Raise a war cry against her on every side! She has thrown up her hands in surrender; her towers have fallen; her walls are torn down. Since this is the vengeance of the LORD, take out your vengeance upon her; as she has done, do the same to her. Sermons
I. THE SPIRIT IN WHICH BABYLON SHOULD HAVE DONE ITS DESTROYING WORK. Jehovah meant Babylon for the chastisement and the humiliation of his own people, that they might be enlightened and purified through the losses they thus sustained. They lost many things they loved, but at the same time they lost things which tempted and ensnared. The description here, "Destroyers of mine heritage;" indicates sufficiently the spirit in which Babylon acted. What God wanted was the thorough purification of his heritage, not at all its destruction. Babylon cared nothing as to whether Israel was better or worse for its afflictions. It could only rejoice over another nation conquered, another territory acquired, and a fresh degree of brightness added to its military glory. It is surely a terrible thing when men do good work unconsciously and not meaning it to be good work at all. When we have to engage in any work that inflicts suffering, shame, and loss on others, it ought to be under the sternest pressure of necessity and as the sorrowing ministers of violated law. There are times when we cannot escape being the agents of suffering to wicked and foolish men; but if we only act in the right spirit, keeping our hearts free from all that is vengeful and exulting, we may even have some share in turning them from their wickedness. Everything that savours of our personal satisfaction and gain must be kept away when we have to make others suffer. II. THE CERTAIN RETRIBUTION ON THOSE WHO REJOICE IN THE SUFFERINGS OF OTHERS. A disposition to rejoice in this way indicates, of course, a general iniquity of life which is sure to bring retribution. But retribution will take special forms according to the sin, and those who have gloated over the humiliations of others are taking a sure way to have others gloat over them in the day of their humiliation. Israel itself, which had been rejoiced over by Babylon, had first of all been rejoicing where it ought not to have rejoiced. If we exult and insult where we ought to pity, then nothing is more certain than that we shall meet with insult in turn. III. A DIRECTION SUGGESTED IN WHICH THERE MAY BE GREAT REJOICING. Man was made to rejoice; the pity is that so often his rejoicing comes from individual and selfish considerations. When the right spirit is in our hearts, we too shall rejoice that so many are cast down, but it will be because of the opportunities given to lift them up. There should be the greatest of gladness in serving the lowly and the needy. Thus, while there never can be joy at suffering for its own sake, there can be much joy because of the opportunities given for glorifying Christ. - Y.
Shall I not visit for these things? The physician, when he findeth that the potion which he hath given his patient will not work, he seconds it with one more violent; but if he perceive the disease to be settled, then he puts him into a course of physic, so that he shall have at present but small comfort of his life. And thus doth the surgeon, too: if a gentle plaister will not serve, then he applies that which is more corroding; and to prevent a gangrene, he makes use of his cauterising knife, and takes off the joint or member that is so ill-affected. Even so God, when men profit not by such crosses as He hath formerly exercised them with, when they are not bettered by lighter afflictions, then He sends heavier, and proceeds from milder to sharper crosses. If the dross of their sins will not come off, He will throw them into the melting pot again and again, crush them harder in the press, and lay on such irons as shall enter more deep into their souls. If He strikes and they grieve not, if they be so foolish that they will not know the judgment of their God, He will bring seven times more plagues upon them, cross upon cross, loss upon loss, trouble upon trouble, one sorrow on the neck of another, till they are in a manner wasted and consumed.(J. Spencer.) People Babylonians, Jeremiah, Nebuchadnezzar, NebuchadrezzarPlaces Assyria, Babylon, Bashan, Carmel, Chaldea, Gilead, Gomorrah, Jordan River, Merathaim, Pekod, Sodom, ZionTopics Avenged, Battle, Broken, Bulwarks, Buttresses, Cry, Fall, Fallen, Forth, Foundations, Herself, Loud, Overturned, Payment, Pillars, Raise, Ramparts, Round, Shout, Submitted, Supports, Surrendered, Surrenders, Thrown, Torn, Towers, Vengeance, WallsOutline 1. The judgment of Babylon and the redemption of IsraelDictionary of Bible Themes Jeremiah 50:15Library The Kinsman-Redeemer'Their Redeemer is strong; the Lord of Hosts is His name: He shall thoroughly plead their cause.'--JER. l. 34. Among the remarkable provisions of the Mosaic law there were some very peculiar ones affecting the next-of-kin. The nearest living blood relation to a man had certain obligations and offices to discharge, under certain contingencies, in respect of which he received a special name; which is sometimes translated in the Old Testament 'Redeemer,' and sometimes 'Avenger' of blood. What the etymological … Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Covenanting Predicted in Prophecy. Moses' Prayer to be Blotted Out of God's Book. Covenanting Confers Obligation. The Old Testament Canon from Its Beginning to Its Close. "If So be that the Spirit of God Dwell in You. Now if any Man have not the Spirit of Christ, He is None of His. " Scriptures Showing the Sin and Danger of Joining with Wicked and Ungodly Men. Being Made Archbishop of Armagh, He Suffers Many Troubles. Peace Being Made, from Being Archbishop of Armagh He Becomes Bishop of Down. The Godly are in Some Sense Already Blessed Saved by Grace; Covenanting Performed in Former Ages with Approbation from Above. Jeremiah Links Jeremiah 50:15 NIVJeremiah 50:15 NLT Jeremiah 50:15 ESV Jeremiah 50:15 NASB Jeremiah 50:15 KJV Jeremiah 50:15 Bible Apps Jeremiah 50:15 Parallel Jeremiah 50:15 Biblia Paralela Jeremiah 50:15 Chinese Bible Jeremiah 50:15 French Bible Jeremiah 50:15 German Bible Jeremiah 50:15 Commentaries Bible Hub |
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