During World War I the remnant of the temple class had been badly treated, and this wicked attempt to destroy them furnished a valid reason for Jehovah to express in due time his vengeance against Babylon the Great and her paramours. Then he will carry out Jeremiah’s lengthy prophecy against Babylon to a completion. With dynamic faith that the further features of Jeremiah’s prophecy are certain to be fulfilled, that they are as good as carried out, the restored remnant take up the words of Jeremiah 51:10 and say: “Jehovah has brought forth deeds of righteousness for us. Come and do let us recount in Zion the work of Jehovah our God.”

17. For what work of repayment does Jehovah have his own timely agency in readiness?

¹⁷ As the Avenger, Jehovah has his own agency in hand and he announces his purpose to use it in these words of Jeremiah 51:24: “‘And I will pay back to Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their badness that they have committed in Zion before the eyes of you people,’ is the utterance of Jehovah.”

18. Because of all the reproach upon the divine name, from whose standpoint may the remnant utter a right desire respecting the violence and bloodshed of Babylon the Great?

¹⁸ Let us call to mind all the reproach that the Babylonish world system of religion has brought upon the name of the one living and true God, especially by persecuting dedicated persons who revere and bear his name. Then we can appreciate why it is Jehovah’s own purpose justly to wipe out that earthly agency that has been mainly used by his chief adversary, Satan the Devil. So those on earth who represent the heavenly Zion merely adopt Jehovah’s own viewpoint of matters and agree with his stated purpose when they say: “‘The violence done to me and to my organism be upon Babylon!’ the inhabitress of Zion will say, ‘And my blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea!’ Jerusalem will say.”​—Jer. 51:35.

19. How does the cruelty in such prayers as objected to by anyone compare with what Jehovah says, speaking for himself in Jeremiah 51:36, 37?

¹⁹ Let no objector who attaches cruelty to such prayers of Zion and Jerusalem imagine that Jehovah God would be unrighteous in answering them against Babylon the Great of today. He does not overlook the historical fact that she has resorted to violence against worshipers of Jehovah, even to shedding their innocent blood. Let him speak for himself in the words of Jeremiah 51:36, 37: “Therefore this is what Jehovah has said: ‘Here I am conducting your legal case, and I shall certainly execute vengeance for you. And I will dry up her sea [of commercial traffic], and I will make her wells dry. And Babylon must become piles of stones.’”

20. To what does the present state of things at the site of ancient Babylon testify as to Jehovah’s doing?

²⁰ Such a prophecy, as proclaimed in 614 B.C.E., or 75 years before Babylon was captured, seemed then impossible of realization. In 614 B.C.E. Babylon was rising to the zenith of its power and glory. But today, the place where ancient Babylon haughtily stood at the Euphrates River testifies to the fact that Jehovah did not err in prophecy. There are only a few of Babylon’s original stones left there. Jehovah’s assurance to his mistreated people proved true. He did take up their “legal case” in the court of the universe; he did execute divine vengeance for them. He justly saw to it that accounts were balanced.

21, 22. According to Psalm 137:8, 9, what happiness will the Greater Cyrus have in the near future?

²¹ In the near future happy will be the official service of the antitypical Cyrus, the glorified Jesus Christ, to see to it that accounts are settled with Babylon the Great of today. Worshipers of Jehovah who have suffered at her hands take the divine view of justice and so can join the inspired psalmist in saying:

²² “O daughter of Babylon, who are to be despoiled, happy will he be that rewards you with your own treatment with which you treated us. Happy will he be that grabs ahold and does dash to pieces your children against the crag.”​—Ps. 137:8, 9.

23. Will earthly agencies be used in the overthrow of Babylon the Great, and yet who takes the responsibility for it?

²³ In due time earthly human agencies will be given free rein to wreck Babylon the Great. (Rev. 17:15-18) But Jesus Christ will be happy to take the responsibility for blotting out that world empire of false religion. Bible prophecy credits him as the Greater Cyrus with the deserved overthrow of Babylon the Great. He, when on earth as a man, and also his footstep followers have suffered at her violent hands.​—Rev. 18:24.

The Calamity Facing All Religionists of the World

1. What is the religious population estimated to be, and what impact will the fall of that religious empire have upon nations?

THE religious population of the world is enormous. The 1980 World Almanac puts it as high as 2,511,417,750. It numbers among these those who claim to be Christians, Jews, Moslems, Buddhists, Hindus, and others. When that internally divided religious empire goes down, it will astonish the most of surviving mankind. The disconcerting impact of this is foretold in these words: “At the sound when Babylon has been seized, the earth will certainly be set rocking, and among the nations an outcry itself be heard.” “Listen! There is an outcry from Babylon, and a great crash from the land of the Chaldeans, for Jehovah is despoiling Babylon, and he will certainly destroy out of her the great voice, and their waves will actually be boisterous like many waters. The noise of their voice will certainly be given out. For there must come upon her, upon Babylon, the despoiler, and her mighty men will certainly be captured. Their bows must be shattered, for Jehovah is a God of recompenses. Without fail he will repay.”​—Jer. 50:46; 51:54-56.

2. (a) With what kind of “voice” did ancient Babylon speak toward the nations, but how was her “voice” drowned out? (b) What does Revelation picture her modern counterpart as riding, and what will it do to her?

² The fulfillment of this will be a world-changing event, the like of which was never heard of before. (Jer. 51:2, 60, 64) As the Third World Power of ancient history, Babylon spoke with the “great voice” of authority. But in 539 B.C.E. her “voice” was drowned out by the boisterous waves of conquering invaders. Her modern-day counterpart, Babylon the Great, has spoken with an even more domineering “voice.” The whole world has listened. The Bible book of Revelation, chapter 17, pictures her as wantonly perched on top of a seven-headed wild beast, this scarlet-colored beast symbolizing a world organization. Its seven heads picture the seven world powers in their succession down to the Anglo-American World Power of today. (Rev. 17:1-6) The beast’s 10 horns “mean ten kings.” (Rev. 17:12) The third of the seven heads pictured the Babylonian Empire and the fourth pictured the Medo-Persian Empire. Religious Babylon the Great has played the harlot with all seven world powers. She has tried to ride them all as their mistress. They have drunk the religious mixture contained in her golden cup. Tiring of her, they will finally hate her and dump her off their backs.

3. (a) What did Jehovah declare he would bring against the ancient prototype of Babylon the Great, and from where? (b) Why was it that the Medes were presented so outstandingly?

³ Adding to the argument in favor of our getting out of Babylon the Great promptly, Jehovah declares his purpose to bring up against her ancient prototype “a congregation of great nations from the land of the north” to attack it. Because the “congregation” was to be a combined military force under one command, it could be termed also a “nation . . . from the north.” (Jer. 50:3, 8, 9) The prophecy was correct in predicting that “the kings of the Medes” would be outstandingly among that “congregation” of nations. (Jer. 51:11) Persians were not mentioned as being among the congregation. This was not an accidental oversight, for Cyrus the Great, who assumed supreme command of the “congregation,” did have some Median blood in him. After he conquered the kingdom of the Medes, he incorporated mainly Median soldiers in his army. Cyrus came to power after Jeremiah’s day.

4. After Babylon’s fall, who first began reigning in that city, and how was Daniel correct as to who would come to the top in the Medo-Persian Empire?

⁴ At Babylon’s fall in 539 B.C.E., Darius the Mede who began to reign there was 62 years old. (Dan. 5:30, 31) With regard to the Medo-Persian Empire, Daniel 8:3 was correct in showing that the Persian part would come to the top afterward. It was Cyrus the Persian who decreed the return of exiled Jews to their homeland.​—Ezra 1:1-4.

5. (a) With what direction is Jehovah associated with reference to deeds of destruction? (b) Whom did he declare he would use as her club in dashing nations and kingdoms to pieces?

⁵ As in the case of Jerusalem’s destruction earlier in 607 B.C.E., destruction was to come upon Babylon from out of the “north.” (Ezek. 1:4; 9:2; Jer. 50:41; 51:48) As respects direction, Psalm 75:6, 7 apparently associates God with the north when saying: “Neither from the east nor from the west, nor from the south is there an exalting. For God is the judge. This one he abases, and that one he exalts.” By way of the northern route, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came in 609 B.C.E. against Jerusalem and her rebellious king, Zedekiah.