Devolution Is. 14:16-32 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

The devil had said that he was going to exalt himself.  However, instead of rising up, he gets cast down to hell.  He doesn’t evolve; he devolves. This lesson is about the devil’s devolution.

He becomes a wicked man – v.16-17 – he devolves from the anointed cherub to the angel of light to the man of sin [2 Thes 2:3-8].  He is fierce, causing the earth to tremble and kingdoms to shake [Dan 8:23-25].  Under his rule, the world becomes a wilderness and the cities are destroyed.  His prisoners are killed [Rev 2:10].

He’s cast out like an abominable branch – v.18-20 – unlike the kings of the earth who are buried in glorious sepulchers, the devil [incarnate] is cast out of his grave.  He’s like a carcass trodden under foot [like Jezebel, 2 Ki 9:33].  This happens because the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned.  He destroys his land and kills his people, just like Stalin in Russia, Castro in Cuba, Chavez in Venezuela, Pol Pot in Cambodia, Idi Amin in Uganda, etc.

His seed is destroyed – v.21-22 – just like Haman’s sons [Est 9:13].  He destroys their name and all their offspring.  That stops them from possessing the land or multiplying cities [like Cain’s offspring, Gen 4:16-17].

His country is destroyed – v.23 – He makes it desolate [Jer 51:62].  The bittern is a wading bird and a besom is a broom, typically of twigs tied to a handle.

His king is destroyed – v.24-25 – the Assyrian king is the antichrist ruling over Babylon.  He gets tread under foot [Rom 16:20].  Then his yoke and burden are lifted.

His allies are destroyed – v.26-28 – as he does to the Assyrian so he does to all who are allied with him.  This prophecy was given in the year Ahaz died, when Judah was allied with Assyria under Tiglathpileser [2 Ki 16:7].

He himself is destroyed – v.29-32 – there is a ray of hope for Israel in the middle of the tribulation when the antichrist dies [Rev 13:3; Zech 11:17].  The devil comes instead, a fiery flying serpent [Rev 12:3-4, 9, 12-13].  He slays the remnant [Jer 6:9-14, 22-30].  The Lord brings a famine [1 Ki 17:1, Rev 11:6, Jas 5:17] which dissolves Palestine.  And then the Lord saves Israel [Ps 12:5; Ps 113:7-9] when he sets up Zion.  At this time the devil is bound and cast into the bottomless pit [v.15]!