Reading for November 18th

Againist Babylon Chs. 50-51: These poems form a suitable conclusion to the book. In them the punisher is punished, the destroyer is destroyed, and the inflictor of pain receives pain. Although erlier parts of the book interpreted Bbbylon as an agent of God to punish Judah, these poems see Babylon as the aggressor who oppressed Israel. They portray God as a warrior who sets right the world's injustices and restores the victim's well-being. The exiles recieve a vision of a future in which they will be released from their captivity, but these is not yet energy for wild hope and dancing (chs. 30-33). Read Jeremiah 50.1-20 God's declaration of celebration opens the poem. The phrases expresses deep feeling in a few words. Babylon is taken and her gods are shamed. The agent of destruction is the mythic foe from north. In verses 4-10: The fate of Babylon is connected to the fate of Israel, for the coming attack on Babylon will signal the return of Israel and Judah. They will come weeping to seal the covenant with God. In verses 11-16: The plunderers will be destroyed; God commands the army to take position. According to this poetry, the victory is already won, so the celebration may begin. In verses 17-20: God reinterprets Israel's history as a series of attacks upon lost sheep. They are helpless, even if sinners, and they will be pardoned. Comments or Questions..