John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 47:14

"Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: it shall not be a coal to warm at, nor a fire to sit before." — Isaiah 47:14 (ASV)

Behold, they shall be as stubble. With still greater eagerness he attacks those astrologers who strengthened the pride of Babylon by their empty boasting.

For impostors of this sort are accustomed to take away all fear of God from the hearts of men, by ascribing everything to the stars, so that nothing is left to the providence of God.

From this arises contempt of God and of all His threats; for punishments are not ascribed to the judgment of God, but to some fate and relation of things which they foolishly imagine.

For this reason he kindles into such indignation against the Babylonians, and says that they shall be burning stubble, which is quickly consumed; for he does not compare them to wood, which is of some use for giving heat, but to stubble, in order to show that nothing is so light or useless.