DAY 223 Read Jeremiah 49 and 50.
Today's reading: It may seem somewhat strange that the prophet who urged the Jews to submit to Babylon would predict the downfall of the empire--but he did so in no uncertain terms.
Memory gem: "Come, and let us join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten" (Jeremiah 50:5).
Thought for today:
I might say a word about the riches of Babylon. In the prophecy of Jeremiah, we read: "Chaldea [Babylon] shall be a spoil: all that spoil her shall be satisfied, saith the Lord" (Jeremiah 50:10). "A sword is upon her treasuries; and they shall be robbed" (verse 37). "Abundant in treasures; thine end is come" (Jeremiah 51:13).
The little word all--"all that spoil her shall be satisfied"--implies that Babylon would be often despoiled. Nothing like this prophecy was predicted concerning other cities mentioned in prophecy. How did the prophets know there would be riches enough to tempt, and even satisfy, spoiler after spoiler? But so it was.
Cyrus, the king of Persia, took much treasure from Babylon when he captured the city in 539 B.C. Xerxes and his army took 150 million dollars in gold alone, we are told. Alexander the Great found vast wealth for himself there and also gave the value of $50 to each soldier in his army. Two hundred years later the Parthians ravaged Babylon, and then came the Romans, according to the prophecy, for the same purpose of seizing treasure. No wonder Babylon has been called by some historians, the "golden city of a golden age."
NOTE: Compare the striking similarity of wording in the following:
Jeremiah 49:7--Obadiah 8
Jeremiah 49:9, 10a--Obadiah 5; 6
Jeremiah 49:14-16--Obadiah 1-4.
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Difficult or obscure words:
Jeremiah 49:31. "Wealthy"--better: undisturbed, or carefree.
Today's reading: It may seem somewhat strange that the prophet who urged the Jews to submit to Babylon would predict the downfall of the empire--but he did so in no uncertain terms.
Memory gem: "Come, and let us join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten" (Jeremiah 50:5).
Thought for today:
I might say a word about the riches of Babylon. In the prophecy of Jeremiah, we read: "Chaldea [Babylon] shall be a spoil: all that spoil her shall be satisfied, saith the Lord" (Jeremiah 50:10). "A sword is upon her treasuries; and they shall be robbed" (verse 37). "Abundant in treasures; thine end is come" (Jeremiah 51:13).
The little word all--"all that spoil her shall be satisfied"--implies that Babylon would be often despoiled. Nothing like this prophecy was predicted concerning other cities mentioned in prophecy. How did the prophets know there would be riches enough to tempt, and even satisfy, spoiler after spoiler? But so it was.
Cyrus, the king of Persia, took much treasure from Babylon when he captured the city in 539 B.C. Xerxes and his army took 150 million dollars in gold alone, we are told. Alexander the Great found vast wealth for himself there and also gave the value of $50 to each soldier in his army. Two hundred years later the Parthians ravaged Babylon, and then came the Romans, according to the prophecy, for the same purpose of seizing treasure. No wonder Babylon has been called by some historians, the "golden city of a golden age."
NOTE: Compare the striking similarity of wording in the following:
Jeremiah 49:7--Obadiah 8
Jeremiah 49:9, 10a--Obadiah 5; 6
Jeremiah 49:14-16--Obadiah 1-4.
----------------
Difficult or obscure words:
Jeremiah 49:31. "Wealthy"--better: undisturbed, or carefree.
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