This would be the fifth burden, or oracle given in Isaiah. Isa.21 and verse 1 reads.
Isa.21:1] The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass through; so it cometh from the desert, from a terrible land.
A confusing verse no doubt. Speaking here of a desolate place in the desert or from the desert. This word “terrible” is H3372 yârêʼ in Hebrew. It can mean; 1. to fear, be afraid. 2. to stand in awe of, be awed. 3. to fear, reverence, honor, respect. I believe they come from a terrible land which simply means Babylon as we will see in a minute.
Isa.21:2] A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease.
Now we can see “terrible” should mean; to be afraid of. Media was confederate with Persia in defeating Babylon. But Elam here is H5867 ʻÊylâm which is Eternity in Hebrew. Though many names of different people in the bible, we can see here that it is 8. a province east of Babylon and northeast of the lower Tigris. A place and not a person. Let’s keep in mind this is prophetic.
Isa.21:3] Therefore are my loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth: I was bowed down at the hearing of it; I was dismayed at the seeing of it.
A woman in travail brings us to a new earth and heaven age, to the end of this earth age. To the last earth age, to eternity. Elam. Now, listen to how this could easily be Jesus speaking in Mark 13 or Matthew 24.
Isa.21:4] My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me.
[5] Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield.
Think of the gospel armor.
Isa.21:6] For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.
[7] And he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, and a chariot of camels; and he hearkened diligently with much heed:
[8] And he cried, A lion: My lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights:
Let’s go to Mark 13 and verse 33 reads.
Mark 13:33] Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.
[34] For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.
[35] Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:
[36] Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.
[37] And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
How important is it to be a watchman, and with what responsibilities does it come with? Let’s go to Eze.33 and verse 1 reads.
Eze.33:1] Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
[2] Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman:
[3] If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people;
[4] Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.
[5] He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.
[6] But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.
Never take it lightly to be a watchman, know what to watch for. This only comes from knowing and reading the word of the LORD. Back to Isa.21 and verse 9 reads.
Isa.21:9] And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground.
This should sound very familiar, let’s go to Rev.14:7 and it reads.
Rev.14:7] Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
[8] And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
Giving us a time stamp here. The sixth trump is coming to a close, and the seventh trump is about to sound. Watchmen watch.
Rev.14:9] And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
[10] The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
Now, let’s go to Rev.18:1 and it reads.
Rev.18:1] And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
[2] And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
[3] For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
The merchants would be the camels that we read in verse 7 of this chapter. Back to Isa.21 and verse 10 reads.
Isa.21:10] O my threshing, and the corn of my floor: that which I have heard of the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you.
Separate the good from the bad, and declare the word of the LORD.
Isa.21:11] The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?
[12] The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will inquire, inquire ye: return, come.
First notice this is the burden of Dumah, the sixth burden so far. Dumah is Arabia, Seir is Russia of today, watchmen watch. We know that in Mark 13:35 Jesus gives us the four hours of the watchmen, the even, midnight, cockcrowing, and morning.
Isa.21:13] The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies of Dedanim.
Calling them Arabia correctly here. still being the sixth burden. Dedanim are the descendants of Dedan, the lower country of Arabia. Think of the locust army and of the terrorists of today.
Isa.21:14] The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, they prevented with their bread him that fled.
Tema is very interesting. He is the ninth son of Ishmael, Ishmael is father to all 12 Arab nations of today. We see here he denies bread for his brothers. Of course, we know that the famine of the end times is for hearing the words of the LORD, Amos 8:11.
Isa.21:15] For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.
[16] For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Within a year, according to the years of an hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail:
Kedar is said for dark skin, the child of Abraham from Hagar. Again, we have here Ishmael, the Arab nations of today.
Isa.21:17] And the residue of the number of archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished: for the LORD God of Israel hath spoken it.
All the terrorists of the lands of Arabia shall be diminished by the LORD, for he has spoken it right here in Isaiah 21. Let’s go to his throne.
Father, we thank you for your word and ask that you bless all that love you in Jesus’s precious name, Amen.
KJV along with The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of The Bible