Today let’s look at the 14th chapter of Isaiah. The title of today’s message is “God who gives rest”. In verse 7 it says, “All the lands are at rest and at peace.” Verse 3 says “On the day the LORD gives you relief from your suffering and turmoil and from the harsh labor forced on you.” The word “rest” in verse 7 and the word “relief” in verse 3 are the same Hebrew word. God gives us such rest and relief.
From chapter 13 Isaiah starts on a new theme. From there on is a prophecy against the neighboring countries. The first to appear was Babylon. Babylon is more than one country, but symbolizes all powers that are enemies to God. In other words, it is about the “Great Babylon”. The prophecy about the judgment of God on Babylon is recorded in chapter 13 and this chapter.
In verse 1 the reason for God’s judgment upon Babylon is given That is because Israel is chosen by God. Israel is chosen by God so according to this promise Israel will be set free from Babylon and God “will settle them in their own land.” (1) Today let’s look at 3 points about this.

I. God who gives us rest (vs. 1-8)
First God gives us rest. This is in verses 1 to 8, but first let’s look at verse 1.
Here it says, “once again”. (1) This shows that this has happened once before. This is the event of the Exodus. Before they were slaves in Egypt for 430 years, but God raised up his servant, Moses, who set them free. In just the same way as that time, God “will choose Israel and will settle them in their own land.” (1) This was fulfilled 176 years after (538 B.C.) Isaiah gave this prophecy in 715 B.C. God by the Persian King Cyrus set them free from the hand of Babylon and they were able to return to their home land, Jerusalem. Isaiah prophesized this in 715 B.C. In verse 28 it says “This prophecy came in the year King Ahaz died.“ King Ahaz died in 539 B.C. Therefore, 176 years after Isaiah made this prophecy it was fulfilled.
Verse 2 tells us what happened at that time. The people from the countries that had oppressed Israel before and made the Israelites captive to them will reversely live under the control of Israel. Verse 3 tells us how this will happen. “The LORD gives you relief from your suffering and turmoil and from the harsh labor forced on you.” (3)
Here the word “relief” appears. The same word appears in verse 4 where it is translated “rest”. The Lord will give them “relief”, “rest” from their “sufferings and turmoil and from the harsh labor.” (3)
“On that day” (3) they will take up the taunt of verses 4 to 8 “against the king of Babylon.” (4) In verse 8 it says, “now that you have been laid low.” “You” (8) is Babylon. “The junipers and the cedars of Lebanon gloat over” Babylon. (8) Before Babylon cut down the junipers and cedars of Lebanon not because the wood was necessary, but they were just being violent. When the life of nature is cut down and destroyed violently, how sad nature must be! Babylon is ruined so such destruction deceases. Therefore, the “junipers and the cedars of Lebanon gloat over” Babylon. (8) Babylon who was so violent and destructive fell because “the LORD has broken the rod of the wicked, the scepter of the rulers.” (5) The Lord judged Babylon, and saved Israel that was suffering under the oppression of Babylon. The LORD will have compassion on Jacob; once again he will choose Israel and will settle them in their own land.” (1)

II. How you have fallen from heaven! (vs. 9-15)
Secondly let’s look at what the problem of the enemy, Satan, is. Let’s look at verses 9 to 15. First look at verses 9 to 11.
“The realm of the dead below” and “the spirits of the departed” is the spiritual world. It is the world after death. It is the place where God judges. The King of Babylon goes down to there. Then the spirits of the dead will all declare to the King of Babylon, ”’You also have become weak, as we are; you have become like us.’ All 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.” (10,11)
What a terrible picture! Babylon that was an all powerful empire has died, gone to the realm of the dead, and has gone down to the world where the spirits of the dead are lost and suffering. Glorious people go down there. Their pride is destroyed. Everything has been brought down. They have lost all. There are “maggots…and worms.” (11) Jesus said about this world, “where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. “(Mark 9:48) “Where” is in the verse before, hell. It is a place of endless destruction. This is hell, “the realm of the dead below” (9)
Next please look at verses 12 to 15.
Here too, it is written that Babylon will be brought down “to the depths of the pit.” (15) If you look at this passage well, you will see that this is more about the spirit that is at work behind the King of Babylon, the ringleader who was the power behind the King Babylon, more than it is about the King of Babylon himself. This is the “morning star, son of the dawn.” (12) The Hebrew for this expression is helel. This word is used in the Old Testament in this passage only. It was translated “lucifer (“light-bearer”) in the Latin Vulgate. Lucifer was the Latin name for the planet Venus, the brightest object in the sky apart from the sun and moon, appearing sometimes as the evening, sometimes as the morning star. Lucifer is a “light-bearer” so “the morning star” is a shining angel. Lucifer was the in the highest position, the head of the angels. This Lucifer rebelled against God so he was “cast down to the earth”. (12) This is Satan, the Devil. This is the origin of the devil. People often say that if God made everything on heaven and earth then he also made Satan. This is wrong. God didn’t make Satan. God made good angels. Everything that God made was “good”. However, God made the angels like man with a free will. Then Lucifer was prideful and aspired to be like God. He rebelled against God so he was “cast down to the earth”. (12) Lucifer, the “morning star, son of the dawn” (12), the head of the angels was “cast down to the earth”. (12)
There are only two passages in the Bible where it is written that Lucifer is shining. That is in this passage and in Ezekiel 28:12-17.
Ezekiel 28:12-17
“You” (Ezekiel 28:12) is ”the king of Tyre””. (Ezekiel 28:12) Correctly said, it is Satan who was the power working behind the King of Tyre. In Ezekiel 28:13 it says, “You were in Eden”. He was there from the time God made the heaven and the earth. Here it says about Lucifer, “You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.” (Ezekiel 28:12) “Every precious stone adorned you.” This is what Lucifer was like before he fell. Lucifer was a light-bearer, shinning like precious stones, beautiful. He was “the model of perfection…and perfect in beauty.” (Ezekiel 28:12) He was “anointed as a guardian cherub…on the holy mount of God.” (Ezekiel 28:14) The guardian cherubs were also angels. He had one of the highest positions as an angel so we can see that this passage is talking about something greater than the King of Tyre. “you were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you.” (Ezekiel 28:15) This Lucifer sinned. This “morning star, son of the dawn” (12) like Venus was brightly shining, but he sinned and was “cast down to the earth”. (12)
The cause of this problem is given in verses 13 and 14.
Vs. 13,14
The reason Lucifer was “cast down to the earth” (12) was because he was prideful. In his heart he thought, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will make myself like the Most high.” (13,14) Lucifer was trying to make himself like God. Trying to be like God in and of itself is not a problem. Jesus too said in Matt. 5:48, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Also I Peter 1:16 says, “Be holy, because I am holy.” To be perfect like God, to be holy like God, to become like God is important. The problem is the purpose for becoming like God. This is the point. It depends on the motive. Lucifer wasn’t worshipping God as God, and becoming like God as a follower of God, but the problem was he wanted to make himself like God and sit enthroned as god.
Before when Satan tempted Eve, he said, “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:5) This means that from the moment you eat this you will become like God. You won’t have to take any orders from God. You will be free to decide everything on your own, and you will be able to freely do anything you want to do. In other words, you will be independent of God, make your own decisions, and do things by your own wisdom. In this way you will be like God. This is the problem. That is because originally man was made in the image of God. He was made to to worship God, believe in God, to follow God, to have fellowship with God. However, if man doesn’t listen to God, and lives his own selfish way, then he will lose his original purpose, and will lose his way. This is the essence of sin: to not need God, to believe in yourself, to decide things by yourself, to live by your own thinking, to live the way you want to, to be like God. This is the difference between those who believe in God and those who do not believe in God. Those who don’t believe in Jesus make themselves like God. That is the same as Lucifer. This thinking comes from Satan.
If you look at verses 13 and 14, you will notice that the word “I” appears 5 times. “I” is the essence of sin. It is the reason that Lucifer who was shining with jewels was “cast down to the earth.” (12) The problem with sin is that “I” is in the center of it. There is another word like it: pride. Pride too “I” is in the center of it. To not make God the center of your life, but to make “I” the center is sIn and it is prIde.
Jesus came to set us free from sin. Then he died on the cross.
Philippians 2:6-8
Christ was not selfish. He gave himself up. He “made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness…he humbled himself and became obedient to death-even death on a cross!” (Phil. 2:7-8) This is how those that are set free from sin should be. They should strive to have a heart like this. Paul said, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others.” (Phil. 2:3,4) The way that those who have been set free from sin should walk is by doing “nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others.” (Phil. 2:3,4)
To do that we have to get rid of our self. Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23) Deny yourself. Take up your cross. Take up your cross and follow Christ. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and give himself for me.”” (Gal. 2:20) To live with God as your God is the key to a really blessed life. This a life of trusting in God and giving the glory back to God
If you have in your heart the thinking of Lucifer, “I will ascend to heaven.” (13) or “I will make myself like the Most High.” (14), please repent. That thinking is rebelling against God. God will surely destroy that pride. Like God will bring down Satan who was the power that was behind the king Babylon” to the depths of the pit” (15) God will depose of the prideful.

III. The God of victory (Vs. 16-23)
The third point is that God will have victory over the enemy, Satan. Please look at verses 16 to 23. First look at verses 16 to 21.
No matter how much “the man” (16) shakes the earth, and “made the kingdoms tremble” (16) No matter if he “made the world a desert” (16), or whether he “overthrew its cities.” (16) Even if he would not let the captives return home, in the end he will be cast out of his tomb. He will be like the people who were “pierced by the sword, those who descend to the stones of the pit.” (19) He will be “like a corpse trampled underfoot.” (19) This is written about the Babylon King, but is talking about Satan who is the force behind him. Without fail Satan will be destroyed. He has “been cast down to earth.” (12) He will be brought down from the earth to hell. That is Satan’s fate. Verse 19 says, “But you are cast out of your tomb like a rejected branch.” “Branch” has appeared before. It is a symbol of the Messiah. It is a title of Jesus Christ. This is not just a branch, but a “rejected branch” (19) It doesn’t have any fruit, nor any flowers. It just takes away the nourishment that should be going to the tree. It has no purpose. It doesn’t bear any fruit so it is an unneeded branch. It is “a rejected branch”. (19) This is the anti-Christ. The anti-Christ will be cast out of his tomb “like a rejected branch.” (19) He will without fail be destroyed.
In verses 22 and 23 his judgment is described.
Vs. 22, 23
Awesome! Here there is a “broom of destruction”. (23) God is going to sweep the king of Babylon and all who belong to him “with the broom of destruction.” (23) In the present age we have vacuums, so maybe it is like a vacuum vacuuming everything up. God will sweep “with the broom of destruction.” (23) and will make it “into a place for owls.”(23) It will be completely changed into “swampland”. (23)
God will do this to Babylon and also to Satan who is the power working behind Babylon. “The LORD will have compassion on Jacob; once again he will choose Israel and will settle them in their own land.” (1) God will confront all powers that get in the way, and completely destroy them.
Lastly, let’s look at Revelations 12:9 to 11
Rev. 12:9-11
“His angels” are evil spirits. The head of the evil spirits is Satan. Satan and the evil spirits are not the same. The devil is called Satan. The evil spirits were originally angels. Both the evil spirits and Satan will be “hurled down”. (Rev. 12:10) At that time there will be a loud voice saying, “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.” (Rev. 12:10)
“The accuser of our brothers” is a title for Satan. Satan accuses us “day and night”. (Rev. 12:10) He accuses us and makes us feel guilty. He tempts us and we sin. Then on top of it, he makes us feel guilty over it. He works hard day and night causing us Christians to sin. He tries to bring us down by tempting us in every possible way. Then when we sin he next makes us feel guilty for it. How we can fight Satan is given in verse 11.
Vs. 11
“They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” (Rev. 12:11) The way to overcome Satan is by “the blood of the Lamb and by the word of…testimony”, (Rev. 12:11) the Word of God. By depending upon the promises of God’s Word and “the blood of the Lamb,” (Rev. 12:11) we can have victory over Satan. No matter how hard Satan tries to make us feel guilty or tries to pull us away from God, we can tell Satan that Jesus Christ paid the price for our sins on the cross. Jesus Christ shed his blood on the cross and washed away all of our past sins, our present sins, and all the sins that we will commit in the future. God had that much compassion for me and gave me grace. This is the grace of “the blood of the Lamb,” (Rev. 12:11) By “the blood of the Lamb,” (Rev. 12:11) we can have victory over Satan.
God has compassion on you. By “the blood of the Lamb,” (Rev. 12:11) God redeemed you. You are loved by God. No matter how guilty Satan makes you feel, he can’t separate you from the love of God. You can have victory over Satan by “the blood of the Lamb.” (Rev. 12:11) God desires that you depend upon God, and live humbly before God. That is how a Christian can respond to God’s grace and mercy.
Applying it to our lives
 In your heart do you have self centered thinking of “I….I….I…”How can you serve others?

 Do you struggle and are you bothered by your sin? If you are sinning, please repent and receive the blood of the cross of Jesus and be forgiven. Let’s be thankful for the huge love of God through Christ.