Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Jeremiah
Book: Jeremiah
Chapter: 50
Overview:
The ruin of
Babylon.
(1-3,8-16,21-32,35-46;) The
Redemption of
God's people.
(4-7,17-20,33,34)
1-7 The
King of
Babylon was kind to
Jeremiah, yet the
Prophet
must foretell the ruin of that kingdom. If our friends are
God's
enemies, we dare not speak peace to them. The
Destruction of
Babylon is spoken of as done thoroughly. Here is a
Word for the
comfort of the Jews. They shall return to their
God first, then
to their own land; the promise of their
Conversion and
reformation makes way for the other promises. Their tears flow
not from the sorrow of the world, as when they went into
Captivity, but from godly sorrow. They shall seek after the
Lord
as their
God, and have
No more to do with idols. They shall
think of returning to their own country. This represents the
return of
Poor souls to
God. In true converts there are sincere
desires to attain the
End, and constant cares to keep in the
way. Their present case is lamented as very sad. The sins of
professing Christians never will excuse those who rejoice in
destroying them.
8-20 The
Desolation that shall be brought upon
Babylon is set
forth in a variety of expressions. The cause of this
Destruction
is the wrath of the
Lord.
Babylon shall be wholly desolated; for
she hath sinned against the
Lord.
Sin makes men a
Mark for the
Arrows of
God's judgments. The
Mercy promised to the
Israel of
God, shall not only accompany, but arise from the
Destruction of
Babylon. These
Sheep shall be gathered from the deserts, and
Put
again into good pasture. All who return to
God and their duty,
shall find satisfaction of soul in
So doing. Deliverances out of
trouble are comforts indeed, when fruits of the forgiveness of
Sin.
21-32 The
Forces are mustered and empowered to destroy
Babylon.
Let them do what
God demands, and they shall bring to pass what
he threatens. The pride of men's hearts sets
God against them,
and ripens them apace for ruin.
Babylon's pride must be her
ruin; she has been proud against the Holy One of
Israel; who can
keep those up whom
God will throw down?
33-46 It is
Israel's comfort in distress, that, though they are
weak, their
Redeemer is strong. This may be applied to
believers, who complain of the dominion of
Sin and corruption,
and of their own weakness and manifold infirmities. Their
Redeemer is able to keep what they commit to him; and
Sin shall
not have dominion over them. He will give them that
Rest which
remains for the people of
God. Also here is
Babylon's
Sin, and
their
Punishment. The sins are,
Idolatry and
Persecution. He
that will not save his people in their sins, never will
countenance the wickedness of his open enemies. The judgments of
God for these sins will lay them waste. In the judgments
denounced against prosperous
Babylon, and the mercies promised
to afflicted
Israel, we learn to choose to suffer affliction
with the people of
God, rather than to enjoy the pleasures of
Sin for a season.