JEREMIAH
page 8.

The Message of God to the Nations.

Jeremiah 46 to 49

The Jews had taken no notice of Jeremiah now he gives the messages from God to the Nations.

Egypt is judged.

Jeremiah 46:1-28

See also 2 Chronicles 35:20 to 27.

Pharaoh Necho had killed King Josiah at Megiddo, but was then defeated by Nebuchadnezzar in 605 B.C. at Carchemish. This battle ended the power of Egypt.

Jeremiah describes the confident preparations for battle by the Egyptians, then reports their terror and destruction before the Babylonians. The Lord had planned that the Egyptians would be defeated, "For this is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, A day of vengeance," verse 10
God gives Jeremiah a view of the future and what will happen, the Babylonians sweep into Egypt, like a cloud of grasshoppers, which could not be run from. This defeat wiped out the idol worship of Egypt, just as God had planned.
The message finished with the promise that Egypt will be restored in the future. Then later Moab, (Jeremiah 48:47), Ammon (Jeremiah 49:6) and finally Elam (Jeremiah 49:39) will also be restored in the future.

The Philistines are Judged.

Jeremiah 47:1-7.

The Philistines were a sea faring nation, rich from trading around the Mediterranean, but God had made His judgement and the Babylonians will be like a river flooding the nation. The Philistines had been with Judah in an attempt to stop Nebuchadnezzar.
Jeremiah 27:3.
The invasion was so terrible that parents left their children behind as they fled.

Moab is Judged.

Jeremiah 48:1-47.

The Moabites were a proud nation and were descendants of Lot, they were normally the enemies of the Jews, however, during this period they joined with Judah in attacking Nebuchadnezzar.
The Moabites thought their god Chemosh would protect them, they thought no army could reach them where they lived, up on a plateau.
The passage likens the Moabites to jars of wine, but now they are just drunk and so sick, from the cup of wine, given by God. The Babylonians are like an eagle flying across the nation, hunting down the prey, the idol worship will again be destroyed.

Ammon is Judged.

Jeremiah 49:1-6.

The Ammonites were again descendants of Lot,
The result of his relationship with his own daughters, Genesis 19:20-38.
Again they hated the Jews.
It appears that the Ammonites had moved into the territory of Israel following the Assyrian attack on the Northern Kingdom. They were proud of their god "Molech," they thought that it was far stronger than the God of the Israelites. Their territory was protected on three sides by mountains but with God’s power the invasion occurred.
Once again God promised to one day restore the Ammonite nation.

Edom is judged.

Jeremiah 49:7-22.

The people of Edom were descendent’s of Esau, again they had no desire to be friends with Israel but Babylon was also a threat to them and so they also joined with the other local nations.
Jeremiah 27:3.
Jeremiah’s message was to Esau, the father of Edom, there would be nothing left after the "harvest". Edom was to drink the cup of pride and rebellion against God, like the other nations, all their cities, including Petra, and would be over run by the Babylonians, Nebuchadnezzar’s attack would be like a lion after its prey, sparing no one. Just like God did with Sodom and Gomorrah. Again God promised to one day restore the nation, verse 11.

Syria (Damascus) is judged.

Jeremiah 49:23-27.

God was about to judge them for their lack of humanity and blood thirsty attitude to others. When the Babylonians approached they will flee their cities but they will be caught and killed and the cities destroyed.

Kedar and Hazor is judged.

Jeremiah 49:28-33.

Kedar and Hazor were desert nomadic Arabic tribes, both were descendent’s of the sons of Ishmael,
Genesis 25:13.
Again we see the judgement on their pride, they thought they were a very important people who did not need God or help from others.

Elam is judged.

Jeremiah 49:34-39.

These people spoke Hebrew and Arabic, they were located on the other side of the Tigris river , near Babylon. The people were very competent with the bow and arrow, but God would break these bows and scatter the nation, However, mercy and restoration is promised in the future.
These judgements remind us that God sees and knows what the nations do and carries out judgement or reward according to their behaviour, they may not have had direct contact with God, as the Jews, but God still judges them for their sins and failures to worship Him. He is the God and Lord of heaven and earth.
Consider Hebrews 10:31.

Babylon is Fallen

Jeremiah 50-51

The city of Babylon often appears in the Bible as the "city of man" compared with Jerusalem the "city of God." Babal has the original meaning of confusion , it is used in Genesis 11:1-9 and the cause of the various human languages. Therefore, Babylon is a symbol of rebellion against God. Finally we see the Babylon of the future, and the end,
Revelation 17 - 18:24, "the Great Babylon" which controls the earth in the End Times, then is destroyed by God. It is worth comparing Jeremiah 50-51 with the references in Revelation 17 - 18.

The prophecy, given to Jeremiah during the reign of Zedekiah was taken by Baruch’s brother and read out in Babylon,
Jeremiah 51:59-64.
The record shows a number of conversations, mainly God speaking through Jeremiah, but occassionally the Jews speak and God response. Finally God speaks to Babylon.
Jeremiah 50:1-28. God declares war on Babylon.
Jeremiah 50:29- 51:26. God prepares the armies against Babylon.
Jeremiah 51:27-58. God declares victory over Babylon.

This prophecy has two fulfillments:-
1) The near time events, the Medes and Persians captured Babylon,
Daniel 5.
This resulted in the Jews being allowed to return to their land. It was not until Alexander the Great that the city of Babylon was again destroyed.
2) The future destruction of Babylon in the end times.

God declares war on Babylon.

Jeremiah 50:1-28.

"For this is the time of the Lord’s vengeance;" The Babylonian God, Madduck or Bel was to be destroyed, the Medes and Persians are coming.
Though the Babylonians were the tools of God in His judgement over the Jews, they wanted too much, they also destroyed the temple of God, verses 28.
Note Genesis 12:1-3, any nation which curses the Jews, God will be against them.

Verses 21-27: God is in command of the armies of the Medes and Persians.

God prepares the armies against Babylon.

Jeremiah 50:29- 51:26.

The Babylonians are full of pride and made the Jews suffer unnecessarily, so God orders the armies to kill and let none escape. Their idols were rubbish and were to be destroyed.
The great army to destroy Babylon will come from the North, a cruel nation and without mercy will utterly destroy all things.
Jeremiah 51:20-24. God instructs His chosen General, Cyrus, (and later Alexander) to break the power of Babylon, to be God’s weapon to smash all according to His plan. When God ends His work, Babylon will just be a dead mountain for animals, "‘you shall be desolate forever,’ says the Lord." verse 26.

Jeremiah 51:34-58.

A message for the Jews. God knew how they had been treated, He will punish the Babylonians for their behaviour.
Sheshach verse 41: is a code name for Babylon, why Jeremiah used this is unknown.
God tells the Jews to run out of the city before His destruction, because, verse 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;’" No defence can resist the power of God.

A summary of the events,

Jeremiah 52.

Possibly to show how the prophesies and warnings of Jeremiah were fulfilled.
Compare with 2 Kings 24:18 to 25:30, a similar record of the events recorded.