Ambassadors With a Mission

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: Jeremiah 50

 

Jeremiah 50:2

“Declare among the nations and proclaim,
    set up a banner and proclaim,
    conceal it not, and say:
‘Babylon is taken,
    Bel is put to shame,
    Merodach is dismayed.
Her images are put to shame,
    her idols are dismayed.”

(ESV)

 

In a culture supporting the death of unborn babies, gay marriage, and gender reassignment or telling God He made a mistake with the gender He gave us at birth, Christians can experience feelings of exile like that experienced by Israel and Judah in the time of Jeremiah. 2 Corinthians 5:20 tells Christians they are ambassadors for Christ or representatives of a nation living in a foreign, and often hostile land. In the role of ambassadors, Christians have a mission, spreading the Gospel and making disciples (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20). Part of discipling people for Christ is bringing encouragement or hope which for Christians is the hope of Jesus returning in the air to take His Church or bride home to be with him (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18). For Judah, the encouragement is Jeremiah 50, foretelling the destruction of Babylon.

 

The passage begins with a declaration to the nations that Babylon has been taken along with her gods, images, and idols either dismayed or put to shame (Jeremiah 50:1-2). The reason for this destruction is an invasion by a nation from the north (Jeremiah 50:3). At the same time as this declaration of Babylon’s destruction, the people of Israel and Judah come together and seek the Lord (Jeremiah 50:4-5). God’s people have lost their way and find themselves in exile for their sins but are now told to leave Babylon, the place of their exile because judgment is coming to Babylon (Jeremiah 50:6-16).

 

Israel and Judah have been driven away from their land by lions and are now like hunted sheep, but God will pardon those He left as a remnant (Jeremiah 50:17-20). The Lord commands the invading army from the north to go up against Babylon, leaving the land in utter destruction (Jeremiah 50:21-27). God’s people escape from the land of Babylon to declare in Zion that this is the vengeance of the Lord and for his temple (Jeremiah 50:28-32). God’s people have a strong redeemer with the power to rescue the oppressed people of Israel and Judah from their oppressors (Jeremiah 50:33-38). The destruction of Babylon is so extensive, comparable to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, that no one shall dwell there (Jeremiah 50:39-40). The invaders of Babylon have no mercy and are cruel (Jeremiah 50:41-43). This is the plan of God for Babylon with Babylon’s fall heard among the nations, causing the earth to tremble (Jeremiah 50:44-46).

 

Jeremiah 50 appears in the context of the Book of Jeremiah, leading the reader to believe the destruction foretold in the passage concerns judgment from God occurring during or soon after the 70-year exile of Israel and Judah. The Medes and Persians did conquer Babylon during the exile of the Jews (Daniel 5:30-31), leading to Babylon’s loss of national sovereignty, indicating the fulfillment of this judgment during the exile. However, The Persians did not completely destroy Babylon, for Babylon is mentioned again in Revelation 18, indicating Babylon was not completely destroyed during the exile but will be destroyed in the last days (Revelation 18:21). Babylon the Great from Revelation 18:2 also symbolically speaks of the fall of the secular world system full of immorality and luxurious living without God (Revelation 18:1-3). The complete fulfillment of the prophecy of Jeremiah 50 and the complete destruction of Babylon does not occur until the last days and the return of Christ (Revelation 18). The word of warning in Jeremiah 50 would have not only warned Babylon of God’s coming judgment but also provided comfort to the exiles.

 

As Christians living in an ungodly world, it can feel like we are living in exile. We live in a world of immorality, perversion, greed, and ungodly leadership. What people once considered unlawful is now acceptable with those living by the law and enforcing the law considered evil. This is the system of Babylon the Great, destined for destruction when Christ returns (Revelation 19:11-21). Until Christ’s return, the Church has a mission to spread the Gospel, make disciples, and be ambassadors for Christ in a foreign land the secular world of Babylon the Great (2 Corinthians 5:20; Mark 16:15; Mathew 28:19-20). My prayer is that the Church would focus on its mission and role as ambassadors, not compromising with Babylon the Great. If you are reading this and have never accepted Jesus as your savior, I encourage you to do so now by praying with me,

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

May God challenge and bless everyone reading this post.