Jeremiah
50 reminds me of rotten older brothers. Remember growing up that one
friend always had an older brother that was bigger stronger and
meaner than everyone. He always got what he wanted and usually
spoiled the fun by breaking things. There was no relief, until their
dad got home. Big brother changed the minute dad’s car door
slammed. In today’s chapter, God speaks through Jeremiah the
prophet “concerning Babylon and
the land of the Babylonians“.
There is zero doubt at hearing Jeremiah that Dad was interceding,
“Announce and proclaim among
the nations… Babylon will be captured… and her idols filled with
terror“. Usually all younger
brother had to do was ask dad to make older brother stop. “The
people of Israel and the people of Judah together will go in tears to
seek the Lord their God“.
Finally Israel allowed God to be their King, “and
bind themselves to the Lord
in an everlasting
covenant“. Notice God’s
reaction, “My people have been
lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray… They wandered…
and forgot their own resting place“.
Too many of us think we are unworthy, but our God in Heaven always
receives His kids when they want to come back home.
It
is interesting when the bully is exposed, those he oppressed unite
against him, “I will stir up
and bring
against Babylon an alliance of great nations… and from the north
she will be captured“. God
adds, “Because you rejoice and
are glad, you who pillage My inheritance… your mother will be
greatly ashamed“. What does
younger brother say? “Do to
her as she has done to others“.
God replies, “I
will punish the king of Babylon and his land as I punished the king
of Assyria“. The smart-aleck
usually was brought inside the home after popping off to his dad
outside. Sometimes we all heard “The
noise of great destruction! How
broken and shattered is the hammer of the whole earth!”
The tough-guy big brother was no longer terrifying when it was “the
time for them to be punished“.
The neighbor nations silently agree that this is justice, “Repay
her for her deeds; do to her as she has done“.
This very long chapter concludes with two
main concepts, the goon will get gone and the nation of Israel will
be restored. Babylon enjoyed their role as thug too much. God
proclaims, “For she has defied
the Lord… See, I am against you, you arrogant one… for your day
has come“. Babylon’s former
allies abandon her too, “The
arrogant one will stumble and fall and
no one will help her up“.
At the same time He promises, “The
people of Israel are
oppressed… Yet their Redeemer is strong… He will vigorously
defend their
cause“. Babylon will be
judged and publicly removed from the home. “They
will be filled with terror… They will become weaklings… They will
be plundered… It will never again be inhabited… An army is coming
from the north; a
great nation and many kings… cruel and without mercy“.
Historians tell us that in 539 BC
the Persians captured Babylon and brought their empire to an end.
Jeremiah prophesied the street view, “his
hands hang limp… Anguish has gripped him… At the sound of
Babylon’s capture the earth will tremble“.
The brute is removed from the neighborhood in front of everyone’s
eyes in order to protect the rest of the kids.
Maybe you were afraid to go
back to Church Street, but listen; the tormentor was defeated on the
cross. “If God is for us, who
can be against us?” It is
time for a step of faith, “faith
comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the
Word about Christ” (Romans
10:17). Is He is calling you to come back home?