Posts
of Jeremiah (50-52). It is so good to read and reflect on God's word,
that He has preserved for us in this time. The comparison that Babylon
was beyond fixing and the state of the world today we wondered about.
Next week we have a guest speaker to lead us in a study- I hope. If not
then we'll probably discuss our individual readings over the course of
the upcoming week.
My notes are as follows:
Chapter 50
Chapter 50 and 51 were written seven years before the fall of Jerusalem. They were sent as a booklet to the exiles in Babylon to be read to them publicly. The exile in Babylon lasted 70 years, so these chapters were written around 70 years before it happened.
Babylon will fall, God proclaims it, and what He says happens. A nation from the north will reduce Babylon's cities to rubble, complete destruction- no people, no animals, no breath.
The people of Israel and Judah will seek God, and ask directions to Zion bound in covenant eternal they will never forget. Has this happened yet? Babylon is mostly desolate, but not completely, Israel doesn't talk very much about their covenant with God. I think it partially fulfilled after the initial fall of Babylon, but maybe not completely? I have a resource that has as part of the notes on Ezekiel that Israel has not had an idolatry problem since the fall of Jerusalem and exile.
Israel was lost sheep, wandering aimlessly, everyone took advantage of them. Fair game, they walked out on God and were allowed to be persecuted.
For now they are told to leave Babylon (when they see a host of nations destroying it), a host of nations will destroy it. Why? The nation of Babylon turned to pride. Its mother wouldn't be proud. They have been reduced to a trash heap. Babylon sinned against the Lord.
Israel is a scattered flock, started by Assyria (Israel) and finished by Nebuchadnezzar (Judah). Babylon is doomed like Assyria, but Israel will be brought home. There will be a day when Israel will not be found to have any guilt. Has this happened yet?
Merathaim is southern Babylon, and Pekod is eastern Babylon- the destruction will be complete.
Babylon went from being a tool of God for judgment, to being an object of His wrath- they chose to take on God (became prideful). God allowed them to take the city and burn the Temple, and then later punishes them for destroying the Temple. Their attitude changed in the process. Pride crept in. The Lord will rescue Israel (which He sent into exile), and destroy Babylon.
Their gods are make believe gods, and Babylon will join Sodom and Gommorrah as cities done away with.
People pouring out of the north attacking, fear and trembling by the Babylonians. Then the Lord like a lion from the jungles of the Jordan will pounce. The young and vulnerable will be dragged off, others will watch helpless.
Chapter 51
Still more hurricane Persia will clean up Babylon- taking all that is worth anything. The destruction will be complete. Israel and Judah were not widowed, God is still committed to them event though THEY filled their land with sin.
God is paying back Babylon, so run (when it happens). Babylon was used by God to punish others and now there is no fix for them- no balm.
Babylon is past fixing. Will there be a time our present situation will be past fixing?
God has set things right for Judah, lets share what He has done. Here come the Medes, Babylon had plenty of money and wealth but God was the lifeline, and has now been cut. Instead invading soldiers. The God of Jacob is real, He made the world and crafted the cosmos, he sends the rain. Those that worship other gods will look foolish. They will be shown as powerless. He pays attention to Israel.
Babylon was God's hammer, but now they will punished for all the evil they did in Zion. God is the enemy Babylon has to worry about, He will crush them until only gravel remains. Other problems and situations seem real and significant to us, but only God matters. No hanging gardens.
Many nations are called to perform the holy work of Babylon's destruction. Destruction as holy work - the will of God is holy work. Man's desires have no good purpose unless they align with God's.
The land trembles over God's plans for Babylon. Spoken around 70 years before it happened. God's plan to make Babylon a moonscape. The soldiers of Babylon- once fearsome will cower and run. City after city is taken and burned. God said this would happen.
Nebuchadnezzar chewed up God's people. Zion was brutalized, Jerusalem had blood spilled. God is taking revenge, Babylon is a dump, a sewer. They will drink themselves drunk (with pride) and then God will haul these lions to the slaughterhouse.
Babylon is finished, God said it. Ending in chaos and destruction. The wonders destroyed, run, God is torching the place. The no-gods of Babylon will be put into place. Heaven and earth, angels and people will throw a victory party.
Babylon falling is compensation for war dead in Israel. Babylonians killed for all their killing. David didn't kill Saul when he had the chance, even though he was to be king. Even though the Babylonians killed seemingly for God judgment, they didn't follow God's word.
Israel was taunted and abused. Humiliated, and God knew their feelings. He is bringing an end to Babylon in retribution, and nothing can stop it. God knows (or would) how it feels to be humiliated, taunted and abused by man.
God is the God of fairness, He evens things out. Babylon will sleep and never wake up. The harder you work at the empty life (things not of God), the less you are. Nothing comes from ambition apart from God but ashes. Babylon toiled for nothing because they didn't do it for God.
These books (two chapters) were sent to Babylon, publicly read (that God would overthrow it), and thrown into the Euphrates. Seraiah did this in the 4th year of Zedekiah's reign. Jerusalem fell in year 11 (seven years later). The exile for some was going on, for others it would begin later after the fall of Jerusalem.
Chapter 52
The final chapter of Jeremiah, a summary of events surrounding the fall and destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. Zedekiah was appointed king by Nebuchadnezzar when he took the first set of exiles, he later rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar causing the siege and destruction to occur. He was considered an evil king.
For a review of kings:
Starting with Hezekiah- a good king
Then Manasseh- an evil king, he is referenced as the reason Judah is punished, the people followed him as he practiced terrible things, including burning of children. 2 Chr 33 says he was taken with a hook in his nose to Assyria where he repented and God accepted it allowing him to return to Jerusalem. I guess the man repented, but the practices he started and allowed continued.
Then Amon – evil
Then Josiah – well behaved- started reforms
Then Jehoahaz (all sons of their father to this point) Jehoahaz was taken to Egypt by the Egyptian king and his brother was established as king by the Egyptians.
Jehoiakim (Jehoahaz' brother) was evil- Nebuchadnezzar came he became Nebuchadnezzar's puppet. Later revolted
Jehoiachin (Jehoiakim's -son 2 Chr 36:8) became the next king – established by Babylonians (him or his father?)- Nebuchadnezzar later ordered him brought to Babylon as well along with Temple valuables. He surrendered to the Babylonians, and was taken prisoner and he was taken to Babylon with the "best of Judah" (rapture like- protected against destruction of the city?), but later released. In Jer 36:27-31 the promise of God to take away the throne of David from any son of Jehoiakim- Jehoiachin ruled three months- then not king, but in the lineage of Jesus. 2Chr 36:9-10. or over eight years (2 kings 24:12). Definitely some overlap between father and son somehow.
Matthew lists Josiah and Jehoiachin in the lineage of Jesus. Matt 1:10 Jehoiakim is the king that burned the scroll of Jeremiah.
Zedekiah (Jehoiachin's uncle – another son of Josiah Jer 27:1) was the next king- established by the Babylonians. He was evil, and rebelled against Babylon. This caused Nebuchadnezzar to come for the second time to Jerusalem. This is where it was destroyed completely and people killed indiscriminately.
The destruction of Jerusalem came about because God turned His back to them- its all He had to do. We think bad things happen, but God still protects us and desires us to come to our senses. We definitely don't deserve His protection. When He turns His back to us, really bad things happen as in the case of Jerusalem.
The final siege of Jerusalem lasted 19 months. Zedekiah tried to escape, was captured, watched his sons be killed, then blinded and taken to exile dying in prison. Remember God offered to prevent this if he would surrender, it was his choice. Zedekiah's advisors were also caught and killed in cold blood (Jer 24:27), there is no mention that God told Nebuchadnezzar to do this, and were they really a threat? Was this the beginning of the pride? It probably contributed.
When the temple was destroyed, all the bronze items were dismantled and taken to Babylon, the walls of the city were knocked down too.
Three different groups were taken into exile. A wave with Jehoiachin, a wave immediately after city destruction (taken over), and another about 5 years later when it was ultimately destroyed.
The kings were reviewed again because Jehoiachin who surrendered and was part of the first wave was later released (after 37 years) and got preferential treatment. He is also the one listed in the lineage of Jesus. After all that God was still looking after His people and keeping His promises.
No comments:
Post a Comment