Digging Up God's Promises by Linda Winn
In my Sunday School class we were talking about the Jews selling their own family members to other Jews during the time when Nehemiah led the rebuilding of the wall around Jerusalem. As we discussed their coming out of captivity only to be sold to their own brothers, someone asked, "How long were the Jews in Babylonian captivity?"
My mind drew a blank, so I asked the class, "Does anyone know the answer to that question?"
Evidently their minds were blank, too, so I called on a retired 80 year old pastor to answer the question.
"Pastor, do you recall how long the Jews were in Babylonian captivity?"
He smiled and said, "The only thing I know for sure is that they were there from the time they were taken into captivity until the time they left."
What a great reminder that all of us know a little bit, but none of us know or remember it all. But it’s never too late to find the answer. So I did a little digging in the storehouse of God’s Word. Here’s the story...
"The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent word to them through His messengers again and again, because He had pity on His people and on His dwelling place. But they mocked God’s messengers, despised His words and scoffed at His prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against His people and there was no remedy. He brought up against them the king of the Babylonians... God handed all of them over to Nebuchadnezzar... They set fire to God’s temple and broke down the wall of Jerusalem; they burned all the palaces and destroyed everything of value there. He carried into exile to Babylon the remnant, who escaped from the sword, and they became servants to him and his sons until the kingdom of Persia came to power. The land enjoyed its sabbath rests; all the time of its desolation it rested, until the seventy years were completed in fulfillment of the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah." (2 Chronicles 36:15-21)
What was Jeremiah’s prophesy?
"This is what the Lord says: ‘When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.’" (Jeremiah 29:10-14)
So... How long were the Jews in Babylonian captivity? Seventy years.
God wants to bring you back from the things that hold you captive too. I hope you won't wait 70 years. Won’t you call on Him, pray to Him, and seek Him with your whole heart today?
He’s ready to listen, reveal Himself to you, and bring you out of captivity and into His gracious promises.
Categories: Sunday School. Babylonian Captivity. 2 Chronicles. Jeremiah. Promises.
Thank you for sending me this e-mail. I love all the scriptures, I learn so much from others and it sticks. Thanks for sharing God's word with me. Mary Rose Sweger, Pennsylvania
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Stay tuned, Mary Rose. I'm going to post a blog frequently now. Linda
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