Come to Me – Day 6
Isaiah’s oracle
Um(Imi)bhalo weBhayibheli
U-Isaya 13
Isaiah’s oracle must have sounded crazy, at the time. In it, he speaks about the destruction of Babylon, a power that did not rise until 85 years after his death, by the Medes, another group yet to come to power. In other words, Isaiah spoke about events and people that did not exist during his lifetime. Furthermore, these prophecies were accurately fulfilled to the letter – an astonishing illustration of the awesomeness of God.
Babylon was totally wiped out, exactly as Isaiah prophesied. The thick walls that once fortified the city are now completely destroyed. Isaiah also wrote about Media Persia, a power that did not exist during his lifetime. The Medo-Persians were nothing but a small group of nomads when Isaiah was alive. Yet, he prophesied that they would destroy Babylon. This too was fulfilled hundreds of years later, when Darius the Mede killed Belshazzar (Daniel 5).
When we read this ancient oracle, with the hindsight of history, it is clear to us that Isaiah wrote down these prophecies with the guidance of the Holy Spirit – he was not simply making things up.
We can be certain that there is nothing in this world that can stand the righteous judgement of God. So, let us keep our eyes on things that will last – God and his promises.