51:5 For Israel is not forsaken, nor Judah, By his God, the LORD of hosts, Though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel.
The faithfulness of God to the Jewish people is an undeniable historical proof of His faithfulness to us even when we are not faithful. His faithfulness is rooted in His own perfections. He will always be true to Himself and His promises.
God will always be true to who He is. Nothing will ever be more consistent and predictable than this. God will always be a perfect expression of who He is for every moment in time and eternity. Here God is shown to be perfectly faithful to both His just response to sin while at the same time being faithful to His covenant promises to the Jewish people. God used the invasion of their nation and deportation of the people to Babylon because there was nothing left for God to do. His warnings had been completely ignored. If they were ever to fulfill the call they were given as a nation, then they had to be purged of their idolatry, immorality, and injustice.
Historical evidence tells us that after God restored the Jews to their homeland and rebuilt their temple, they never again worshiped idols or embraced the sinful practices of pagan cultures. God never forsook them; He was faithful to His covenant promises to them as a nation.
We see here another expression of God's faithfulness in how He dealt with Babylon. The arrogance of this mighty empire was leveled. God has leveled every great empire since the tower of Babel when pride corrupted them. He will not allow the arrogance of the kingdoms of men that are agents of the kingdom of darkness stand. Once unleashed in each successive empire this world has ever known, the pride of Satan always suffered the same fate: God broke it.
To know and respect the faithfulness of God to His own being is to put one's self on the right side of history and life every single time. Evaluate what's going on in your world and then look to God as to what you can expect to be His faithful response. Align yourself with God and you will be on the right side of history and eternity.
The Utter Destruction of Babylon 1 Thus says the LORD:
"Behold, I will raise up against Babylon,
Against those who dwell in Leb Kamai,
A destroying wind.
Against those who dwell in Leb Kamai,
A destroying wind.
2 And I will send winnowers to Babylon,
Who shall winnow her and empty her land.
For in the day of doom
They shall be against her all around.
Who shall winnow her and empty her land.
For in the day of doom
They shall be against her all around.
3 Against her let the archer bend his bow,
And lift himself up against her in his armor.
Do not spare her young men;
Utterly destroy all her army.
And lift himself up against her in his armor.
Do not spare her young men;
Utterly destroy all her army.
4 Thus the slain shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans,
And those thrust through in her streets.
And those thrust through in her streets.
5 For Israel is not forsaken, nor Judah,
By his God, the LORD of hosts,
Though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel."
By his God, the LORD of hosts,
Though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel."
6 Flee from the midst of Babylon,
And every one save his life!
Do not be cut off in her iniquity,
For this is the time of the LORD's vengeance;
He shall recompense her.
And every one save his life!
Do not be cut off in her iniquity,
For this is the time of the LORD's vengeance;
He shall recompense her.
7 Babylon was a golden cup in the LORD's hand,
That made all the earth drunk.
The nations drank her wine;
Therefore the nations are deranged.
That made all the earth drunk.
The nations drank her wine;
Therefore the nations are deranged.
8 Babylon has suddenly fallen and been destroyed.
Wail for her!
Take balm for her pain;
Perhaps she may be healed.
Wail for her!
Take balm for her pain;
Perhaps she may be healed.
9 We would have healed Babylon,
But she is not healed.
Forsake her, and let us go everyone to his own country;
For her judgment reaches to heaven and is lifted up to the skies.
But she is not healed.
Forsake her, and let us go everyone to his own country;
For her judgment reaches to heaven and is lifted up to the skies.
10 The LORD has revealed our righteousness.
Come and let us declare in Zion the work of the LORD our God.
Come and let us declare in Zion the work of the LORD our God.
11 Make the arrows bright!
Gather the shields!
The LORD has raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes.
For His plan is against Babylon to destroy it,
Because it is the vengeance of the LORD,
The vengeance for His temple.
Gather the shields!
The LORD has raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes.
For His plan is against Babylon to destroy it,
Because it is the vengeance of the LORD,
The vengeance for His temple.
12 Set up the standard on the walls of Babylon;
Make the guard strong,
Set up the watchmen,
Prepare the ambushes.
For the LORD has both devised and done
What He spoke against the inhabitants of Babylon.
Make the guard strong,
Set up the watchmen,
Prepare the ambushes.
For the LORD has both devised and done
What He spoke against the inhabitants of Babylon.
13 O you who dwell by many waters,
Abundant in treasures,
Your end has come,
The measure of your covetousness.
Abundant in treasures,
Your end has come,
The measure of your covetousness.
14 The LORD of hosts has sworn by Himself:
"Surely I will fill you with men, as with locusts,
And they shall lift up a shout against you."
And they shall lift up a shout against you."
15 He has made the earth by His power;
He has established the world by His wisdom,
And stretched out the heaven by His understanding.
He has established the world by His wisdom,
And stretched out the heaven by His understanding.
16 When He utters His voice—
There is a multitude of waters in the heavens:
There is a multitude of waters in the heavens:
"He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth;
He makes lightnings for the rain;
He brings the wind out of His treasuries."
He makes lightnings for the rain;
He brings the wind out of His treasuries."
17 Everyone is dull-hearted, without knowledge;
Every metalsmith is put to shame by the carved image;
For his molded image is falsehood,
And there is no breath in them.
Every metalsmith is put to shame by the carved image;
For his molded image is falsehood,
And there is no breath in them.
18 They are futile, a work of errors;
In the time of their punishment they shall perish.
In the time of their punishment they shall perish.
19 The Portion of Jacob is not like them,
For He is the Maker of all things;
And Israel is the tribe of His inheritance.
The LORD of hosts is His name.
For He is the Maker of all things;
And Israel is the tribe of His inheritance.
The LORD of hosts is His name.
20 "You are My battle-ax and weapons of war:
For with you I will break the nation in pieces;
With you I will destroy kingdoms;
For with you I will break the nation in pieces;
With you I will destroy kingdoms;
21 With you I will break in pieces the horse and its rider;
With you I will break in pieces the chariot and its rider;
With you I will break in pieces the chariot and its rider;
22 With you also I will break in pieces man and woman;
With you I will break in pieces old and young;
With you I will break in pieces the young man and the maiden;
With you I will break in pieces old and young;
With you I will break in pieces the young man and the maiden;
23 With you also I will break in pieces the shepherd and his flock;
With you I will break in pieces the farmer and his yoke of oxen;
And with you I will break in pieces governors and rulers.
With you I will break in pieces the farmer and his yoke of oxen;
And with you I will break in pieces governors and rulers.
24 "And I will repay Babylon
And all the inhabitants of Chaldea
For all the evil they have done
In Zion in your sight," says the LORD.
And all the inhabitants of Chaldea
For all the evil they have done
In Zion in your sight," says the LORD.
25 "Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain,
Who destroys all the earth," says the LORD.
"And I will stretch out My hand against you,
Roll you down from the rocks,
And make you a burnt mountain.
Who destroys all the earth," says the LORD.
"And I will stretch out My hand against you,
Roll you down from the rocks,
And make you a burnt mountain.
26 They shall not take from you a stone for a corner
Nor a stone for a foundation,
But you shall be desolate forever," says the LORD.
Nor a stone for a foundation,
But you shall be desolate forever," says the LORD.
27 Set up a banner in the land,
Blow the trumpet among the nations!
Prepare the nations against her,
Call the kingdoms together against her:
Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz.
Appoint a general against her;
Cause the horses to come up like the bristling locusts.
Blow the trumpet among the nations!
Prepare the nations against her,
Call the kingdoms together against her:
Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz.
Appoint a general against her;
Cause the horses to come up like the bristling locusts.
28 Prepare against her the nations,
With the kings of the Medes,
Its governors and all its rulers,
All the land of his dominion.
With the kings of the Medes,
Its governors and all its rulers,
All the land of his dominion.
29 And the land will tremble and sorrow;
For every purpose of the LORD shall be performed against Babylon,
To make the land of Babylon a desolation without inhabitant.
For every purpose of the LORD shall be performed against Babylon,
To make the land of Babylon a desolation without inhabitant.
30 The mighty men of Babylon have ceased fighting,
They have remained in their strongholds;
Their might has failed,
They became like women;
They have burned her dwelling places,
The bars of her gate are broken.
They have remained in their strongholds;
Their might has failed,
They became like women;
They have burned her dwelling places,
The bars of her gate are broken.
31 One runner will run to meet another,
And one messenger to meet another,
To show the king of Babylon that his city is taken on all sides;
And one messenger to meet another,
To show the king of Babylon that his city is taken on all sides;
32 The passages are blocked,
The reeds they have burned with fire,
And the men of war are terrified.
The reeds they have burned with fire,
And the men of war are terrified.
33 For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel:
"The daughter of Babylon is like a threshing floor
When it is time to thresh her;
Yet a little while
And the time of her harvest will come."
When it is time to thresh her;
Yet a little while
And the time of her harvest will come."
34 "Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon
Has devoured me, he has crushed me;
He has made me an empty vessel,
He has swallowed me up like a monster;
He has filled his stomach with my delicacies,
He has spit me out.
Has devoured me, he has crushed me;
He has made me an empty vessel,
He has swallowed me up like a monster;
He has filled his stomach with my delicacies,
He has spit me out.
35 Let the violence done to me and my flesh be upon Babylon,"
The inhabitant of Zion will say;
"And my blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea!"
Jerusalem will say.
The inhabitant of Zion will say;
"And my blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea!"
Jerusalem will say.
36 Therefore thus says the LORD:
"Behold, I will plead your case and take vengeance for you.
I will dry up her sea and make her springs dry.
I will dry up her sea and make her springs dry.
37 Babylon shall become a heap,
A dwelling place for jackals,
An astonishment and a hissing,
Without an inhabitant.
A dwelling place for jackals,
An astonishment and a hissing,
Without an inhabitant.
38 They shall roar together like lions,
They shall growl like lions' whelps.
They shall growl like lions' whelps.
39 In their excitement I will prepare their feasts;
I will make them drunk,
That they may rejoice,
And sleep a perpetual sleep
And not awake," says the LORD.
I will make them drunk,
That they may rejoice,
And sleep a perpetual sleep
And not awake," says the LORD.
40 "I will bring them down
Like lambs to the slaughter,
Like rams with male goats.
Like lambs to the slaughter,
Like rams with male goats.
41 "Oh, how Sheshach is taken!
Oh, how the praise of the whole earth is seized!
How Babylon has become desolate among the nations!
Oh, how the praise of the whole earth is seized!
How Babylon has become desolate among the nations!
42 The sea has come up over Babylon;
She is covered with the multitude of its waves.
She is covered with the multitude of its waves.
43 Her cities are a desolation,
A dry land and a wilderness,
A land where no one dwells,
Through which no son of man passes.
A dry land and a wilderness,
A land where no one dwells,
Through which no son of man passes.
44 I will punish Bel in Babylon,
And I will bring out of his mouth what he has swallowed;
And the nations shall not stream to him anymore.
Yes, the wall of Babylon shall fall.
And I will bring out of his mouth what he has swallowed;
And the nations shall not stream to him anymore.
Yes, the wall of Babylon shall fall.
45 "My people, go out of the midst of her!
And let everyone deliver himself from the fierce anger of the LORD.
And let everyone deliver himself from the fierce anger of the LORD.
46 And lest your heart faint,
And you fear for the rumor that will be heard in the land
(A rumor will come one year,
And after that, in another year
A rumor will come,
And violence in the land,
Ruler against ruler),
And you fear for the rumor that will be heard in the land
(A rumor will come one year,
And after that, in another year
A rumor will come,
And violence in the land,
Ruler against ruler),
47 Therefore behold, the days are coming
That I will bring judgment on the carved images of Babylon;
Her whole land shall be ashamed,
And all her slain shall fall in her midst.
That I will bring judgment on the carved images of Babylon;
Her whole land shall be ashamed,
And all her slain shall fall in her midst.
48 Then the heavens and the earth and all that is in them
Shall sing joyously over Babylon;
For the plunderers shall come to her from the north," says the LORD.
Shall sing joyously over Babylon;
For the plunderers shall come to her from the north," says the LORD.
49 As Babylon has caused the slain of Israel to fall,
So at Babylon the slain of all the earth shall fall.
So at Babylon the slain of all the earth shall fall.
50 You who have escaped the sword,
Get away! Do not stand still!
Remember the LORD afar off,
And let Jerusalem come to your mind.
Get away! Do not stand still!
Remember the LORD afar off,
And let Jerusalem come to your mind.
51 We are ashamed because we have heard reproach.
Shame has covered our faces,
For strangers have come into the sanctuaries of the LORD's house.
Shame has covered our faces,
For strangers have come into the sanctuaries of the LORD's house.
52 "Therefore behold, the days are coming," says the LORD,
"That I will bring judgment on her carved images,
And throughout all her land the wounded shall groan.
"That I will bring judgment on her carved images,
And throughout all her land the wounded shall groan.
53 Though Babylon were to mount up to heaven,
And though she were to fortify the height of her strength,
Yet from Me plunderers would come to her," says the LORD.
And though she were to fortify the height of her strength,
Yet from Me plunderers would come to her," says the LORD.
54 The sound of a cry comes from Babylon,
And great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans,
And great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans,
55 Because the LORD is plundering Babylon
And silencing her loud voice,
Though her waves roar like great waters,
And the noise of their voice is uttered,
And silencing her loud voice,
Though her waves roar like great waters,
And the noise of their voice is uttered,
56 Because the plunderer comes against her, against Babylon,
And her mighty men are taken.
Every one of their bows is broken;
For the LORD is the God of recompense,
He will surely repay.
And her mighty men are taken.
Every one of their bows is broken;
For the LORD is the God of recompense,
He will surely repay.
57 "And I will make drunk
Her princes and wise men,
Her governors, her deputies, and her mighty men.
And they shall sleep a perpetual sleep
And not awake," says the King,
Whose name is the LORD of hosts.
Her princes and wise men,
Her governors, her deputies, and her mighty men.
And they shall sleep a perpetual sleep
And not awake," says the King,
Whose name is the LORD of hosts.
58 Thus says the LORD of hosts:
"The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken,
And her high gates shall be burned with fire;
The people will labor in vain,
And the nations, because of the fire;
And they shall be weary."
Jeremiah's Command to Seraiah And her high gates shall be burned with fire;
The people will labor in vain,
And the nations, because of the fire;
And they shall be weary."
59 The word which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, when he went with Zedekiah the king of Judah to Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. And Seraiah was the quartermaster. 60 So Jeremiah wrote in a book all the evil that would come upon Babylon, all these words that are written against Babylon. 61 And Jeremiah said to Seraiah, "When you arrive in Babylon and see it, and read all these words, 62 then you shall say, 'O LORD, You have spoken against this place to cut it off, so that none shall remain in it, neither man nor beast, but it shall be desolate forever.' 63 Now it shall be, when you have finished reading this book, that you shall tie a stone to it and throw it out into the Euphrates. 64 Then you shall say, 'Thus Babylon shall sink and not rise from the catastrophe that I will bring upon her. And they shall be weary.'"
Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.
v. 1 Leb Kamai – The phrase Leb Kamai is a cryptogram meant to reference Chaldea. Scholars believe Jeremiah used this phrase to taunt the Chaldeans.
v. 8 Take balm for her pain – Balm was used as a medicinal ointment for wounds in the Ancient Near East. Balm came from a small tree that is no longer found in Gilead.
v. 13 you who dwell by many waters – Many waters in Babylon refers to the great Euphrates River and their complex system of irrigation canals.
v. 27 Ararat – The geographic region being referred to is Urartu. Ararat was located in the territory north of Mesopotamia and east of modern Turkey. This region united into a kingdom in the ninth century BC and continued until the sixth century BC.
Minni – This nation was summoned by God to punish the Babylonians. Minni was located in Armenia in the region south of Lake Urmia in the northern part of western Asia.
Ashkenaz – The Ashkenaz inhabited the region around the Black and Caspian Seas in northwestern Iran. Ashkenaz was mentioned in Babylonian and Persian texts as being fierce and savage fighters.
v. 32 The passages are blocked – It was a popular military tactic to seize river crossings causing communication links and supply routes to be cut off.
The reeds they have burned with fire – These reeds and marshes were burned in order to prevent fugitives and enemies from hiding among them.
v. 58 The broad walls of Babylon – Babylon was surrounded by two defensive walls. The inner wall was 21-feet thick and the outer wall was over 12-feet thick. These walls were constructed by a combination of stone and mud brick.
For Israel is not forsaken, nor Judah, By his God, the LORD of hosts, Though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel. –Jeremiah 51:5
We pray for humility in our lives, Lord, that we will not attempt to stand arrogantly before You insisting that the idols of our own making are equal to You and that our ideas of You are the only way You exist. Grant us forgiveness for our small minds that think we know all.
 New Again Thrift Store The thrift store is open and going strong! We are so excited at the chance to reach out to the community through the store. We have seen many come through the doors that do not go to Calvary Chapel Boise. All seem very interested in supporting our causes for both the Freedom House and U Turn for Christ. | Prayer Points
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