Verses 11 and 12 reveal that these chapters concerning Christ as the Servant of Jehovah are related to Israel's departure from Babylon. Verse 11 says, "Depart! Depart! Go out from there [Babylon]!/Do not touch any unclean thing! / Go out from the midst of her! Cleanse yourself,/You who bear the vessels of Jehovah!" This word about the vessels of Jehovah indicates that the vessels of the temple, which had been carried away to Babylon, would be brought back to Jerusalem. Verse 12 continues, "You will not go out in haste, / And you will not go in flight;/For Jehovah will go before you,/And the God of Israel will be your rear guard."
The entire Bible gives us one complete revelation. This revelation shows us that God has an economy, a plan with many arrangements, to gain a people who are regenerated, sanctified, renewed, transformed, and conformed to His image to be His corporate expression that He may be glorified forever. This revelation includes the fact that God has an enemy—Satan. As God's adversary, Satan is always rejecting God, opposing God, and doing whatever he can to frustrate God from accomplishing His economy. This opposition to God's economy indicates that there is a war raging in the universe between God and Satan.
In the Bible, the result of Satan's work is called Babylon. In God's eyes, all the attacks carried out by the nations come from one source—Babylon. Babylon signifies division with confusion.
Babylon was first called Babel in Genesis 11, but at the end of the Bible, Babel consummates in Babylon (Rev. 17—18). Babylon is also seen in the image in Daniel 2. The head of that image is Nebuchadnezzar, indicating that Nebuchadnezzar is the head of Babylon, and the ten toes of that image are Antichrist with the ten kings. Hence, Antichrist also will be a part of Babylon.
In the Old Testament, Babylon was mainly political, but this political Babylon also interfered with the worship of God. When Babylon invaded Jerusalem, it destroyed the temple of God and carried away to Babylon the vessels of the temple (Dan. 1:1-2), which typify the ways and means for God's people to enjoy Christ. These vessels continued to exist, but they were marred. Furthermore, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, captured the people of high rank in Israel, including the royal family, and forced them to worship his god in Babylon. Hence, the worship of God was damaged and marred by Babylon. This shows that Babylonian politics went together with Babylonian religion.
In the New Testament, Babylon is mentioned in a strong way in the book of Revelation. The religious aspect is mentioned first (Rev. 17), then the political aspect (Rev. 18). The religious Babylon is revealed as "Mystery, Babylon the Great, The Mother of the Prostitutes and the Abominations of the Earth" (17:5). In Revelation 2:20 she is signified by Jezebel. In contrast to political Babylon, religious Babylon, the apostate Roman Catholic Church, is very mysterious. It has God, Christ, and Satan within it. It has a name that it proclaims God and preaches Christ as the Savior. But when its members believe its preaching, they are brought into the secrets, mysteries, and deep things of Satan (v. 24) to worship idols. The apostate Roman Church preaches God but worships idols. This is hypocrisy.