Earthquakes, the fall of Babylon, the day of the Lord of Hosts. These are the hardest chapters in Isaiah and the ones most often misread; these episodes place each one on the timeline.
Chapter 2 – The Timeline BeginsIsaiah 2In Isaiah's original introduction (v. 1-4), he says that all that follows will occur "in the last days" (v. 2). Then he begins the timeline, starting with earthquakes wracking the earth.
Chapter 9 – The Bricks Are Fallen DownIsaiah 9Even though the Assyrian invasion will cause immense suffering, a righteous branch of God's people will suffer little. These people "have seen a great light" (v. 2).
Chapter 13 – Babylon Is DestroyedIsaiah 13The dreadful day of the Lord is at hand: Repulsed at Zion's gates, the Assyrian king assembles a new army and unleashes it upon Babylon. A man will become scarcer than fine gold.
Chapter 14 – The Assyrian Is Slain, Lucifer Is Bound, The Timeline EndsIsaiah 14The Lord sweeps the earth with the besom of destruction. The Assyrian king is slain, and his fall is likened to Lucifer's fall. Both will suffer in hell, where their worm dieth not.
Chapter 19 – Woe To Egypt, A Land Of FoolsIsaiah 19The Lord will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians—until He sends a savior to deliver them.
Chapter 21 – Babylon Is Fallen! Is Fallen!Isaiah 21A terrible army is raised up to destroy Babylon. Survivors wonder "how much longer" they must suffer. Righteous remnants help those who flee out of Babylon for safety.
Chapter 23 – A Tsunami Destroys TyreIsaiah 23The destruction of Tyre by a tsunami is a type of the calamities to befall many seaports in the last days.
Chapter 27 – The Servant Punishes LeviathanIsaiah 27God's sword, the servant of Christ, will punish leviathan, the servants of darkness.
Chapter 29 – A Marvelous Work And A WonderIsaiah 29"Woe to Ariel," for her people's lack of vision, and refusal to follow God's prophet.
Chapter 30 – False AlliancesIsaiah 30God pronounces a woe upon his children for seeking safety in "Egypt" rather than in him.
Chapter 33 – Christ Becomes our King and LawgiverIsaiah 33When the Assyrian is finished destroying, he will be destroyed, and Christ will reign as king and lawgiver.
Chapter 34 – The Lord’s Sword Is Bathed In HeavenIsaiah 34The indignation of the Lord will fall upon all nations as the time for his coming draws near.
Chapter 39 – Hezekiah Reveals Riches to BabylonIsaiah 39The first prophecy in the Bible that the Jews would be carried away into Babylon.
Chapter 46 – Baal and a Ravenous Bird From the EastIsaiah 46God will raise up a servant to subdue Babylon and lead the righteous to Zion.
Chapter 47 – Babylon Becomes StubbleIsaiah 47Babylon and the powers of darkness will be destroyed in the last days.
Chapter 52 – The Lord Bares His Holy ArmIsaiah 52The Lord commands his people to awake and purify themselves, which if they do, they will be led by the Lord's servant out of Babylon to Zion.
Chapter 57 – The Righteous DisappearIsaiah 57The righteous will be led out of Babylon, but the wicked will continue to suffer.
Chapter 64 – Burned Up With FireIsaiah 64As a temple is destroyed, people who were left out of Zion plead for mercy.
Chapter 66 – A Tumult From the TempleIsaiah 66A division among the people will lead to some creating Zion and some being destroyed.
The Timeline Reviewed Ch 2 and 3Isaiah 2–3"The great and dreadful day of the Lord" begins with catastrophic earthquakes and wars.
The Timeline Reviewed Ch 13Isaiah 13The catastrophic fall of Babylon will occur in the very last days, near the end of Isaiah's timeline.
The Bricks are Fallen Down"The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones…"
A Remnant Shall ReturnA righteous remnant will be led out of spiritual Babylon in the last days.
Those Who Shall be AnnihilatedIn the last days, brazen sinners will be "shattered" and "annihilated."
“The Whole Stay of Bread, and the Whole Stay of Water”Food and water will be cut off after devastating earthquakes.
Woe Unto the Rich who Isolate ThemselvesIn the last days, we need to help the less fortunate, not shrink from them.
The Second WoeWhen the going gets tough, we must never give in to dissolution.
“Woe unto Them That Call Evil Good”In the last days those who reject the prophet's counsel will call evil good and good evil.
“The Waters of Shiloah”Because so many covenant people refuse "the waters of Shiloah," a flood of destruction will come in upon them.
The People of “Pride and Stoutness of Heart”Arrogance will cause some covenant people to whistle through a graveyard of destruction.
“Wickedness Burneth as the Fire”The wicked who reject Christ's servant, the prophet, will become fuel for the Assyrian's fire.
“The Burden of Babylon”The Assyrian raises a vast army from the kingdoms of the world—to destroy.
“I Will Stir Up the Medes Against Them”As Babylon falls, Assyrian soldiers will inflict terrible suffering on the world.
“Babylon is Fallen”Isaiah describes the destruction of Babylon, or the world as we know it.
“How Art Thou Fallen from Heaven”The Assyrian king and Lucifer meet in Sheol.
“I Will Break the Assyrian”The Lord will bring the Assyrian into the land of Judah and destroy him.
“The Lord Hath Founded Zion”The timeline ends with final destructions and the rise of Zion.
“The Rushing of Nations”Nations will flee before the Assyrian army, but the army will be destroyed when its work is done.
“Babylon is Fallen, is Fallen”Babylon will be destroyed, but the righteous will be saved in Zion.
“Watchman, What of the Night?”After Babylon falls, traumatized survivors ask how long their suffering will last.
Isaiah’s Apocalypse BeginsBreaking the everlasting covenant will bring destruction to the world.
A Massive Earthquake at the EndIn the very last days, the whole earth will be racked by a massive earthquake.
Leviathan and the SwordThe Lord will use his "sword" to punish Leviathan—and raise up Zion.
“Woe to the Destroyer”The Assyrian army, like the wicked, will be set ablaze.
The Righteous will Disappear (Isaiah 55-57)Isaiah 55–57In the last days, the righteous will be led out of Babylon to safety.