The Babylonian Captivity

Jeremiah 29:1, 4-14

ZEDEKIAH was the last king of Judah, the southern kingdom of Israel, although he ruled as a vassal to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. Finally, however, he had his eyes put out and was taken captive to Babylon. Then there began the seventy years of captivity during which the nation enjoyed no liberty at all. Indeed, the nation never regained its freedom, for even when permitted by Cyrus to return to their own land, they were still a subject nation, and continued as such under the successive rule of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. In Jesus’ day the Israelites were subjects of the Roman Empire.

Their captivity in Babylon began in the year 606 B.C. It was not the Lord’s will that they should then perish completely as a nation, and in today’s lesson we have brought to our attention a reassuring message from the Lord which was sent to the captives by Jeremiah. Before Zedekiah himself was taken to Babylon, he evidently was instrumental, at Nebuchadnezzar’s behest, in sending many of his people into captivity. In fact, even after he had been taken captive, a few Jews were left in the land for a time as vinedressers. (II Kings 25:12) Possibly Jeremiah was among these, for his message was dispatched from Jerusalem.

In Jeremiah’s letter the Lord refers to the captive Jews as those whom he had caused to be carried away into Babylon. The Israelites were God’s covenant people. Through their lawgiver, Moses, they had agreed to serve the Lord and to obey his Law. God, on the other hand, had promised to bless and protect them if they were faithful to him. But with his promise to bless them if they obeyed him, God also warned that he would punish them if they were disobedient. Being thus a nation under God in such a special way, none of their experiences was to be considered as having “just happened.”

When the people were blessed, the Lord wanted them to realize that the good things they enjoyed were from him, and because they were faithful to him. By the same token, when in adversity God wanted them to know that he was responsible, and that the reason for such experiences was that they had drifted away from him and into the paths of unrighteousness. He wanted them to realize also that the rod of his chastisement was upon them with the view of correcting their way and causing them to return to him.

God had caused his people to be carried away captive to Babylon, but he had not forgotten them. In his plan this particular period of captivity was to last only for seventy years. While this was sufficient time for the people to accommodate themselves quite well to their new surroundings, the Lord wanted them to know that Babylon was not to be their permanent home, and that they should plan their lives with the prospect of returning to their own land after seventy years.

Actually, of course, only the very youngest of the original captives could hope to be still living when the time came to return to their land, hence the majority of those who would be given the liberty to return at the end of the seventy years would be of a new generation. The Lord desired that there would be a goodly number of this new generation, so he gave instructions that the young should marry and bring forth children, “that ye may be increased there, and not diminished.”—vs. 6

The Lord also instructed them to “seek the peace of the city” into which he had caused them to be taken, and to pray for the peace of the city. This was not because the Lord was particularly interested in the welfare of the Babylonians, but because he desired that his own people should prosper even during the period of their captivity in order that when the time came for their return they would be a strong and numerous people.

In Jeremiah’s letter were also the instructions: “Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you.” (vs. 8) Judging from the Lord’s words in Jeremiah 27:9-14, these false prophets were advising the Israelites not to be obedient to their captors, to “resist oppression,” and not to give up their liberty. This was contrary to the Lord’s will, and if this ungodly counsel were followed, it could well mean the complete destruction of the Israelites. For the long-range purpose God had in mind, it was far better for them to serve the Babylonians faithfully for the time being, and thus be in a more favorable condition later to return to their own land.

In this wonderful letter the Lord also assured the captives that his thoughts toward them were of peace, and that when his due time arrived—at the end of the seventy years—they should call upon him, and he would hear them. Then they were to seek him, and find him, and he would be ready, as promised, to turn away their captivity. This promise was literally and wonderfully fulfilled when Cyrus issued his royal decree granting the Israelites the liberty to return to their land to rebuild their temple. Thus does the Lord fulfill his promises, and because he does, we can depend upon him to fulfill all his good promises to us and to all mankind, even to setting free the captives of death.

QUESTIONS

Who was the last king of Judah, and when did the nation go into captivity, and for how long?

Did God “cause” or “permit” the captivity of Judah?

Why did God want his people to be obedient under Babylonian rule?

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