God is going to raise up a destroying (“decaying”, Strongs #07843) wind that opposes Babylon, 51:1.
Jer 51:1 ¶ Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will raise up against Babylon, and against them that dwell in the midst of them that rise up against me, a destroying wind;
Babylon is here defined as those that “rise up against the Lord”.
Some of God’s people lived among “those who rose up against the Lord” in Jeremiah’s time, some lived among them when the book of Revelation was written, and some currently live among those who rise up against the Lord in our time.
In Jer 51:5 we see that God will not abandon His people even though they are surrounded by the sinful Babylonians.
Jer 51:5 For Israel hath not been forsaken, nor Judah of his God, of the LORD of hosts; though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel.
God’s people were present in Babylon, and they were not abandoned by Him.
Israel (Christians/God’s people) dwelt with them (Babylon) and their land was filled with sin.
Jer 51:6 Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the LORD’S vengeance; he will render unto her a recompense.
The “time of the Lord’s vengeance” in Jer 51:6 is another way of referring to the “Day of the Lord”, Isaiah 34:8.
Isa 34:8 For it is the day of the LORD’S vengeance and the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion.
Whether in Matt 24, Luke 17, or here in Jeremiah 51 the “Days of the Lord” are times when the wrath of God is revealed against ungodliness, Rm 1:18.
Ro 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Christians are told to flee from Babylon so that they are not “cut off” in Babylon’s iniquity.
This is similar to Jesus’ saying “Flee to the Mountains” when you see the “Day of the Lord” approaching in Matt 24:16.
Mt 24:16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
Jer 51:6 Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the LORD’S vengeance; he will render unto her a recompense.
Jer 51:6 brings to mind the branches being cut off due to unbelief from Romans 11:17-20.
Ro 11:20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear.
The phrase “to avoid being “cut off” in Jer 51:6, suggests that it is possible that Christians could be cut off if they remained in Babylon, 1 Tim 4:1.
1Ti 4:1 ¶ Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
This is the current state of some Christians within the Church.
Some have not fled Babylon but have remained and participated in the “Destruction” or “ruining” of Babylon through the use of the Media (Medes and Persians).
It is very interesting that in Jer 51:11 God calls Israel (Christians) His battle ax or cutting instrument.
He does not, however, destroy (“ruin”, Strongs #07843) Babylon using Israel (Christians).
He destroys Babylon because of the things that Babylon did to Israel (Christians).
God will destroy Babylon and those Christians who do not flee from Babylon using the Media (Medes and Persians).
In other words, the Christians who did not flee, along with Babylon, have been destroyed (become a dwelling place of demons, Rev 18:2) by Media.
Re 18:2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
Many Christians have remained in Babylon too long, and Jesus is calling us to come out of it, just as He called Lot out of Sodom in Luke 17:29.
Lu 17:29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
Babylon is fallen in 51:8, just as the man of sin (Christian who sins) is fallen in 2 Thess 2:3.
Jer 51:8 Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: howl for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed.
2Th 2:3 ¶ Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
The Lord raises up the spirit of the kings of the Medes to destroy (“ruin”, Strongs #07843) Babylon, Jer 51:11.
Jer 51:11 Make bright the arrows; gather the shields: the LORD hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: for his device is against Babylon, to destroy (“ruin”, Strongs #07843) it; because it is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance of his temple.
God is going to use the Kings of the Medes to destroy Babylon and in this way punish Babylon for the things that it has done to God’s temple (His people, 1 Cor 3:16).
1Co 3:16 ¶ Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
Babylon did evil in Zion and God is going to pay it back to them as Jer 51:24 illustrates. They are going to reap what they have sowed.
Babylon had harmed God’s people, and this caused God to make them a desolation.
At this point, scripture refers to Jesus and describes Him as “not” being like those who dwelt in Babylon.
Jer 51:19 The portion of Jacob is not like them; for he is the former of all things: and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: the LORD of hosts is his name.
Israel is Jesus’ battle ax and Rod, Jer 51:20.
Jer 51:20 Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms;
To illustrate that these verses refer to Jesus compare them to the following verses from Psalms.
Ps 2:7 ¶ I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
Scripture speaks of the Rod of Jesus being the Israelites (Christians/God’s people), Jer 51:20-23.
Babylon and Sodom are both spiritual references to backslidden Christians, as Isaiah 13:19 and Rev 11:8 indicate.
Isa 13:19 ¶ And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
20 It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there.
21 But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there, and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures, and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there.
22 And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged.
Re 11:8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and a half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
Jer 51:23 I will also break in pieces with thee the shepherd and his flock; and with thee will I break in pieces the husbandman and his yoke of oxen; and with thee will I break in pieces captains and rulers.
Jesus (our Shepherd) was crucified in spiritual sodom.
God speaks of the Destroying (“Decaying”, Strongs #07843) wind coming upon Babylon as being the nation of Media (51:11).
Jer 51:11 Make bright the arrows; gather the shields: the LORD hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: for his device is against Babylon, to destroy (“ruin”, Strongs #07843) it; because it is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance of his temple.
Jer 51:19 says that Jesus is not like Babylon and that Israel is Jesus’ battle ax.
Jer 51:24 And I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight, saith the LORD.
Ro 9:6 ¶ Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel.
In other words, the Christians who did not flee have, along with Babylon, been destroyed (become a dwelling place of demons, Rev 18:2) by Media.
It is very interesting that in Jer 51:11 God calls Israel (Christians) His battle ax.
He does not, however, destroy (“ruin”, Strongs #07843) Babylon using Israel (Christians).
It is as though Israel is being protected, and because of the things that Babylon did to Israel (Christians), God will destroy/ ruin Babylon with the Media (Medes and Persians).
Babylon is the “Destroying mountain” that destroys or ruins the whole earth, Jer 51:25.
Jer 51:25 Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, saith the LORD, which destroyest (“ruins”, Strongs #07843) all the earth: and I will stretch out my hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt mountain.
The purpose of the Lord is to make Babylon a desolation (“Ruin”, Strong’s #08047) without inhabitants, Jer 51:29.
In other places, I have chosen to define the “abomination that causes desolation” as “willful sin”.
Here the concept is further defined through scripture in these two ways.
1. Babylon is scripturally defined as “Those that rise up against God”.
2. After becoming a Christian “Willful sin” brings the judgment of the “Day of the Lord”, which is why I decided to call “willful sin” the “Abomination” which brings desolation.
So I think that the root cause of judgment or God’s wrath is “rising against God”, Rm 1:18.
Ro 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
If a Christian rises up against God then God takes them from “knowing the truth”, (Rm 1:21) and gives them over to delusion (as Jesus said to such Christians by saying “depart into the fire”).
Jer 51:29 And the land shall tremble and sorrow: for every purpose of the LORD shall be performed against Babylon, to make the land of Babylon a desolation without an inhabitant.
As can be seen in Jeremiah 51:43 no “Man” dwells there, however, dragons dwell there in 51:37 “Dragons” dwell there 51:49-51. this is similar to Hell being created for the devil and his angels in Mt 25:41.
Hell and Babylon are similar in many respects.
Then in Jer 51:62, we see that no beast will dwell there.
Jer 51:62 Then shalt thou say, O LORD, thou hast spoken against this place, to cut it off, that none shall remain (“sit down” Strongs#03427) in it, neither man nor beast, but that it shall be desolate forever.
Jer 51:35 The violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon, shall the inhabitant of Zion say; and my blood upon the inhabitants of Chaldea, shall Jerusalem say.
Jeremiah 51:35 is why Babylon can, “among its other definitions” be called the Mother of Harlots (The home of willfully sinful backslidden believers) because it produces spiritual adultery against the Lord.
This foretold –
Mt 27:25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us and on our children. De 19:10; Jos 2:19; 2Sa 1:16; 1Ki 2:32; Ac 5:28
All the slain of the earth fall at Babylon, Jer 51:49.
Jer 51:49 As Babylon hath caused the slain of Israel to fall, so at Babylon shall fall the slain of all the earth.
Jer 51:51 We are confounded because we have heard reproach: shame hath covered our faces: for strangers are come into the sanctuaries of the LORD’S house.
La 1:10 The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things: for she hath seen that the heathen entered into her sanctuary, whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy congregation.
Babylon (Those that rise up against God) and its people’s proclivities have been allowed to intermingle with Christian Churches.
Jer 50:29 Call together the archers against Babylon: all ye that bend the bow, camp against it round about; let none thereof escape: recompense her according to her work; according to all that she hath done, do unto her: for she hath been proud against the LORD, against the Holy One of Israel.
Christian churches can be used as evangelistic places because the Bible mentions unbelievers coming into the congregation in 1 Cor 14:23 and 24.
1Co 14:23 If therefore the whole church come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?
1Co 14:24 But if all prophecy, and there come in one that believeth not or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all:
We must not however compromise the message of Christ by allowing them to remain and still be unbelievers.
Since Unbelievers (those that rise up against the Lord) have again been allowed into the sanctuary, we must again come out from among them and be separate from the enemies of the Lord.
If we don’t we will participate in the plagues that God sends upon them, such as the delusions of the Rapture or what the worldly people call tongues (gibberish).