Statement of Faith

The Four Most Important Things We Could Ever Tell You

Listen to this week's message!

Map to the Church

Prayer Requests

Enhance your daily reading of God's word. Click here for free, printable Bible Reading and Prayer Journal sheets!

"The Fall of the Cup of Wrath"
Jeremiah 50-51

Wednesday AM Bible Study
July 13, 2005

These two chapters end with these words, "Thus far are the words of Jeremiah" (51:64). They end the prophecies of Jeremiah recorded for us in the book that bears his name. More is to come in the book of Lamentations; but the formal prophecies of Jeremiah against the nations here come to a close. The remaining chapter, 52, is a review of the events of Jerusalem's fall.

Babylon was God's instrument of judgment. It was His "hammer" - His "battle-ax" and His "weapons of war" - which He used to break nations to pieces (51:20-23). But it was also a proud and arrogant instrument; and so promises in these two chapters to break His "hammer" into pieces (50:23). It's a reminder to us that it is God Himself who ordains all that occurs; and that all nations - even the greatest - are but a drop in a bucket to Him (Isa. 40:15).

At the same time, we also see clearly that - even in judgment - God does not abandon the people to whom He pledged Himself (50:4-7). They had lost their way; but they were never out of His sight or out of His care.

I. THE JUDGEMENT OF BABYLON (50:1-16).

A. Judgment is promised through the Medes that is described for us in Daniel 5 (occurring in 536 BC; see v. 3); but the desolation described must also have later destructions in view.

B. At the same time as He brings judgment on Babylon, God also defends His people (vv. 4-7).

C. The reason for God's judgment is because of the arrogance of Babylon in its task of judging the nations (v. 11).

II. THE SCATTERING OF ISRAEL (50:17-34).

A. God reviewed the judgment He had already brought upon His people (v. 17).

B. Now, He reviews His judgment on those who pridefully scattered His people; and His restoration of them to their land (vv. 32).

C. God speaks of Himself wonderfully, as Israel's Redeemer (vv. 33-34).

III. THE SWORD AGAINST THE CHALDEANS (50:35-46).

A. God promises judgment upon the things that the Babylonians trusted in (vv. 35-38).

B. God promises that it will become an uninhabited region (vv. 39-40).

C. God proves His greatness by brining a greater enemy upon the great Babylonians (vv. 41-46).

IV. THE PEOPLE OF GOD UNFORSAKEN (51:1-23).

A. God raises up an enemy against those who are the enemies of His people; proving that His people were not forsaken (vv. 1-5).

B. Babylon was only a means to an end - a golden cup of wrath; but the cup is not the one that is exalted (vv. 6-10).

C. God now breaks His instrument of wrath by means of the Medes (vv. 11-14).

D. In all of this, He proves that the God of Israel is above all; and that Babylon was only His instrument of correction (vv. 15-23).

V. THE JUDGMENT OF BABYLON COMPLETED (51:24-64).

A. God describes the judgment to come (vv. 24-32).

B. God describes the reason for the judgment (vv. 33-58).

C. God commands an act to demonstrate the finality of the judgment (vv. 59-64).

Printable Version