Jeremiah 51:61
And Jeremiah said to Seraiah, "When you get to Babylon, see that you read all these words aloud,
And Jeremiah said to Seraiah
Jeremiah, a major prophet in the Old Testament, is speaking to Seraiah, who is identified as the son of Neriah and brother of Baruch, Jeremiah's scribe. Seraiah's role here is significant as he is entrusted with a prophetic mission. This highlights the importance of faithful individuals in carrying out God's plans. Seraiah's lineage connects him to a family deeply involved in Jeremiah's ministry, emphasizing the continuity and trust within this prophetic circle.

When you get to Babylon
Babylon, the center of the Babylonian Empire, was a significant city in ancient Mesopotamia. At the time of Jeremiah, Babylon was a symbol of power and oppression, having conquered Jerusalem and taken many Israelites into exile. This phrase indicates the historical context of the Babylonian captivity, a pivotal event in Jewish history. The journey to Babylon would have been long and arduous, reflecting the physical and spiritual distance from Jerusalem, the center of Jewish worship.

see that you read all these words aloud
Reading aloud was a common practice in ancient times, especially for important documents and prophecies. This public proclamation signifies the importance of the message and ensures that it is heard by many. The words to be read are prophecies against Babylon, indicating God's judgment against the empire. This act of reading aloud serves as a prophetic declaration, fulfilling God's command and demonstrating His sovereignty over nations. It also connects to other instances in Scripture where reading aloud is used to convey divine messages, such as in Deuteronomy 31:11 and Nehemiah 8:3.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jeremiah
A major prophet in the Old Testament, known for his prophecies concerning the judgment and restoration of Israel. He is the author of the Book of Jeremiah.

2. Seraiah
The son of Neriah and brother of Baruch, who was a scribe and assistant to Jeremiah. Seraiah was tasked with reading Jeremiah's prophecies aloud in Babylon.

3. Babylon
A significant city and empire in the ancient Near East, known for its conquest of Judah and the subsequent Babylonian Exile of the Jewish people.

4. The Prophecy
The words that Jeremiah instructed Seraiah to read were prophecies of judgment against Babylon, foretelling its eventual downfall.

5. The Event of Reading
Seraiah's reading of the prophecy in Babylon symbolizes the proclamation of God's judgment and the certainty of His word being fulfilled.
Teaching Points
The Power of God's Word
God's word is authoritative and will accomplish what it declares. Just as Seraiah was to read the prophecy aloud, we are called to proclaim God's truth with confidence.

The Certainty of Divine Judgment
God's judgment is certain and just. The fall of Babylon serves as a reminder that no power is beyond God's reach and that He will hold nations accountable.

Faithfulness in Obedience
Seraiah's task highlights the importance of obedience to God's instructions, even when the task seems daunting or the audience unresponsive.

The Role of Prophecy
Prophecy serves to warn, instruct, and encourage God's people. It reminds us of God's control over history and His ultimate plan for redemption.

Hope in God's Sovereignty
Despite the immediate context of judgment, the prophecy against Babylon also points to the hope of restoration and God's ultimate victory over evil.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the task given to Seraiah by Jeremiah demonstrate the importance of proclaiming God's word, even in hostile environments?

2. In what ways does the prophecy against Babylon in Jeremiah 51:61 relate to the broader biblical theme of God's judgment and redemption?

3. How can we apply the principle of obedience seen in Seraiah's actions to our own lives, especially when faced with challenging tasks?

4. What lessons can we learn from the fall of Babylon about the temporary nature of worldly power and the eternal nature of God's kingdom?

5. How does the certainty of God's judgment against Babylon encourage us to trust in His justice and sovereignty in our current world situation?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Jeremiah 25
This chapter contains earlier prophecies of Jeremiah concerning the seventy-year captivity of Judah in Babylon, providing context for the judgment against Babylon.

Revelation 18
The fall of Babylon in Revelation echoes the themes of judgment found in Jeremiah 51, symbolizing the ultimate defeat of worldly powers opposed to God.

Isaiah 13
Isaiah also prophesies the downfall of Babylon, reinforcing the message of God's sovereignty over nations.
Evil Written in a BookD. Young
People
Ashchenaz, Ashkenaz, Babylonians, Jacob, Jeremiah, Maaseiah, Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadrezzar, Neriah, Seraiah, Zedekiah
Places
Ararat, Babylon, Chaldea, Euphrates River, Jerusalem, Leb-kamai, Zion
Topics
Aloud, Babylon, Comest, Enter, Hast, Jeremiah, Seraiah, Serai'ah
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Jeremiah 51:61

     5175   reading
     5393   literacy

Jeremiah 51:59-64

     4215   Babylon

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

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