Jeremiah 51:44-46. God says he will punish Bel in Babylon "and take out of his mouth what he has swallowed." The nations will no longer flow to Bel, the wall of Babylon has fallen. God exhorts his people to leave Babylon - "Go out of the midst of her, my people! Let every man save his life from the fierce anger of the Lord!" Do not be afraid when you hear reports of bad things and violence in the land - one report will come one year and another the next - "violence is in the land and ruler is against ruler."

First, God will always eventually punish our false gods - our Bels - and save his people from them. How hopeful it is that he can even take out of their mouths what they have swallowed! It is never too late - God will always come for us even after we have allowed ourselves to be swallowed by our sin and are suffering in its belly. This reminds me of Saint Paul telling us that he is convinced that nothing can separate us from God's love.

Then, God tells his people to leave Babylon - to get out - every man for himself. This sounds selfish, shouldn't we stay and try to help others get out? But no, sometimes we have to get ourselves to safety first. Often we are in danger, just as much as those we want to save. And God knows when only he can save the ones in danger. Sometimes we are all so far gone, so much a part of Babylon, we don't have it in us to help others, we just have to get ourselves out of Babylon. We will just make others' situations more difficult if we interfere, we will get in God's way. And remember that he himself is going to pull out of the depths even those who have been swallowed. So if we are in a position to see what's going on in the very bad times, we should just get ourselves out and give God one less person to have to drag up from the depths! This is a combination of reading the signs of the times (as we discussed yesterday, and as Jesus told us to do) and wisdom. We must be alert to what's going on, even what is being hidden from us - there are always signs. But we must also realize that not everything is up to us, God will act to save his people who do not see the signs, we must work with him and not take that responsibility onto ourselves (that is pride!).

Lastly, God tells us not to listen to the media too much! Haha! There will be one report of violence, terror, and fear one day and then another the next. That is the way the media works, even in Biblical times, apparently! They instill fear and panic and then move on to the next thing. It is not that bad things don't happen, they do, but bad things are always with us. The "reports" often just get us riled up and unable to act wisely. They stay with us, kind of like idols, even after the media has moved on to the next report of violence, fear, and terror.

So trust God and know that if he is telling you to get out of Babylon, he is leading you to a good place. Do not listen to the "reports" that make you fear that place - those are from the devil. Remember that he is trying to keep you from the place God wants you to go!