Jeremiah 51:1-10--The Utter Destruction of Babylon (Part 1)

Jeremiah 51:1-10
English Standard Version

The Utter Destruction of Babylon
51 Thus says the LORD:
“Behold, I will stir up the spirit of a destroyer
    against Babylon,
    against the inhabitants of Leb-kamai,
2 and I will send to Babylon winnowers,
    and they shall winnow her,
and they shall empty her land,
    when they come against her from every side
    on the day of trouble.
3 Let not the archer bend his bow,
    and let him not stand up in his armor.
Spare not her young men;
    devote to destruction all her army.
4 They shall fall down slain in the land of the Chaldeans,
    and wounded in her streets.
5 For Israel and Judah have not been forsaken
    by their God, the LORD of hosts,
but the land of the Chaldeans is full of guilt
    against the Holy One of Israel.

6 “Flee from the midst of Babylon;
    let every one save his life!
Be not cut off in her punishment,
    for this is the time of the LORD's vengeance,
    the repayment he is rendering her.
7 Babylon was a golden cup in the LORD's hand,
    making all the earth drunken;
the nations drank of her wine;
    therefore the nations went mad.
8 Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been broken;
    wail for her!
Take balm for her pain;
    perhaps she may be healed.
9 We would have healed Babylon,
    but she was not healed.
Forsake her, and let us go
    each to his own country,
for her judgment has reached up to heaven
    and has been lifted up even to the skies.
10 The LORD has brought about our vindication;
    come, let us declare in Zion
    the work of the LORD our God.

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The prophecy against the place and people of Babylon continues.  Yes, this is about the return of the people from Exile, but it's more than that.  This is about the destruction of the kingdom of the Antichrist and the devil in the last days and how all evil and abominations will be destroyed and the LORD and His Christ will reign forever and ever.

The LORD will cause Babylon to be destroyed--first physical Babylon by the hands of a physical destroyer, but later He will speak and the sword of His mouth will destroy His rebellious enemies and spiritual Babylon will be destroyed.  The LORD will be careful in both cases not to destroy the righteous along with the wicked.  It would be best for the Chaldean army and the soldiers, archers, spearmen and other men of war if they would refuse to fight against the LORD and the destroyer that He has anointed for this task.  These words sound similar to the instructions He gave to Jerusalem about not fighting against Babylon.  Now the shoe is on the other foot and it is Babylon who is proud and being called to surrender, but they will not surrender--they will be destroyed.

Why will the LORD do this?  To show the world that He has not forgotten about Israel and Judah.  He has forgiven them and He has restored His covenant with them.  They were not abandoned by Him and He does not hate them.  The Chaldeans (the Babylonians) are full of guilt for how they have treated the LORD and His people.  The LORD has charged all the wrong they have done against His people as if it was done against Him personally.

The LORD warns everyone who will hear and heed His message that they should flee, for the day of the LORD's vengeance is upon them.  In the last days, there will be nowhere to flee though.  The whole world will be in rebellion to the LORD with the exception of His people Israel.  The wicked will perish in the judgment, but the righteous will be saved--though it may be as if they are like Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah who passed through the fire and came through it unharmed because the LORD was with them.

The people of Israel and Judah should not bond with and side with their captors, lest they also are swept up in the LORD's vengeance and wrath and His coming judgment.  For a time, the LORD used Babylon to execute His judgment against nations--many of whom the people of Israel were supposed to execute His judgment and they did not.  Now it is Babylon's turn to be judged by the LORD and by other nations.  The time of that kingdom had come to an end because the LORD said so.  He establishes boundaries and the timeline of history.  He makes kingdoms rise up and fall down.  He establishes and overthrows kings, emperors and other sovereigns.  The earth is the LORD's and all that is in it.  Let everything that hath breath praise the LORD!

It is not for us to rush to the aid of every nation that we see afflicted by the judgment of the LORD.  If it is the LORD's will to destroy a people, then why should we stand in opposition to the LORD to try to save them?  However, there is always a call to share the gospel with all of these evil empires that they might repent and be saved spiritually.  This "healing balm" would have ultimately saved even the wicked people of Babylon if they had accepted it, but they rejected it.  If you wonder exactly how it is that the gospel was presented to the people of Babylon and how they rejected it, see the book of Daniel.

The LORD has vindicated Himself, His Name, and His people.  No longer do the nations imagine that He goes to war against His people, but He goes to war for them and against anyone who attacks them.  He will be the one to take vengeance on those who attacked His Name and His Temple.  They put Him to the test to taunt Him that He was unable to defend Himself or His people and He responded in a way that left no question that He is God alone and He is Mighty to Save!