Daily Devotions
Jeremiah
"The vengeance for His temple"
Text: Jeremiah 51:11
THE ENEMY OF THE BABYLONIANS IDENTIFIED
In this prophecy, the LORD clearly identified the enemy who would conquer the Babylonians. This is an amazing prophecy because the Babylonians were at the peak of their power and the Medes posed no threat to anyone then.
“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.
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.”
Jeremiah 51:11-12
1. “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”
a) The Medes were identified.
They would combine with Persia to form the Medo-Persian army
(represented by the reference to “the arrows and the shields”).
b) The LORD’s plan revealed:
i) To destroy Babylon.
ii) In vengeance against what the Babylonians did to the Jerusalem temple.
2. “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”
a) The Medo-Persians would prepare themselves to attack the Babylonians.
b) The standard methods were employed:
i) Many armies carried their “standards” into the battlefield.
ii) When they conquer any major portion of the land, they would raise up
their standards to lay claim on the conquered territory, in this case, Babylon.
iii) A strong guard would be mounted against any counter attack.
iv) Watchmen were assigned to watch the movements of enemies.
v) Ambushes were part and parcel of warfare.
vi) These were the means that would be employed against the Babylonians.
vii) The LORD Himself would help the Medes and the Persians
to overcome the Babylonians.