(1) What the prophet has spoken about so far is really a matter for the Jewish people. For he has spoken both of the present kingdom of the Jews and of the future kingdom of Christ. But we will not act inconsistently if we start the second book here. For the prophet now passes from the Jews to the neighboring Gentiles, and announces to them their coming desolation.
Furthermore, the order of history gives an impulse here that Isaiah prophesies against Babylon under Ahaz, since at that time the Babylonians did not have the monarchy yet, but it came to them some time later from the Assyrians. My opinion is this: Because it is probable that these speeches were not written down (editos) by the prophet, but were caught by the scribes; so the order of history was not observed by them. Thus it is clear that the prophecy of Jeremiah was written out by others, and the scribe is also named there [Jer. 36:32]. And also the Psalter was compiled in this way, that there is no order of the Psalms. We may think that this prophecy was written by the prophet himself or by the scribes, but it is certain that what belongs to the time of Hezekiah is anticipated (per anticipationem) and told in the time of Ahaz. And also other prophets have done it in the same way. Thus in the 12th chapter of Jeremiah those things are told, which should have been spared until the 25th chapter. So also here before of Babel that is said, what should have been said according to the historical order after the 40th chapter under the king Hezekiah. And this is the first point, which generally concerns the order of the prophet and the grammar.
3) Secondly, it should be remembered that when the prophets speak of God, they do not speak of God as He is in His majesty, but as He dwells in the tabernacle of the congregation,
that is, not of God in and of Himself (absoluto), but of God clothed with an outward service, just as our religion refers to Christ, who took flesh and blood and was crucified, and not to God in His majesty apart from Christ. So the Jews' religion did not refer to God in His glory, but to God above the cherubim. For since no one can think of His majesty without danger, and since God in His glory cannot be comprehended by a human mind, therefore God presented Himself, both to the Jews and to us, not in His glory, but as weak and in a weak form.
Since the prophets praised this weak God, who was locked up in a certain place, and threatened with his power as such, before which the greatest empire that existed at that time would have to fear, they were laughed at and taken for fools by the pagans, just as even today those are laughed at by the Jews and Turks who boast of the crucified Christ. For this reason God wanted to be known in the weak form, so that he would put human wisdom to shame. For this is the highest wisdom, to cling to this weak form of Christ crucified, and not to be offended by it, that we know or think nothing else of God than that he is crucified. The thoughts of His majesty are very dangerous. For an evil spirit can disguise itself in the form of majesty; it cannot disguise itself in the form of the cross. For in this he has been overcome and thrown to the ground, therefore he also hates it in the most hostile way. So we may understand from this that this prophecy was ridiculed and considered foolish by all, since in it he threatens the devastation of the exceedingly powerful monarchy of the Babylonians. Furthermore, "burden" means a prophecy that announces a calamity.
V. i. 2. throw up panier, on high mountains.
This is a vivid description (hypotyposis), in which he describes the thing as if one saw it happening at present, so that one might believe him all the more. Further he understands by the "mountains" the mountains, so around Babylon lay. As if he wanted to say: The enemies are so near that one can see them from Babel on the mountains.
Through the gates of the princes.
6. in Babylon.
V. 3. I have commanded my sanctified ones.
7. I, namely the weak God, who dwell above the cherubim, and am despised. But he calls "sanctified" the Persians and Medes, who are prepared for the work and service of GOD, and destined to destroy the Babylonians. For this means "a sanctified one".
Who rejoice in my glory.
8. that is, who are happy because I overcome my enemies, because I triumph over my enemies. Thus, the despised God attributes the victory of the Medes to himself.
V. 4. It is a shouting of a crowd.
9. a clamor of a roar or tumult. He continues here with the vivid depiction of the thing.
V. 5. From the end of heaven.
10 That is, from a distance. This is a Hebrew way of speaking. For the Hebrews call that "sky" as far as one can see with the eyes, which we generally call the horizon.
Along with the witness of his wrath.
11. these are the Medes and Persians.
V. 6. hay.
12. as if to say: you are now merry and happy. But the time will come when you will howl. The enemy will be here in a short time, for he is already near. But his power is so great that you cannot resist it. Thus he fills the Babylonians with terror, but he encourages the Persians to attack the work freshly. For God has the victory in his hand.
V. 7. 8. They will be afraid like a woman in childbirth.
13 This is a great image that throws them into apparent death, from which there is no certain escape.
Fire red will be their faces.
14 Facies combustae, which must be translated thus: Quia facies flammarum sunt vultus eorum [their faces look like flames of fire], that is, their faces are red from excessive fear.
V. 9 For behold, the day of the Lord is coming.
15 He continues to terrify the Babylonians. Note, it is called a day of the Lord, as often as he visits either in mercy or in wrath. That he says "to disturb the land" must be understood especially of the land of the Babylonians.
V. 10. For the stars in the sky.
He describes in a theological way the state of mind of those who have been pressed with a great misfortune. For to them, even the most lovely light of heaven seems sad and dark.
V. 11. I will afflict the ground because of its wickedness.
17 He speaks only of the soil of Babylon, after the manner of the Hebrews, as also the evangelist did: "There went out a commandment from the emperor Augustus, that all the world should be esteemed" [Luc. 2, 1.], that is, the world, as far as Augustus was master over it.
V. 12: That a man should be more precious than fine gold.
18 There will be a great shortage of people as a result of this defeat.
V. 13-18. Therefore I will move the heavens.
19 Thus the Scripture speaks when it wants to indicate an imminent change. But herewith he presents the thing very contemptuously, that he compares such a big empire "to a shattered deer". And at the same time the exceedingly cruel victory of the Medes is described herewith.
V. 19. 20. That even the Arabs do not make tents there.
20 Hereby he indicates the utmost destruction and desolation. The Arabs do not live in any particular place, but they move about with their huts like robbers and maintain themselves by cattle breeding.
V. 21. 22. But zihim (bestiae) will encamp there.
In Hebrew there is the word "Zihim" which I believe means all unclean birds and birds of prey, such as vultures, hawks, ravens, eagles 2c.
And their houses will be full of Ohim (draconibus).
22) In Hebrew there is the word "Ohim" which I believe to be a general name of all four-footed 1) wild animals that live in forests, such as wolves, foxes 2c.
And field spirits (pilosi) will bounce there.
These are the ones we call forest devils and satyrs. For so, I believe, Satan in this form often appeared to the pagans, so that he induced them to idolatry. This is the origin of the worship of Pan and other field gods.
We have now heard the simple story of how Babylon was to be destroyed, which is nothing other than an image of a very sad tragedy, that so great an empire should fall in so short a time and be destroyed from the bottom up. This is therefore a lesson for the worldly regime, that we should learn to be satisfied with little. For great empires are generally nothing but great injustice. That is why great princes come to such a miserable end. Not as if empires, or the administration of empires, were an evil thing, but because human wisdom cannot use them skilfully. For it is just as in the household; as when a father has a prodigal son: the more munificent the father is toward him, the more he brings through and consumes. This is the
1) In the Jenaer and in the Erlanger there is a comma after yuadrupsäurn.
The nature of human wisdom: when great honorary offices and riches fall to it, it cannot use them without offending God and man, but it abuses the good creatures of God against God and against the neighbor.
(25) For this reason, God is finally compelled to destroy great kings and wipe out mighty empires for the sake of our wickedness. For this is the way we humans are: if God gives nothing, we become unwilling; but if He gives something, we become arrogant and abuse it according to our desires, to insult our neighbor. Therefore, for the sake of the wickedness of our heart, it is best to be content with little, as that 2) reminds us: Laudato ingentia rura, exiguum colito [Great estates should be praised; a small one should be cultivated^. David and Solomon undertook and accomplished great things, but they did so in the fear of the Lord, despairing of their own wisdom and suggestions, unless they had prosperity from God. All other kings and princes who have ruled great empires trusting in their wisdom and powers have come to a sad end, as that poet also testifies:
Ad generum Cereris sine caede et sanguine pauci
Descendunt reges, et sicca morte tyranni. sFew kings die without murder and bloodshed, and tyrants do not die a bloodless death]. And our present times have given many examples of this.
26 This passage also serves to let us know that kingdoms do not exist through power or wealth, but through skillful and capable persons, who are given by God Himself, as special and exceedingly high gifts of God. Thus Hector complains in Virgil:
... Si Pergama dextra
Defendi possent, etiam hac defensa fuissent. [If Troy could have been defended with the fist, also mine could have done so]. Therefore, if GOD had ruined an empire
2) In the Wittenberger on the edge: Oats.
If he will break the eggs, he will take away from him wisdom and prudence, and as the prophet says [Isa. 3:4], he will give boys to be princes. "If he will break the eggs, he setteth fools over them." The Babylonians did not lack strength, wealth, or the number of their subjects, and yet their empire came to an end because of a lack of [capable] people. The same will happen to Germany, which has enough men, weapons and horses, but lacks men of understanding; therefore, even the things that serve to wage war will not be able to exist without them. This is what God does: He separates the grain and then throws the chaff into the fire.
As a theological lesson, this passage is about the power that God attributes all power to Himself, that the kingdoms are established and maintained by God, as He says [v. 3]: "I have commanded My holy ones. This passage serves to confirm the 13th chapter of the letter to the Romans, against the rebels, that it is absolutely not permitted to oppose violence, unless it is by a new command and commandment of God. The Jews are also commanded to obey the king of Babylon in Jer. 27, 1) 17. And he punishes the wicked in a lawful way. Therefore he calls the Medes his sanctified ones. So the Vandals just boasted that they were called to destroy Rome. Therefore, let each one stay with his authorities. If God wants to punish them, He will not do it through you, but in His time through foreign enemies.
Now it is left to indicate also the secret interpretation. For if one looks at it with diligence, the historical mind brings this with it. I hold the simple histories very high; the secret interpretations do not please me very much. For the secret interpretations are to be used as ornaments and for the painting of the speech. And they are to teaching what color is to a building; color does not build Hans, nor does it support him, but only gives him an ornament. It is the same with the secret interpretation. The histories, however, because
1) In the issues: eap. 28.
they testify that God has always fulfilled either His threats or His promises, they nourish both the faith and the fear of God in the hearts.
This history thus promises salvation to the godly: that just as the Jews were redeemed by the exceedingly powerful and trustworthy Lord, so also we shall be preserved after our enemies have perished. And she also threatens the wicked with destruction, although this seems to be impossible because of her strength, wealth, power and dignity 2c. Thus Babylon, however strongly fortified and insurmountable it was, and ruled arrogantly over the captive Jews, was nevertheless punished because of its tyranny. This must be applied to similar dangers. For example: although it seems impossible to me that I could be redeemed from death and sin, it will happen through Christ. For here God shows us an example that He will not abandon His saints even if they are already in the midst of Babylon. This is the benefit of the histories, that they instruct the consciences.
(30) Therefore, if I want to frighten the wicked and raise up the godly so that they do not despair, I can use this history to call them Babylon, which was unconquerable in strength and weapons; whereas the Jews were oppressed and, being defeated, had only one salvation, so that they had no hope of their salvation. If God was able to save these and destroy those, what reason do we have to doubt His power and His will, as if He would not or could not do the same against our enemies, especially since we have experienced this in our time in a no less desperate matter.
(31) What hope of salvation was there under the pope who held everything with his ungodly teachings and tyranny? For it had never occurred to me to attack him. But because God threatened the wicked in the first commandment [Ex. 20, 5]: "I am a zealous God, who punishes the iniquity of the fathers," 2c.
The Cardinal overthrew the Pope at the time when the papacy was in the highest security. For when I was in Augsburg, the Cardinal said to me: "What does the Pope ask about Germany? So great was their security; and yet they have begun to fall, and are still falling. The sun is darkened for them, and they are despondent and afraid. So one must remain with history, and only then use the secret interpretations, for the sake of the jewelry.
When inexperienced souls engage in secret interpretations, they cannot hold on to the certain understanding of Scripture. And if the deal with the pope had not kept me with the simple text of the Bible, I would have become a useless chatterer of secret interpretations, like St. Jerome and Origen. For this figurative way of speaking has something seductive about it, from which the minds can hardly wriggle out again. Therefore, you may, instructed by my example, be careful and follow the simple histories and the plain text everywhere; afterwards it is well that you can make secret interpretations without danger, as we also see that Paul [Gal. 4, 22. ff.] used the secret interpretation for decoration.
33 Therefore, the correct secret interpretation of this passage is the victory of conscience over death. For the law is a Cyrus, a Turk, a cruel and powerful enemy, who stands up against the hopeful conscience of the saints of works, who put their trust in their own merits. These are the true Babylon, and this is the glory of Babylon, that it walks along trusting in its own works. When the law comes and takes over the heart with its terror, it pronounces the verdict that all our works, in which we put our trust, are defiled and truly filthy, as Paul calls them Phil. 3:8. Now that the law has revealed this defilement of our hearts and works, what follows is the judgment of the law.
Thereupon, consternation, agony, and pain of childbirth; people are put to shame, and the trust in works falls away, and what we see today happens: whoever has lived in the monastery in trust in his righteousness until now, leaves the monastic life, throws all the glory of works into the dung, and looks only at Christ's merit and righteousness, which is given to him by grace and for free. And this is the desolation of Babylon.
The ostriches and field spirits that remain are Eck, Cochleus and others who do not belong to this piece of the law. They howl and do not speak with a human voice; they cannot raise and comfort a troubled conscience with their teaching. Jacob and Israel alone are saved, that is, the troubled consciences are raised; they know the tyranny of the pope; the others worship him as the monarch of Babylon. Such are my secret interpretations, which I approve, namely, which present to us the nature of the Law and the Gospel.
V. 22. And their time will come.
(35) This is related to the preceding. For the pronoun "her" must refer to Babylon, not, as some explain, to Christ, of whom he is not speaking here.
Cap. 14, v. 1. 2. For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob.
The prophet comforts his own. It will happen one day, he says, that the Babylonians will take you away captive. Then do not despair. For you will surely be restored to your land, and God will have mercy on you, and the Babylonians will be punished again for your sake, because of the wrong they did to you, and will serve you.