The prophet Isaiah saw the same picture Jesus described when He said, “I saw Satan falling from heaven as a flash of lightning!” (Luke 10:18). Because of Satan’s pride and arrogance, he was cast out of heaven. He rebelliously and boldly asserted himself with five “I wills”:
“I will ascend to heaven and [I will] set my throne above God’s stars. I will preside on the mountain of the gods far away in the north. I will climb to the highest heavens and [I will] be like the Most High” (Isaiah 14:13-14, bold added).
How unthinkable it is for any creature to consider exalting himself above God! There in the veiled and shadowy reality of eternity past, God judged Satan’s rebellion, and he was thrust like lightning from heaven!
Only what is submitted to God can remain with God. May we never be found with pride, exalting ourselves above God. He alone will be exalted in heaven. “Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens. May your glory shine over all the earth” (Psalm 57:11).
14 The LORD will have compassion on Jacob;
once again he will choose Israel
and will settle them in their own land.
Foreigners will join them
and unite with the descendants of Jacob.
2Nations will take them
and bring them to their own place.
And Israel will take possession of the nations
and make them male and female servants in the LORD’s land.
They will make captives of their captors
and rule over their oppressors.
3On the day the LORD gives you relief from your suffering and turmoil and from the harsh labor forced on you,4you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon:
How the oppressor has come to an end!
How his fury has ended!
5The LORD has broken the rod of the wicked,
the scepter of the rulers,
6which in anger struck down peoples
with unceasing blows,
and in fury subdued nations
with relentless aggression.
7All the lands are at rest and at peace;
they break into singing.
8Even the junipers and the cedars of Lebanon
gloat over you and say,
“Now that you have been laid low,
no one comes to cut us down.”
9The realm of the dead below is all astir
to meet you at your coming;
it rouses the spirits of the departed to greet you—
all those who were leaders in the world;
it makes them rise from their thrones—
all those who were kings over the nations.
10They will all respond,
they will say to you,
“You also have become weak, as we are;
you have become like us.”
11All your pomp has been brought down to the grave,
along with the noise of your harps;
maggots are spread out beneath you
and worms cover you.
12How you have fallen from heaven,
morning star, son of the dawn!
You have been cast down to the earth,
you who once laid low the nations!
13You said in your heart,
“I will ascend to the heavens;
I will raise my throne
above the stars of God;
I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,
on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon.
14I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High.”
15But you are brought down to the realm of the dead,
to the depths of the pit.
16Those who see you stare at you,
they ponder your fate:
“Is this the man who shook the earth
and made kingdoms tremble,
17the man who made the world a wilderness,
who overthrew its cities
and would not let his captives go home?”
18All the kings of the nations lie in state,
each in his own tomb.
19But you are cast out of your tomb
like a rejected branch;
you are covered with the slain,
with those pierced by the sword,
those who descend to the stones of the pit.
Like a corpse trampled underfoot,
20 you will not join them in burial,
for you have destroyed your land
and killed your people.
Let the offspring of the wicked
never be mentioned again.
21Prepare a place to slaughter his children
for the sins of their ancestors;
they are not to rise to inherit the land
and cover the earth with their cities.
22“I will rise up against them,”
declares the LORD Almighty.
“I will wipe out Babylon’s name and survivors,
her offspring and descendants,”
declares the LORD.
23“I will turn her into a place for owls
and into swampland;
I will sweep her with the broom of destruction,”
declares the LORD Almighty.
24The LORD Almighty has sworn,
“Surely, as I have planned, so it will be,
and as I have purposed, so it will happen.
25I will crush the Assyrian in my land;
on my mountains I will trample him down.
His yoke will be taken from my people,
and his burden removed from their shoulders.”
26This is the plan determined for the whole world;
this is the hand stretched out over all nations.
27For the LORD Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him?
His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?
9Do not speak to fools,
for they will scorn your prudent words.
10Do not move an ancient boundary stone
or encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
11for their Defender is strong;
he will take up their case against you.