Telos, is a Greek word that means the “end” or “goal” of something. It is a philosophical concept that refers to the logical, purposeful end. It is the final end point of what actions and developments move towards, and without it, the in-between or the activity makes no sense.
We need to remember the telos of the narrative to read and understand Isaiah 14. If we lose sight of the arc and its end, the chapter will sound strange. Thus, we do need to fit this word of prophecy within the larger development of world events and what God is doing through it all.
(A) God’s people will laugh when their lowly estate is reversed (Isa 14:1-11)
In Isaiah 14:1-3, we read of how the LORD will have compassion in Jacob and will again choose them (recall that God had turned His face from His people in judgment for their sin and rebellion against Him). They will be set in their land (because He allowed them to lose it previously). In a reversal of roles, sojourners will join them and Israel will take as slaves and servants, those from other nations who had formerly subjugated them. While the loss of land, judgment or displeasure of God and impending exile are events that will soon occur on God’s people and here, He is saying that he will later undo them.
From our vantage point, we need to understand certain key historical events, as summarised below:
While this trajectory of world history may appear bleak, Isaiah 14:1-3 highlights the hopeful promise of the reversal of the fortunes for God’s people: “Peoples will take [these sojourners] and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will possess them in the Lord’s land as male and female slaves” (14:2a). Notice that Jacob will “take captive those who were their captors, and rule over those who oppressed them” (14:2b). For Israel this means that “the LORD has given you rest from your pain and turmoil and the hard service with which you were made to serve” (14:3). God promises to turn everything around for His own, even all that they have found heartbreaking.
The LORD will give them rest from their pain, turmoil and the hard service (Isa 14:3) so much so that one day, they will be able to “take up this taunt against the king of Babylon” who is “the oppressor” of “insolent fury” (Isa 14:4) and the cause of their suffering. To “taunt” is to speak in a challenging, provocative way which suggests the confidence and security that Israel will now enjoy against their former oppressor.
In it, Israel addresses the wicked and the rulers (Isa 14:4b-6). The staff of the wicked, or the scepter wielded by those in authority were used to strike the peoples in wrath with unceasing blows. Presumably, Babylon had ruled over other nations with unrelenting persecution and would now be broken by the LORD (Isa 14:5-6). God would make their defiance, described as “insolent fury” cease, and they would no longer be able to persecute and oppress the peoples because of God’s intervention.
So the whole earth will participate in the rest and quiet that follows (Isa 14:7). All will rejoice at the destruction of Babylon! Even the trees, the cypresses and cedars of Lebanon will rejoice because Babylon’s oppression will cease, and no more trees would be felled for its warmongering and ambition to build and construct (Isa 14:8).
Lastly, even Sheol, where the the demised leaders of the earth are will rejoice at Babylon’s defeat (Isa 14:9-11). Kings of nations formerly destroyed by Babylon will also now rise up to taunt them. Where is the pomp and victory music of Babylon now? It will follow them straight to the grave of Sheol, where decomposing maggots and worms clothe them as if a bed. This section reminds us that all of human power and glory, when stripped away in death, will equalize the victor and the loser, the strong and the weak.
And yet, God promises to have compassion on His people as He displaces the mighty nation of Babylon. On the Day of the Lord, God’s people are the ones who will have the last laugh over their enemies as their fortunes are reversed. This is an important theme in Scripture. As we saw last week, the Day of the Lord is more than just fierce judgment. Yes, our wrongs will be called into account, but on that Day, God will also bring about recompense and vindication to His faithful. To those whom He calls and knows, He will show steadfast and faithfulness on that Day of both judgment and hope.
Mary picks up on this theme in the New Testament in her Magnificat song of Luke 1:47-53. The reversal that God will accomplish is what she personally experiences when Messiah comes into her life. The poor made rich; the proud laid low; the hungry, filled — this is the same pattern in Isaiah as the proud nations are laid low and lowly Israel is restored.
We also see this in the Beatitudes of Jesus, squaring with what God intends to do on the Day of the Lord. It reminds us that the followers of Jesus in this life are the poor and lowly, not more righteous or deserving than others. We may sometimes feel that this world has dealt us with the short end of the stick, but the Beautitudes assure that the meek will inherit the earth. God will bring about a Day when He rights every wrong. Then Israel will look at their captors and see God turning around everything. If you feel like you are at the top and living your best life here in this world, do you see what God’s word says? His kingdom is not of this world. God’s word says that on that Day, the proud will be laid low, those of lowly estate will be uplifted.
(B) God will laugh when Babylon’s godless pride is laid low (Isa 14:12-23)
The “Day Star”, “son of Dawn”, who was “fallen from heaven” is addressed in Isaiah 14:12. Some scholars interpret this verse as Isaiah speaking of Satan’s pride and rebellion against God, and how Babylon expresses the same pride as a parallel. They point to Ezekiel 28:11-19 as a similar text for reference. While we don’t know conclusively if it is about Satan or not, what’s clear is that God mainly deals here with the wickedness and sin of pride. Pride is directly condemned. In Isaiah 14:13-14, we read of a series of prideful resolutions that are also condemned. The proud one uses a series of “I wills” to express his ambition and desire to be like God— “I will ascend to heaven”; “above the stars of God I will set my throne on high”; “I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north”; “I will make myself like the Most High” (Isa 14:13).
This forces us to confront how we see ourselves. Are we proud? Do we feel entitled in this life? Are certain things owed to us because of what we have done or who we are? Friends, is that not pride expressed in another form?
Pride comes in many forms. Perhaps the passage of God’s opposition of pride feels very distant, and we think that’s not like us. But how often have we planned, resolved and committed ourselves to ascend to the next level of progress, advancement or whatever we are pursuing? By the might of our hands and the strength of our merit, we will achieve.
In contrast to the language of ascension and glory, the proud one is “brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit” (Isa 14:15). This language is similar curse language in Genesis 3:14, where the serpent is reduced to crawling on his belly in shame. There is no honour in death, and instead of a king’s royal burial, the proud Babylonian will be tossed out like a loathed branch, useless and cast aside (Isa 14:16-19). He will just be another corpse (Isa 14:19-20). We see that God’s justice is utterly right: those who hold other human lives as cheap will receive what they have inflicted upon others. Pause and ponder how God knows all we have done. It is both comforting and a warning. God, in His justice, is terrifying because He is just. His righteousness is frighteningly fair. We read on to see how the Babylonian’s entire line will also be wiped out (Isa 14:20b) and his offspring utterly destroyed so that future restoration and vengeance is impossible.
This set of verses shows us what God thinks about pride. What does God think about your pride? Maybe you are not “king of Babylon” proud, but could God be opposed to your pride?
Isaiah 14:22-23 has another set of “I will” statements. God will take Babylon and cut them off, both in terms of people and land (Isa 14:22). Their habitation will become a wasteland overrun by scavengers and ceremonially unclean animals. God will sweep the land with the “broom of destruction” (Isa 14:23).
What is the cause of these? God is the one behind all this. He plansand He acts. He will rise up against them. Prideful Babylon will find itself opposed.
Who will have the last laugh? God’s people will. From their sad state, their humble fortunes will be reversed in His time. This is what this chapter has to say to us.
Practically, consider where you stand and how we understand world events unfolding now. Does might make right in this life? Does it seem like the few hold power and are doing as they will? We read that God opposes the proud and assures us of the Day of the Lord, He is not blind to the events that we see before us now. It is right to pray that God speeds His justice and restrains evil in our day. It is right to pray that God’s purposes for justice and righteousness, lifting up the lowly and bringing down the idolatry of power, will soon come to pass because God opposes the proud.
1 John 2:15-17 warns Christians against worldly pride: "For all that is in the world — the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life — is not from the Father but is from the world. (1 Jn 2:16). Following Jesus will cost us our life and all we take pride in in this world. We do not live for our own vainglory but for Him. We look forward to the Day where are glorified in Him.
If that Day is not your hope, it is possible that there is too much of the pride of life in you. Make sure that you laugh with God at His victory on the Day, and not the laughter against your prideful downfall. Be sure you are not investing too much in this world and the pride of life. The church helps call us out of this world and its trappings. We call each other out of worldly pride into God’s glory. If you are not plugged into a local church, we encourage you to consider doing so.
If we don’t hope in that Day, we could be resorting to manmade alternatives to seek redress or and fight injustice. These may prove to hurt us in the long run. Knowing what God will do on the Day of the Lord should also help us wait. Let us wait, asking God to keep Babylon’s prideful and poisoning ways from “seeping” into our hearts.