Text: Deuteronomy 20; Jeremiah 50

Warren Wiesbe writes concerning Jeremiah 50:

“’Announce and proclaim!’ is the commandment. ‘Raise the signal!’ God declared war on Babylon and announced that her great god Bel (also called Marduk) was about to be shamefully defeated. God declared war on both Babylon and the gods of Babylon. The word translated ‘idols’ means ‘wooden blocks,’ and the word translated ‘images’ means ‘dung pellets.’ The Lord didn’t think much of their gods! The invaders would come from the north just as Nebuchadnezzar came from the north to conquer Judah (1:11–15).”1

For you and me Babylon is symbolic of the false religion and worldly system in the End Times and, just as in Jeremiah’s day when the literal Babylon would be defeated, so too will the spiritual Babylon come down: “And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication” (Revelation 14:8 KJV).

Today we devote to destruction Babylon. “A sound of battle is in the land, and of great destruction” (Jeremiah 50:22 KJV). In that day the battle sound would be the ‘natural’ noise of warriors, the clashing of arms, and the blasts of trumpets. Today it includes men and women sequestered in their secret place of intercessory prayer, doing battle in the heavenlies. The noises from these warriors are the deep groaning of passionate prayer; the clashing of arms the angelic battles over cities, nations, and people; the trumpet blasts are the bursts of praise to the Captain, the Lord of hosts.

Announce and proclaim; the battle is on! Speak against the blasphemy of the enemy. Declare defeat to her abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. Remind her of her impending doom and pray strength for all those who will by martyred in her doomed attempt for victory (cf. Rev. 17:6).