Jeremiah 50:11-20--Judgment on Babylon (Part 2)

Jeremiah 50:11-20
English Standard Version
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11 “Though you rejoice, though you exult,
    O plunderers of my heritage,
though you frolic like a heifer in the pasture,
    and neigh like stallions,
12 your mother shall be utterly shamed,
    and she who bore you shall be disgraced.
Behold, she shall be the last of the nations,
    a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert.
13 Because of the wrath of the LORD she shall not be inhabited
    but shall be an utter desolation;
everyone who passes by Babylon shall be appalled,
    and hiss because of all her wounds.
14 Set yourselves in array against Babylon all around,
    all you who bend the bow;
shoot at her, spare no arrows,
    for she has sinned against the LORD.
15 Raise a shout against her all around;
    she has surrendered;
her bulwarks have fallen;
    her walls are thrown down.
For this is the vengeance of the LORD:
    take vengeance on her;
    do to her as she has done.
16 Cut off from Babylon the sower,
    and the one who handles the sickle in time of harvest;
because of the sword of the oppressor,
    every one shall turn to his own people,
    and every one shall flee to his own land.

17 “Israel is a hunted sheep driven away by lions. First the king of Assyria devoured him, and now at last Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has gnawed his bones. 18 Therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I am bringing punishment on the king of Babylon and his land, as I punished the king of Assyria. 19 I will restore Israel to his pasture, and he shall feed on Carmel and in Bashan, and his desire shall be satisfied on the hills of Ephraim and in Gilead. 20 In those days and in that time, declares the LORD, iniquity shall be sought in Israel, and there shall be none, and sin in Judah, and none shall be found, for I will pardon those whom I leave as a remnant.

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Jeremiah continues his declaration of judgment against Babylon.  Though they are celebrating now, their joy will be turned to mourning and weeping.  This is the beginning of the end of a once-great empire.  Soon mothers will have their children taken away from them by war and by invading forces that will kill all the men of military age and who will take the young women as prizes and trophies (just as they did to other nations).  Their land will become a wasteland and no one will want to go through it or even speak of it (much like Israel was after Assyria and Babylon were through with it, but now they will be the ones to be accursed, and Israel will be restored).  The wounds and scars left to the people and nation will be appalling to outsiders for generations.

Why this harsh treatment?  Because they have sinned against the LORD.  They victimized the LORD's people and tried to steal all the wealth that remained after Assyria was done with them.  The LORD promises that just as He did to the king of Assyria, He would also do to the king of Babylon.  Babylon had not by what the LORD did to Assyria, and the LORD sent the kings of Babylon prophets like Daniel who called them to repentance so that judgment could be avoided or at least delayed, but they would not repent and it was the LORD's will that by their judgment, His people would be saved and restored.

Then the LORD gives us a glimpse of the New Covenant that He will make with His people  They won't just go back to their old ways in the Land, but they will have transformed hearts and lives that come from a better covenant.  People will seek out iniquity and sin, and it will not be found because God's people will be glorified and perfected in the coming Kingdom.  We will one day be freed from the power and presence of sin.  The ultimate fulfillment of this prophecy is not going to happen until Jesus returns as King of Kings and Lord of Lords and He rules with a rod of iron and binds Satan in the bottomless pit for 1,000 years (and then eventually after a final rebellion, Satan and all those who have chosen to be a part of the kingdom of darkness will be cast into the Lake of Fire where they will be able to do no more harm to the people of God).  God's people will be made in His image once again and will have perfect communion with Him and each other.  O what a day that will be!