The Plan of the Ages

God’s Dispensational Dealings with Humanity

Israel’s Idolatry Brought Captivity

Part IV

Lesson XXX

January 22, 2006

 

 

I         The first reasons for the Babylonian Captivity of Judah in 606 BC

2 Chronicles 36:11-13 the spiritual condition of the King of Judah

2 Chronicles 36:14 the spiritual condition of chief priests and chief people

2 Chronicles 36: 15-16 the spiritual condition of the people of the nation

2 Chronicles 36: 17 therefore, He brought the King of the Chaldees

2 Chronicles 36:18 the holy vessels of the temple were taken to Babylon

cf Daniel 5:1-5

2 Chronicles 36: 19 he burnt the temple, broke down Jerusalem’s walls

2 Chronicles 36:20 those who escaped death were taken captive to Babylon

Those carried to Babylon from Judah included people from all the Tribes of Israel.

II      Perhaps the greater reason for the captivity

2 Chronicles 36:21 to give the land of Israel rest

Leviticus 25:1-4

Leviticus 26:23, 24, 32-35

Judah and Israel had not kept 70 “sabbatical” years for the land, which was over a period of 7 x 70 or 490 years, so, God put them all in jail to give the land her rest.

III   When the 70 years were fulfilled Daniel began to pray

Daniel 9:1-4 he had been studying the book of Jeremiah

Jeremiah 29:10-14 God had made a promise

IV   The first to return were under the leadership of Ezra (536 BC)

2 Chronicles 36:22-23 all the Lord’s doing

Ezra 1:1-4 a Gentile King sends the Jews back to rebuild their Temple

Ezra 2:64-65 almost 50,000 returned

V      The second return were under the leadership of Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem (446 BC)

Nehemiah 2:1-10 another Gentile King helps the Jews

VI   The Book of Malachi reveals the conditions of the Jews 50 years later

Malachi 1:6-8, 10, 13 they despised the things of God

Malachi 3:8 they were robbing God

Malachi 3:18 most were saying it was vain to serve the Lord

Malachi 3:16 but there was a godly remnant

VII      The last words in Malachi

Malachi 4:6 lest I come and smite the earth with a curse

So it would have been forever, if Christ had not come!