The northern kingdom of Israel has already been taken into captivity by the Assyrians. Now it is the southern kingdom of Judah’s turn to be deported from their own land into exile in a foreign country. God’s instrument in this punishment is Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. The Babylonians/Chaldeans have by this time become a superpower.

The great prophets of this time are Jeremiah, Daniel, and Ezekiel. Jeremiah predicted the fall and tribulation of Judah and what would take place thereafter. Ezekiel inspires and gives hope to the exiles. Daniel was one of the exiles who also saw beyond the captivity all the way to the time of Christ.

The great empires: At this point you should be aware of the succession of four superpowers that, from this time forward succeed each other, starting with Babylon. These empires span all the latter times of Israel, namely: Exile and Scattering, Return of the Remnant, Prophecies Unfolding, Coming of the Son of God, Dawning of New Israel, and Kingdom in All the World. These four great kingdoms are:

• Babylonian
• Medo-Persian
• Grecian
• Roman

The Main Point

Judah’s punishment was bad enough, but it could have been worse. God moderated the punishment in at least three ways. Firstly, he limited it to seventy years so that the people could have assurance that future generations would return to the homeland. Secondly, he allowed some of the exiles to have much influence over the authorities. Daniel in fact became ruler in Babylon, much like Joseph was in Egypt. Thirdly, God enabled the prophets to see into the distant future, and speak encouragingly of the coming of Christ and the kingdom of heaven. When God disciplines those who belong to him, he always tempers it with mercy and love. His way with Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar was, by the king’s own account, similarly just and merciful, as terrible as Nebuchadnezzar’s punish,ment was. God may let us be humbled, but always for our good (Rom 8:28).

Bible Summary (2Kings 23-25)

• Jehoahaz becomes king and does evil (23)
• Pharaoh Neco invades Judah (23)
• Jehoiakim becomes king and does evil (23)
• Nebuchadnezzar makes Jehoiakim his vassal but Jehoiakim rebels against him (24)
• Chaldeans, Syrians, Moabites, and Ammonites invade Judah (24)
• Jehoiachin (Coniah) becomes king and does evil (24)
• He surrenders to Nebuchadnezzar who puts his uncle Zedekiah on the throne (24)
• King Jehoiachin and others taken into Babylonian exile (24)
• Judah’s repeated rebellion causes Nebuchadnezzar to besiege Jerusalem (25)
• King Zedekiah flees but is captured and killed (25)
• Jerusalem falls and Judah is led captive into Babylon (25)
• The few left in Judah flee (ironically) to Egypt (25)
• Jehoiachin is treated kindly in Babylon (25)

Book of Jeremiah

• Jeremiah prophesies and laments Judah’s exile in Judah (1-27).
• These prophecies were made during the reigns of the last four kings of Judah: Josiah, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, Zedekiah.
• Note: Jehoiachin is also known as Jeconiah or Coniah.
• Hananiah falsely prophesies that the Babylonian yoke will be broken in only two years (28).
• Jeremiah informs the first exiles in Babylon that their captivity will last 70 years and denounces false prophets who say otherwise (29).
• The restoration of Israel and Judah is predicted (30-31).
  This primarily has application to the coming of the Messiah

Nebuchadnezzar

The king of Babylon at the time of the exile of Judah, was the awesome Nebuchadnezzar. His name may also be spelled Nebuchadrezzar. We read about him in 2Kg 24-25, 2Ch 36, Jer 21-52, Eze 26, 29-30, Dan 1-4. He is also mentioned in other Bible books.

It is mainly in Daniel that we get a personal look at this man. God sent him predictive dreams (but he could not understand them without Daniel’s help). He erected a golden idol. This act, ironically, led him to acknowlede God to the whole world.

Nebuchadnezzar was humbled by God, being struck by a rare mania which caused him to live and act like a beast of the field. He recovered, however, and exalted God (Daniel 4).

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