The Reasons For Babylon's Demise (Jeremiah 51:47-49).
We now learn again the reasons for Babylon's demise. It was because of her graven images (Jeremiah 51:47), with all their para-normal ramifications (Isaiah 47:9 ff), and because of what she had done to Israel (Jeremiah 51:49). On the one hand she has exalted herself and led the world astray after the para-normal, on the other she has humiliated God's people. These themes have been present throughout these Chapter s.
“Therefore, behold, the days are coming,
That I will execute judgment on the graven images of Babylon,
And her whole land will be confounded,
And all her slain will fall in the midst of her,
.
Then the heavens and the earth, and all that is in them,
Will sing for joy over Babylon,
For the destroyers will come to her from the north,
The word of YHWH.
As Babylon has caused the slain of Israel to fall,
So at Babylon will fall the slain of all the land.”
‘Therefore --.' That is, it is because of the weakness which will result from the constant changes in leadership described in Jeremiah 51:45-46. YHWH works through man's history.
‘Behold, the days are coming --'. A regular Jeremaic introduction to future events. See Jeremiah 7:32; Jeremiah 9:25; Jeremiah 16:14; Jeremiah 19:6; Jeremiah 23:5; Jeremiah 23:7; Jeremiah 30:3; Jeremiah 31:27; Jeremiah 31:31; Jeremiah 31:38; Jeremiah 33:14; Jeremiah 48:12; Jeremiah 49:2; Jeremiah 51:52).
And what is coming? Judgment on the graven images of Babylon. They will be revealed as nothings, unable to prevent what is coming on Babylon. Their powerlessness will be laid bare, for they will be unable to protect either the land or the people, the destruction and slaughter of which will reveal their impotence. And the consequence will be that the very heavens, and all that is in them, will sing for joy over what is to happen to them. Such were the blasphemies perpetrated in the names of these gods that their downfall will be noted in Heaven, as well as on earth. This must be seen in the light of the great claims made by Babylon about her gods, whom she claimed had made her master of the world, and we must remember that many, even in Israel, would have believed it. Now those gods were to be totally humiliated.
Note how closely intertwined are the fates of the gods, the land and the people. The latter two were the responsibility of the former. Thus the ravaging of the land and the ‘wounding to death' (compare the use of the word in Psalms 69:26; Job 24:12) of the people would be a slight on the very name of those gods. They would prove the impotence of Bel/Marduk and all the other gods of Babylon.
Thus there would be rejoicing in the heavens and on earth. Compare the similar idea in Isaiah 44:23 at the redemption of Israel/Judah. The rejoicing on earth would, of course, have been because at last Babylon's iron grip had been broken and the nations would be freed from her cruel dominance. The overlordship of Cyrus that would follow would be in a totally different category for in the main it was humane and supportive, showing concern for the different peoples.
All this would be wrought by ‘the destroyers from the north' (north as far as Israel was concerned. In fact Media, the prominent empire before the rise of Cyrus, was north of Babylon. Persia, however, was east of Babylon, but would still be ‘in the north' as far as Israel was concerned). The forces of the Medo-Persian empire would sweep in and destroy Babylonia and its cities, even though Babylon itself would get off more lightly, partly due to the strategy by which it was taken (a surprise entry brought about by diverting the river and using the consequent river bed to enter the city), and partly due to the humaneness of Cyrus. Later rebellion would, however, result in the completion of the destruction of Babylon itself at Persian hands.
‘As Babylon has caused the slain of Israel to fall, so at Babylon will fall the slain of all the land.' What Babylon has sown it will reap, and this especially because of what it had done to God's people. Babylon had caused the slain of Israel to fall, now it would itself suffer the same fate. God is not unmindful of what happens to His people, and although His retribution may be delayed, leaving us sometimes bewildered, we can be sure that in the final analysis it is certain of fulfilment.