My battle axe; or, my mace . The mace (for a picture of which, see Rawlinson, 'Ancient Monarchies,' 1.459) was a weapon constantly employed by the Assyrians and presumably by the Babylonian kings. The battle axe was much less frequently used. But who is addressed by this terrible title? The commentators are divided, some inclining to Babylon, read more
God's battle axe. I. GOD SOMETIMES WORKS DESTRUCTION . He does not. delight in destruction. It is not his chief work. But he has performed it and he may again. When a thing is absolutely evil it is best that it should cease to be. For the prevention of further evil it must be destroyed. The Creator then becomes the destroyer. II. GOD USES HUMAN INSTRUMENTS . He might have sent death, as he created life, with a word. But he chose to use a weapon, "a battle axe," i.e. a... read more
The Church God's battle axe. God ever employs instruments to accomplish his purposes. He is a God that "hideth" himself. Hence many see nothing but instruments, and forget, or deny, the hand that uses them. "That does not seem much of a sword;" said one, as he looked upon the treasured weapon of a great national hero and valiant soldier. Ah, but you do not see the hand that wielded it, was the just reply. So as we look on the agencies God employs, how feeble they seem to be! But think of... read more
Israel is now to be Jehovah's hammer, striking down everything, even the Chaldean colossus. But though Babylon may be as great and as destructive as a volcanic mountain, it shall soon be quite burnt out. read more
A transcript of Jeremiah 10:12-16. read more
Or, Thou art my maul, weapons of war etc. The maul or mace Proverbs 25:18 only differs from the hammer Jeremiah 50:23 in being used for warlike purposes.Omit the “will” in “will I break.” The crushing of the nations was going on at the time when the prophet wrote. Most commentators consider that Babylon was the mace of God. read more
Jeremiah 51:13-19. O thou that dwellest upon many waters The river Euphrates ran through the midst of Babylon, and there was a prodigious lake of water on one side of the city, besides other lesser waters near it, so that it was in a manner encompassed with waters. Many waters do likewise signify mystically the many people over which this was the reigning city: see Revelation 17:15. Abundant in treasures Not only enriched by traffic, but by the conquest and spoil of many nations. Thine... read more
Jeremiah 51:20-24. Thou art my battle-axe, &c. Cyrus, or rather the army of the Medes and Persians, seems to be intended here; compare Jeremiah 51:11-12; as elsewhere the instrument of God’s vengeance is called a sword, a rod, a scourge. This army, with Cyrus, their general, God here says he will make use of for destroying the whole power of the Babylonish empire, and all orders and degrees of men in it, as he had formerly made that empire the executioner of his judgments upon... read more
The overthrow of Babylon (51:1-33)When a farmer, after reaping his harvest, winnows the wheat, he throws it into the air so that as the wind blows away the chaff, he can gather the grain for himself. Similarly, when God ‘winnows’ Babylon he will make a separation between the Babylonians and his own people. He will ‘blow away’ the former in judgment, but will preserve the latter for himself (51:1-5).God had used Babylon to punish other nations, but now Babylon itself will suffer God’s wrath. It... read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 51:19
The Portion of Jacob contrasted with the confidences of Babylon. I. THE NAME BY WHICH JEHOVAH IS HERE INDICATED . The Portion of Jacob. So the psalmist says, "My flesh and my heart faileth … but God is my Portion forever" ( Psalms 73:26 ; see also Psalms 16:5 ). Men had their appointed portions, and no doubt they varied in value. But few were those who could rise above mere external things and look on the invisible God as their real Portion. And yet these were the only... read more