Verses 7-9 “Babylon hath been a golden cup in the LORD's hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad. Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: howl for her; take balm for her pain, if so she may be healed. We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country: for her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies.”
As in Revelation, Babylon is represented as having a golden cup in her hand and being drunk on the blood of the saints, so she is depicted here. Just as she is said to fall in that book, so she is said to fall and be destroyed here. And just as people howl for her destruction there, so they are told to howl here, for there is no healing for her after this. It is the end of her. Those who have an ear to hear are again told to leave her and go to their own country, for her judgment will rise to the skies.
Verse 10 “The LORD hath brought forth our righteousness: come, and let us declare in Zion the work of the LORD our God.”
The Lord is now going to bring forth Israel's righteousness. Now finally all Israel will be saved. Many of Israel will die during this time, but those who come through all this will be saved. They will go to Zion and declare how the Lord has saved them. Again, we see that it is Zion where they are to run.
Verse 11 “Make bright the arrows; gather the shields: the LORD hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: for his device is against Babylon, to destroy it; because it is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance of his temple.”
God now tells the destroyers to get their weapons together and in order for He has put it in the heart of the king of the Medes (the beast or Mahdi) to devise a plan against Babylon to destroy it. The Lord does this, just as he hardened Pharaoh's heart, in order that His will might be carried out. It is the Lord's will that Babylon be punished in revenge for what has happened to His temple.
Verse 12 “Set up the standard upon the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set up the watchmen, prepare the ambushes: for the LORD hath both devised and done that which he spake against the inhabitants of Babylon.”
God now gets almost sardonic with Babylon for, as we know from other Scriptures, she sits as a queen and thinks nothing can touch her. Because of her arrogant attitude that she thinks she is safe from anyone, she never has her watchmen on the walls, watching for enemy attacks. She is a party country. So God, knowing she will never listen, tells her to set out her flag as a call to arms, to put people on the watch, and to set traps for invaders, for He has planned and and is doing exactly what He has prophesied against Babylon. She will do none of those things to save herself, even though she has been warned. She has too much pride. She will be humbled and destroyed.
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