Jer 51:27 | KingComments | STEP | Again the word of the LORD is to lift up a signal in the land, that is, in the land that is to make the attack on Babylon ( ). Other nations are called by the trumpet to join. There is to be a marshal and a crowd of horses. All that have already been brought under the rule of the kings of the Medes must be deployed ( ). Babylon will quake and writhe ( ). After all, the LORD has decreed it and it is fixed. Nothing more can be changed about it. Babylon will become a wasteland. The mighty men of Babylon see the futility of fighting against the awesome superiority ( ). They stay in the strongholds, not to defend themselves, but to hide from the advancing enemies. The power they have possessed has ‘dried up’, every vitality is gone; they are weak as women. Their dwellings, by which may be meant barracks, where the mighty men, the soldiers, are stationed, have been set on fire. These forts are now open to all, for the bolts have been broken. The king of Babylon is informed at breakneck speed by a relay of couriers and messengers how “his city” is doing ( ). He is told that the city is taken on all sides and that the escape routes through the fords of the Euphrates are occupied ( ). Escape is impossible. Hiding in the marshes is not possible either, because the marshes have been burned. Nor can he count on human support, for the fighting men are overcome with terror and paralyzed. The LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, says that He will make the daughter of Babylon a threshing floor ( ). That threshing floor will be stamped on firm by the judgments that come upon it. The harvest is coming, the harvest of judgment. Much of what is described here will be fulfilled by the Medes and Persians when they conquer Babylon ( ). However, the full fulfillment will occur in the end time ( ).

‏ Jeremiah 51:27

The Nations Commanded

Again the word of the LORD is to lift up a signal in the land, that is, in the land that is to make the attack on Babylon (Jer 51:27). Other nations are called by the trumpet to join. There is to be a marshal and a crowd of horses. All that have already been brought under the rule of the kings of the Medes must be deployed (Jer 51:28). Babylon will quake and writhe (Jer 51:29). After all, the LORD has decreed it and it is fixed. Nothing more can be changed about it. Babylon will become a wasteland.

The mighty men of Babylon see the futility of fighting against the awesome superiority (Jer 51:30). They stay in the strongholds, not to defend themselves, but to hide from the advancing enemies. The power they have possessed has ‘dried up’, every vitality is gone; they are weak as women. Their dwellings, by which may be meant barracks, where the mighty men, the soldiers, are stationed, have been set on fire. These forts are now open to all, for the bolts have been broken.

The king of Babylon is informed at breakneck speed by a relay of couriers and messengers how “his city” is doing (Jer 51:31). He is told that the city is taken on all sides and that the escape routes through the fords of the Euphrates are occupied (Jer 51:32). Escape is impossible.

Hiding in the marshes is not possible either, because the marshes have been burned. Nor can he count on human support, for the fighting men are overcome with terror and paralyzed. The LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, says that He will make the daughter of Babylon a threshing floor (Jer 51:33). That threshing floor will be stamped on firm by the judgments that come upon it. The harvest is coming, the harvest of judgment.

Much of what is described here will be fulfilled by the Medes and Persians when they conquer Babylon (Dan 5:30). However, the full fulfillment will occur in the end time (Rev 18:1-19).