Daily Devotions
Jeremiah
"Thus Babylon shall sink and not rise from the catastrophe"
Text: Jeremiah 51:64
A POWERFUL DECLARATION
Seraiah was to read this word of prophecy against Babylon firmly and solemnly. He must then throw the book into the River Euphrates as a symbolic act.
“Then you shall say, ‘O LORD, You have spoken against this place to cut it off,
so that none shall remain in it, neither man nor beast,
but it shall be desolate forever.’
Now it shall be, when you have finished reading this book,
that you shall tie a stone to it and throw it out into the Euphrates. Then you shall say,
‘Thus Babylon shall sink and not rise from the catastrophe that I will bring upon her.
And they shall be weary.’
Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.”
Jeremiah 51:62-64
1. “Then you shall say, ‘O LORD, You have spoken against this place to cut it off,
so that none shall remain in it, neither man nor beast, but it shall be desolate forever'”
a) This was a firm declaration to be uttered by Seraiah.
b) It was to be spoken to the LORD directly.
c) This was a special word of affirmation from Seraiah:
i) Expressing faith in the LORD.
ii) Believing that what God had said would come to pass.
d) The summary word:
i) Babylon would become desolate.
ii) No man nor beast would live in Babylon.
2. “Now it shall be, when you have finished reading this book,
that you shall tie a stone to it and throw it out into the Euphrates”
a) After the reading of this prophecy (book).
b) Seraiah was to tie a stone to the book.
c) He must then throw the book into the River Euphrates.
d) This was a powerful and vivid portrayal of the destruction of Babylon.
3. “Then you shall say, ‘Thus Babylon shall sink and not rise from the catastrophe that I will bring upon her. And they shall be weary'”
a) The following words were to be declared:
i) Babylon would sink
ii) It would not rise up from the catastrophe God would bring upon the nation.
b) Babylon would of course try and reverse what God had pronounced.
i) But they would be wearied out in all their attempts.
ii) They would still fail to raise Babylon up!
4. “Thus far are the words of Jeremiah”
a) The prophecy against Babylon was now concluded.
b) That prophecy would be fulfilled in the course of time.