Sermon Outline:
- The Day of the Lord is Coming For Babylon and Every Babylon After It.
- God’s judgment of his enemies is unto lifting up and securing His people.
- God’s people are meant to be assured and confident as they rest in His fulfilled promises.
Family Discussion Questions:
- What are some of the primary nations, institutions and ideals that Christians nowadays are most tempted to put their trust in, or feel like their sense of peace and rest depends on?
- What does Isaiah accomplish in giving a prophecy that points both to a near-historical fulfillment while looking at a far distant fulfilment? How is this helpful for our trust in God?
- What is the significance of Babylon in Scripture? How does the actual historical kingdom of Babylon give us a helpful paradigm for thinking about other nations, institutions or ideas?
- The judgement of the day of the Lord is not the final step in God’s plan for history. How does the judgement of Babylon participate in building up to God’s intended ends for history?
- What is God’s intended outcome after the judgement of Babylon?
- What are near and far fulfillments of Isaiah 14:1-2?
- Where do we see the amazing extent of God’s grace in Isaiah 14:1-2?
- Powerful nations like Babylon oppressed and enslaved God’s people. When God reverses the dynamic of power, what will that mean for the people of those nations?
- What does the song of creation in 14:4-8 say about human sin and the goodness of God’s judgement?
- What is the ultimate outcome for the King of Babylon? What is the final outcome of even the most proud and lofty human endeavours?
- Why is it helpful that Isaiah includes a prophetic word about Assyria as a conclusion to his prophecy regarding Babylon?
