June 15: Isaiah 47 and Revelation 17
When the West says to Babylon, "Hold my beer."
Babylon - before its fall under Cyrus - embodies pride in pleasure. Throughout the 40’s of Isaiah, God has said over and over again “I am, and there is no one besides me.” Yet that’s exactly what the “daughters” of Babylon say about themselves (8). They fancy themselves as a “mistress” - a woman above all women - forever (7). Full of wickedness, loving every pleasure (8), she thinks she dwells as secure as God, made so by her sorceries and divination (10). In all this, again she says, “I am, and there is no one besides me” (10).
While there are obvious sins here, the greatest and deepest are the twin sins of personal autonomy and uniqueness. We have drilled these Disney-gospel doctrines into our children - especially our girls - for a long time in the West. That you are unique - like God - and that you can do whatever you want - like God. It is dragon’s the lie from the Garden, all over again.
God hears and sees it all. Thus He will disrobe them (3) and take vengeance upon them for how they treated His people (6). How many dead babies have piled up in the West in the name of personal autonomy? God even employs a little sarcasm: you can keep using your counsels - see how it turns out for you, Babylon (12-13). Because in the end, you will wander about, dazed at your own judgment (14-15).
Another of today’s readings causes us to reflect upon this moment in history. Now in John’s Revelation, the name “Babylon” has become a symbol for every immoral, blood-thirsty power that will finally fall (Rev. 17:5). John sees that she fills herself with abominations and impurities (4) and satiates her lust with the blood of the saints (6).
Woe to every nation who whores like Babylon. For they too will be “desolate and naked,” devoured and burned with fire (16). Woe to the countries of the West, with all their Biblical history and Bibles gathering dust on their shelves, who are doing their level-best to beat Babylon at her own game and who say, “No one sees me.”
God sees and does not change:
“Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”
1 Cor. 6:9-10