Preparation For The Coming Total Destruction Of Babylon (Jeremiah 51:25-29).
With the mention of what is to happen to Babylon in Jeremiah 51:24, YHWH's attention now turns on Babylon, describing it as a ‘destroying mountain' or ‘mountain of destruction'. Interestingly the same phrase is used in 2 Kings 23:13 of the mountain on which Solomon erected temples to false gods on behalf of his wives, a phrase which may well have been known to Jeremiah. This would then bring out that Babylon was seen as destructive, not only in warfare, but also in the pernicious influence it wielded in forcing its own idolatry, with all its accompaniments, on the nations, including Israel/Judah (compare Isaiah 47:9-15). It destroyed not only the body but the soul. It was the very enemy of God. That was why it had to be annihilated.
The passage then goes on to describe the preparations to be made for the invasion of Babylon, and its subsequent pain.
“Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain,
The word of YHWH,
Which destroys all the earth,
And I will stretch out my hand on you,
And roll you down from the rocks,
And will make you a burnt mountain,
And they will not take of you a stone for a corner,
Nor a stone for foundations,
But you will be desolate for ever,
The word of YHWH.”
The description of Babylon as a mountain refers to its might and power as like a gigantic mountain it engulfed the nations, towering over those nations, and destroying them, both physically and religiously. The later reference to foundations may suggest that it also saw itself as founding a new culture, presumably based on its gods. We can compare how in Daniel 3 Nebuchadrezzar does seek to make all the nations worship his false god. But it is then put in its place by the fact being made clear that it is not huge in YHWH's eyes. For He will simply stretch out His hand and take that great mountain, and roll it like a stone down the mountainside of a far larger mountain of which it is only a part, informing it that it will become nothing but a burnt out volcano (such an extinct volcano known as Koukal is known in Western Assyria near the River Khabour) whose stones have been rendered useless for anything, its dreams of glory vanishing into thin air as it becomes desolate for ever. Nothing will ever be founded on it again. All that is anti-God will be destroyed. And this is the prophetic word of YHWH.
Set you up a standard (or ‘signal') in the land,
Blow the trumpet among the nations,
Prepare (literally ‘sanctify') the nations against her,
Call together against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz,
Appoint a marshal against her,
Cause the horses to come up like the bristly young locusts,
Prepare against her the nations,
The kings of the Medes,
Their governors and all their deputies,
And all the land of his dominion.”
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How God will roll Babylon down the mountains is now described historically. The command goes out to an unknown royalty connected with the Medes to set up the signal and blow the war trumpet among the nations, calling them to join him in his campaign against Babylon. These would include the Median kingdoms of Ararat, Minni and Ashkenaz. He was to ‘sanctify' the nations against her, a reminder that armies dedicated themselves to their gods. They would include ‘the kings of the Medes' and all who were under his control. The Persians and Medes were closely associated. Initially, the Medes were the more powerful, and Persia was subject to them. But Cyrus the Persian, who had a Median mother and was allied with the kings of Media, increased in power and gradually took over the kingdoms of Persia and Media, finally establishing from this power base a huge empire. He took the titles of ‘king of the Medes' and ‘king of Elam'.
Ararat is ancient Urartu, mentioned regularly in inscriptions and located near Lake Van in what is today eastern Turkey. Minni is the ancient Mannai of Assyrian records, located south-east of Lake Urmia. Ashkenaz is connected with ancient Ascania, and is connected with the Ashguzai, nomads who lived east of Lake Urmia. Many identify them as Scythians. Ashkenaz and Mannai were involved together in a revolt against Assyria in c. 673 BC, but Mannai later sided with the Assyrians against the Babylonians in 616 BC. All were to be involved in the invasion of Babylonia. They had a reputation as fearsome fighters.
‘Appoint a marshal.' The word for ‘marshal' is a rare one coming from the Akkadian tupsarru. It occurs also only in Nahum 3:17. There too it is connected with locusts. The ‘bristly young locusts' were the locusts in the third stage of growth prior to their wings unfolding. Such locusts moved across the ground in huge numbers (see the awesome descriptions in Joel 1:6-7; Joel 2:2-10) destroying all in their path. Thus the idea is of horsemen in awesome numbers who cause a wave of destruction.
“And the land trembles and is in pain,
For the purposes of YHWH against Babylon do stand,
To make the land of Babylon a desolation,
Without inhabitant.”
In a brief synopsis Jeremiah describes the effect on Babylonia. ‘The land trembles and is in pain.' For such a picture of the land trembling and writhing in pain see Judges 5:4; Nahum 1:5; Habakkuk 3:6. And the reason for it is because of YHWH's purpose against Babylon, which is to make it desolate and totally deserted. It is coming under the judgment of the Almighty.