Jeremiah — Chapter 51
Synopsis: Continuation of Babylon's doom. God will use Babylon's former victims as His executioners. The sea of Babylon will be dried up. 'Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed.' Jeremiah commands Seraiah to take the scroll to Babylon, read it aloud, and throw it into the Euphrates.
Verse 7
Babylon was a golden cup in the hand of the Lord, that made all the earth drunk: the nations have drunk of her wine, and therefore they have staggered. Babylon as God's golden cup of wrath passed to all nations — echo of Jer.25:15. Revelation 17:4 takes up this image for 'Mystery Babylon.' Lapide: the cup of Babylon = every system of spiritual corruption that intoxicates nations with false doctrine, luxury, and pride.
Verse 63
And when thou shalt have made an end of reading this book, thou shalt tie a stone to it, and throw it into the midst of the Euphrates. The prophetic book-throwing into the Euphrates = 'thus shall Babylon sink and shall rise no more.' Lapide: this action typifies all prophetic sign-acts — physical enactments of spiritual realities. Rev.18:21 echoes this when the angel throws a stone into the sea.