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Drunk from Babylon
Jeremiah 51:7 “Babylon was a golden cup in YHWH’s hand, That made all the earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; Therefore the nations are deranged.“
In a previous post from Proverbs 23 we looked at the meaning of a drunkard, and just some of the many many bible verses on drinking (click here for more). But just like in the case with Harlots (click here for more on a post from Hosea 1 explaining this topic), where harlots and prostitution symbolizes false god worship, so drunkenness symbolizes becoming intoxicated with another “spirit”. It is ironic that some alcohol is even called “Spirits”. Getting drunk happens slowly in the beginning, where a person becomes more and more relaxed, then not caring anymore, and becoming morally loose. Without even realizing, it won’t take long for another “person” to appear. They might do and say things they would never do under normal circumstances, and depending on the alcohol level, won’t even remember anything.
YHWH used the Babylon empire as an instrument of judgement, but at the same time this tragedy that hit them, was a test of their “true spirit” or intentions. It doesn’t take long, for people to run to the other side of the fence, the one with the influence, wealth and power. And the cup that was to discipline them, became the cup they got drunk on. This cup, is repeated in Jeremiah, and also in the book of Revelation.
Jeremiah 51:57 “I will make their officials and wise men drunk, along with their governors, officers, and soldiers. They will fall into a deep sleep and never wake up, declare the King, whose name is YHWH Tsebaoth”. Even in a previous chapter, those who think they can escape judgement, will drink the cup – much like the proverb, “you will sleep in the bed you made for yourself”. Jeremiah 49:12, “For thus says the Lord: “Behold, those whose judgment was not to drink of the cup have assuredly drunk. And are you the one who will altogether go unpunished? You shall not go unpunished, but you shall surely drink of it.“
In Revelation we also read about the Spiritual Babylon, Revelation 14:9-10, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation.” Revelation 16:19, “And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath.” Revelation 17:4, “The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication” Revelation 18:6, “Render to her just as she rendered to you, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her“
Even though it is okay to drink alcohol, one must remember that alcohol is deeply embedded in the cults. From Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Chronicles, and especially a few times in Jeremiah, we read how the people bring “wine offerings” to the queen of heaven, or other deities. To come in contact with evil spirits, alcohol has to be consumed, so you can relax and let go of yourself. It causes a person not being able to be sober and practice sound judgement.
Euphrates River
Jeremiah 51:60-64 We read that Jeremiah wrote on a scroll all the disasters that would happen to Babylon.. read it to them, when finish reading this scroll, tie a stone to it and throw it into the middle of the Euphrates River.. Babylon will sink like this scroll. It will never rise again because of the disasters that I will bring on it.
The Hebrew word for Euphrates is Parat H6578 – pᵊrāṯ, meaning fruitfulness. This river is mentioned both in the first and last book of Scriptue, Genesis to Revelation, and mentioned over 50 times. It is the fourth river in Eden, and is still today a critical freshwater source for irrigation, drinking and hydroelectric power for millions of people in the Middle East. Ancient Babylon was strategically located on the Euphrates River, with the river flowing through or near the city, which was crucial for its trade, travel, and irrigation.
There are much speculation today about what is going on in parts of the Euphrates, as it is in the process of drying up. In Revelation 16:2 we read about the sixth angel pouring a bowl onto the Euphrates, making it dry up to prepare the river bed as a highway for the kings from the east. Earlier in Revelation 9:14 we read about angels that are bound at the river.
Jerusalem's Fall
Jeremiah 52:13-14 “He burned the house of YHWH and the king’s house; all the houses of Jerusalem, that is, all the houses of the great, he burned with fire. And all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard broke down all the walls of Jerusalem all around.”
Back in Joshua 15 we read about the Jebusites, and we posted on the meaning of “Jerusalem”, click here to read more. From the Biblical history, we read that about 2000 years before Yeshua, Abraham took his son Isaac to the mountain in the land of Moriah, which is where Jerusalem is. Jerusalem is the city on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. Then again in 1000BC we read about the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem, and how David finally captured it and it became the City of David. Jerusalem was attacked many times after this, by Egypt, the Philistines, Arabs and even Ethiopians. But the biggest sieges were from Assyria and then Babylon. When Persia came into rule, Jerusalem was allowed to be rebuild by Zerubbabel, Ezra and Nehemiah. Then when the Romans came, they did destroy the city and the Temple again, only to restore it under King Herod, who was both a Jew and Roman citizen.
Yeshua gave many warnings and prophecies of the Temple being destroyed again, and great tribulation coming. This didn’t take long, as in 70AD, a great Jewish and Roman war broke out, burning down Jerusalem. This fall of Jerusalem caused a mass displacement of the Israel population. Soon after this, is what is know today as the “dark ages”, or perhaps dark because much of it is hidden, which lasted about a thousand years.
Isaiah and Ezekiel prophesied about a new Jerusalem. Revelation 20 and 21 especially describes the New Jerusalem, a gold city with it’s gates of pearls, and walls and foundations of jewels.
