SESSION 12
JEREMIAH 50:11-20,33-34
MEMORY VERSE: JEREMIAH 50:34
History is full of accounts of notorious criminals who fled from justice and were fugitives for many years before authorities were able to catch them. Many thought they could get away with their crimes, but the law caught up with them. There are also accounts of fugitives who never were apprehended and appear to have escaped justice. Even though a criminal may escape judgment in an earthly courtroom, no one who defies God is able to escape His judgment.
(In PSG, p. 109)
Jeremiah 46–52 contains oracles against ten kingdoms. God was sovereign over the world’s nations whether they acknowledged Him or not. He had judged His people, but He would judge the nations as well.
Jeremiah first announced Egypt’s judgment (46:2-26). Eventually, Nebuchadnezzar would come to Egypt, so the Egyptians needed to prepare for exile and shame. However, the Lord promised to restore His own people (46:27-28). The prophet also announced judgment on the Philistines and (47:1-7) and Moab (48:1-13), though the Lord also promised to restore Moab one day (48:27).
The Ammonites (49:1-6) lived east of the Jordan River, but God would send them and their god Milcom into exile. However, He would restore the residents of Ammon one day. Edom lay southeast of Judah and likewise would experience devastating judgment (49:7-22). Those who witnessed it would compare it to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (49:17-18).
Syria, including Damascus, would panic as God brought them down (49:23-27). So would Kedar and Hazor, nomadic groups who had threatened God’s people (49:28-33). Elam, located to the east of Babylon, earned God’s judgment, though it would also be restored (49:34-39).
The announcement of Babylon’s judgment came last (50:1–51:64). The empire would fall, its captives would escape, and the city would not be inhabited again (50:1-16). The Babylonians would face devastation like Sodom and Gomorrah (50:17-32). Jeremiah sent the words of judgment to Seraiah (51:59-64), who was commanded to throw the scroll into the Euphrates River, where its sinking would illustrate Babylon’s
final demise.
Jeremiah 52 provides further historical details about Judah’s destruction (52:1-30). King Zedekiah’s rebellion led Nebuchadnezzar to destroy Jerusalem and the temple, slaughtering many Jews and taking others into exile. Only the poorest of the land remained. Interestingly, the book of Jeremiah ends on a hopeful note with the report of Evil-merodach, Nebuchadnezzar’s successor, pardoning King Jehoiachin (52:31-34).
EXPLORE THE TEXT
11 Because you rejoice, because you celebrate—you who plundered my inheritance—because you frolic like a young cow treading grain and neigh like stallions,
You rejoice and you celebrate depict the Babylonians’ haughty attitude, considering themselves invincible. The Lord further said they plundered my inheritance. The word inheritance indicates God’s special relationship with His people (Isa. 19:25). The Babylonians saw Judah as just another conquest, but God would avenge His people.
The statement frolic like a young cow treading grain also highlights Babylon’s arrogance. The word translated treading suggests an animal dragging a sledge through piles of harvested grain stalks, effectively reducing them to mash. The law of Moses required that animals not be muzzled during the threshing process so they could eat some of the harvest they were helping to produce (Deut. 25:4). The Babylonians were smashing their opposition and reaping the benefits of the experience.
The expression neigh like stallions further symbolized Babylon’s power and confidence. Stallions were known for their strength. However, God was determined to destroy Babylon’s arrogance and confidence.
12 your mother will be utterly humiliated; she who bore you will be put to shame. Look! She will lag behind all the nations—an arid wilderness, a desert.
The expression your mother designates Babylon, and her children were its citizens. Hosea used the same imagery to describe Israel as the mother of the Northern Kingdom’s people (Hos. 2:1-5). The word humiliated runs parallel to put to shame, and the repetition stresses Babylon’s impending judgment. More than a century earlier, Isaiah had highlighted Babylon’s eventual downfall (Isa. 47:1-11).
The comment lag behind all the nations points to Babylon’s reversal of fortune. Babylon had known world supremacy. At one time, the nations bowed to her, but a day was coming when they no longer would.
The words arid wilderness and desert describe Babylon’s fate. Judah’s wilderness and desert regions produced little vegetation due to the poor soil quality and little rain. God would turn Babylon’s luxurious land into the same kind of desolate region.
13 Because of the LORD’s wrath, she will not be inhabited; she will become a desolation, every bit of her. Everyone who passes through Babylon will be appalled and scoff because of all her wounds.
Babylon’s demise was the result of the LORD’S wrath. God was judging a nation that had oppressed many. The word translated wrath also described God’s righteous indignation against the Jews when He exiled them to Babylon (see Isa. 54:8). As the Lord of all nations, God judged sin and wickedness wherever He found it. He would make sure that Babylon would not be inhabited and would become a desolation. The upcoming humiliation would touch every bit of her.
Jeremiah noted everyone who passes through following God’s judgment would be appalled and scoff at her wounds. Jeremiah earlier had used the same expression to warn what would happen to Jerusalem if the people did not heed God’s warnings (19:8). Travelers who witnessed Jerusalem’s or Babylon’s devastation would not have empathy or pity.
The Hebrew for appalled is related to the word describing desolation earlier in the verse. It implies utter destruction. Scoff signifies derision. Those who saw Babylon’s ruins would respond just as an earlier generation had rejoiced over Nineveh’s destruction when Assyria fell (Nah. 3:19). The word wounds comes from a word for “strike” and probably designates the blows of God’s judgment (See Isa. 1:5, “beatings”).
14 Line up in battle formation around Babylon, all you archers! Shoot at her! Do not spare an arrow, for she has sinned against the LORD.
In ancient warfare, armies would line up in battle formation against an enemy city. Troops surrounded a city to prevent escape and to cut off its food and water supply. They constructed raised platforms so its archers could shoot down into the city and force the defenders to stay below the wall’s rim. Meanwhile, other soldiers tried to ram the city gate or to weaken an area of the wall. Jeremiah further urged those invading Babylon to not spare an arrow. Babylon would receive the invaders’ full force.
Jeremiah cited Babylon’s sins against the LORD as the reason for her punishment. The Babylonians earlier were God’s instrument of justice, but they had shown no mercy to its captives, in addition to their pride and idolatry. The empire assumed it would last forever, but Babylon’s judgment would be swift and complete. (See also Isa. 47:8-11.)
15 Raise a war cry against her on every side! She has thrown up her hands in surrender; her defense towers have fallen; her walls are demolished. Since this is the LORD’s vengeance, take your vengeance on her; as she has done, do the same to her.
God instructed the invaders to raise a war cry against the Babylonians. The word translated war cry also appears in Joshua, where it denotes the people’s raising their voices against Jericho (Josh. 6:16). The psalmist also used it to describe a ringing, joyful cry to God (Ps. 100:1).
Jeremiah used vivid terms to illustrate Babylon’s defeat. First, the city had thrown up her hands in surrender. Just as today, the image of putting one’s hands up was a sign of submission. In this case, the Babylonians did not know if they would receive mercy, but they had no hope otherwise.
Second, Jeremiah said Babylon’s towers have fallen. In addition her walls are demolished. A city’s towers stood higher than the city walls so lookouts could watch for signs of enemy attacks. Defense towers also provided an angle to shoot at invaders who got close to the city wall. When these collapsed, the battle was almost over.
A city’s walls provided protection for its citizens. When the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem, they broke down its walls to remove its defenses (Jer. 39:8). The word demolished occurs elsewhere in Jeremiah, where it describes God’s judgment against His people and in the world (Jer. 1:10; 42:10).
The prophet encouraged Babylon’s invaders to take your vengeance on her. The word vengeance suggests getting even and correcting injustices. Those who invaded Babylon took vengeance against the empire. As they did, they were also accomplishing God’s purpose. The prophet urged as she has done, do the same to her. Babylon now would experience the pain she had inflicted on others.
16 Cut off the sower from Babylon as well as him who wields the sickle at harvest time. Because of the oppressor’s sword, each will turn to his own people, each will flee to his own land.
The command cut off the sower and the one who wields the sickle highlighted Babylon’s coming agricultural devastation. The sower planted the seed at the proper time (Matt. 13:3-4). Harvesters gathered the grain at harvest time using a sickle. The absence (or death) of the sower and harvesters meant agriculture had ceased. Disaster would ensue thanks to the oppressor’s sword, which made people fear for their lives. Consequently, individuals would turn to their own people and flee to their own land. Those who could escape Babylon would do so.
Believers can face the future knowing God will exact justice. In some cases, that justice won’t come until eternity. Nevertheless, He will bring justice in His perfect timing.
(In PSG, p. 113)
17 Israel is a stray lamb, chased by lions. The first who devoured him was the king of Assyria; the last who crushed his bones was King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.
Jeremiah used the imagery of Israel as a stray lamb being chased by lions. For most of the Jews’ history, they faced powerful enemies and had little chance against these oppressors—much like a stray lamb that, separated from the shepherd, couldn’t stand against lions.
Jeremiah named Assyria as the first who devoured God’s people. In 721 BC, the Assyrians conquered Samaria, capital of Israel’s Northern Kingdom and deported much of the population to other regions (2 Kings 17:6,24). As the Assyrians imported foreigners to live in the land, the Northern Kingdom was never re-established.
Next, the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar had conquered the Southern Kingdom and crushed his bones. The people of Judah witnessed what had happened to Samaria, but they failed to heed the spiritual warning (Jer. 3:6-11). Consequently, in 586 BC, Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem, burned the city and its temple, and deported much of the population to Babylon (Jer. 39:1-10). The twin conquests of God’s people by the Assyrians and Babylonians marked two of the darkest hours in Old Testament history.
18 Therefore, this is what the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: I am about to punish the king of Babylon and his land just as I punished the king of Assyria.
The LORD of Armies, the God of Israel stressed God’s sovereignty over all creation. This included Israel, which here probably denoted a future reunification of the people. Jeremiah’s words reminded the people that his words actually came from God.
The Lord vowed that He was ready to punish the king of Babylon just like He had punished the king of Assyria. In 612 BC, Assyria’s capital city, Nineveh, fell to a military coalition. Babylon emerged as the successor to Assyria’s might and soon established itself as supreme over the other nations, first under Nabopolassar (626–605 BC) and then his son Nebuchadnezzar II (605–562 BC). However, the Babylonian empire would last only until 539 BC, when the Persians conquered Babylon.
19 I will return Israel to his grazing land, and he will feed on Carmel and Bashan; he will be satisfied in the hill country of Ephraim and of Gilead.
God also guaranteed that He would return Israel to his grazing land. He would restore His people to their homeland where agricultural and pastoral life could return to normal. Carmel lay in Israel’s northwestern sector, where plentiful rainfall made it optimal for growing crops. Bashan lay east of the Jordan River to the north and also boasted good soil that provided abundant grain. The best cattle also came from Bashan (Ps. 22:12). The hill country of Ephraim was centrally located and was some of Israel’s richest agricultural territory. So was Gilead, an area east of the Jordan.
20 In those days and at that time—this is the LORD’s declaration—one will search for Israel’s iniquity, but there will be none, and for Judah’s sins, but they will not be found, for I will forgive those I leave as a remnant.
In those days and at that time highlights the time of God’s people’s restoration. Commentators generally believe this promise has a future messianic fulfillment. The words this is the LORD’S declaration occur commonly in Jeremiah’s prophecies and stress the divine source of Jeremiah’s words.
Jeremiah announced that when God restored His people, one would look for iniquity in Israel, but there will be none. God would not only rescue His people, but cleanse them spiritually. The word translated iniquity is a strong word that denotes evil or wickedness. The text does not reveal who exactly would be looking for this sin, but the search would yield none. Likewise, Jeremiah said, Judah’s sins would not be found. The reference to both Israel and Judah anticipates a day when God will restore all His people.
The verse’s closing words I will forgive those I leave as a remnant somewhat parallel Jeremiah’s proclamation of the new covenant that God would establish one day. There, God said He would not remember their sin (31:34). The term remnant designates those left after God’s judgment. It also can denote a faithful remainder of people. The remnant had experienced God’s discipline, but God now planned to bless them and forgive them.
(In PSG, p. 115)
33 This is what the LORD of Armies says: Israelites and Judeans alike have been oppressed. All their captors hold them fast; they refuse to release them.
The LORD of Armies again stressed God’s power over all earthly kingdoms. He was, and continues to be, the One who reigns over the entire universe and all the angelic host.
God noted that all of God’s people were oppressed, including the Israelites and the Judeans. The word oppressed highlighted the unjust treatment God’s people had received. The Lord had warned His people that He would judge them if they abandoned Him, but He also promised to judge Assyria and Babylon for their cruelty. Both had held God’s people fast and would not release them.
34 Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of Armies is his name. He will fervently champion their cause so that he might bring rest to the earth but turmoil to those who live in Babylon.
Of course, God was greater than His people’s captors. Jeremiah affirmed their Redeemer is strong. The word Redeemer denotes someone who rescues or ransoms another from a particular situation. Boaz redeemed Ruth by marrying her (Ruth 4:1-12). Jeremiah redeemed his relative’s land when his relative could no longer afford to keep it (Jer. 32:6-12). Jesus provided ultimate redemption when He rescued us from our sentence of condemnation so we could become God’s children (Rom. 3:24).
Jeremiah assured his readers that God would fervently champion their cause. The Hebrew wording carries a legal connotation. God Himself would represent them and contend for them. The word cause is the noun form of the same wording. Through this word play, Jeremiah declared that God’s people had the best representation possible. Therefore, they had nothing to fear.
Two results would come from God’s intervention. First, He would bring rest to the earth. The world had suffered too long under Assyria and Babylon, and God was about to end that suffering by bringing His people rest from its oppressors. Second, He would bring turmoil to Babylon. Isaiah also used the same kind of wording in his prophecy against Babylon more than a century earlier (Isa. 14:16), and God was affirming it through Jeremiah. The Lord would judge the evil powers of the earth, but His people would experience His salvation.
Believers can still be confident that God is capable of redeeming His people. He has promised never to leave or abandon us (Heb. 13:5), and He will work His purpose in and through His children.
(In PSG, p. 116)
Last Things
According to His promise, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth; the dead will be raised; and Christ will judge all men in righteousness. The unrighteous will be consigned to hell, the place of everlasting punishment. (See Matt. 16:27; Heb. 9:27-28.)
Use a Bible atlas and Bible dictionary to locate and learn about places mentioned in Scripture.
Look up Assyria and Babylon in a Bible dictionary and locate them on a Bible map. What details do you find that help you understand more about these kingdoms the Bible references? What do Assyrian and Babylonian records reveal about these kingdoms? What light do your findings shed on today’s lesson passage?