Babylon Brought Down to the Dust

 3. Describe the greatness of the Babylonian World Power.

³ Listen to this stirring divine declaration: “Come down and sit down in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon. Sit down on the earth where there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans. For you will not experience again that people call you delicate and dainty.” (Isaiah 47:1) For years Babylon has been enthroned as the dominating world power. She has been “the decoration of kingdoms”​—a thriving religious, commercial, and military center. (Isaiah 13:19) At Babylon’s peak her empire extends as far south as the border of Egypt. And when she defeats Jerusalem in 607 B.C.E., it seems that God himself is unable to halt her conquests! Thus, she sees herself as a “virgin daughter,” one who will never suffer a foreign invasion.b

 4. What will Babylon experience?

⁴ However, this haughty “virgin” is to be knocked off her throne as the undisputed world power and made to ‘sit in the dust’ in humiliation. (Isaiah 26:5) She will no longer be considered “delicate and dainty,” like a pampered queen. Jehovah thus commands: “Take a hand mill and grind out flour. Uncover your veil. Strip off the flowing skirt. Uncover the leg. Cross over the rivers.” (Isaiah 47:2) After having enslaved the entire nation of Judah, Babylon will now be treated as a slave herself! The Medes and the Persians, who unseat her from her position of power, will force her to do humiliating labor in their behalf.