Satan the persecutor will be persecuted by the Lord, with no help from his “golden city”.

Isaiah 14:3-8

Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click for a description of the image of the beast.

“It will come to pass in the day the Lord gives you rest from your sorrow, and from your fear and the hard bondage in which you were made to serve, that you will take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say…” Isaiah 14:3-4a

Isaiah was prophesying about the Israelites’ captivity to the Babylonians, about 100 to 150 years before it happened. The bondage to Babylon lasted “70 years”, so Isaiah’s prophecy about release from that captivity was about 200 years before it happened. Babylon represents the global government of the beast, Satan’s kingdom on this earth, coming to power through the beast that governs by giving people what to speak, do, think, and feel. Isaiah is prophesying, by the Spirit of God, about the collapse of the global government, the eternal defeat of Satan. At that time, everyone who lives for God through Jesus Christ will find eternal peace in the New Jerusalem. “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there will be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There will be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Revelations 21:4

The paragraphs below shares information about the link between Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, and Ezekiel [just four of the widely known prophets].

Jeremiah began his ministry about 100 years after Isaiah’s ministry, during the captivity of the Israelites to Babylon. He prophesied that the captivity to Babylon would last “70 years”, as quoted, “And this whole land will be a desolation and an astonishment, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years.” Jeremiah 25:11 “For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place.” Jeremiah 29:10

Daniel and Jeremiah prophesied during the same time period. Jeremiah ministered in Jerusalem before and during the early Babylonian exile, while Daniel was taken to Babylon as a captive early on. Daniel’s ministry extended beyond Jeremiah’s, but Daniel quoted Jeremiah about the captivity lasting for “70 years”, “I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the Lord through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.” Daniel 9:2

Also, Ezekiel prophesied during the Babylonian captivity, with Daniel and Jeremiah. All three had different audiences: Daniel was second in command of the Babylonian Empire [like Joseph who was second in command to the Pharoah in Egypt]. Ezekiel prophesied on the grassroots level to the Israelites while captive to Babylon. Jeremiah’s prophecy was early on in Jerusalem.

“How the oppressor has ceased, the golden city ceased! The Lord has broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of the rulers…” Isaiah 14:4b-5

The oppressor is Satan, working through the global government of the beast and its global culture. Satan will be defeated, as the Lord causes him to cease, along with his “golden city”, which is his global culture. The collapse of the “golden city”, a.k.a. Babylon, a.k.a. the global government, is described in the post on Revelations 18. “‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’ She has become a dwelling for demons and a haunt for every impure spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.” Revelations 18:2

A staff or scepter was used to guide the sheep, a symbol of authority, protection, and the power to rule. Wickedness is unbelief in God, rejecting the need for Jesus Christ, and not wanting the Holy Spirit to be part of who we are. The staff of the wicked refers to the authority and power of Satan that he gains over the global population through his beast that governs by giving people what to speak, do, think, and feel. That staff of the wicked will be be broken in the Fifth Plague as seen in Revelations 16:10-11 when the power center of the beast is destroyed and plunged into darkness. The “golden city” of the global culture, along with Satan’s beast, will cease in that day.

“He who struck the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he who ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted and no one hinders.” Isaiah 14:6

Satan the persecutor becomes the persecuted, and all of his “golden city” is persecuted with him. Satan and his beast are moved with wrath against belief in God, living for Jesus Christ, and the presence of the Holy Spirit. The government of the beast continually strikes the people within their thoughts and feelings with malice against the way of Jesus Christ. Our Lord persecutes the persecutor not the persecuted.

 “…the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.” Revelations 12:17

All the people of the global “golden city” will not be able to shield Satan from the persecution the Lord brings upon him. “He who leads into captivity will go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.” Revelation 13:9-10 Persecution of the government of the beast comes through various forms, such as the events of the Seven Trumpets (Click for Trumpets 1-4, click for trumpets 5-6, click for the Seventh Trumpet) and by the events of the Seven Plagues of Revelations 16. As the Lord God promises, “…for he that touches you touches the apple of His eye.” Zachariah 2:8

“The whole earth is at rest and quiet; They break forth into singing. Indeed the cypress trees rejoice over you, and the cedars of Lebanon. Indeed the cypress trees rejoice over you, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, ‘Since you were cut down, no woodsman has come up against us.”  Isaiah 14:7-8

When the government of the beast and its global culture is cut down in the Fifth Plague as seen in Revelations 16:10-11, the whole earth will be at rest and quiet. That is to say, the imposing noise that intrudes into people’s thoughts, feelings, words, and behaviors will be mute. On the other hand, there will be a roar from those in the world that rejoices for the destruction of the power center of the beast. In their rejoicing, they will say to the powerless global government, “Since you were cut down no one has come against us!”

The cypress trees and the strongest cedar trees represent every person who remains strong in faith in Jesus Christ in these days of hostility to His Gospel. All of our faithful but few brothers and sisters of the future will rejoice in the day that Satan is cut down. The future Christians will plainly say, for all of us, “Since you were cut down, no woodsman has come up against us.”

“I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God! For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her.” Again they said, “Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!” And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, “Amen! Alleluia!” Then a voice came from the throne, saying, “Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!” Revelation 19:1-5

Revelation 18 the great city of Babylon has fallen, rejoice.

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:1