Jeremiah 22:18-30 | 2 Kings 24:5-20 | 2 Chronicles 36:8-12 | Jeremiah 37:1-2, 52:1-3, 24, 29

Please note, this entry was originally scheduled for August 10.

When Jehoiakim dies, his son Jeconiah reigns for just 3 months and 10 days, until Nebuchadnezzar comes and besieges Jerusalem, takes him captive, and sets up his uncle as his vassal, and renames him as Zedekiah.  Zedekiah would hold that position in Jerusalem for 11 years, but he was an evil king, and ends up rebelling against Nebuchadnezzar.  Ultimately, Nebuchadnezzar comes back (again) and completely destroys Jerusalem and the temple, killing Zedekiah’s sons before his eyes, and then putting out his eyes and taking him back to Babylon in chains.  Only a small number of Jews will remain in Israel, with some also hiding in Egypt.

In Jeremiah 29 the prophet sends a letter to the exiles in Babylon, telling them that the Lord will bless them in their captivity.  He tells them to build houses and raise families in exile, and to actually seek the welfare and good of Babylon during the time God will have them living in Babylonian captivity.  He says “don’t listen to the false prophets among you, who say this is just a short thing”, as the Lord will only visit to restore them to Jerusalem after 70 years have passed in captivity.  Conversely, the Lord promises to utterly destroy the pretenders who did not go into captivity, and stayed back in Israel and Egypt, as well as the false prophets who lead the exiles astray.