Isaiah 13 This prophecy about Babylon gives us a view of the world from God's perspective.  Babylon was a powerful nation that wiped out Judah.  Yet God calls them "My mighty warriors" and the "instruments of indignation".   The destruction that they brought upon the people of the Lord was from "the Almighty".    God chose Babylon to carry out His fury agains those that rebelled against Him.  These are Words that we need to heed:

Verse 9  " ... And He will exterminate its sinners.. " 
Verse 11 " Thus I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I will also put an end to the arrogance of the proud, and abase the haughtiness of the ruthless."

This is God's view of sinfulness in a nation and in an individual.  He has let it be known to us that sin will be punished and that the sinner will experience His wrath.  This is the very reason that we should fear Him.  For as the Word says, we have all sinned.. and all deserve this.

But, thanks be to the Lord, Jesus Christ who took the cup of wrath and drank it Himself!  By His grace we are saved from the fury of the Almighty.  We are forgiven.  We are made clean by His blood shed for us.

There is a day coming when God's anger will once again be poured out on the earth.  All those who refuse to repent and come under the Lordship of Jesus, will face God's wrath.

Babylon was cruel and wicked... but they were used to exercise God's punishment on Israel.  Likewise the Medes were used to punish Babylon.  God was sovereign over it all.  We do not know what God will use to punish the sinfulness of our nation or our world.  But we do know that there is a day coming when it will happen.  Our only hope is to belong to the Kingdom of God through the blood of the Lamb who saved us and made us righteous and whole.

Father in Heaven,  You are the Almighty One, ruler of Heaven and Earth.  We bow before You in holy fear, aware of the awesomeness of Your power and the depth of Your wrath against sin.  Oh how we thank You for the power of the blood of Jesus that makes us as white as snow.  We place our trust in You.  Father, thank You that You have displayed Your mercy to us and have been patient.  Our hearts lift up our unsaved loved ones to You, asking that they might have opened eyes to see and ears to hear, that they might turn from their sins and be saved.  Call them by name, dear Lord.  Rescue them from the grip of sin and deliver them from the dominion of darkness.  We ask this in the Name of the Righteous One, Jesus Christ. Amen.