STUDY 44 22nd Sunday in Trinity October 31, 2021

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STUDY 44 22nd Sunday in Trinity October 31, 2021

STUDY 44 22nd Sunday in Trinity October 31, 2021

THEME: COVENANT WITH THE LIVING GOD

SUB-THEME 7: The Lord God of all nations (4)

TOPIC: His Preference for Babylon

TEXT: Jer. 27: 1-22

AIMS: i. to expose what ancient Babylon symbolizes and

ii. to explain further the choice of Babylon by God.

INTRODUCTION: Biblical writers often portrayed the ancient capital, Babylon of the Babylonian people as the model of paganism and idolatry (Jer. 51: 44; Dan. 4: 30). The sovereign Lord being in control of all nations and who has authority over nations, based on His role as the Creator of all by His timing preferred Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon as His servant by subjecting other nations for punishment under his rule (Jer. 22: 5-8). The question now is: why did the books of Isaiah and Jeremiah predict the downfall of Babylon as God’s punishment for them? (Isa. 14: 22; 43: 14; Jer. 51: 9).

STUDY GUIDE:

1. Explain your understanding of Babylon being God’s preference over other nations.

2. Identify from the text, (Jer. 27: 2-22), Babylon as God’s preference over other nations, including the period of succession and the consequence of Babylon not submitting herself to God

3. It is said that absolute power corrupts, how was that true of the kings of Babylon and God’s demonstration of His supremacy subsequently? Dan. 3: 1-2, 4-6, 16-18, 21-26; 5: 1-5, 25- 31

4. What can we learn from the rise and fall of Babylon and its end? Isa. 47: 5-9; Jer 50: 8- 16; Rev. 18: 1-2

CONCLUSION: Babylon was chosen by God as His tool to punish Judah and the surrounding nations. She later experienced God’s judgment because she was found guilty of pride, self-sufficiency, and self-glorification. She became a symbol of self-indulgence, luxury, and wealth, seducing people into complacency. She was therefore rejected by God.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: The strength and weakness, rise and fall of any nation can only be determined by the Almighty God.

MEMORY VERSE- Jer. 27: 6 “And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him”.