What does Babylon refer to in Jeremiah 51:7?
In Jeremiah 51:7, Babylon refers to the ancient Babylonian empire ruled by Nebuchadnezzar, his son, and his grandson, which covered the then-known, inhabited earth. It was a golden cup in the LORD’s hand, making the nations drunken and mentally affected. A broader present-day world-system Babylon is also distinguished, not identical to the ancient city.
Les explains that Jeremiah 51:7 is speaking first of ancient Babylon—the empire Nebuchadnezzar, his son, and grandson ruled—which covered the then-known, civilized, inhabited earth. Therefore “the whole earth” means the inhabited earth at that particular time. The nations drank Babylon’s wine and became mad, meaning mentally affected, not merely angry. Les also sees a long-term present-day world-system Babylon, but he does not believe the two are one and the same. He disagrees with theologians and Bible teachers who expect ancient Babylon to be rebuilt as the center of all this activity. He thinks Scripture meant what it said: once Babylon was destroyed, it would become only a habitation of wild beasts. He notes the leader of Iraq’s grandiose schemes to rebuild ancient Babylon south of Baghdad, but says the effort is not going and tourists are not going. He cannot envision the ancient city being rebuilt, though he allows he may be wrong.
Babylon hath been a golden cup in the LORD’s hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad.