Jeremiah prophesied that Jerusalem would be destroyed because of the sins of the Israelites. God showed Ezekiel visions of the detestable idols and practices being performed in the temple. When Zedekiah rebelled against Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar besieged and destroyed Jerusalem. The people were exiled to Babylon for 70 years as punishment, after which they could return if they repented sincerely. Jeremiah counseled those in exile to make the best of their time in Babylon and pray for the city, and that God would bring them back to Jerusalem after 70 years.

1. Jeremiah 29:7
And seek the peace of the
city whither I have caused
you to be carried away
captives, and pray unto
the LORD for it: for in the
peace thereof shall ye
have peace.
Lesson 10 for December 5, 2015

2. WHY WAS JERUSALEM DESTROYED?
“Furthermore He said to me, ‘Son of man, do you see what they are doing, the
great abominations that the house of Israel commits here, to make Me go far
away from My sanctuary? Now turn again, you will see greater abominations.’”
(Ezekiel 8:6)
Ezekiel the priest was taken to Babylon during the second
deportation (597 BC). He was called to be a prophet there.
There was an idol
at the entrance of
the temple.
70 elders were
worshipping reptiles
and beasts.
Women were
praising Tammuz.
25 men were
worshipping the
sun at the atrium.
He was carried to the temple in vision. He saw the acts of
the Jewish leaders (Ezekiel 8). He also saw the destruction
of Jerusalem.
“For they say,
‘The Lord does
not see us’”
(Ezeqiel 8:12)

3. “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Thus you shall say to the king of Judah, who sent
you to Me to inquire of Me: “Behold, Pharaoh’s army which has come up to help you will
return to Egypt, to their own land. And the Chaldeans shall come back and fight against
this city, and take it and burn it with fire.”’” (Jeremiah 37:7-8)
In the fourth year of Zedekiah’s reign, he
was carried to Babylon to renew his
obedience agreement. That probably
happened at the same time as the events
in Daniel 3.
Shortly after that, he broke his
agreement. He rebelled against Babylon
and joined Egypt.
Nebuchadnezzar besieged
Jerusalem. Nevertheless, he gave
up when he knew the Pharaoh was
against him.
In that Moment, Zedekiah asked
Jeremiah for advice. Would have
God changed His mind?
THE LAST INSURRECTION

4. “Therefore the princes said to the king, ‘Please, let this man be put to death,
for thus he weakens the hands of the men of war who remain in this city, and
the hands of all the people, by speaking such words to them. For this man does
not seek the welfare of this people, but their harm.’” (Jeremiah 38:4)
The king respected Jeremiah, but he
couldn’t contradict his princes. He
handed over Jeremiah to them.
The princes didn’t dare to spill innocent
blood; their conscience accused them.
They threw Jeremiah into a muddy
cistern so he would die by “natural
causes.”
Jeremiah longed for the welfare of his
people, but he was accused of trying to
harm them.
Nevertheless, he remained faithful to
the message he received from God.
JEREMIAH IS PUNISHED

5. “Then they burned the house of God, broke down the wall of Jerusalem,
burned all its palaces with fire, and destroyed all its precious possessions.”
(2 Chronicles 36:19)
The Babylonian army entered
Jerusalem a two-year siege.
Zedekiah tried to escape, but he
was arrested. His children died
and he was blinded and taken to
Babylon.
The people refused to repent for
the third time, so Jerusalem was
destroyed. The Temple—the
religious core of Israel—was also
destroyed.
The false prophets died and the
abominable idols they trusted
were destroyed.

6. “The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord after Nebuzaradan the captain of
the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he had taken him bound in chains among
all who were carried away captive from Jerusalem and Judah, who were carried
away captive to Babylon.” (Jeremiah 40:1)
Let’s picture the scene... The Babylonian army surrounds
Jerusalem. Some residents come out the city and arrive
to their camp.
They asked them why they are leaving. They reply that
God told prophet Jeremiah that they should surrender to
the Babylonians.
Why did Nebuzaradan release Jeremiah? Why did he treat him respectfully?
The Babylonians could understand that they
were being used by God to punish Judah
thanks to those testimonies (Jeremiah 40:2-3).

7. CONDITIONS
FOR RETURN
“Then you will call upon Me and go and pray
to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will
seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me
with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:12-13)
God knows the end from the beginning. The
people in Jerusalem were fighting against the
Babylonians, waiting for the prophecies of the
false prophets to be fulfilled. At the same time,
God was using Jeremiah to show the future to
those who already were in Babylon and those
who were going to be deported too.
They were punished by their
sins, so they could return only
after sincerely repenting.
God was willing to forgive His
misdirected children like He
said many centuries before
Jeremiah (Deuteronomy 30:1-4).
He is still merciful and patient
to us today.
“Behold, the Lord’s
hand is not
shortened, that it
cannot save; nor His
ear heavy, that it
cannot hear.”
(Isaiah 59:1)

8. THE SEVENTY YEARS
“For thus says the Lord: After seventy years
are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and
perform My good word toward you, and cause
you to return to this place.” (Jeremiah 29:10)
There was no Temple anymore, but God asked the
people to keep praying in exile. They should pray
for the city where they lived in now to prosper,
“for in its peace you will have peace.”
(Jer. 29:7).
They should live in Babylon as if they were never
coming back (Jer. 29:5-6), but believing that they
would come back when the right time finally
came.
Seventy years after the first deportation (605
BC), Daniel interceded with God (Daniel 9) and
with Cyrus on the people’s behalf.

9. E.G.W. (Prophets and Kings, cp. 39, pg. 479)
We are living in this world while waiting for the release from sin captivity.
Decide to be faithful to God and to honor him like those captives did.