25:27 Fall of Jerusalem and the Exile King Zedekiah of Judah and - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

2 Kings 24:18- 25:27

Fall of Jerusalem and the Exile King Zedekiah of Judah and the Prophet Jeremiah

~726 BC

Assyrian/Babylonian Captivity

• f Israel

Southern Kingdom: Judah

Manasseh Josiah Hezekiah Jehoiakim Zedekiah

Amon Jehoahaz

~609 BC 586 BC ~592-570 BC ~626-586 BC

Jeremiah Ezekiel

Fall of Judah to Babylon

612 BC

Fall of Assyria to Babylon

Part 2

Jehoiachin

Isaiah

~605-535 BC

Daniel

• 685 BC

Prophets Kings

Legend:

Kings and Prophets Timeline

Vassal of Egypt Vassal of Babylon

~605 BC ~597 BC

2nd captivity Captives taken to Babylon

Family Tree

Josiah ~640-609 B.C. Jehoiakim

(Eliakim)

609-598 B.C. Jehoiachin

(Coniah)

3 months 597 B.C. Zedekiah

(Mattaniah)

597-586 B.C. Jehoahaz

(Shallum)

3 months 609 B.C.

Judah’s Decline

609 B.C. Jehoahaz reigns 3 months 609 B.C. Judah becomes Egyptian vassal, Egypt enthrones Jehoiakim

605 B.C. Egypt falls to Babylon at Carchemish,

Judah becomes Babylonian vassal, 1st deportation (royalty, upper class, artisans) 601 B.C Babylon clashes with Egypt, heavy losses both sides 597 B.C. Jehoiakim dies, Jehoiachin reigns 3 months, Nebuchadnezzar enthrones Zedekiah, 2nd deportation (nobles, officials, artisans, priests, leaders) 586 B.C. Zedekiah rebels, 3rd deportation (remaining population), destruction of Jerusalem

2 Ki. 23-25, 2 Chr. 36

King Zedekiah of Judah

Youngest son of King Josiah Became king at age 21 Renamed from Mattaniah by Nebuchadnezzar Reigned 11 years, from 597-586 B.C. “Did evil in eyes of Lord, just as Jehoiakim had done” (2 Ki. 24:19); did not humble himself before Jeremiah who spoke the word of the Lord (2 Ch. 36:12)

Jeremiah’s Early Warnings

Potter’s house (Jer.18) Yoke (Jer. 27)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/myfwcmedia/14709789856

God’s Case against Jerusalem

Idolatry - Deuteronomy 4, 27-28

• Deut. 4:25-27 if you then become corrupt and make any kind of idol, doing evil in the eyes of

the LORD your God and arousing his anger, 26 I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you this day that you will quickly perish from the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess. You will not live there long but will certainly be destroyed. 27 The LORD will scatter you among the peoples, and only a few of you will survive among the nations to which the LORD will drive you.

Unfaithfulness – Jeremiah 3:20

But like a woman unfaithful to her husband, so you, Israel, have been unfaithful to me,” declares the LORD. Rebellion – Ezekiel 20

Judah invaded

~588 B.C. Zedekiah allies with Egypt and revolts against Nebuchadnezzar

Lachish aerial view Lachish ostraca

Nebuchadnezzar armies invade. Only Jerusalem, Lachish and Azekah stand (fortified cities)

http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=364095&partId=1&searchText=Lachish+ostracon&page=1

Jeremiah’s Warnings to Zedekiah 588- 586 B.C.

Zedekiah inquires of the Lord, when Babylonian armies withdrew as Egyptian armies marched out (Jer. 37) Lord, ‘Egypt will go back, Babylon will return, attack, burn the city’ Jeremiah goes to leave, is imprisoned Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah, ‘Any word from the Lord?’ Lord, ‘you will be handed over to the king of Babylon’ Jeremiah protested no crime, Zedekiah put in the courtyard Jeremiah told the people ‘Stay and die, Leave and surrender and live’ (Jer. 38) Zedekiah allows his angry officials (Gedaliah son of Pashhur) to put Jeremiah into an empty cistern Ebed-Melech, a Cushite is allowed by Zedekiah to rescue Jeremiah from the well Zedekiah secretly inquires of the Lord through Jeremiah Lord, ‘Surrender and your life is spared; Refuse and you will not escape, the city will burn and the women brought out to the officers

Gedaliah, Son of Pashhur; Minister of Zedekiah (Jer. 38:1)

http://www.biblearchaeology.org/post/2008/10/13/More-on-the-Seal-of-King-Zedekiahs-Minister.aspx

The Babylonian Empire

http://www.anthrogenica.com/showthread.php?1689-What-happend-to-the-Babylonians-and-who-are-their-descendants-today&s=46cf83b1777bf11664aeef32f956191d

Riblah

The Fall of Jerusalem (Jer.

39, 52)

Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem (severe famine) Army, led by Nebuzaradan, broke through the city wall Zedekiah and soldiers fled, headed towards the Arabah Army overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho, taken to Riblah and sentenced Sons killed before his eyes, and nobles; then Zedekiah was blinded, bound and taken to Babylon Set fire to temple, royal palace and houses; broke down city walls Took the bronze pillars, the bronze Sea, all bronze, silver and gold articles in the temple; took priests, officers, advisors to Nebuchadnezzar who executed them Nebuchadnezzar spared Jeremiah, who stayed with Gedaliah Message for Ebed-Melech the Cushite (Jer. 39:15-18)

http://www.biblearchaeology.org/post/2008/04/Nebo-Sarsekim-Found-in-Babylonian-Tablet.aspx

Tablet mentions Nebo-Sarsekim, Chief officer

Jerusalem in Ruins

586 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar appoints Gedaliah son of Ahikam governor Remnant of Jews returned to Judah Within 3 months, Ishmael son of Nethaniah assassinates Gedaliah, men of Judah and Babylonians at Mizpah Remaining officers and poorest people remaining fled to Egypt taking Jeremiah and Baruch with them The Land of Judah is desolate and de-populated and finally has it’s Sabbath rest (2 Chr. 36:21, Lev. 25:1-7) 2 Ki. 25:22-26, 2 Chr. 36:20-21, Jer. 40-44

God’s People in Exile

Practical Life: treated like other expatriate group by Chaldeans Ruler (Jehoiachin) & family: treated with deference Poorest: servitude  enslavement Elite: freedom to choose employment; opportunity for position, wealth, property Became known as “Jews” Psychological Effect: Hill-dwelling  open plains Shameful exile, betrayed by leaders, abandoned by God  acute emotional, spiritual crisis

http://www.britannica.com/place/Tigris-Euphrates-river-system Information from “Old Testament Times” by R. K. Harrison

Spiritual Life in Exile

Spiritual Responses:

1) bitter resentment against God, failed to protect as promised 2) spirit of penitent acceptance, realized too late seriousness of prophetic warnings, woeful lack of faithfulness

Jeremiah’s Message of Hope:

God’s purpose: punishment; God’s limit: 70 years (Jer. 25, 29); God’s promise: restoration (Jer. 30-33) Symbolic Proof– In the middle of the siege of Jerusalem, Jeremiah bought a field (Jer. 32-33) Jeremiah’s counsel – settle down, marry, build and plant, live in peace (Jer. 29) resistance was seen as rebellion

Changes in Worship: maintain identity as a people of God

Pursue observances that didn’t offend (fasting, prayer, instruction in law, Sabbath) No temple  house gatherings, weekly day of worship (new pattern) Priestly emphasis on distinguishing features (circumcision, purification rituals, rejection of some foods)

Information from “Old Testament Times” by R. K. Harrison

Jeremiah 42:1-16, 43:1-7 Lamentations 1:18-20, 2:17a 3:17-26, 39-42, 5:1, 21-22

Two Baskets of Figs

http://www.bibleplaces.com/fig-trees/

Table Discussion

Lamentations

(1:18-20, 3:17-26, 39-42, 5:1)

What is the response of the exiles to all that has happened? What progression of thinking do you see? What truths give the writer hope? Where is the writer’s focus at the end? How is leadership different when you are being disciplined by God?

Jeremiah

(42:1-16, 43:1-7)

How did the people respond to all that had happened? What did the people want to know and what did God tell them to do? What made it challenging to obey God? What did the evidence tell them to do? How is leadership different in adversity?

What did the good figs do that the bad figs did not do?

• r What was God requiring of both groups of people?

Lessons

God is faithful to discipline His people. Submission to discipline is crucial to restoration. Hope is found in God’s character. When disciplined by God, “bloom where you are planted.”

2 Kings The Responsibility of Leadership

A sinful leader can cause people to sin, but a godly leader can help people faithful repent.

Leadership under times of discipline requires honesty, repentance, faith and courageous

• bedience.

Apply It Personally:

From Jeremiah 42 How are my fears keeping me from obedience? What has God allowed in my life to discipline me? When God disciplines me, how do I try to avoid it? From Lamentations Is there sin which I need to agree with the Lord about? Does my response to my sin include sorrow, self-examination, and change? When I am downcast due to my sin, what part of God’s character will I look to for hope?

Next Week

King Belshazzar and the Prophet Daniel (Daniel 5)