At the time Babylon was part of the Assyrian empire, and Babylon was its most important city. Indeed the kings of Assyria were also called "king of Babylon".
This is a prophecy which Isaiah saw. Maybe he saw a vision of what was going to happen, or he saw in his mind what was going to happen.
Men think they are making history, or are in control of history. In reality it is God who is in control and who directs history. He had set Assyria apart for a purpose.
A vast army from various lands would gather for the Lord's purpose. The great battle of Armageddon perhaps alludes to this.
The great day of the Lord will come and all men will be seized with fear. Man has rebelled against God, but a day will come when the foolishness of this will be evident to all. At the Name of Jesus every knee will bow. We should consider this carefully, for the mind of man would say "why should we bow down to God? What right has He to be angry?". Well consider this. What say did you have in your birth? You do not determine whether or not you will be able to live tomorrow. You cannot chose the day of your death. You cannot make the weather. The truth is that we are utterly dependent upon God for every moment of our being. In rebelling against God we are living a lie.
Then we get further talk of the destruction to come, and this is given with cosmic descriptions of stars not shining and so on. We find similar allusions in Joel, the gospels and Revelation.
Utter destruction will come upon the Assyrian army.
There was conflict between the Medes and Assyria, and Media was also responsible for Babylon's downfall many years later. There is perhaps in the latter part of this chapter a mixing of prophecies against Assyria and those concerning the future downfall of Babylon. The Assyrian attack and Babylonian exile were all part of a single act of God concerning the nation of Israel.
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