2 Chronicles 36:11-22
The last king in Jerusalem was Zedekiah, who ruled eleven years, but not with frill power, for he had promised to obey the king of Babylon.
Many of the chief men and those trained for war had been taken away captives, so the nation of Judah was now weak. But Jeremiah was still with them to tell God’s words, and God would have helped them if they had obeyed. But even the priests of the temple did not want to hear God’s words, and told the people what was untrue, and had set up idols.
Sometimes King Zedekiah asked Jeremiah what God had said, but when told, he did not obey, and kept Jeremiah in prison, and let men cruelly treat him.
After a few years the king broke his promise to the king of Babylon, who then came against Jerusalem with his army. But they could not get into the city, so camped outside the high walls a long time, and prevented anyone from taking food to the people inside.
So there was a famine in the city, and at last the stores of food were gone, and at night the king, with his family and soldiers, fled from the city through a gate in the king’s garden.
But the enemy soon found they had escaped and hurried after, and overtook them; some were killed, others made prisoners. The king was cruelly punished, bound with chains, and taken to a prison in Babylon where he was kept till he died.
Later more soldiers were sent to Jerusalem, and they broke down the high walls, and went into the city; took all the treasures from the palaces, and the gold, silver and brass from the temple. Then they set fire to the palaces and to the temple.
What a sad sight it must have been to the poor people who were left in the city and in the country around, to see their city spoiled and the great temple on fire, and soon a heap of ruins! Could God have kept the soldiers away? Yes, we know He could, but He saw that the kings and people would not do right, so He had said this sorrow would come. He had even told them that the things would be taken from the temple, and we find God’s words always come true. The sad story of the destruction of Jerusalem is told four times in the Bible. (2 Kings 25; 2 Chron. 36:17-20; Jer. 39:1-9; Ter. 52:12-24).
Many years after, the city and temple were rebuilt, as God had said, but they did not have a king.
Had God said the city would he burned? (Jer. 21:10).
How long would the people be away captives? (Jer. 25:11).
What special law of God to Israel had the people not kept? (Jer. 18:19-27).
What was the name of the king of Babylon? And what did his soldiers do with the big pillars of the temple? (2 Kings 25:1,12,13. Jeremiah 27:19-22).
Find Babylon on a Bible map, east of Jerusalem. The country south was called Chaldea.
Another time we will learn what became of Jeremiah, the prophet.
ML 10/22/1939