Jeremiah 25:12-16: a reflection

12“It will happen, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation,” says the LORD, “for their iniquity. I will make the land of the Chaldeans desolate forever. 13I will bring on that land all my words which I have pronounced against it, even all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah has prophesied against all the nations. 14For many nations and great kings will make bondservants of them, even of them. I will recompense them according to their deeds, and according to the work of their hands.” 15For the LORD, the God of Israel, says to me: “Take this cup of the wine of wrath from my hand, and cause all the nations to whom I send you to drink it. 16They will drink, and reel back and forth, and be insane, because of the sword that I will send among them.”

God announces that after seventy years he will punish Babylon, the very nation he had used to judge his own people. Babylon had been the instrument of God's judgment; yet Babylon too would be judged for its iniquity. God's justice would reach even the great nation he had used, even the instrument of his own purposes; no power, however great, no nation, however dominant, was beyond his justice. The one who had judged others would itself be judged; God's justice was impartial, reaching even the strong instrument he had used.

Notice that God's justice reached even Babylon, the instrument he had used. Babylon had been mighty, dominant, the very tool of God's judgment on others; one might have thought it beyond reckoning. But God would judge Babylon too, for its own iniquity; being used by God did not exempt it from justice, nor did its greatness put it beyond his reach. God's justice was impartial, falling on the great nation as surely as on the small, reaching even the strong and even the instrument he had employed. No one was above his justice.

That impartial justice of God is worth taking to heart, for it means no one, however great or strong, is beyond God's reckoning. We can imagine that the great and strong of the earth, those who dominate and seem beyond accountability, will never answer for their deeds; but God's justice reached even Babylon, the dominant nation and the instrument he had used. No power, however great, is beyond God's justice; the great and dominant will answer to him as surely as the small. Do not imagine that the strong who seem beyond accountability escape God's justice; his justice is impartial, reaching even the great nations, even the instruments he uses, as it reached Babylon. Trust that God's justice reaches all, the great and dominant as well as the small, and that no one, however strong, is finally beyond his reckoning, as God announced judgment even on Babylon, which had been the instrument of his judgment on others.

Lord, you announce that after seventy years you will punish Babylon, the very nation you had used to judge your own people. Babylon had been the instrument of your judgment; yet Babylon too would be judged for its iniquity. Your justice would reach even the great nation you had used; no power, however great, was beyond your justice. The one who had judged others would itself be judged; your justice was impartial. Show me that your justice reached even Babylon, the instrument you had used. Babylon had been dominant, the very tool of your judgment; one might have thought it beyond reckoning. But you would judge Babylon too, for its own iniquity; being used by you did not exempt it, nor did its greatness put it beyond your reach. Your justice was impartial, falling on the great nation as surely as on the small. No one was above your justice. Take that impartial justice to my heart, for it means no one, however great, is beyond your reckoning. I can imagine that the great and dominant of the earth, those who seem beyond accountability, will never answer for their deeds; but your justice reached even Babylon. No power, however great, is beyond your justice. Keep me from imagining that the dominant who seem beyond accountability escape your justice; your justice is impartial, reaching even the great nations, Lord. Help me trust that your justice reaches all, and that no one, however strong, is finally beyond your reckoning.