Rest From Babylon

When you read Jeremiah or any prophet of scripture it is important to remember they are often talking about two events or eras in history. First, the are addressing the fulfillment of their words in the age they live and second, they are predicting the cosmic fulfillment of their words in the last days. There can be no doubt Jeremiah has the New Covenant promises in mind when he announces Babylon's destruction. 

Listen to the words of prophecy in chapter 50:

Jeremiah 50:18–20 (ESV) Therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I am bringing punishment on the king of Babylon and his land, as I punished the king of Assyria. 19 I will restore Israel to his pasture, and he shall feed on Carmel and in Bashan, and his desire shall be satisfied on the hills of Ephraim and in Gilead. 20 In those days and in that time, declares the LORD, iniquity shall be sought in Israel, and there shall be none, and sin in Judah, and none shall be found, for I will pardon those whom I leave as a remnant.

Jeremiah speaks of the time of Israel's restoration to pasture. They will come back to the land. They have done this since Jeremiah spoke. Cyrus, the Persian king, decreed they could return in 539 B.C. But shortly after the time of Christ, they were dispersed again at the hands of the Romans. YET, in God's sovereign will, they have returned to that land again. But notice Jeremiah's stipulation in verse 20, "In those days... iniquity shall be sought in Israel, and there shall be none". 

"In those days" is an important repeated phrase in scripture. It refers to the end times. Now, by the end times, I am talking about the age in which we live today. Remember John's words. 

1 John 2:18 (ESV) Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.

Or the book of Hebrew's opening:

Hebrews 1:2 (ESV) but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

We are living in the fulfillment age of which the prophets spoke. How could iniquity not be found in Israel? Because Israel are those cleansed and forgiven by the blood of Christ. 

1 John 2:12 (ESV) I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake.

For those in Christ, the Babylon that we face is this anti-God system we are inundated with on a daily basis. The latent hostility against scripture and righteous living is apparent. Sexual immorality exploded on our screens and in our communities as many are allured by the great Babylon around us. 

Now look to Revelation to see how it all ends.

Revelation 18:2–3 (ESV) And he called out with a mighty voice, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast. 3 For all nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living.”

Revelation 18:7–8 (ESV) As she glorified herself and lived in luxury, so give her a like measure of torment and mourning, since in her heart she says, ‘I sit as a queen, I am no widow, and mourning I shall never see.’ 8 For this reason her plagues will come in a single day, death and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for mighty is the Lord God who has judged her.”

Notice the characteristics of Babylon from those words. A dwelling for demons full of unclean spirits, sexual immorality, and yet luxury and ease. Could there be a clearer description of the world's system today? 

This is why we must turn to Jeremiah. The people of Israel were given a promise as they were exiled that Babylon, though their temporary home, was doomed to God's judgment. There would be a time to get out of her. For Israel, it was physical relocation; for God's people, it is 100% spiritual and, in some cases, physical. 

As God declares war on Babylon, God declares peace to His people. Amid this decree, Jeremiah calls out:

Jeremiah 50:33–34 (ESV) “Thus says the LORD of hosts: The people of Israel are oppressed, and the people of Judah with them. All who took them captive have held them fast; they refuse to let them go. 34 Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is his name. He will surely plead their cause, that he may give rest to the earth, but unrest to the inhabitants of Babylon.

Not only are we safe in Christ, freed from sin, but we have Him interceding for us on our behalf so that we might have rest. And in these confusing times, we need that more than ever.