Day 140

The End, But . . .

Read: 2 Chronicles 35-36

Because of his godliness, Josiah had been promised that the punishment which would come upon Judah would not come in his day. He died. But after his son had reigned only three months, he was deposed by the king of Egypt. The next king, Jehoiakim, did evil in God’s sight and was taken into exile in Babylon. Jehoichin, his son, reigned only three months. Having done evil in God’s sight, he also was taken into exile. Zedekiah did evil and did not listen to the word of the prophet Jeremiah. God in his mercy sent other prophets but they would not listen “till there was no remedy” (36:16). They were taken into exile, the temple was burned and the walls of Jerusalem broken down “to fulfill the word of the LORD” (v. 21).

The exile lasted for 70 years, as had been predicted by Jeremiah. The implication is that the Sabbaths which had been neglected by the ungodly nation would now be made up by the rest given the land during the exile. Yet, by the grace of God, it was not the end. The Babylonians had a policy of exiling the nations they conquered. But they in turn were conquered by the Persians whose King Cyrus had a different policy. He apparently felt that the more people who were praying for him, the better, plus he seemed to feel obligated to make amends with the gods of the peoples under his rule. So he sent back people, including the Jews, to rebuild their temples where they could pray for him. It was not the end!

PRAYER
Father, we thank you that when this world comes to an end there will be a new world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.