Burden of the Desert Is 21:1-17 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
In order to simplify our study of the burden of the desert, the burden of Dumah and the burden of Arabia, we should first locate the geography of these prophecies, then their time, and then the visions concerning them.
First, we will locate the geography. These prophecies concern the fall of Babylon [v.9] and the destruction of Kedar [v.16-17]. Kedar, Dedanim and Tema [v.13-14] and Dumah [v.11] are in the region of Saudi Arabia – Medina and Mecca are there. Babylon [v.9] is the region of Iraq today and Elam and Media [v.2] are the region of Iran today.
Second, we locate the time. The time is the Second Advent of Jesus. Notice these Second Advent references.
- Babylon is Fallen [v.9] – Rev 18:2, 10, 17-18; Jer 50-51
- My threshing [v.10] – Matt 3:12, Jer 51:33
- Pangs of a woman that travaileth [v.3] – Is 13:6-11; Jer 50:41-43
- The morning cometh and also the night [v.12] – Rom 13:12, 1 Thes 5:12, Mal 4:1-2, Mk 13:34-35.
Third, we have to locate the vision. There are three outstanding things that appear in this prophecy.
- A lion [v.8] – this lion is Jesus Christ, the lion of the tribe of Judah – Jer 50:44-46; Rev 5:5; Gen 49:9-12 – so the Lord is the one behind the destruction here.
- The treacherous spoiling of Babylon [v.2] – Jer 51:10-18 [by other nations]
- Refugees hiding and fed in the forest [v.13-14] – when you look at a map of Saudi Arabia you see that only 1% of the country is forest – these refugees run from the destruction and take cover in the trees – the inhabitants of the land of Tema bring them bread and water to sustain them – if these refugees are Jews, then the inhabitants of Tema are fulfilling Matt 25:37-40.
Verse 17 shows us that this prophecy happens so fast that the whole thing is over in less than a year.
Someone reading Isaiah in the tribulation is going to know more about what’s going on at that time than those who read the newspapers and listen to the news.