Read Jeremiah 50:4-46
God would punish wicked Babylon as He punished Assyria for what it had done to Israel. Assyria was crushed by Babylon, which Assyria had once ruled. Babylon in turn would be crushed by Medo-Persia, formerly under its authority. Merathaim was located in southern Babylonia; Pekod was in eastern Babylonia. These verses also look to the time when the Messiah will rule and Israel will be fully restored. No sin will then be found in Israel because God’s people will seek Him and be forgiven.
Pride was Babylon’s characteristic sin. Pride comes from feeling self-sufficient or believing that we don’t need God. Proud nations or persons, however, will eventually fall because they refuse to recognize God as the ultimate power. Getting rid of pride is not easy, but if we can admit that it often rules us and ask God to forgive us, He will help us overcome it. The best antidote to pride is to focus our attention on the greatness and goodness of God. Babylon remains a wasteland to this day (Isaiah 13).
The invader who attacked Babylon by surprise and overthrew it was Cyrus. The world was shocked that its greatest empire was overthrown so quickly. No earthly power, no matter how great, can last forever.