focus be on Jesus as we give up our own way, take up our cross, and follow Him. So be it.
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