The Power of God over the Nations - Jeremiah 47-52

 Jeremiah 51:52-53 (ESV)

“Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD,

when I will execute judgment upon her images,

and through all her land

the wounded shall groan.

Though Babylon should mount up to heaven,

and though she should fortify her strong height,

yet destroyers would come from me against her,

declares the LORD.

That rise and fall of nations is something that has been going on for millennia.   Nations come and go.   So, not surprisingly, so too wicked Babylon.  Remember, Assyria had take Israel, in the south, captive.  Because of that God raised up Babylon to destroy them.  But, Babylon came to take Judah, in the north, captive.   Babylon destroyed the Temple and took many of the people captive.   Babylon mocked Judah  and God.   Yet, it was God who used Babylon to punish Assyria and, according to the above verses, God will be the one who destroyers Babylon.  God will use the Medes and the Persians to destroy Babylon.   When we read these passages and are reminded of some great verses from other prophets/writers:

Isaiah 45:5-7 (ESV)

I am the LORD, and there is no other,

besides me there is no God;

I equip you, though you do not know me,

that people may know, from the rising of the sun

and from the west, that there is none besides me;

I am the LORD, and there is no other.

I form light and create darkness;

I make well-being and create calamity;

I am the LORD, who does all these things.

Psalms 75:6-7 (ESV)

For not from the east or from the west

and not from the wilderness comes lifting up,

but it is God who executes judgment,

putting down one and lifting up another.

Our nation thinks it is the most powerful in the world.  So did Assyria at the time.  So did Babylon at the time.  So did the Medes and Persians at the time.  So did the Greeks at the time.  So did the Romans at the time.  So did the English at the time.  So don’t be too surprised that God moves another nation from special status to “also ran” status.   God moves kings and kingdoms by the word of His power:

Hebrews 1:3 (ESV)

He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

We can fear the elections in our country that one party will have power over the other.  But, in reality,  no party, no leader, no nation has any power save given it to them by the Lord Almighty!!