Then say, ‘So will Babylon sink to rise no more because of the disaster I will bring on her. And her people will fall.’”
The words of Jeremiah end here.
Jeremiah 51:64 (NIV)

Babylon still exists, at least its remnants exist. It was during the U.S. war with Iraq that I first saw images of the site of ancient Babylon. Sitting just over 50 miles south of Baghdad, the walls of the ancient city remain, and one source I read said that 85 percent of the ancient city has not been excavated. Iraq began to rebuild some of the walls and a major gate with a long-term dream of restoring the ancient city as a landmark and center for tourism. Fascinating.

Babylon occupies a deep historical and metaphorical presence throughout the Great Story. From the erection of the Tower of Babel in the opening chapters of Genesis, to the angelic destruction of a metaphorical Babylon in the final chapters of John’s end-times Revelations, Babylon is synonymous with humanity’s hubris, pride, and spiritual antagonism.

Today’s chapter is the continuation and end of Jeremiah’s prophetic message against Babylon, and it marks the end of his recorded prophetic works. It’s a long one, coming in at a total of 64 verses. It’s ironic that for the better part of fifty chapters, God uses Babylon and its ruler, Nebuchadnezzar as a vehicle of divine judgement, but in the end they can’t escape judgement for their own evils.

As I have meditated on the roles of good and evil in life, history, and literature, I’ve observed some recurring themes. One theme is that evil will at times unwittingly play into the hand of good or become its agent. In my annual reading of The Lord of the Rings, I’ve been contemplating how Saruman’s turn to evil actually creates a chain-of-events that assures victory for the forces of good at Helm’s Deep which, in turn, creates the momentum which prompts Sauron’s arguably fatal mistake in launching his offensive too early. It was Nebuchadnezzar’s own pride, thirst for power, and self-aggrandizing hubris that motivated his rise to Imperial power in Mesopotamia (see Daniel 1-4). Jeremiah’s prophetic messages simply reveal how God wove His eternal purposes through Neb’s own power-hungry empire building.

Another recurring theme I’ve noticed in the conflict between good and evil is the fact that evil tends to implode from the inside-out. Once again drawing from my most recent reading of The Lord of the Rings, Frodo and Sam are able to survive Frodo’s abduction at Cirith Ungol and make their way into the land of Mordor because all the orcs of Cirith Ungol got into a fight and killed one another. Likewise, it was the conflict between the orcs holding Merry and Pippin that allowed for their eventual escape into Fanghorn forest. In the same way, I would argue that Nebuchadnezzar’s own ruthlessness, arrogance, and self-centeredness assured that his empire could not long outlast him. He failed to look beyond his own life and success in order to ensure his descendants would be a dynasty that would ensure his legacy for generations to come.

In the quiet this morning, this has me thinking about my own life journey. There is so much in life that I cannot control. I live in a fallen world in which evil exists and holds sway in so many ways. This trek through Jeremiah has reminded me that even evil can unwittingly become an agent of God’s purposes. I may not escape the momentary pain and consequences of evil, but I can trust the larger story God is authoring, knowing that all things work together for good, for those who love God and are called according to His purposes (Rom 8:28). Likewise, when I see evil succeeding on the landscape of current events, I can take solace in the fact that evil eventually implodes.

In both of these observations, I just might have to wait for it.

I end this morning with Peter’s words which came time mind in the quiet this morning:

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:8-9 (NIV)

If you know anyone who might be encouraged by today’s post, please share.