Flee from Babylon! Escape with your lives! Do not be destroyed in her punishment. For this is the time of the LORD's vengeance; He will pay her what she deserves. Flee from Babylon!This command to flee is a call for the people of God to separate themselves from the impending judgment on Babylon. Historically, Babylon was a symbol of pride and idolatry, and its fall was prophesied as a divine act of justice. The call to flee can be seen as a spiritual directive to avoid the corrupting influences of sin and worldliness, similar to the call to flee from Sodom in Genesis 19:17. Escape with your lives!
The urgency in this phrase underscores the imminent danger and the need for immediate action. It reflects the seriousness of God's judgment and the necessity for His people to prioritize their spiritual well-being over earthly attachments. This echoes the New Testament exhortation in 2 Corinthians 6:17 to "come out from among them and be separate." Do not be destroyed in her punishment.
This warning highlights the consequences of remaining in Babylon, both physically and spiritually. The destruction of Babylon serves as a type of the final judgment, where those aligned with the world system face God's wrath. It is a reminder of the importance of aligning oneself with God's will to avoid sharing in the fate of the wicked. For this is the time of the LORD’s vengeance;
The phrase indicates a divinely appointed time for retribution. God's vengeance is not arbitrary but is a response to Babylon's sins, including idolatry and oppression. This concept of divine vengeance is consistent with the biblical theme of God as a just judge, as seen in Romans 12:19, where believers are reminded that vengeance belongs to the Lord. He will pay her what she deserves.
This reflects the principle of divine justice, where Babylon receives recompense for her actions. The idea of reaping what one sows is a recurring biblical theme, found in Galatians 6:7. It assures believers that God will ultimately right all wrongs and that His justice will prevail, providing hope and encouragement to those who suffer under oppression. Persons / Places / Events 1. JeremiahA major prophet in the Old Testament, known for his prophecies concerning the judgment and restoration of Israel and the surrounding nations. 2. BabylonAn ancient city and empire known for its wealth, power, and eventual downfall. In the context of Jeremiah, it represents a place of sin and impending divine judgment. 3. The LORD's VengeanceRefers to God's righteous judgment against Babylon for its sins and oppression of His people. 4. The ExilesThe people of Judah who were taken captive to Babylon. They are urged to flee to avoid sharing in Babylon's punishment. 5. The PunishmentThe divine retribution that God promises to bring upon Babylon for its idolatry and mistreatment of His people. Teaching Points Call to SeparationBelievers are called to separate themselves from sinful influences and environments, just as the exiles were urged to flee Babylon. God's Righteous JudgmentGod's judgment is just and inevitable for those who persist in sin. Understanding this should motivate us to live righteously. Urgency of ObedienceThe command to "flee" implies urgency. We should respond promptly to God's warnings and guidance in our lives. Trust in God's DeliveranceJust as God provided a way of escape for the exiles, He offers deliverance for us from spiritual bondage through Christ. Awareness of Spiritual BabylonIn a modern context, "Babylon" can represent any system or lifestyle contrary to God's will. We must be vigilant and discerning. Bible Study Questions 1. What does Babylon represent in your life, and how can you "flee" from it in practical terms? 2. How does understanding God's vengeance and justice influence your view of His character and your relationship with Him? 3. In what ways can you ensure that you are not complicit in the "punishment" of modern-day Babylon? 4. How can the urgency of the command to flee from Babylon be applied to your spiritual walk today? 5. What parallels can you draw between the call to flee Babylon and the New Testament teachings on separation from the world? Connections to Other Scriptures Revelation 18This chapter echoes the call to flee from Babylon, symbolizing the final judgment on a corrupt world system. Isaiah 48:20Similar to Jeremiah 51:6, this verse calls for the people to leave Babylon, emphasizing deliverance and redemption. 2 Corinthians 6:17Paul urges believers to separate themselves from worldly influences, paralleling the call to flee from Babylon. People Ashchenaz, Ashkenaz, Babylonians, Jacob, Jeremiah, Maaseiah, Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadrezzar, Neriah, Seraiah, ZedekiahPlaces Ararat, Babylon, Chaldea, Euphrates River, Jerusalem, Leb-kamai, ZionTopics Babylon, Cut, Deliver, Deserves, Destroyed, Evil-doing, Flee, Flight, Iniquity, Lord's, Midst, Pay, Punishment, Recompence, Recompense, Render, Rendering, Requital, Reward, Run, Save, Sins, Soul, VengeanceDictionary of Bible Themes Jeremiah 51:6 5178 running
5493 retribution
5603 wages Jeremiah 51:6-8 6103 abomination Jeremiah 51:6-10 5801 brokenness Library The Power of Assyria at Its Zenith; Esarhaddon and Assur-Bani-Pal
The Medes and Cimmerians: Lydia--The conquest of Egypt, of Arabia, and of Elam. As we have already seen, Sennacherib reigned for eight years after his triumph; eight years of tranquillity at home, and of peace with all his neighbours abroad. If we examine the contemporary monuments or the documents of a later period, and attempt to glean from them some details concerning the close of his career, we find that there is a complete absence of any record of national movement on the part of either Elam, …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 8 'As Sodom'
'Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 2. And he did that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. 3. For through the anger of the Lord it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, till he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. 4. And it came to pass, in the ninth year of his reign, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture How those who Fear Scourges and those who Contemn them are to be Admonished.
(Admonition 14.) Differently to be admonished are those who fear scourges, and on that account live innocently, and those who have grown so hard in wickedness as not to be corrected even by scourges. For those who fear scourges are to be told by no means to desire temporal goods as being of great account, seeing that bad men also have them, and by no means to shun present evils as intolerable, seeing they are not ignorant how for the most part good men also are touched by them. They are to be admonished …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great Christian Meekness
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth Matthew 5:5 We are now got to the third step leading in the way to blessedness, Christian meekness. Blessed are the meek'. See how the Spirit of God adorns the hidden man of the heart, with multiplicity of graces! The workmanship of the Holy Ghost is not only curious, but various. It makes the heart meek, pure, peaceable etc. The graces therefore are compared to needlework, which is different and various in its flowers and colours (Psalm 45:14). …
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12 Covenanting Adapted to the Moral Constitution of Man.
The law of God originates in his nature, but the attributes of his creatures are due to his sovereignty. The former is, accordingly, to be viewed as necessarily obligatory on the moral subjects of his government, and the latter--which are all consistent with the holiness of the Divine nature, are to be considered as called into exercise according to his appointment. Hence, also, the law of God is independent of his creatures, though made known on their account; but the operation of their attributes …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting A Discourse of the House and Forest of Lebanon
OF THE HOUSE OF THE FOREST OF LEBANON. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. That part of Palestine in which the celebrated mountains of Lebanon are situated, is the border country adjoining Syria, having Sidon for its seaport, and Land, nearly adjoining the city of Damascus, on the north. This metropolitan city of Syria, and capital of the kingdom of Damascus, was strongly fortified; and during the border conflicts it served as a cover to the Assyrian army. Bunyan, with great reason, supposes that, to keep …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 Jeremiah
The interest of the book of Jeremiah is unique. On the one hand, it is our most reliable and elaborate source for the long period of history which it covers; on the other, it presents us with prophecy in its most intensely human phase, manifesting itself through a strangely attractive personality that was subject to like doubts and passions with ourselves. At his call, in 626 B.C., he was young and inexperienced, i. 6, so that he cannot have been born earlier than 650. The political and religious …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Jeremiah 51:6 NIVJeremiah 51:6 NLTJeremiah 51:6 ESVJeremiah 51:6 NASBJeremiah 51:6 KJV
Jeremiah 51:6 Commentaries
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