In Jeremiah 51, Israel, the “rod” of God’s inheritance, is described as his “battle axe and weapons of war” (ref. Jeremiah 51:19-20). And with Israel, the prophecy continues, God will “break” in pieces “the nations” (ref. Jeremiah 51:20), and also “captains and rulers” (ref. Jeremiah 51:23), and also “the old and the young” (ref. Jeremiah 51:22), and even “the shepherd and his flock” (ref. Jeremiah 51:23).
This part of Jeremiah 51 is deliberately provocative, intriguingly cryptic and purposefully hidden among prophecies that pertain to the coming judgement of Babylon.
Every man is brutish by his knowledge; every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them. They are vanity, the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish. The portion of Jacob is not like them; for he is the former of all things: and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: the LORD of hosts is his name. Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee I will break in pieces the nations, and with thee I will destroy kingdoms; And with thee will I break in pieces the horse and his rider; and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and his rider; With thee also will I break in pieces man and woman; and with thee will I break in pieces old and young; and with thee will I break in pieces the young and the maid; I will also break in pieces with thee the shepherd and his flock; and with thee will I break in pieces the husbandman and his yoke of oxen; and with thee will I break in pieces captains and rulers. And I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight, saith the LORD.
Jeremiah 51:17-24
First of all, the word rod brings to mind a “rod of correction” (ref. Proverbs 22:15, 23:13) and also a “rod of iron” (ref. Revelation 2:27, Psalms 2:9). So, when God says he will break the nations with this rod described here as “Israel”, it means, he will recover the world through war and bloodshed – a world that has been led astray by Satan and soon will go further astray because of the False Prophet of Babylon.
And they shall not take of thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone for foundations; but thou shalt be desolate for ever, saith the LORD.
Jeremiah 51:26
Now, Jeremiah 51:27 onwards is about the day and hour of Babylon’s judgement, a vengeance from the LORD of hosts for what Babylon will do to Zion at the time of the False Prophet and the Antichrist. The LORD of hosts will move several powerful nations, armed with the weapons of his indignation (nuclear weapons), “to make the land of Babylon a desolation without an inhabitant” (Jeremiah 51:29).
The violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon, shall the inhabitant of Zion say; and my blood upon the inhabitants of Chaldea shall Jerusalem say. Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will plead thy cause, and take vengeance for thee…
Jeremiah 51:35-36
It is God who will avenge Zion because the state of Israel will be in no position to do so.
This begs the question: If the state of Israel is not strong enough to retaliate and destroy Babylon, since Israel today is not a superpower that can rival Babylon, why does Jeremiah 51:19-23 read that Israel will be God’s battle axe and weapons of war, with which God will break in pieces the nations of the world?
Yes, it is Bible prophecy that Israel will fight for the LORD of hosts against the likes of Egypt (ref. Isaiah 19:16-17) and Edom (ref. Ezekiel 25:12-14) and of course Gaza (ref. Zephaniah 2:4-5, Ezekiel 25:15-17). In the last days, Israel will even use nuclear weapons (ref. Zephaniah 2:9, Jeremiah 49:13). But these are only a few nations as opposed to the whole world.
So, for Jeremiah 51:19-23 to make sense, it must be read to mean another Israel, an allusion to the kingdom of God. This other nation, which will begin on the day of Christ, will have an army which the Bible describes as “the saints” (ref. Jude 1:14-15).
To this point, in Isaiah 49:3, a particular saint, which I now think is me, is surprisingly described as “Israel”.
And he said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.
Isaiah 49:3
Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth [the soul whom evil despises], to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.
Isaiah 49:7
Regarding Isaiah 49:1-10, if you read the very complex sentence of Isaiah 49:7 as God or Jesus Christ (the Redeemer of Israel) speaking to himself, as in the Trinity, then you must also read Isaiah 49:1-3 as God describing himself as “Israel”, which is dubious, for the name “Israel” means one who wrestles with God or something like that (ref. Genesis 32:24-30). Jesus Christ has always been one with the Father, even when he was the Son of man. Indeed, the Son of man was “the Holy One of Israel”. This idea of Jesus Christ as “Israel” has also been taken up by those who advocate what is known as Replacement Theology, which is obviously wrong.
Another thing is, this servant of God, a saint, reflects that he has “laboured in vain” and spent his strength for nought (ref. Isaiah 49:4). But the Son of man Jesus Christ, described in Isaiah 53 as God’s “righteous servant”, was “satisfied” with “the travail” of his soul (ref. Isaiah 53:11). Furthermore, the Son of man being the Holy One of Israel would know whether he laboured in vain or not during his time here on earth, whereas a mere saint not yet properly holy and thus a kind of “Israel” might not know.
Finally, notice that this saint was given a specific name, when he was in the womb of his mother.
Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention my name.
Isaiah 49:1
The Bible explains that all of the saints have been named by God in a certain and meaningful way (ref. Isaiah 40:25-31), and all were called from the womb.
Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel [the chosen ones of Israel as opposed to the Holy One of Israel Jesus Christ], which are borne by me [God or Jesus Christ speaking] from the belly, which are carried from the womb… To whom will ye liken me [God or Jesus Christ speaking], and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?
Isaiah 46:3-5
To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One. Lift up your eyes, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host [the army of the saints] by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth… they shall mount up with wings as eagles…
Isaiah 40:25-31
Now, returning to the rod. The words of Jeremiah 51:19 occur again in Jeremiah 10:16. While the Hebrew there is slightly different, the English of the KJV is exactly the same.
The portion of Jacob is not like them: for he is the former of all things; and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: The LORD of hosts is his name.
Jeremiah 10:16
And then in Psalms 74:2, there is the expression “the rod of thine inheritance”. However, here, instead of “Israel”, there is “congregation”, and furthermore, the words “purchased” and “thou hast redeemed”. While Psalms is Old Testament, and so the congregation in question is not Christian, I still read the inspired sentence of Psalms 74:2 as being deliberately coded to bring to mind the church. This is because at the time of the psalm, neither Israel nor the church had been redeemed. Jews will be redeemed on forthcoming the day of the LORD (ref. Luke 21:28); and Christians were redeemed by the blood of Christ some two thousand years ago (ref. Revelation 5:9) shortly before the New Testament. Since the words of Psalms 74:2 cannot be factually incorrect because all scripture is by inspiration of the Holy Ghost, it must therefore be saying something cryptic – perhaps something that was to be hidden until the appropriate time.
Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt.
Psalms 74:2
Putting all of that together, I conclude, the rod, as in the saints, will comprise of both Jews and Christians.
He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even [17th century English “even”] of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the LORD.
Psalms 148:14
Further to the idea that there will be Christians among the saints, Revelation 2:27-29, which speaks of the morning star and the rod of iron, is something that the Spirit of God says “unto the churches”.
Now, in Isaiah 49:2, the aforementioned particular saint is described as a “sharp sword”, a reference to the Word of God, a twoedged sword which every saint will wield. The same person is also described as a “shaft” in the sense of an arrow and also a rod, and more to it, a weapon thus far hidden in the “quiver” of God – that is to say, a secret to be revealed at an appropriate time.
And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me;
Isaiah 49:2
Accordingly, this saint, like all saints, will serve as a weapon of God.
Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts [plural, two armies]. Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise ye him, all ye stars of light [either angels or saints]… Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth [saints]…
Psalms 148:2-11
It is this hitherto hidden doctrine of the saints that explains the cryptic prophecy that Israel shall be God’s battle axe and weapons of war. Weapons through which God will break the nations that refuse to repent, and thus recover the world.
For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.
Hebrews 2:5
Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? … Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more the things that pertain to this life?
1 Corinthians 6:2-3
For thy Maker is thine husband [the saints as the bride of Christ]; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called [the entire world will be recovered].
Isaiah 54:5
Now, to the point that Israel shall even break in pieces “the shepherd and his flock” (ref. Jeremiah 51:23).
This means, there will come a time when the saints will hunt down and silence heretics and false Christians who secretly serve the Devil.
This brings me to the parable of the jack rabbit and the box turtle from the satirical movie “The Hunt” (2020), which I once said I would explain further at some point.
The story goes:
The jack rabbit brags all the time. He says nobody is faster than him. Anyway it is true, because every time he races, the jack rabbit always wins. The whole forest has to put up with this, day in, day out. He always wants to race just to rub it in some more. So the box turtle figures, why not. I will give it a try. The jack rabbit laughs. He says, ok, this will be fun. Let’s go. Bam! the jack rabbit leaves the box turtle in his dust. He is way out in front. Of course he is, because the jack rabbit always wins. But he wants to put on a show and make it seem close, so he stops and he takes a nap. He sleeps longer than he wanted to. By the time he wakes up, he knows he has lost. The jack rabbit goes full tilt. But it is too late. The box turtle crosses the finish line first. And the crowd goes wild. Later that night, the box turtle is having dinner with the family. He is telling his little box turtles how he did it: never give up; just keep crawling forwards, and you can overcome just about anything. Then the door smashes in. It’s the jack rabbit. And he has a hammer! He smashes up the wife and kids first, so the box turtle has to watch them die. And then, it is his turn. Once the whole family is broken into little pieces, he sits down and eats their dinner. Every. Last. Bite. Because the jack rabbit always wins.
So, here’s the meaning. Both the jack rabbit and the box turtle consider themselves Christian because both are running the proverbial race for the incorruptible crown (ref. 1 Corinthians 9:24-25), or so they say. During the day, to the cheers of the crowd, the box turtle crosses the finish line before the jack rabbit. Fair enough, because the day is a time of “strong delusion” and “doctrines of devils”. But then, later that night, evoking the time of the end, a time of judgement when the saints are given power over the world, the jack rabbit finds the box turtle, and proceeds to break him and his family into pieces. And then he even sits down and eats their dinner, every last bite – as in the expression eat one’s lunch.
Though the parable is deliberately shocking, it does speak to the prophecy of Jeremiah 51:23.
I will also break in pieces with thee the shepherd and his flock…
Jeremiah 51:23
With thee also will I break in pieces man and woman; and with thee will I break in pieces old and young…
Jeremiah 51:22
The point is, no one gets to profit from evil: no one gets to enjoy the fruits of that kind of labour.
Of course, judgement will begin only after the day of Christ when the saints are born again and given both supernatural insight and power.
Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
1 Corinthians 4:5
Next, notice that the saints will even take on and break in pieces “captains and rulers” (ref. Jeremiah 51:23).
As a soldier, being invisible when necessary, and having the ability to pass through walls, a saint can be thought of as a “ghost”, an expression that has been misappropriated by many a covert organisation.
In the movie Mile 22 (2018), the antagonist named Li Noor – Noor being Arabic for “light” – is asked “Are you an agent of the Israeli government?” While a strange question as far as the plot goes, it caught my attention because Mile 22 (2018) is trying to say something about the coming phenomenon of the saints.
The fact of the matter is, all saints are soldiers that serve the kingdom of God, a nation that shall be born on the day of the LORD.
Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.
Isaiah 66:8
More to it, the saints are servants of Jesus Christ, the King (ref. “King of saints”, Revelation 15:3) of the kingdom of God.
Indeed, the Israel Defence Force and Mossad and all that will be no more once the Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ begins. In their stead will be angels and saints.
The Bible prophesies that the humans living in the kingdom of God no longer need to shed blood in anger.
The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.
Isaiah 65:25
A saint, like an angel, can easily break in pieces a military aircraft, a missile, or even a tank.
And with thee will I break in pieces the horse and his rider; and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and his rider.
Jeremiah 51:21
The strength or power of a saint is that of God himself (ref. Isaiah 49:5, Revelation 2:28).
… yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength.
Isaiah 49:5
And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. And I will give him the morning star.
Revelation 2:27-28
In Dark Phoenix (2019), which brings to mind the morning star, there is the following line, “You feel like you don’t belong here. You don’t. They can’t begin to comprehend what you are.”
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God…
1 Peter 2:9-10
Dark Phoenix (2019) also has the thought provoking soundbite “She’ll kill us all”.
The moral is, evil cannot possibly win. This holy war will surely result in the end of evil.
And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
Revelation 22:12-13
Behold, the Lord GOD will come with a strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.
Isaiah 40:10
The kingdom of God will inevitably mean a world without wickedness. This is the good news. And when victory is achieved, glory be to God!
And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people…
Isaiah 2:3-4
… Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.
Revelation 15:3-4
Satan himself will be arrested by an angel of God (ref. Revelation 20:1-3).
And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
Revelation 20:1-2
And the angels that chose to side with Satan will be hunted down by the saints of Jesus Christ.
But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation. Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish [killed by the saints or by the fires of God] from the earth, and from under the heavens.
Jeremiah 10:10-11
The humans who serve Satan must also die.
Though the world is large, there will be “ten thousands” of saints (ref. Jude 1:14). This army will be like nothing the world has ever known.
God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him. O LORD God of hosts, who is a strong LORD like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee?
Psalms 89:7-8
In the poem Tyger, by the English mystic William Blake, whose years of birth 1757 and death 1827 now astonish me, and who correctly foretold Jerusalem 1917, there is a foretelling of the triumph of the saints – what amounts to God’s glorious victory over evil.
Was it ever going to end any other way?
“Tyger Tyger, burning bright,
In the forests of the night;
What immortal hand or eye,
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
In what distant deeps or skies.
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand, dare seize the fire?
And what shoulder, and what art,
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat.
What dread hand? and what dread feet?
What the hammer? what the chain,
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp.
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?
When the stars threw down their spears
And water’d heaven with their tears:
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?
Tyger Tyger burning bright,
In the forests of the night:
What immortal hand or eye,
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?”