Jeremiah Chapter 50 KJV verses sixteen - eighteen

"Cut off the sower from Babylon and him that handleth the sickle in the time of harvest: for fear of the oppressing sword they shall turn every one to his people and they shall flee every one to his own land". God pronounces judgment here on the sower and "him that handleth the sickle in the time of harvest". It seems good strategy to cut off the enemy's food supply during a time of war. Her harvest is the souls of men and IT WILL BE CUT OFF, she will no longer consume the souls of men and women but will be purged of those she has swallowed. Notice the phrase "for fear of", as I have stated, the fear the enemy has used against God's people will come upon him, at the end. Satan fears us, whether we know it or not and he will flee from us when we resist him. (see vs. 43)
"Israel is a scattered sheep: the lions have driven him away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones. Therefore, thus saith the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel; behold I will punish the king of Babylon and his land as I have punished the king of Assyria". God refers to himself here as the "God of Israel". Always remember how serious God is about covenant and that when He enters into covenant with a people his own identity becomes wrapped up in them, as well as theirs with him, just as a woman takes on her husband's identity through marriage. They become a holy people because he is a holy God. They become a peculiar people because he is a peculiar God. It is a wonderful thing how serious God is about his covenants. He says he will punish the king of Babylon as he did the king of Assyria. We witness the end of the king of Assyria in 2 Chron:32:21 - "And the Lord sent an Angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valor, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth out of his own bowels slew him there with the sword". We are in the day when all of Satan's "mighty men of valor" are being cut off (sorcerers, witches, etc.) and we will see him return with shame to his own land and leave this world forever (after having been cast into the bottomless pit for a thousand years). In Satan's kingdom, they backbite and devour one another, slaying each other with the sword (the tongue) while in God's kingdom we nourish and build each other up (with our tongues), hallelujah, and we will also see this as a prophecy that "they which came from his (satan's) own bowels will turn and slay him with the sword (the word of God), Hallelujah! Satan's own children will divorce him and marry Jesus!
Another interesting point we can derive from this passage is that God himself used these kings to punish Israel, then punishes them for it! I believe that if they had shown mercy to the Israelites they would have received mercy from God, however God foreknew their hearts and knew ahead of time how they would behave. Remember the king of Babylon is a type of Satan, spiritually, as Isaiah 14 reveals and God is assuring us that every word and action Satan has ever taken against God's covenant people will be punished by the Lord. Certainly, our hearts can take great comfort in knowing all nations and all powers are completely under our God's authority and control and NOTHING can happen to his people without his permission. Indeed, "all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are the called according to HIS PURPOSE". Rom:8:28