Jeremiah 51 - Introduction

REVIEW OF CHAPTER NINETEEN

I. Facts to Master

1.

Name of the chief god of Babylon (Jeremiah 50:2; Jeremiah 51:44).

2.

The excuse which those who attacked Israel used to justify their cruelty (Jeremiah 50:7).

3.

The two great lions who had devoured the flock of God (Jeremiah 50:17).

4.

Two symbolic names for Babylon (Jeremiah 50:21).

5.

Direction from which the conquerors of Babylon would come (Jeremiah 50:41).

6.

Nationality of the conquerors of Babylon (Jeremiah 51:11; Jeremiah 51:27-28).

7.

Identity of the man commissioned by Jeremiah to carry a scroll to Babylon (Jeremiah 51:59).

8.

The date when Jeremiah sent his scroll to Babylon (Jeremiah 51:59)

9.

That which Jeremiah commanded to be done with his scroll (Jeremiah 51:63).

II. Questions to Ponder

1.

Why does Jeremiah devote such a large amount of space to the subject of the fall of Babylon?

2.

How would you answer the charge that what Jeremiah says here about Babylon contradicts his earlier statements about that power?

3.

Why does Jeremiah depict the exiles weeping as they return to Zion? What is the everlasting covenant of which they speak? Jeremiah 50:4 f.

4.

In what way had Babylon sinned against the Lord? Jeremiah 50:14

5.

What is the main point in the comparison of the destruction of Babylon and the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah? Jeremiah 50:40

6.

Explain the significance of the cryptic names Leb-kamai (Jeremiah 51:1) and Sheshach (Jeremiah 51:41).

7.

What is the relationship between the Babylon oracle recorded in Jeremiah 50:1 to Jeremiah 51:58 and the scroll which Seraiah dropped into the Euphrates river?

8.

Why has the authenticity of the Babylon oracle been questioned by some critics?

9.

Why did Jeremiah order his scroll to be sunk in the Euphrates river?

10.

Why do some commentators insist that Babylon will be rebuilt? Have the Babylon prophecies been literally fulfilled?