Jer 50:11-18 | KingComments | STEP | For the execution of judgment on Babylon, the LORD raises up a horde of great nations ( ). These are the nations of the Medes and Persians. They come from the north to Babylon and take it captive. They do so with ruthless precision. The use of their weapons is not a battle in the air. Chaldea becomes their booty and it is not inconsiderable ( ). Judgment comes upon Babylon because the Babylonians have plundered the sanctuary of the LORD with great joy and without restraint ( ). They have acted in God’s land like an elated calf in freshly mown grass and have raged against God’s people like stallions. Therefore, there is now shame for Babylon toward her mother ( ). A mother usually likes to see her child’s success. That is not the case here. On the contrary. Babylon has gone from being the foremost of all nations to being the least. Of all its former glory, nothing remains. It is “a wilderness, a parched land and a desert”. The indignation of the LORD is so great that she will not be inhabited again ( ). Instead of admiration, it will provoke consternation in everyone who passes by Babylon (cf. ). This will be fully fulfilled in the end time ( ). The LORD calls His instruments to make themselves ready to fight against Babylon ( ). They need not hold back when it comes to using their arrows. The supply will not run out. The LORD will give enough to execute His judgment on Babylon, for she has sinned against Him. What they have done against His people has been done against Him. Whoever touches His people touches the apple of His eye. The LORD also foretells victory here already ( ). Babylon will surrender and the Medes and Persians can rejoice. All her defenses have fallen and been broken down. The people the LORD uses are carrying out His vengeance. He is doing it. They may avenge themselves and treat Babylon as she has acted herself. Babylon reaps what she has sown ( ). There will be no more literal harvest for Babylon ( ). The sowers will be exterminated, and for what still grows, there will be no reapers, for they too will be exterminated. All who have been conquered by Babylon will flee, each to his land of origin.

‏ Jeremiah 50:11-18

Sin of and Judgment on Babylon

For the execution of judgment on Babylon, the LORD raises up a horde of great nations (Jer 50:9). These are the nations of the Medes and Persians. They come from the north to Babylon and take it captive. They do so with ruthless precision. The use of their weapons is not a battle in the air. Chaldea becomes their booty and it is not inconsiderable (Jer 50:10).

Judgment comes upon Babylon because the Babylonians have plundered the sanctuary of the LORD with great joy and without restraint (Jer 50:11). They have acted in God’s land like an elated calf in freshly mown grass and have raged against God’s people like stallions. Therefore, there is now shame for Babylon toward her mother (Jer 50:12). A mother usually likes to see her child’s success. That is not the case here. On the contrary. Babylon has gone from being the foremost of all nations to being the least. Of all its former glory, nothing remains. It is “a wilderness, a parched land and a desert”.

The indignation of the LORD is so great that she will not be inhabited again (Jer 50:13). Instead of admiration, it will provoke consternation in everyone who passes by Babylon (cf. Jer 19:8). This will be fully fulfilled in the end time (Rev 18:1-19).

The LORD calls His instruments to make themselves ready to fight against Babylon (Jer 50:14). They need not hold back when it comes to using their arrows. The supply will not run out. The LORD will give enough to execute His judgment on Babylon, for she has sinned against Him. What they have done against His people has been done against Him. Whoever touches His people touches the apple of His eye.

The LORD also foretells victory here already (Jer 50:15). Babylon will surrender and the Medes and Persians can rejoice. All her defenses have fallen and been broken down. The people the LORD uses are carrying out His vengeance. He is doing it. They may avenge themselves and treat Babylon as she has acted herself. Babylon reaps what she has sown (Gal 6:7b). There will be no more literal harvest for Babylon (Jer 50:16). The sowers will be exterminated, and for what still grows, there will be no reapers, for they too will be exterminated. All who have been conquered by Babylon will flee, each to his land of origin.

Comfort for Israel

After describing the judgment on Babylon comes another word about Israel (Jer 50:17). God’s people are compared to a cornered sheep that has been chased by two lions. One lion is the king of Assyria, the other the king of Babylon. They have left nothing of Israel. Therefore, the LORD will punish both nations (Jer 50:18). Assyria has already been punished, having been given up to the power of Nebuchadnezzar. The king of Babylon will suffer the same fate as Assyria and in turn will be judged by the next world empire that God is raising up for it, namely the Medes and Persians.

As God punishes nations for their heartless behavior toward His people, so He will have mercy on His people (Jer 50:19). He will bring His people back to their dwelling place and let them live there in peace and quiet: that is Carmel in the northwest, Bashan in the northeast, Ephraim, the ten tribes realm in the land and Gilead in the region at the other side of the Jordan. This will happen “in those days and in that time”, which are the days and the time of the future realm of peace (Jer 50:20).

Then all the people, Israel and Judah, will be restored in the land because they will be free from their iniquity and their sins. This is because the LORD has pardoned the remnant which is “all Israel” (Rom 11:26). Therefore, any search for iniquity or sin is futile. This is how God does when He pardons sins: He erases them and they are gone, also gone out of His mind. This is possible because Christ has borne the sins of those to whom they are pardoned, and they are pardoned to anyone who repents of his sins and believes in the Lord Jesus.