Isaiah 21:1

Isaiah 21:1 says, The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass through; so it cometh from the desert, from a terrible land.  This is another prophesy of the fall of Babylon and also a warning to God’s people not to put their trust in them.  Babylon was referred to as the desert of the plain or sea because it was a flat land full of lakes or little seas according to Matthew Henry.  At this time, Babylon was not even a powerful nation.  All those who deny God, no matter how powerful they may be individually or as a nation, are one day going to suffer a great everlasting defeat.  We as followers of Jesus Christ, in times of need or distress should never look to the powers of the world for answer, but we should always look to God alone.  Any help we get outside of the will of God will always be only temporary. 

Verse two adds, A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease.  Isaiah said the coming destruction was going to be very gruesome.  This is a reference to the defeat of Babylon by the Medes and Persians.  They would be terrible dealers of death to Babylon.  God already knows the fate of all nations, now and until the return of Jesus Christ in victory.  This is why we should never place our hopes of security in any government.  All will one day fall, even if they are considered good. 

Verse three continues, Therefore are my loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth: I was bowed down at the hearing of it; I was dismayed at the seeing of it.  Isaiah said seeing this vision of the future of Babylon caused him to be in pain like a woman in labor. He was bowed down at hearing it and dismayed at seeing it.  We should be in pain at knowing the coming everlasting destruction of those who deny Jesus Christ.  It should never be anything that we look forward to them suffering.  That is why it is so important to reach the world with the gospel of Christ. 

Verse four concludes, My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me.  Isaiah said this vision filled him with fear, not for himself I believe, but for those that would suffer this fate.  God’s coming judgment should fill Christians with fear, not for ourselves, but for those who are lost forever because of their lack of faith in the gift of salvation. 

Verse five states, Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield.  Isaiah said that the people of Babylon would be enjoying the pleasures of life feeling that they were secure from any enemy, and if an attack were to come that their army was prepared to handle it.  People will be going about enjoying the pleasures of life when Christ returns, believing themselves to be safe from anything that might come their way.  Many people will put their faith in their military, but they will be so wrong to have done so.

Verse six adds, For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.  Isaiah said God said that the king should set a watchman to see what he could coming.  This was a normal thing.  A watchman was set in the watchtower to be able to see any coming enemy.  We need Christian watchmen today to be on the lookout for any coming enemy to God and thereby to us as followers of Christ. 

Verse seven continues, And he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, and a chariot of camels; and he hearkened diligently with much heed:  In this vision that God gave to Isaiah of what was to come, the watchman saw a chariot of horses with a couple of men in it, a chariot of asses, and a chariot of camels.  The chariot of horses with the two men in it would represent those in charge of this group.   Matthew Henry says asses, or mules, were in use by the Persians and camels were in use by the Medes to pull their chariots.  The watchman went and told the king.  When we see the enemy approaching, we need to give warning to everyone that we can so they may be prepared. 

Verse eight says, And he cried, A lion: My lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights:  Matthew Henry points out that we don’t know exactly why the watchman cried out that he had seen a lion, but it may have been just to give urgency to what he was about to report.  He said he had stood on his watch on the watchtower all night.  Since the enemy, Satan, is coming, we need to get the attention of everyone, especially our fellow believers, and warn them about it, though they should already know.  People may be enjoying life and unaware or unconcerned about any enemy, but we need to impress on them the danger that is coming. 

Verse nine adds, And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground.  The man then gave a more accurate report saying he had seen a chariot with two men in it.  It seems the man in the chariot knew this meant that Babylon was going to fall and all of her idols could not save her.  I can say with certainty that Jesus Christ has already warned everyone that when He returns in victory that all idols are going to fall.  We have already been given the warning, and it is up to each individual how they respond.