Read Isaiah 48 here (text coming …) or at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew paragraphs:
48:1-2 {s} Hear this, O Jacob, who swear by the name of YHVH but not in truth or right-eousness;
48:3-11 {p} YHVH has spoken, that Jacob might know He is God: He will defer His anger for the sake of His name
48:12-16 {p} YHVH is Creator: he whom YHVH loves shall perform His pleasure on Babylon
48:17-19 {s} I am YHVH your God who teaches you to profit: Oh that you had heeded My commandments!
48:20-22 {p} Flee from Babylon with singing! For YHVH has redeemed Jacob, He gave them water for their thirst
The Strong theme:
48:1-11 {s+p} Hear O Jacob: YHVH has spoken, that you might know He is God: He will defer His anger
48:17-22 {s+p} You profit by heeding My commandments; now, flee Babylon, for I have redeemed you
The Chiastic structure:
During Isaiah’s lifetime, Babylon was a vassal state of Assyria, who was the world power. Isaiah, however, prophesied that Judah would be taken into captivity by them:
‘Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and what your fathers have accumulated until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,’ says YHVH. ‘And they shall take away some of your sons who will descend from you, whom you will beget; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’ Isa 39:6
And then prophesied Judah’s return:
And it shall be in that day, the Lord will again stretch out His hand a second time to recover the remnant of His people who remains, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar [Babylonia], and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And He will raise a banner for the nations, and will gather the exiles of Israel, and the dispersed of Judah He will collect from the four corners of the earth. Isa 11:11-12
And, he foretold their deliverer by name:
Who says of Cyrus, ‘He is My shepherd,’ and he shall perform all My pleasure, saying to Jerusalem, “You shall be built,” and to the temple, “Your foundation shall be laid.” Thus says YHVH to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held—To subdue nations before him and loose the armor of kings, to open before him the double doors, so that the gates will not be shut. Isa 44:28-45:1
All about 135 years before Cyrus was even born, give or take! Now YHVH says,
Go forth from Babylon, flee from the Chaldeans! With a voice of singing declare, make this heard, send it out to the end of the earth; say, “YHVH has redeemed His servant Jacob!” Isa 48:20
The context being, they dwelt in Babylon during the 70 years of their captivity, which is long enough to not remember Judah or Jerusalem or the Temple; long enough to have built homes and established a life for themselves among the Babylonians. But this call to come out of Babylon is echoed by John:
And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her [Mystery Babylon the Great], My people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.” Rev 18:4
Time to leave the Babylonian worldview and system, My people, lest you receive of her plagues. For the judgment for sin that is coming on the world is not directed at the people of God, so no reason to be caught up in it! But like Noah, and like Lot, we have to get in the ark, we have to walk out of Sodom and Gomorrah and not look back.
If there are questions, this is a good resource:
Coming out of Babylon – Christine Miller
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