Jeremiah 50:1

 Jeremiah 50:1 says, The word that the LORD spake against Babylon and against the land of the Chaldeans by Jeremiah the prophet.  God was now speaking His word against Babylon.  Matthew Henry points out that the king of Babylon had been good to Jeremiah, but that Jeremiah still had to prophesy against him.  We cannot allow personal friendship to keep us from proclaiming God's word to people.  Verse two adds, Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces.  The destruction of Babylon was spoken of as an accomplished fact.  The coming destruction of all who deny God and who do not accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord is just as certain.  Verse three continues, For out of the north there cometh up a nation against her, which shall make her land desolate, and none shall dwell therein: they shall remove, they shall depart, both man and beast.  The country that would destroy them was to the north.  At least they were told where to expect the destruction to come from.  Verse four declares, In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping: they shall go, and seek the LORD their God.  God said that at the time of the destruction of Babylon that all the remaining chosen people of God, both Israel and Judah, would come to Him in repentance seeking Him once more.  If we stray away from God as Christians, we must return in repentance to Him.  Verse five adds, They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the LORD in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten.  God said that at this time they would ask the way to Zion and once again enter into a personal covenant relationship with God.  The only way to find our way to heaven is through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.   Verse six states, My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their restingplace.  God said that His people had gone astray and that they had been led astray by their shepherds, the priests and religious leaders of Israel and Judah.  Verse seven adds, All that found them have devoured them: and their adversaries said, We offend not, because they have sinned against the LORD, the habitation of justice, even the LORD, the hope of their fathers.  While under God's judgment for their disobedience the people of Israel and Judah were powerless, just as we are today without God's protection.  Verse eight declares, Remove out of the midst of Babylon, and go forth out of the land of the Chaldeans, and be as the he goats before the flocks.  Verse nine adds, For, lo, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the north country: and they shall set themselves in array against her; from thence she shall be taken: their arrows shall be as of a mighty expert man; none shall return in vain.  God told the people of Israel and Judah, who had returned to Him, to get out of Babylon because it was going to be destroyed.  We as followers of Christ today are to be in the world but not of the world,  because God's destruction is coming to this world one day.  Verse ten continues,  And Chaldea shall be a spoil: all that spoil her shall be satisfied, saith the LORD.  God said that Babylon would become a spoil of war to those who were going to defeat them.  Kingdoms come and go, but God and His word are eternal.   Verse eleven states, Because ye were glad, because ye rejoiced, O ye destroyers of mine heritage, because ye are grown fat as the heifer at grass, and bellow as bulls;  Verse twelve adds,, Your mother shall be sore confounded; she that bare you shall be ashamed: behold, the hindermost of the nations shall be a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert.  God said that those who had defeated His people and grown fat doing so were about to be destroyed.  Verse thirteen states, Because of the wrath of the LORD it shall not be inhabited, but it shall be wholly desolate: every one that goeth by Babylon shall be astonished, and hiss at all her plagues.  God said no one in Babylon would be spared His judgment and punishment.  Even if God works through lost people of the world to accomplish His will it doesn't mean that they will suddenly become acceptable to Him.  Verse fourteen adds, Put yourselves in array against Babylon round about: all ye that bend the bow, shoot at her, spare no arrows: for she hath sinned against the LORD.  God called on people to unite against Babylon because she had sinned against Him.  Verse fifteen continues, Shout against her round about: she hath given her hand: her foundations are fallen, her walls are thrown down: for it is the vengeance of the LORD: take vengeance upon her; as she hath done, do unto her.  Verse sixteen concludes, Cut off the sower from Babylon, and him that handleth the sickle in the time of harvest: for fear of the oppressing sword they shall turn every one to his people, and they shall flee every one to his own land.  God said that the coming destruction of Babylon would be complete, just as the coming destruction of all who do not put their faith in God through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ will one day be complete,