"Peace and the Iraqi War!"

Peace and the Iraqi War!
Text: Jer. 50:21-46 & Selected

Cross Creek Community Church
Pastor Dave Martin – March 23, 2003


Introduction – current events

Modern day Iraq is the cradle of civilization – Adam & Eve. Gen 2:10-14 speaks of the Garden of Eden and four rivers that flowed from it. Two rivers are not know with certainty but the other two flow through the heart of Iraq – the great Euphrates and the Tigris Rivers. We also should take note of the ancient tower of Babel was built here in which God came down and confused the people (the institution of various languages in Genesis 11). The foundation and outline of this ancient tower has even been found through archeological digs! In fact Saddam Hussein even claims to be the reincarnated Nebuchadnezzar! He has been building various structures in Baghdad using bricks with Nebuchadnezzar personal stamp upon them! Babylon was so magnificent at one time with its size, grandeur to the world situated behind secure huge walls some 14 miles long and 136 feet thick! The city boasted of hanging gardens was one of the Seven Wonders of the World!

Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem in 605 BC carrying off its wealth, desecrated God’s temple and took captives back to Babylon (Dan 1). This prophetic passage in Jeremiah 50-51 speaks of judgment day finally arriving for Babylon when God used Cyrus of the Medes/Persians to judge Babylon in 539 BC. Could God be using Pres. Bush today? Charles Ryrie states in the Ryrie Study Bible, “since inhabitants were left in the city in 539 BC, this prophecy may also have a fulfillment just before the second coming of Christ”. (Rev 17-18)

In reading this passage we see a parallel prophetic picture blending the near (539 BC) with the far (end times) in what is transpiring today in the Middle East, allowing this passage to be used for the time just before the return of Christ.

* Slide 4 of map showing the ancient Babylonian Empire and modern Iraq. (explain the map)

Remember this passage concerns the destruction by Cyrus and also a future time of destruction…

Here’s a few thoughts from Jeremiah 50:21-46:

Jeremiah 50:21-25 "Attack the land of Merathaim and those who live in Pekod. Pursue, kill and completely destroy them," declares the LORD. "Do everything I have commanded you. 22The noise of battle is in the land, the noise of great destruction! 23How broken and shattered is the hammer of the whole earth! How desolate is Babylon among the nations! 24I set a trap for you, O Babylon, and you were caught before you knew it; you were found and captured because you opposed the LORD. 25The LORD has opened his arsenal
and brought out the weapons of his wrath, for the Sovereign LORD Almighty has work to do in the land of the Babylonians.

V21 - “Merathaim” – Double rebellion (1991 & present and/or Nebuchadnezzar/Cyrus time and present)
“Pekod” – to punish “pursue, kill, and completely destroy”
* Slide 6 picture – War with Iraq

V22 - “noise of battle & great destruction” – troops & weaponry
V23 - “hammer the whole earth” – Iraq exporting terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, evil transporter
“desolate among nations” – no one stands with Iraq – nations afraid of her
V25 - “opened arsenals…weapons of His wrath” – Smart/Cruise bombs, E-bombs, MOAB (Mother of all Bombs), modern weaponry
* Slide 8 picture - Presidential