The three stages of this serpentine rod are not only the increasing strength of the threat to the Philistines, but also the “birth order” of the invaders as they “hatched.”
For the introduction to this section (Isaiah 14:24-32), see Isaiah’s Kill List – Part 2.
CYCLE 2C2
Philistia Cut Off by Babylon
(Isaiah 14:28-32)
The burden comes in the year of the death of Ahaz (14:28)
(Initiation – Genesis)
Philistia should not rejoice in the breaking of the serpentine rod of Moses (14:29a)
(Delegation – Exodus)
A rival “seed of the serpent” will ascend from the earth (14:29b)
The seed of the poor will be at peace… (14:30a)
(Presentation – Leviticus)
…but Philistia’s roots will die of famine (14:30b)
(Purification – Numbers)
Its gates and cities will all swoon (14:31a)
(Transformation – Deuteronomy)
Burning cities will signify the beginning of the end (14:31b)
(Vindication – Joshua)
Zion is a city of refuge for the afflicted (14:32)
(Representation – Judges)
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Following the oracles against Babylon and Assyria, the prophecy of the defeat and final end of the Philistines is a further step back in time, now grounded in the present day of the prophet.
The Mosaic symbolism invoked against Assyria continues with a rod that becomes a serpent (Exodus 4:2-4), a poisonous snake (Numbers 21:6), and a flying, fiery serpent (Numbers 21:6). It describes the Lord using powers of increasing magnitude against the Philistines, who were descended from Egypt (Genesis 10:13-14). Just as the Lord used plagues from below, beside, and above against Egypt (see page 276), this judgment is a threefold liturgical ascent from the dragons of the deep to the birds of the sky (Genesis 1:21-22). Like Moses, the Lord would confront the reptilian power with a greater serpent. The word used of the transformed rod in Exodus 7:8-13 is “dragon,” the one used in Genesis 1:21.
Like the Egyptians, the Philistines were a formidable enemy. But the kingdom would fall like its god, Dagon—half man, half fish—who fell before the Ark of the Testimony (1 Samuel 5). The defeat of Goliath, whose fiery bronze scale-armor resembled the skin of a fish or a dragon (1 Samuel 17:5), also looms in the background.
Contenders for the identity of the unnamed power that God would use to judge this resilient, perennial enemy include the kings of the house of David, the kings of Assyria, and even the king of Babylon. The reason for the confusion is that it would require all three to finally fell the Philistines.
In the Book of Daniel, the cryptic dreams and visions from God are often followed by an interpretation by a prophet or an angel, so the mysterious threefold serpent in 14:29b is explained in 14:30-31.
The key is the sacred “architecture” of the primeval world as represented in the Tabernacle: the Garden (the Most Holy), the Land (the Holy Place), and the World (the Court of Sacrifice). This is the same blueprint as the threefold dragon in Isaiah 6:1-9:7 (see pages 234-235), which was likewise dated with the death of an “Adamic” king who defiled the Sanctuary. However, Babylon now takes the “World” tier instead of Assyria. The three stages represent not only the increasing strength of the threat to the Philistines, but also the “birth order” of the invaders as they “hatched.”
Just as Adam’s sin in the Garden bore deadly fruit in the Land and the World, the ministry of the patriarchs (Abraham, Jacob, and Joseph) challenged the corruption in representations of all three domains. And each of them did so by outsmarting the serpents they encountered. Abraham, with godly wisdom, tested the hearts of Pharaoh and Abimelech with the ruse concerning Sarah. This was a reversal of the failure of Adam concerning Eve. After the Lord told Rebekah that her older son would serve the younger, Jacob rescued the promises from Esau and Laban with righteous deceptions. And finally, after observing how Pharaoh restored his baker and butler to service in order to test their hearts and reveal the guilty party, Joseph used similarly serpentine provocations to test the hearts of the brothers who had betrayed him.
In this case, “serpentine” rods of provocation are held in three domains by royal Judahite seed: Uzziah, Hezekiah, and Daniel. And the passing of the baton in each case required a “death and resurrection.” The first death was that of King Ahaz. The second was the death of the entire house of David in Jerusalem.
In the Garden is King Uzziah (Azariah), the Davidic king who achieved great prosperity and military success. He breached the walls of three famous Philistine cities and established garrisons throughout their territories. A fragmentary inscription from the Assyrian king, Tiglath-Pileser, makes mention of Uzziah’s success.
The Garden stage is the “roots” of the serpent, its beginnings in the Sanctuary. The word used is nahash. Nahash was the name of the bronze snake made by Moses that was broken in pieces by Hezekiah because it was being worshiped (2 Kings 18:4). Saul’s first victory was over Nahash, king of the Ammonites. And Uzziah was judged with leprosy (scaly skin) for entering the Sanctuary.
The strength of Israel was broken during the reign of King Ahaz, when Shalmaneser, son of Tiglath-Pileser, conquered the Northern Kingdom. When Ahaz was attacked by enemies including the Philistines that he might be humbled, he unwisely called upon Assyria for protection, but Tiglath-Pileser put Judah under tribute (2 Chronicles 28:16-21). The breaking of the rod, due to idolatry in the Northern and Southern kingdoms, was made final in the death of Ahaz. The Davidic victories over Goliath seemed to be a thing of the past, but a poisonous viper would rise from its roots.
The second-born peril for the Philistines was Assyria, and they suffered invasions from Tiglath-Pileser (Ascension: “my trust is in the son of Ešarra”), Sargon (Testing: “the just ruler”) (Isaiah 20:1), and Sennacherib (Maturity: “Sin [the moon god] has replaced my [lost] brothers.”) In the Land, these were the Table (royal blood), the Lampstand (legal fire), and the Incense Altar (hosts like smoke).
In this case the rod was given to faithful King Hezekiah, successor of Ahaz. After the mention of the fate of the bronze serpent, it is recorded that he rejected the yoke of Assyria and struck down the Philistines (2 Kings 18:7-8). It was his rebellion against Assyria that provoked the wrath of Sennacherib who invaded like a flood.
Finally, a fiery, flying dragon descends from heaven to bring utter destruction. The Philistines disappear from the records of history after King Nebuchadnezzar invaded in 604BC and incorporated the territory into his empire. This is the Bronze Laver (the “lake of fire”) and its matching Bronze Altar that purify the World. But the Davidic successor in this final tier is more difficult to identify. The clue is in his typological correspondence to the office of Joseph.
Isaiah told Hezekiah that nothing would be left of his household. Everything would be carried off to Babylon, including his offspring who would serve as eunuchs in the king’s palace (2 Kings 20:16-18). Daniel would have been familiar with this prophecy, and mentions that he was among those of the “royal seed” and nobility who were to be trained in that palace (Daniel 1:1-7). Daniel and his friends were Judahites, but a Davidic lineage for Daniel is suggested in the fact that one of David’s own sons was named Daniel (1 Chronicles 3:1). Like Joseph, he was given high office in a Gentile court. He was the king’s right hand advisor during the destruction of Jerusalem, and would also have overseen the end of the Philistines.
The sequence works through the themes of the Heptateuch in a potent choice of symbols: Adam, rod, seed, wilderness, gates, holy war, and refuge. Like the Bible itself, it begins with the death of a disobedient king and ends with the resurrection of a bridal city.
- (14:28) King Ahaz was buried in Jerusalem (2 Kings 16:20), but like the king of Babylon in 14:20, he was dishonored in death and not placed in the tombs of his fathers (2 Chronicles 28:27).
- (14:29a) The Philistine civilization was not only advanced, but also decentralized, which made it difficult to “crush the head.” All of you covers their numerous principalities (1 Samuel 6:18).
- (14:29b) Fruit (peri) and serpent (nachash) appear together in only one other place, Genesis 3:2, so the Fall is in the background, particularly its extension in the mighty Nephilim, the “fallen.”
- (14:30a) Israel’s poorest firstborn sons, with a double portion of need, are the “fruit bearers” who will live long in the Land. Instead of being lambs for sacrifice, they will lie down in peace.
- (14:30b) While David’s roots remain fruitful, Philistia’s mighty men would be weakened and cut off, both root (fathers) and fruit (sons). The siege of their cities removed the Tree of Life (Garden).
- (14:31a) The breaching of the Philistine cities by enemy troops is pictured as the rape of women (See the notes on 10:32). One stronger than Samson would carry away their gates (Judges 16:3), the instruments of defense (Garden), justice (Land), and commerce (World). Sargon conquered Ashdod (“strength”), deposed its king, and installed one of his brothers in his stead (Land).
- (14:31b) Calamity from the north is the symbol for the Chaldeans (Jeremiah 1:14; 10:22; 46:20; 47:2). The Conquest Stanza alludes to the burning of Ai in holy war (Joshua 8). “Ranks” derives from “appointed times,” alluding to the stars of heaven (World).
- (14:32) The threatened rulers will inquire as to their future, but the promise in the Firstfruits Stanza will be fulfilled as Booths.
Stanza analysis
- (14:32) The Succession Stanza follows the sacrificial pattern as a two-column sequence. The Lord’s answer is the Initiation; the messengers are the Delegation; Yahweh is the head (Presentation) and Zion is the body (Transformation), but the Trees at the center of the Garden (Purification) are missing; Israel’s refuge and restoration will be the Vindication; and those who lost their inheritance will once again be honored as sons (Representation).
(14:28)
(14:29a)
will come forth
(14:29b)
(14:30a)
(14:30b)
(14:31a)
(14:31b)
(14:32)
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