THIS chapter completes the pronouncement of destruction upon the first Gentile empire, and brings us to the close of Jeremiah’s prophecies, for chapter 52 is the writing of another and unnamed pen of inspiration.
The reader will notice a certain similarity of expression in the language of Relation 17 and 18 with what is said in Jeremiah 50 and 51. The New Testament Babylon is not the Asiatic city or country of the times of Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel, but a politico-religious development having its center in Rome, which, though existent almost from apostolic clays, has not yet the character it will possess after the true Church has been removed from the earth.
What distinguishes and identifies both the literal. (Old Testament) and figurative (New Testament) Babylons is the assumption of supremacy in civil government by the highest religious profession (false before God, Satan himself being the fountain-head of it) which enslaves and corrupts those who come under its influence. Along with this there is the cruelest persecution of the true people of God. The end of both Babylons is no gradual process but a work of complete destruction, carried out with astonishing swiftness by men who, unconsciously to themselves, are directed and empowered by God to do it.
Verse 4: The destruction of Old Testament Babylon —the empire of Nebuchadnezzar—occurred in and near the city of that name, the empire’s capital; not a blow seems to have been struck by the Persians and Medes outside of Chaldea. All of Babylon’s outlying dominions owned the sovereignty of Cyrus, the head of the second Gentile empire, as soon as the capture of Babylon and its king’s execution became known.
Verse 5: The literal translation of the original Hebrew is very expressive: “For Israel is not in widowhood, nor Judah of his God,” etc.
The “land” referred to here is Chaldea.; “for their land is full of guilt against the Holy One of Israel.” Verse 9 is also significant as telling the inward feeling of the Persian conquerors of Babylon: “We have treated (or would have healed) Babylon, but she is not healed; forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country,” etc. Not at once, but ere long, Babylon was left without inhabitant. Verse 10 shows the association of the Jews with what Cyrus accomplished and their desire to return to Zion to exalt their God.
Verse 12: Had the people of Babylon been watchful, the forces of Cyrus could not have gained entrance within the walls, but they were given over to feasting; Daniel 5 portrays the scene in the king’s palace while the Medes and Persians were digging a new channel to divert the river which passed through the city, and so made themselves a way of entry over the dry river bed.
Verse 13: Dwelling “upon many waters” is significant of prosperity; much commerce. “Covetousness” seems hardly strong enough to express the thought in English; it is rather “rapacity”—seizing by force, extortionate. In verse 16 read “lightnings for the rain”, and in verse 17, “Every man is become brutish so as to have no knowledge; every founder is put to shame by the graven image.” In verse 18 “errors” hardly conveys the sense of the Hebrew; it is rather “delusion”, or “mockery”.
Verses 15 and 16 bring our minds back from thoughts of man and his doings to consider Him by whose word the whole creation exists and Who continues His control of all things; as in Job’s day (chapter 12:9-25; 38:1-38) so it was in Isaiah’s (chapter 10:12-31) and Jeremiah’s, and is not less in these last days in which we live (Hebrews 1:1-41God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; 4Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. (Hebrews 1:1‑4)) while the gospel is being announced.
Verses 20 to 23 await the full recovery of Israel. Verse 24 does not link Israel with the judgment of Babylon of which Jeremiah treats; for that work Cyrus was used, because Israel was not in a fit state to be used of God.
Verse 27: Ararat, Minni and Ashkenaz belong to Armenia, 500 miles northwest of the city of Babylon; they were the most northerly of Cyrus’ dominions.
Verse 31: “At one end” is really “from end to end.” Verse 30, “her sea” is the Euphrates, the Hebrew word being applicable to a large river, a lake or the sea.
Verse 41: Sheshach, as remarked in connection with chapter 25, is a name applied to Babylon. Verse 51 is the answer of the remnant of the Jews to the call in verse 50; in affliction of soul they returned to the ruins of Jerusalem (See Ezra).
Verses 59 to 61 relate to a time 7 years before the desolation of Jerusalem, and before Ezekiel’s prophecies began, when Zedekiah made a journey to Babylon—probably at the order of Nebuchadnezzar. Seraiah’s characterization as a “quiet prince” is a defective translation; see the margin which reads “prince of Menucha, or chief chamberlain.” In verse 61 The latter part is rightly “see that thou read all these words.”
ML-05/26/1935