JEREMIAH LESSON 52


     We will begin this lesson in Jeremiah 51:1 "Thus saith the LORD;
Behold, I will raise up against Babylon, and against them that dwell
in the midst of them that rise up against me, a destroying wind;"

     This wind is a spiritual wind. It comes from God. The Holy Spirit
is like a rushing mighty wind. This destroying wind could, also, be
the Persians, who swoop down like a wind and destroy them.

     Jeremiah 51:2 "And will send unto Babylon fanners, that shall fan
her, and shall empty her land: for in the day of trouble they shall be
against her round about."

     Both of the Scriptures above are spiritual. They are speaking of
a fire, and the wind keeps the fire fanned up and going. God wants
this fire to be very hot and not to go out, until it completely
destroys.

     Jeremiah 51:3 "Against [him that] bendeth let the archer bend his
bow, and against [him that] lifteth himself up in his brigandine: and
spare ye not her young men; destroy ye utterly all her host."

     This is speaking of the battle being against the army of Babylon.
The young men are in the service, and they are to die. It matters not
whether they are officers or enlisted men.

     Jeremiah 51:4 "Thus the slain shall fall in the land of the
Chaldeans, and [they that are] thrust through in her streets."

     Verse 4 makes it very clear that this battle is not just in town,
but throughout the land. Many will be thrust through with a spear, or
sword, and die on the spot they were struck.

     Jeremiah 51:5 "For Israel [hath] not [been] forsaken, nor Judah
of his God, of the LORD of hosts; though their land was filled with
sin against the Holy One of Israel."

     God still remembers the sin of Israel, but has forgiven that sin
and restored her. God did not let them go into captivity and forget
them. This battle is partially to free Israel to return to her
homeland. God is the LORD of hosts.

     Jeremiah 51:6 "Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver
every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this [is] the
time of the LORD'S vengeance; he will render unto her a recompence."

     We see a warning, here, to all the Israelite captives in Babylon
to flee before the war gets started, because they might get caught up
in the war and die, if they remain.

     Jeremiah 51:7 "Babylon [hath been] a golden cup in the LORD'S
hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her
wine; therefore the nations are mad."

     As we said in a previous lesson, there is a literal Babylon, and
there is a spirit of Babylon. The physical is spoken of as being
destroyed by the Persians. Both Babylons are actually destroyed by the
LORD. Revelation 14:8 "And there followed another angel, saying,
Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all
nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication." Revelation
16:19 "And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities
of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God,
to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath."
Both Babylons are evil, and it is good advice to flee out of her,
before the LORD's wrath is poured out on her. Her cup is full of sin,
or fornication.

     Jeremiah 51:8 "Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: howl for
her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed."

     The fate of both Babylons is to fall suddenly, and be destroyed.
In both cases, those looking on howl for her. Revelation 18:10
"Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas
that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy
judgment come." Revelation 18:11 "And the merchants of the earth shall
weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any
more:" Their is no medicine to heal this pain. This is the wrath of
God upon her.

     Jeremiah 51:9 "We would have healed Babylon, but she is not
healed: forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country: for
her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up [even] to the
skies."

     "Her judgement reaching to heaven" says that God has judged
Babylon and found her guilty. There will be no healing of this land.

     Jeremiah 51:10 "The LORD hath brought forth our righteousness:
come, and let us declare in Zion the work of the LORD our God."

     This, actually, is the righteousness of God, which is a free gift
to His people. The least we, or they, can do is be thankful for that
gift of righteousness. Zion is the holy city, or the church. Notice,
this is His work, and not ours.

     Jeremiah 51:11 "Make bright the arrows; gather the shields: the
LORD hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: for his
device [is] against Babylon, to destroy it; because it [is] the
vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance of his temple."

     Making the arrows bright means they are shined, so they will not
have any rough edges. This is preparation for war. The "Medes", here,
is actually speaking of the Persians. They will do the actual fighting
against Babylon. God uses whoever He wants to for carrying out His
vengeance.

     Jeremiah 51:12 "Set up the standard upon the walls of Babylon,
make the watch strong, set up the watchmen, prepare the ambushes: for
the LORD hath both devised and done that which he spake against the
inhabitants of Babylon."

     The "standard" is like a flag. Armies carry a flag in the front
lines to show their soldiers where to go. The watchmen are to form a
circle around the city to watch against help coming from another city.
The ambushes are the ones to go ahead and get into the city.

     Jeremiah 51:13 "O thou that dwellest upon many waters, abundant
in treasures, thine end is come, [and] the measure of thy
covetousness."

     They were on the Euphrates River, and there were canals
everywhere. We know, also, that the city of Babylon had water
surrounding it to keep back attackers. This is the very way the enemy
got into the inner wall. Their covetousness is speaking of all the
booty they recovered from the countries they had invaded.

     Jeremiah 51:14 "The LORD of hosts hath sworn by himself,
[saying], Surely I will fill thee with men, as with caterpillars; and
they shall lift up a shout against thee."

     The army that comes against them are so great in number, they are
compared to caterpillars. This shout of the great army will add to the
frightening experience of the invasion. The LORD swears by Himself,
because there is no greater to swear by.

     Jeremiah 51:15 "He hath made the earth by his power, he hath
established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heaven
by his understanding."

     This is not some of these helpless false gods they have been
worshipping, but the God who created the earth and everything in it.
His power is in His Word. He said, "Let there be" and the world was
created, and everything, and everyone in it. His understanding is so
great that, He put the planets in perfect order, and they obey His
voice to stay there.

     Jeremiah 51:16 "When he uttereth [his] voice, [there is] a
multitude of waters in the heavens; and he causeth the vapours to
ascend from the ends of the earth: he maketh lightnings with rain, and
bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures."

     This is a description of how He did the creation. It, also, tells
us that God alone is in charge of the lightning, and rain, and wind.

     Jeremiah 51:17 "Every man is brutish by [his] knowledge; every
founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image [is]
falsehood, and [there is] no breath in them." Jeremiah 51:18 "They
[are] vanity, the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they
shall perish."

     "Brutish" means to burn. Man's earthly intelligence will not save
him. A man's so-called intelligence sometimes leads him to
destruction. To decide to worship a graven image, or a false god, is
certainly destructive. The knowledge we should seek, is the knowledge
of God. I believe these few Scriptures, here, are showing that unlike
false gods, which have no power, God has the power to do what He says.
These false gods have no life, so they cannot give life. When death
comes to these Babylonians, their false gods will not be able to help
them.

     Jeremiah 51:19 "The portion of Jacob [is] not like them; for he
[is] the former of all things: and [Israel is] the rod of his
inheritance: the LORD of hosts [is] his name."

     We see from this, that Jacob is God's chosen. Jacob has a living
God. Jacob's name was changed to Israel, when he encountered God. God
had promised Abraham to bless him, and through him bless the nations.
Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac was the father of Jacob.
Israel belongs to God, and God to Israel. Even spiritual Israel {the
Christians} belong to God, and God to us. We are joint-heirs with
Jesus Christ. LORD, as we said before, is Jehovah. The extended
meaning of Jesus is Jehovah Saviour.

     Jeremiah 51:20 "Thou [art] my battle axe [and] weapons of war:
for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I
destroy kingdoms;"

     God's family, on the earth, are His weapons. We fight the
battles, even though He has already won the war. In this particular
instance, God is using another worldly people to attack Babylon. God
is their Creator. He can use them, if He wants to. They may not
recognize Him as their God, but He is their Creator. They are but
putty in His hands. Actually it is God who makes war against Babylon.
He just uses Persia.

     Jeremiah 51:21 "And with thee will I break in pieces the horse
and his rider; and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and
his rider;" Jeremiah 51:22 "With thee also will I break in pieces man
and woman; and with thee will I break in pieces old and young; and
with thee will I break in pieces the young man and the maid;" Jeremiah
51:23 "I will also break in pieces with thee the shepherd and his
flock; and with thee will I break in pieces the husbandman and his
yoke of oxen; and with thee will I break in pieces captains and
rulers."


     Notice "I" will. God is causing the attack. One of the reasons,
of course, is to deliver Judah. All of the things and people mentioned
above, that He will break, are the power of their strength.  They are
the things that made Babylon strong.

     Jeremiah 51:24 "And I will render unto Babylon and to all the
inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in
your sight, saith the LORD."

     The very things that Babylon did to Jerusalem will be done to
them here. They will receive the same cruelty that they gave.

     Jeremiah 51:25 "Behold, I [am] against thee, O destroying
mountain, saith the LORD, which destroyest all the earth: and I will
stretch out mine hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks,
and will make thee a burnt mountain."

     The mountain could be speaking of a volcano. The burnt mountain
with rolling rock down the side is a description of a volcano
erupting.  Whether this is a literal volcano, or is speaking of the
terribleness of this battle, I cannot say. The volcano did not
destroy, it had been Babylon that destroyed.  This could possibly mean
that the power of Babylon is burned and removed.

     Jeremiah 51:26 "And they shall not take of thee a stone for a
corner, nor a stone for foundations; but thou shalt be desolate for
ever, saith the LORD."

     Babylon is a city and a country, as well as a system of evil. In
this, I believe it is speaking of the city, which has never been
restored.

     Jeremiah 51:27 "Set ye up a standard in the land, blow the
trumpet among the nations, prepare the nations against her, call
together against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashchenaz;
appoint a captain against her; cause the horses to come up as the
rough caterpillars."

     "Ararat" is, possibly, speaking of Armenia. The Persian empire
was made up of many nations. The "horses as caterpillars" just speaks
of the large number of horses in the battle.

     Jeremiah 51:28 "Prepare against her the nations with the kings of
the Medes, the captains thereof, and all the rulers thereof, and all
the land of his dominion."

     This, again, is speaking of the Persians, when it says the Medes.
This just speaks of the many nations that are led by Cyrus.

     Jeremiah 51:29 "And the land shall tremble and sorrow: for every
purpose of the LORD shall be performed against Babylon, to make the
land of Babylon a desolation without an inhabitant."

     This is speaking of the vast destruction that the army of the
Persians do. We must keep in mind, however, this is actually the
judgement of God on these people.

     Jeremiah 51:30 "The mighty men of Babylon have forborne to fight,
they have remained in [their] holds: their might hath failed; they
became as women: they have burned her dwellingplaces; her bars are
broken."

     The word "forborne" means to be flabby, or to cease, end, or
fall. In fear, these brave Babylonians have run to hide. They fear
this great army that has come against them. Their fear is well
grounded, because their land is being burned and ravaged.

     Jeremiah 51:31 "One post shall run to meet another, and one
messenger to meet another, to shew the king of Babylon that his city
is taken at [one] end,"

     This just shows that the battle is coming from several places at
once. The "post" are those who are posted to warn of impending danger.
Since they came in the water way, under the wall, the posts were too
late.

     Jeremiah 51:32 "And that the passages are stopped, and the reeds
they have burned with fire, and the men of war are affrighted."

     There is no way of escape. Their brave soldiers are frightened,
because they know they have lost the war.

     Jeremiah 51:33 "For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of
Israel; The daughter of Babylon [is] like a threshingfloor, [it is]
time to thresh her: yet a little while, and the time of her harvest
shall come."

     Babylon had grown at the expense of others. Now, judgement time
has come. Harvest time and time of God's judgement are the same.



























                         Jeremiah 52 Questions


1.  In verse 1, God raises up what against Babylon?
2.  What do fanners do?
3.  What will happen to Babylon's young men?
4.  Quote Jeremiah chapter 51 verse 5.
5.  What is this battle partially for?
6.  What are the Israelites being warned of in verse 6?
7.  Quote Revelation chapter 14 verse 8.
8.  Quote Revelation chapter 16 verse 19.
9.  What is the fate of both Babylons?
10. Who will mourn for Babylon?
11. Who judged Babylon?
12. What is the righteousness in verse 10?
13. Who are the "Medes"?
14. What is the "standard" like?
15. What river was Babylon on?
16. Who did the LORD of hosts swear by?
17. God made the earth by His _______.
18. He has established the world by His __________.
19. He stretched out the heaven by His ___________.
20. What is verse 16?
21. What does "brutish" mean?
22. _________ is God's chosen.
23. God has the power to do what He ________.
24. Who are the Christians joint-heirs with?
25. Why can God use Persia to do His will?
26. What are some of the things God breaks in pieces?
27. What is the mountain in verse 25?
28. What is "Ararat" speaking of?
29. Who are leading the nations against Babylon?
30. What does the word "forborne" mean?
31. Who are the "post"?
32. The daughter of Babylon is compared to what in verse 33?