Punishing the Tool

Jeremiah 51

The sovereignty of God shows up like no other in this chapter. This is the account from God of what He is going to do to Babylon because of what it has done to God's people. At the end of this chapter (vs.56), Jeremiah records that God is a God of recompense and He will fully repay. The idea here is that God will not allow the nation of Babylon to get away with what it has done to His people. The word "fully" is a strong word here. God does not just say that He will pay them back for what they have done; rather, He says that He will fully pay them back. That means that there will not be one iota overlooked on God's part. If there is a water tower of His wrath that is to be poured out on the nation of Babylon, then God will work until every last drop of that water tower is released upon them.

Here is the part that I can see so clearly that just lifts God to the highest places in my mind. Back in verse 20, God says this about the nation of Babylon, "You are My war-club, My weapon of war; and with you I shatter nations, and with you I destroy kingdoms. With you I shatter the horse and his rider, and with you I shatter the chariot and its rider, and with you I shatter man and woman, and with you I shatter old man and youth, and with you I shatter young man and virgin, and with you I shatter the shepherd and his flock, and with you I shatter the farmer and his team, and with you I shatter governors and prefects." This is what God says about the nation of Babylon. This heinous nation was actually a tool in the hand of God to do just what God wanted them to do. There wasn't one man that was killed that God had not ordained. There was not one fire set that God had not decided before hand would be set. These people, including Nebuchadnezzar, did all that God wanted and purposed.

Then in verse 24, Jeremiah records, "But I will repay Babylon and all the inhabitants of Chaldea for all their evil that they have done in Zion before your eyes," declares the Lord. "Behold I am against you, O destroying mountain, who destroys the whole earth," declares the Lord...This paints a very clear picture that this nation was a tool in the hands of God to do the purposes of God, but that does not mean that God excuses what they have done. They are now going to have to pay for all of the sin and idolatry that they have committed. God goes on to say that He will stretch out His hand against them and roll them down from the crags, and make them a burnt out mountain. It sounds as if God started out almost praising them for the work that He was able to do through them and then ends by condemning them for what they did to His people (who were being punished by God by the way).

Here in is the sovereignty of God...to do what He wants with His creation when He wants to do it in any way that He wants to do it. It's not too often that I hear about the Sovereignty of God in this capacity. So what does this mean in my own life though...this means that as a child of God I know that I am loved by the King. That does NOT mean though that I will be used by God for only good easy purposes. I might end up dying at the hands of my enemies in order to fulfill what God wants. I might end up losing those whom I love very dearly in order to bring God glory. It means that those who have been against me in this life have really been used by God in one way or another to make me more into the image of His Son. God used Babylon to get to Israel to wake them up out of their Idolatrous slumber that they had fallen into. In the same manner, God could use some ungodly avenue to get my attention.

Overall, this chapter reminded me solidly of God right to do what He wants with His creation. Isaiah 55:8-9 says, "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,' declares the Lord.'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts." There is no telling what God is doing right now and that is not for me to know. What I have is His Word at my hand, and that is what has been revealed to me. I need to be studying it and resting in the sovereignty of God. He will only allow things to come my way that have gone through the sovereign grasp of his almighty fingers. He will not allow me to be tempted beyond what I am able, but with the temptation will provide the way to of escape....and all for His glory.

Soli Deo Gloria...