Journal Through the Bible: Week 77 Thursday

Source

Jeremiah 51:36-64

Jeremiah was privileged to foresee Babylon's future, including some events that were later revealed to the Apostle John! Jeremiah had "a quiet prince" by the name of Seraiah record the words that he, Jeremiah, received from the LORD during the fourth year of Zedekiah's reign. Seraiah then read those words to the captives in Babylon.

Does God issue any commands?

• God warns His people to flee from Babylon before destruction comes!
• The people in captivity were not to forget Jerusalem and God's holy temple.
• Through Jeremiah, Seraiah was commanded to preach the word of God to the captives in Babylon then bind the book around a rock and throw it into the Euphrates River.

Does God make any promises?

• God promised to plead the cause of Zion and take vengeance upon Babylon for her. Parts of Babylon would be uninhabited as a result.
• God promised that conquerors from the north would attack and subdue Babylon. Her walls would be burnt with fire. (This would be the conquering by the Medes and Persians that takes place in Daniel's elder years.)

Does this passage teach anything about Jesus?

• Jesus is the King whose name is the LORD of Hosts.
• Seraiah was "a quiet prince" that preached the words of God in Babylon of the freedom that would come to the souls in captivity if they remained faithful to God. Jesus is a quiet prince that preached the words of God in this world of the freedom that comes to the souls in captivity if they remain faithful to God.

Does this passage teach anything about yet-future events?

• This passage tells of the sudden destruction of Babylon, including the area becoming desolate and uninhabited. Revelation chapters 17 and 18 tell of the destruction of Babylon and the resulting mourning among the nations once her commerce has fallen.
• God warns His people in verse 45 to come out of Babylon before destruction comes to her. He repeats this warning in Revelation 18:4.
• Those dwelling in Babylon were reminded not to forget Jerusalem and God's dwelling there because one day a remnant of them would go there. We, as those who are dwelling in a foreign land, are reminded not to forget the New Jerusalem and God's dwelling there because one day we, the remnant of earth's inhabitants, will go there!
• Whether it is a parallel or even of any significance or not, Seraiah is told to bind up the Word of God around a stone and throw it into the Euphrates River. An angel does likewise in Revelation 18:21 when Babylon is destroyed. We are also told in Revelation 9:14 that there are 4 angels bound in the Euphrates that are loosed at the time of the sounding of the 6th Trumpet. These are the angels that gather an army to fight against Jesus. This precedes the destruction of Babylon.