How God’s Sovereignty Over Babylon Reveals the Purpose of Struggle and Redemption

Good morning, friends. I hope you’re feeling the love of Jesus today. Some days, it’s all I can find to keep going—but it’s always enough.

Today, we’re reading the final two chapters of Jeremiah, the longest book in the Bible: chapters 51 and 52. What I discovered here may answer one of the most enduring questions of faith: Why does evil exist?
Sovereignty Over Evil
There’s a story I’ve heard often—a college professor trying to disprove God by arguing that if He created everything, He must have created evil. But Jeremiah 51–52 offers a deeper truth.

Just as God permitted Babylon to rise, He did so with complete sovereignty. He knew their hearts and the idolatry that persisted. Jeremiah warns of Babylon’s inevitable fall (Jeremiah 51:4–9), echoed later in Revelation 18.

God could have stopped Satan the moment he rebelled. But He didn’t. Why? Through challenge, defeat, and restoration, we draw nearer to God. If we always had everything we wanted, we wouldn’t cherish anything.
The Maker of Mountains
We see this in our culture today—people who believe they should never struggle, yet expect the rewards of those who’ve endured. But God, in His wisdom, knew that through peaks and valleys, we would not only grow, but learn to love the Maker of the mountains even more.
The Folly of Idolatry
Instead of trusting God, we often turn to idols (Jeremiah 51:17). These false gods—whether literal or metaphorical—lead us into chastisement. This is part of God’s plan of salvation, which includes judgment.

Babylon could rise as an instrument of judgment (Jeremiah 51:20–23). I believe God allowed Satan dominion on earth for the same reason. This world is not our home—it’s our training ground. Evil, though painful, is the forge of spiritual development.
Babylon’s Fall and Satan’s Fate
Just as Babylon’s defenses crumble (Jeremiah 51:32), so too will Satan’s. Evil is having its day, but God will judge and punish it—just as He judged and punished Bel, Babylon’s god (Jeremiah 51:44).
Rumors and Reassurance
Jesus told us we’d hear of wars and disasters. Jeremiah 51:46 reminds us not to fear those rumors. God has always had a plan to restore us.

God set that plan before time began, and Jesus fulfilled it when he died on the cross. But it’s only realized when we wrestle with good and evil enough to recognize our need for a Savior.
Groaning and Grace
Jeremiah 51:52 says the wounded will groan throughout the land. But the groaning is not the end—it’s the turning point. It’s the moment we realize we need God.

We don’t have to wait until we’re broken. God gave us free will so that at any moment, we can choose righteousness. We can repent, trust in Him, and let go of temptation. That’s where true satisfaction begins.
Final Invitation
Have you come to that place yet? Where does the groaning stop and grace begin? Don’t wait. Today is the day.

Tomorrow, we will read Lamentations 1-3.