Jeremiah against the nations;- The end of Babylon

This prophecy in ch51 is the grand climax of the book of Jeremiah. Apart from v11, which names the Medes, it is entirely in poetry. It has the triumphant atmosphere of Isaiah from ch40 and the last chapters of the book of Revelation.

The Lord will stir up the spirit of a destroyer against Babylon (v1). He will send winnowers to winnow her (a harvesting metaphor). Her archers and soldiers will lose their strength and be slain. This because the land of the Chaldeans is full of guilt against the Holy One of Israel, who has not forsaken his people. Every man should flee from Babylon to escape the Lord’s vengeance against her.

V7 Babylon was a golden cup in the Lord’s hand, making all the earth drunk. That is, making the other nations weak and vulnerable. This is the image of the prophecy in ch25. As that prophecy foresees, Babylon herself has fallen victim and has been broken.

V9 “Her judgement has reached up to heaven.” Her sins are heaped as high as heaven in Revelation ch18 v5. That is the only sense in which the tower of Babel achieved its ambition.

V12 He calls upon the besiegers to set up a standard against the walls of Babylon. She dwells by many waters and is rich in treasures, but her end has come. The thread of life has been cut. Those enemies who break into the city will be as many as locusts.

Vv15-19 A contrast, such as might be found in Isaiah, between the Lord of Israel, the Creator God, and the man-made idols of the other nations. He established the earth and the heavens by his power and his wisdom. He brings forth the lightning and the winds and tumults of water in the heavens. But stupid men make false images which have no breath in them, and their goldsmiths are put to shame. But the one who formed all things is “the portion of Jacob” and “Israel is the tribe of his inheritance”.

Vv20-23 The Lord is addressing his instrument of war; “With you I break nations in pieces, with you I destroy kingdoms”. It is just possible that he is encouraging the conqueror of Babylon. But it would be consistent with earlier prophecies (e.g. ch25) if he is addressing Babylon herself in the earlier stage of the relationship, when Babylon was making the other nations “drink from the cup”. This work is comprehensive, breaking in pieces horse and rider, man and woman, old man and youth, young man and maiden, shepherd and flock, farmer and team of animals, and governors and commanders. On that understanding, v24 adds balance by promising that the over-enthusiastic agent will be punished later.

V25 “Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, which destroys the whole earth; I will stretch out my hand against you and roll you down from the crags and make you a burnt mountain.” See Revelation ch8 v8; “Something like a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea”.

Vv27-33 This passage summons the great coalition of northern peoples, led by the Medes, which was responsible for the historic fall of Babylon. The strength of the warriors of Babylon fails, and messengers rush to warn the king of Babylon that his city has been captured. The fords have been seized, the bulwarks burnt, and the soldiers are in a panic.

Vv34-35 Jerusalem complains about Nebuchadnezzar. “He has devoured me, he has crushed me, he has made me an empty vessel, he has swallowed me like a monster… My blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea. The Lord responds (vv36-37) that he will plead her cause and take vengeance.

Vv38-40 Though the warriors of Babylon roar like lions, the Lord will cozen them by giving them a feast and allowing them to fall into a drunken sleep, from which they will not waken. He will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter.

Vv41-44 The sea has overcome Babylon. The city has become a horror among the nations. The god Bel will be punished, and the nations he has swallowed up will be taken out of his mouth.

Vv45-46 Therefore my people Israel should go out from the midst of Babylon to save their own lives. They should not be fearful about reports of internal turmoil and violence, because these are signs that they are to be recued.

Vv47-49 The images of Babylon will be punished. Heavens and earth and all that is in them will rejoice at the fall of the city. Babylon must fall for the slain of Israel, just as the slain of the whole earth fell for Babylon.

Vv50-51 This may be a prophecy from the immediate aftermath of the fall of Jerusalem. It is addressed to all those who have “escaped from the sword” of the Babylonian attack. They are currently put to shame and dishonour has covered their face, for aliens have come into the holy places of the Lord’s house. Being taken into exile, let them remember the Lord from afar and keep Jerusalem in their minds. This may have been inserted to precede the promise (vv52-53) that vengeance will be taken on the images of Babylon.

Vv54-58 A picture of the scene of destruction. There is a great cry from Babylon as the Lord is laying her waste. He will make drunk her princes and wise men and miliary leaders, so that they fall into a perpetual sleep. The broad wall and the gates of Babylon will be levelled to the ground and burnt with fire. Just as happened to the walls of Jerusalem.

Vv59-64
In the fourth year of Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, the king went to Babylon. Presumably to deliver his tribute in person. He would naturally take with him staff who accepted Babylonian suzerainty themselves, and might therefore be more friendly to Jeremiah’s mission than the men who favoured Egypt. Not for the last time in this reign, Jeremiah made use of the opportunity to get something taken to Babylon.

He wrote on a scroll “all the evil that should come upon Babylon, all these words that are written concerning Babylon”. Despite the expression “all these words”, we cannot possibly tell how much of the prophecy of these two chapters would have been on that scroll. Much of it would not have been ready at that early date. He then gave the scroll to Seraiah, who was accompanying the king as quartermaster, and gave him instructions about what to do with it.

At some point on the banks of the Euphrates, Seraiah was to read the words of the book. Aloud, presumably, making it a public ceremony without being too ostentatious to Babylonian passers-by. At the end, he was to declare “O Lord, thou hast said concerning this place that thou wilt cut it off, so that nothing will dwell in it, neither man nor beast, and it shall be desolate for ever”. Apart from the important exception of the final clause, this matched what Jeremiah was already saying about Judah and Jerusalem. He was now getting in the “reversal of judgement” side of the story.

Seraiah was then to bind a stone to the scroll and throw it into the Euphrates. He would then declare “Thus shall Babylon sink, to rise no more, because of the evil that I am bringing on her”.

That piece of acted-out prophecy is allowed to be the last word in the book. Note that it is matched in Revelation;
“Then a mighty angel took up a great stone like a millstone and threw it into the sea, saying; So shall Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence and shall be found no more” (Revelation ch18 v21).

It's aweful

a reply to: PEDDER
Yes, in the most literal sense (going by the etymology). An impressive climax to Jeremiah's message about God's work.

originally posted by: DISRAELI
a reply to: PEDDER
Yes, in the most literal sense (going by the etymology). An impressive climax to Jeremiah's message about God's work.

God's work to me is creation born out of love, man's work is destruction.

a reply to: quintessentone
But God also has to do something about whatever hampers creation born out of love. The negating force needs to be negated.