#6 - Rise & Fall of Kings & Priests
Part II: Themes within Isaiah
Isaiah Unplugged Series
A journey into the study of Isaiah and understanding his prophesy, particularly as they relate to you and to me.
THEMES WITHIN ISAIAH
As mentioned in the previous post, there are multiple themes in the prophesies of the last days, both in Isaiah’s writings as well as others. The focus of this theme is the rise and the fall of those rulers and priests that God called in ancient day which reflect an archetype of things that will come in our day.
I was trying to understand how in a broad sense all these symbols and historical events intertwined with the cultures throughout the world in our day and in ancient days. As I tried to piece it all together, I learned the Lord did not want me to broaden my view to all of that at this time, but instead had a narrower focus for me. He said the following to me.
Focus on the meaning of Isaiah’s words for you in your time today and worry not about the historic fulfillment of these words, for Isaiah’s literary work is broad and covers all the history of my children. I want you to focus on the fulfillment of his words in these the last days. Every word within Isaiah’s vision is intended to predict the coming of the Lord in my great and final day.
We discussed the theme of the spiritual state of being of the house of Israel, or the covenant children, in our day and how that relates to our current predicament. The next theme is to discuss the rise and fall of kingdoms, kings, and priests as we see the kingdoms of the antichrist rise and fall and the kingdom of God and his Zion raise a banner of light.
Rise And Fall of Kings And Priests
A clear theme throughout Isaiah’s writings, which also appears in several other end-time visions, concerns the rise and fall of Babylon and the kingdoms of the world as well as the rise of the kingdom of God and those who lead it. This appears to be a prominent theme of Daniel’s vision.
Isaiah describes two main end-time players in his vision, one who leads the Assyrian armies to overthrow the kingdoms of the world and the other who lifts the end-time banner for Zion and gathers scattered Israel. The Assyrian tyrant, also called the King of Babylon, represents the rise and eventual fall of the kingdoms of the world and their rulers. Quite a bit of Isaiah’s revelation is dedicated to describing the fall of Babylon. He also describes the fall of Assyria.
Conversely, the other major theme that intertwines throughout Isaiah is the rise of an end-time prophet many call the Davidic servant. This is one or more servants of God who will “raise up the tribes of Jacob” and be “a light to the Gentiles” to be God’s “salvation unto the end of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6).
Let’s extrapolate on these ideas
The Assyrian Tyrant
The Assyrian tyrant, also called King of Babylon, is a representation of an end-time character in Isaiah’s vision that threatens the world and is utilized by the Lord as a means to punish the wickedness of the world. In Isaiah’s time, there was always a looming threat of potential invasion from neighboring waring nations. The most prominent was the aggressive Assyrian nation. During the reign of King Hezekiah, Isaiah describes how the Assyrian army encamp around Jerusalem to besiege it. This antagonist of God’s narrative is seen throughout the writings of ancient prophets in their visions and prophecies. Here are just a sampling of examples
Isaiah's Predictions
Isaiah predicts that the Assyrian will be used as the Lord to punish the wicked and rebellious sons of God. Though the Assyrian is the tool of the Lord to do his bidding, this end-time tyrant does not believe that God has given him his strength and prowess, but that through his own cunning he has swept up the kingdoms of the earth.
O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. I will send him against a hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.
Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but in his heart it is to destroy and cut off nations not a few. For he saith, Are not my princes altogether kings? Is not Calno as Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria as Damascus? As my hand hath founded the kingdoms of the idols, and whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria; Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and to her idols?
Wherefore it shall come to pass, that, when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon Mount Zion and upon Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks. For he saith, By the strength of my hand, and by my wisdom I have done these things; for I am prudent, and I have moved the borders of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man. And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people; and as one gathereth eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped.
Isaiah 10:5-14
Hosea's Predictions
Just as the Assyrian nation threatened the southern kingdom of Judah in Isaiah’s time, it also loomed over the northern kingdom of Israel in Hosea’s time. Remember Isaiah and Hosea were contemporaries. In the narrative of Isaiah, and based on historical accounts, we see that Ephraim—northern Israel—was indeed overthrown eventually by the Assyrians. Hosea’s prediction below is not only accurate to his people not many years after he declared it, but it became a prediction of our day similar to Isaiah’s.
He shall not return unto the land of Egypt, but the Assyrian shall be his king, because they refused to return. And the sword shall abide on his cities, and shall consume his branches, and devour them, because of their own counsels. And my people are bent to backsliding from me; though they called them to the Most High, none at all would exalt him.
Hosea 11:5-7
Micah's Predictions
Similar to Isaiah and Hosea, Micah would have seen the threats of the Assyrian. He, too, was a contemporary of those two prophets. He saw the overthrow of Israel by the Assyrian tyrant. His prediction is regarding how Israel eventually throws off the cloak of this oppressor with the help of God’s servants. This is a prediction of what will happen in the end days as Micah talks about the gathering of scattered Israel.
And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land; and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men. And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof; thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders.
Micah 5:5-7
Daniel's Predictions
Daniel sees this end-time aggressor in a different way, not using the Assyrian as his antagonist. During Daniel’s day, the Assyrian nation had already fallen to the Babylonians, along with his own nation. In his vision, he does not use contemporary nations or people to predict the end-time aggressor. Instead, he uses symbolism of a beast, much like John does. He calls the end-time tyrant the “little horn” and he shows the entirety of his rise and fall.
After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth; it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it; and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots; and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool; his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him; thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the judgment was set, and the books were opened. I beheld then, because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake; I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away; yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.
Daniel 7:7-12
John's Predictions
Similar to Daniel, John about 600 years later had a vision in which he also saw an end-time beast that represents the end-days aggressor. He also does not use the term Assyria, but does describe the same aggressors Isaiah uses as John predicts the events of the end times.
And I saw another sign, in the likeness of the kingdoms of the earth; a beast rise up out of the sea, and he stood upon the sand of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns; and upon his horns ten crowns; and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion; and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed; and all the world wondered after the beast. And they worshiped the dragon which gave power unto the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them; and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Revelation 13:1-8
The Downfall of Assyria
Though this tyrant overpowers the house of Israel in future days, just as the Assyrian did in ancient times, the Lord will intervene as we saw in Micah’s prediction. Isaiah describes the fall of this end-time aggressor. He records what he calls a proverb regarding the fall of the Assyrian, or the king of Babylon.
And it shall come to pass in that day that thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!
The Lord hath broken the staff of the wicked and the scepters of the rulers. He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth. The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet; they break forth into singing. Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, and also the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us.
Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming; it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us? Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols; the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and shall consider thee, and shall say, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; and made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; and opened not the house of his prisoners? All the kings of the nations, yea all of them, lie in glory, every one of them in his own house. But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and the remnant of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcass trodden under feet. Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people; the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned.
Isaiah 14:4-20
The Davidic Servant
The other major theme that intertwines throughout Isaiah is the rise of an end-time prophet many call the Davidic servant. In the last days there will rise up at least one individual (maybe more) that will do the work of God in raising his banner and establishing Zion. He will be instrumental in bringing scattered Israel back to God and ushering in the coming of the Lord. Isaiah uses multiple individuals during or before his time to exemplify the characteristics of this end-time servant. Here are various quotes from Isaiah regarding this servant of God.
Righteous Man from the East
The Lord asked, “Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to his foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? He gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow” (Isaiah 41:3), meaning who has called this end-time servant. The Lord answers, “I the Lord, the first, and with the last; I am he” (Isaiah 41:4). The Lord continues to describe this servant at the end of this chapter.
I have raised up one from the north, and he shall come; from the rising of the sun shall he call upon my name; and he shall come upon princes as upon mortar, and as the potter treadeth clay. Who hath declared from the beginning, that we may know; and beforetime, that we may say, He is righteous? yea, there is none that showeth, yea, there is none that declareth, yea, there is none that heareth your words. The first shall say to Zion, Behold, behold them; and I will give to Jerusalem one that bringeth good tidings. For I beheld, and there was no man; even among men, and there was no counselor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word. Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing; their molten images are wind and confusion.
Isaiah 41:25-29
In the next chapter (Isaiah 42), Isaiah continues the description of the Lord’s end-time servant.
Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my Spirit upon him; he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench; he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth; and the isles shall wait for his law.
Isaiah 42:1-4
Arm of the Lord
When the Lord is ready for this servant to rise up, he will call him. “Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord,” he will call out. “Awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon? Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over” (Isaiah 51:9-10). Note how Isaiah uses references of Moses as he describes this end-time servant. The reference to a dragon and Rahab are references to Egypt and Pharoah.
A Branch of the Lord
As this man rises to do the work of the Lord, he will “make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord; and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears” (Isaiah 11:3). Isaiah predicted the following about the David servant.
And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots; and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; and shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord; and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears; but with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
Isaiah 11:1-5
We know Isaiah is speaking about the end-time prophet of God because of the prophecies of Joseph Smith. When asked in a question-and-answer session about the writings of Isaiah who was the rod that proceeds out of the stem of Jesse, Joseph answered, “Behold, thus saith the Lord: It is a servant in the hands of Christ, who is partly a descendant of Jesse as well as of Ephraim, or of the house of Joseph, on whom there is laid much power” (D&C 113:4). He continued to describe this end-time prophet. “Behold, thus saith the Lord, it is a descendant of Jesse, as well as of Joseph, unto whom rightly belongs the priesthood, and the keys of the kingdom, for an ensign, and for the gathering of my people in the last days” (D&C 113:6).
A Light Unto the People
This end-time prophet will show up after the Assyrian tyrant has oppressed the people. But he will not be what people may expect. Member of the church may think he will come from the leadership of the church. We see he will not from Isaiah 28:9-13. His work will be challenging, and few will listen to him. He will even be marred because of the people (see Isaiah 52:14). But despite the abuses of the people, and despite the people rebel from God, he is faithful. “The Lord God hath appointed mine ears, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair. I hid not my face from shame and spitting, for the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded; therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed, and the Lord is near and he justifieth me” (Isaiah 50:5-8).
But even though people will reject him and abuse him, the Lord will still make him a light to the people. In that day, that servant will say,
Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The Lord hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me; and said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified. Then I said, I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for naught, and in vain; yet surely my judgment is with the Lord, and my work with my God.
And now, saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength. And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel; I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.
Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the Lord that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee. Thus saith the Lord, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee; and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; that thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Show yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.
Isaiah 49:1-9
Symbolism of End-Time Actors
Throughout Isaiah’s writings he uses symbols to describe the characters of his vision and their roles. Note that several symbols can have reference to either one. One of the unique aspects of Isaiah’s writings is that there is often a dual nature to his symbolism, one having a positive connotation, the other often a negative. For example, you will see below that references to fire throughout Isaiah’s writings most often describes the Assyrian, but can also suggest the words of the Davidic servant.
Here are some of the symbols that he often uses to describe the Assyrian tyrant and the Davidic servant. The scripture references are all in Isaiah.
Symbol
Assyrian Tyrant
Davidic Servant
Fire
See Isaiah 1:7; 30:30; 47:14; 66:15
See Isaiah 10:17
Rod
See Isaiah 10:5-6, 24; 9:4; 14:5, 29; 30:31
See Isaiah 11:4 (Note: “Rod” in Isaiah 11:1 is חֹטֶר|ḥō’-tεr, not שֵׁבֶט|shā’-vεt in other scriptures)
Mouth/Tongue
See Isaiah 5:14; 9:12
See Isaiah 6:7; 1:20 (40:5); 28:11-13; 48:3; 49:2
Other Symbols
- Assyrian (see Isaiah 10:5; 30:31; 31:8; 52:4)
- Babylonian King (see Isaiah 14:4; 39:7)
- Lucifer (see Isaiah 14:12-14)
- Wickedness (see Isaiah 9:18)
- Sea (see Isaiah 5:30; 50:2-3)
- Arm of the Lord (see Isaiah 51:9; 53:1)
- David (see Isaiah 37:35)
- Cyrus (see Isaiah 45:1)
- Hezekiah (see Isaiah 36-39)
- Immanuel (see Isaiah 7:14)
- Righteousness (see Isaiah 41:2; this is written as “Righteous Man”)
- Ravenous Bird (see Isaiah 46:11)
- Light (see Isaiah 42:6; 49:6)