I must not detain the Reader, by entering upon the many interesting particulars here enumerated of God's judgments upon Babylon. I only briefly observe, that the history of that kingdom hath fully shown the truth of the divine predictions. For where is that once great city, whose magnificence and glory was so highly spoken of? It is, as the Lord said it should be, now a desert for beasts and the reptiles of the earth. Thus Isaiah prophesied of it, and so it came to pass, and is fulfilled even to this day. Isaiah 13:19-22. Cyrus the Persian, in concert with Darius the Mede, as had been predicted of him, opened a passage through the great river Euphrates, and entered Babylon by night, while the king and his nobles were reveling in their security. See Isaiah 45:1-4 and Daniel 5:30. But though I must not detain the Reader any longer with the mere history of the event, I should lose the chief object of this commentary, did I not humbly follow the steps of the Prophet, explained by the Evangelist, and call the Reader to the spiritual illustration of the history of Babylon. All oppressors of God's people act as instruments for the promotion of God's glory. And the final destruction of them is therefore set forth in the scriptures, as the one great design of God. Hence in the book of the Revelations, the Apostle John had it in commission to tell the Church, that this was the spiritual object all along intended. God's love and attention to his Church in Christ, was thus all along shadowed out in all the sacred scriptures; so that as this Chapter concludes the whole history confirms, at the noise of the taking of Babylon the earth is moved, and the cry is heard among the nations. Revelation 18:1 throughout.
Jeremiah 50:35-46
35 A sword is upon the Chaldeans, saith the LORD, and upon the inhabitants of Babylon, and upon her princes, and upon her wise men.
36 A sword is upon the liars;g and they shall dote: a sword is upon her mighty men; and they shall be dismayed.
37 A sword is upon their horses, and upon their chariots, and upon all the mingled people that are in the midst of her; and they shall become as women: a sword is upon her treasures; and they shall be robbed.
38 A drought is upon her waters; and they shall be dried up: for it is the land of graven images, and they are mad upon their idols.
39 Therefore the wild beasts of the desert with the wild beasts of the islands shall dwell there, and the owls shall dwell therein: and it shall be no more inhabited for ever; neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation.
40 As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour cities thereof, saith the LORD; so shall no man abide there, neither shall any son of man dwell therein.
41 Behold, a people shall come from the north, and a great nation, and many kings shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.
42 They shall hold the bow and the lance: they are cruel, and will not shew mercy: their voice shall roar like the sea, and they shall ride upon horses, every one put in array, like a man to the battle, against thee, O daughter of Babylon.
43 The king of Babylon hath heard the report of them, and his hands waxed feeble: anguish took hold of him, and pangs as of a woman in travail.
44 Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of Jordan unto the habitation of the strong: but I will make them suddenly run away from her: and who is a chosen man, that I may appoint over her? for who is like me? and who will appoint me the time? and who is that shepherd that will stand before me?
45 Therefore hear ye the counsel of the LORD, that he hath taken against Babylon; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the land of the Chaldeans: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out: surely he shall make their habitation desolate with them.
46 At the noise of the taking of Babylon the earth is moved, and the cry is heard among the nations.