What is the meaning of Jeremiah 51:11?

Sharpen the arrows!

• A rallying cry to prepare for battle, underscoring urgency and precision.

• God Himself calls the invading forces to readiness (Jeremiah 50:14-15).

• Scripture often portrays sharpened weapons as instruments of divine judgment (Psalm 7:12-13).

• The command reminds believers that when God decrees judgment, the means are readied without delay (Isaiah 46:11).

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Fill the quivers!

• Quivers filled to capacity picture overwhelming strength—no shortage of arrows, no retreat (Jeremiah 50:29).

• Babylon had boasted of invincibility, yet God raises a foe fully supplied to shatter that pride (Isaiah 13:4-5).

• The detail affirms that the assault will be complete; God’s resources never run dry (Lamentations 3:22-23).

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The LORD has aroused the spirit of the kings of the Medes

• God stirs the Medo-Persian coalition, led by Cyrus, to fulfill His purpose (Isaiah 45:1-4; Ezra 1:1).

• Human rulers act, yet divine sovereignty directs their hearts (Proverbs 21:1).

• The prophecy, given decades before Babylon’s fall (Daniel 5:30-31), showcases God’s foreknowledge and control.

• For believers, history confirms that no empire stands beyond His reach (Acts 17:26).

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because His plan is aimed at Babylon to destroy her

• Babylon, once God’s instrument to discipline Judah (Jeremiah 25:8-11), now becomes the target of judgment.

• Divine justice is never arbitrary; it is purposeful and measured (Jeremiah 50:24).

• God’s plan unfolds exactly as spoken—Babylon falls in a single night (Daniel 5:30-31), foreshadowing ultimate judgment on the world system (Revelation 18:2).

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for it is the vengeance of the LORD—vengeance for His temple

• Babylon burned the temple, looted its vessels, and mocked the God of Israel (2 Chronicles 36:17-19; Daniel 5:1-4).

• Vengeance here is righteous recompense, not personal spite (Deuteronomy 32:35).

• God defends His holiness and keeps covenant promises to His people (Psalm 79:1-7).

• The fall of Babylon answers the cry of the faithful for justice (Revelation 6:10).

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summary

Jeremiah 51:11 declares that God Himself orders Babylon’s downfall. He arms and mobilizes the Medes, ensuring their quivers are full and their arrows sharp. The purpose is specific—Babylon must be destroyed for desecrating the Lord’s temple. The verse affirms God’s absolute sovereignty over nations, His faithfulness to avenge wrongs against His sanctuary, and His reliability in fulfilling every prophetic word.