離開巴比倫，回應神對我永遠的愛（耶51章）

以色列和猶大、雖然境內充滿違背以色列聖者的罪、卻沒有被他的神萬軍之耶和華丟棄。（耶 51：5)

本章是耶利米先知最後的一章預言，連同上一章50章，都是在預言巴比倫帝國的滅亡。根據聖經學者的史料整理，自46章起到本章51章為止對列國的預言，是耶利米被約哈難綁架到埃及時的預言。當時猶大國已經滅亡，滅亡猶大國的巴比倫帝國，正如今天的美國一樣正值強盛時期，誰也不會將她與滅亡予以聯想。耶利米的預言也到本章為止，最後一章52章是後人的註記。

50章中預言從北方來要滅亡巴比倫帝國的「有一國從北方上來攻擊他」（參 耶 50：3），在此的預言，是在耶利米做此預言的二、三十年後才成國，就是波斯、瑪代帝國，所以有誰能相信這天下強國巴比倫，是「住在眾水之上多有財寶的」（參 耶 51：13），會有亡國的一天！

本章令人感動的是這節主題經文（耶 51：5），提到以色列和猶大，雖然仍在悖逆之中，神卻沒有丟棄他們。若詳讀耶利米書，不難發現這些人的惡劣，不但完全不相信神、也不聽從神藉著耶利米先知所說的一切話，甚至動手毆打神的先知，將神的先知下在不見天日的地牢，有時甚至是充滿淤泥的井中。先知常常必須經歷多日、甚至數月，生活在不見天日的黑暗中，時時感受自己排泄物的惡臭、環境污穢的腐臭味、通風不良的缺氧窒息感、伸手不見五指的黑暗，最可怕的是心中永無止境那為同胞的深切憂傷。成為列國先知四十年，常常就是如此的環境，試問：有誰能堅持住，不至於精神崩潰？

但是先知一路走來，始終用神的愛作為他事奉的動力，因為愛是「凡事包容、凡事相信、凡事盼望、凡事忍耐」（林前 13：7）。特別是「凡事忍耐」，原文的意思是「軍隊堅守陣地，直到陣亡為國捐軀的堅持」，有到死也不放棄，也就是只有死才能停止他的堅持之意。

神的愛就是這樣，只有人離棄神，沒有神丟棄人。

本章也提到凡感念到神如此大愛的人的當有作為，就是逃出關於罪惡的一切：

你們要從巴比倫中逃奔、各救自己的性命．不要陷在他的罪孽中、一同滅亡、因為這是耶和華報仇的時候．他必向巴比倫施行報應。（耶 51：6）

巴比倫，就是今天罪惡的世界。逃出來，才能救自己的性命。不要陷在世界的罪孽中，與世界一同滅亡。因為神必向巴比倫施行毀滅，凡關於巴比倫的一切都要滅亡。不要繼續跟這世界牽扯不清，若仍然藕斷絲連，最終將與世界、與巴比倫一同被神滅亡。

你們離開罷！離開罷！從巴比倫出來、不要沾不潔淨的物，要從其中出來。你們扛抬耶和華器皿的人哪！務要自潔。你們出來必不至急忙，也不至奔逃。因為耶和華必在你們前頭行，以色列的　神必作你們的後盾。（賽 52：11-12）

By Isaiah Kao

Leaving Babylon and Responding to God’s Everlasting Love  (Jeremiah 51)

August 17, 2026

“For Israel is not forsaken, nor Judah, by his God, the LORD of armies, Though their land is full of guilt against the Holy One of Israel.” (Jer. 51:5, NASB 2020)

This chapter contains the final prophecy of the prophet Jeremiah. Together with the precious chapter, chapter 50, it prophesies the downfall of the Babylonian Empire. According to the historical materials compiled by Bible scholars, the prophecies concerning the nations from chapter 46 through chapter 51 were given when Jeremiah had been taken to Egypt by Johanan. At that time, the kingdom of Judah had already fallen. The Babylonian Empire, which had destroyed Judah, was at the height of its power, much like the United States today. No one would have imagined that such a powerful empire would one day fall. Yet Jeremiah’s prophecy ends thischapter. The final chapter, chapter 52, is considered a later historical note.

Chapter 50 prophesied that “a nation will come up against her from the north” (see Jer. 50:3) and destroy the Babylonian Empire. The nation referred to in this prophecy did not become an empire until two or three decades after Jeremiah gave this prophecy, the Medo-Persian Empire. Who, then, could have believed that Babylon, “who dwells by many waters, rich in treasures” (see Jer. 51:13), would one day cease to be a nation?

What is especially moving in this chapter is the theme verse, Jeremiah 51:5. It says that although Israel and Judah were still living in rebellion, God had not forsaken them. When we read the Book of Jeremiah carefully, it is not difficult to see how evil these people had become. They not only completely refused to believe in God, but also refused to obey everything God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah. They even physically attacked God’s prophet and cast him into dark prisons where no sunlight could enter, and at times into pits filled with mud.The prophet often had to spend many days, even months, living in darkness where there was no sunlight. He had to endure the stench of his own bodily waste, the foul smell of the filthy surroundings, the choking lack of fresh air, and the darkness so complete that he could not see his own hand before his eyes. Yet perhaps most unbearable of all was the deep and seemingly endless sorrow in his heart for his fellow countrymen. For forty years as a prophet to the nations, Jeremiah often lived under such circumstances. Who could possibly endure all this without have a mental breakdown?

Yet throughout his journey, the prophet consistently drew the strength for his ministry from God’s love, because love “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Cor. 13:7, NASB 2020). The expression “endures all things” is especially meaningful. In the original language, it carries the sense of a military force holding its position and refusing to retreat until death, giving its life for the country. It conveys a determination that does not give up even to death—only death can bring that perseverance to an end.

This is what God’s love is like: people may forsake God, but God does not forsake people.

This chapter also tells us what those who truly recognize such great love from God should do: they must flee from everything associated with sin:

“Flee from the midst of Babylon, And each of you save his life! Do not be destroyed in her punishment, For this is the time of the LORD’s vengeance; He is going to repay her for her recompense.” (Jer. 51:6, NASB 2020)

Babylon represents the sinful world today. We must flee from it in order to save our lives. We must not become entangled in the sins of this world and perish together with it. For God will bring destruction upon Babylon, and everything associated with Babylon will eventually perish.

Do not continue to remain entangled with this world. If we still maintain an attachment to it, if we remain connected to it, eventually we will be destroyed by God  with the world and Babylon.

“Depart, depart, go out from there, Do not touch anything unclean; Go out from the midst of her, You who carry the vessels of the LORD. But you will not go out in haste, Nor will you go as fugitives; For the LORD will go before you, And the God of Israel will be your rear guard.” (Isa. 52:11–12, NASB 2020)

By Isaiah Kao