The Times Of Captivity And Restoration

by G.M. Hydon, of Toronto, Canada | Category: Across The Bible Centuries | Sept 1988

A review of the century which saw the conquering of Jerusalem and carrying away of the people (c.606-587 BC), their captivity in Babylon and the subsequent return of a faithful remnant (c.536 BC), reveals some basic aspects of God's dealings with His people, then and now.

We shall attempt to highlight some of the historic and present applications of these enduring patterns.

Law and Lawlessness

Perhaps the basic failing of the people, leading to their captivity, was desertion from the law of God and hence, the God of that Law. Possession of the land had always been conditional upon faithful obedience to God's law (Lev. 26:14,32-33). God now fulfilled prophetic warnings against failure. This cleansing action is described in the metaphor of wiping a dish (2 Kin. 21:13). Jerusalem and Judah received the same penalty as Samaria and Israel; the filth of their idolatry and broken commandments was removed and they were put to one side, their national life turned upside down, leaving them unable to serve any useful purpose. As they had failed to respond willingly to the word of the Lord through His prophets, a gentile nation was used to bring them into involuntary submission. Their lawlessness resulted in the loss of their land, their liberty and their place of worship.

Today "the Faith ... once for all delivered unto the saints" (Jude 3) corresponds to the law governing service in the house of God under the Old Covenant. Departure from this can only bring loss of the associated privileges. The house of God is now viewed as the collective sum of the churches of God (1 Tim. 3:15; 1 Pet. 2:5). The first New Testament churches soon ceased; they were overtaken by religious activity foreign to the doctrine of the Scriptures, just as Paul had warned (Acts 20:30; Col. 2:8). There is no immunity from a repetition of those consequences of disobedience.

Leadership and Faithfulness

Why did Judah not repent? Part of the problem was a succession of bad leaders. Manasseh surpassed in evil in an unpardonable way (2 Kin. 24:4) which the righteous reforms of his grandson Josiah could not erase. Josiah's own grandson, Jehoiachin, was just 18 years old when Nebuchadnezzar returned to besiege Jerusalem. The Scriptures record that "he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD" just as his father Jehoiachin had done (2 Kin. 24:9). Jehoiachin had been a puppet ruler for the king of Egypt. Father and son in their turn were carried off to Babylon along with the bulk of the treasures of the house of the Lord and, in Jehoiachin's case, with some of the people. Zedekiah, Jehoiachin's 21-year-old uncle and another weak leader, was left as caretaker king. His eleven year reign is summed up in the words, "He humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of the LORD" (2 Chr. 36:12).

Those in positions of religious authority were no better. They, like the common people, "polluted the house of the LORD ... despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets... till there was no remedy" (vv. 14-16). Jeremiah's Spirit-led witness was unerring, but his voice was not the only prophetic word (Jer. 27:9). The situation was confused by false prophets who forecast victory, and they were believed. Moreover, this unfaithful people loved their idols and disliked the harping condemnation of the weeping prophet. Notable also was the deference of some to leadership by their womenfolk; the men failed in this responsibility and pandered to their wives' desires for idol worship rather than insisting on obedience to the word of the Lord (Jer. 44:9, 15-23). Broken faith preceded the broken walls; broken hearts were the inevitable sequel (Hos. 4:2,3).

Faithfulness to Spirit-led leadership remains an absolute necessity. Sometimes this calls for unpopular action to maintain the purity of the house (1 Cor. 5:1-6; 2 Tim. 2:17-21), but what is said and done must conform to the Word of God (2 John 9). Yet how often men grieve the Spirit who inspired and explains that Word, by saying things that are untrue (Eph. 4:25-30); and others quench Him in His upbuilding work (1 Thes. 5:12-19); and others still deny His leading to godly order (1 Cor. 14:26-33). We are faithful only as we submit to the Spirit of truth.

Chastisement

Little wonder that Jeremiah is called the weeping prophet! Anyone reading of his personal sufferings would readily sympathize (Jer. 38:6; Lam.3). Yet this godly man wept mostly for the people of God, who would not in repentance seek the Lord's mercy and so must know His chastising (cf. 2 Sam. 24:14).

How awful was this end-time of the Judean kingdom! Basic necessities became priceless during the siege; even water to drink and wood to burn for cooking and heat were at a premium ~am. 5:4). Starvation emaciated and decimated the population and they resorted to cannibalism (Lam. 4:10). Weakened by the eighteen-month siege they were an easy prey when the walls were breached. The enemy troops showed no mercy (2 Chr. 36:17). Survivors would suffer from repeated flashes of memory of the awful cruelty of the siege and resultant carnage. Zedekiah was taken to Riblah and there his sons were killed in front of him; he was then blinded and led away. Jerusalem's fine buildings were ransacked, the city turned to rubble, and finally fire completed its destruction. The remaining implements used in the service of the Temple were likewise either destroyed or taken away by the invaders. All this pain and loss was necessary for the divine instruction of the people, but such things tear at God's heart (11os. 11:8).

Surely God views failure by His people similarly in every generation (1 Cor. 11:32). He is immutable and operates by unchanging principles, although the principles governing His acts of mercy remain inscrutable. We do well to ponder deeply that the statement, "our God is a consuming fife" is connected with His demands of a worshipping people (Heb. 12:28-29).

Mercy

In all this picture of tragedy Jeremiah saw a glow of hope:

The LORD will not cast off for ever. For though He cause grief, yet will He have compassion according to the multitude of His mercies (Lam. 3:31-32).

This compassion was seen in God's kindly dealings with the captives in Babylon (Dan. 1:9). Perhaps Daniel and his friends had received their training in the latter days of the court of Josiah. Certainly like him they were men with purpose of heart in regard to purity (v.8). God overruled and the man set over them had sympathy (2 Kin. 20:18). The story of the mercy of God in elevating these faithful men within the Babylonian empire is well known. The Spirit of God gave Daniel discernment of the kings' dreams. Perhaps less well known is Daniel's discernment of God's purposes as he read Jeremiah's prophecy concerning the captives' return (Dan. 9:2; Jer. 25:1113). The correct response on his part was repentance and confession; so too was the contrition of other captives seen in Psalm 137.

These were the kind of feelings that were prerequisites for a faithful remnant to return to Jerusalem (Lev. 26:414,2). They were no doubt urged on by the uplifting prophecies of Ezekiel, previously ignored (Ezek. 33:21,31-33), but now challenging as they described the millennial land, temple and sacrifices (chs. 4048). And the words of the pre-exile prophets, though so full of condemnation and warning, would be loved for their anticipation of God's mercy. "He delighteth in mercy" said Micah (7:18); "I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely" said the Lord through Hosea (14:4).

Mercy is enduring, a divine characteristic. Towards the end of the nineteenth century, God looked with favour upon some believers whose consciences He had stirred. They saw the truth of the house of God had been neglected. They found themselves in error as to their doctrine and practice and in contrition looked to God for forgiveness and leadership. He raised up men with spiritual discernment and we now enjoy the heritage of their early endeavours.

The Willing Hearted

From Babylon, Zerubbabel (a descendant of David) and the priest, Joshua were used to further God's purposes. Seventy years after the initial carrying away, Cyrus was moved by God to initiate the return of captives to Jerusalem and the rebuilding of the temple (Ezra 1:1-2). God then stirred the hearts of Zerubbabel and others to leave their by now accustomed surroundings and take a potentially hazardous journey back to Judah. More than forty thousand responded (2:64). During their sojourn in Babylon they had acquired wealth; they devoted this to the house of the Lord, offering willingly (2:68,69). Joshua rose to his responsibilities and an altar was once again built in Jerusalem, enabling the sacrifices and freewill offerings as laid down by God to recommence (3:3-5).

Zerubbabel was a motivating leader, but he needed the stimulus of prophetic direction. This became necessary after the work of rebuilding became first subject to local opposition then a loss of support from the emperor. After successfully laying the foundation of the new temple which brought joy mingled with sad recollection of former glory, the problems began. Initially the attack was a subtle request to compromise (Ezra 4:2,3). Later, outright opposition succeeded in slowing and finally stopping the work for a period (4:24), pending the stimulating exhortations from Haggai and Zechariah. Spurred on, the people completed the work; "they builded and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel" (6:14).

The churches of God today comprise a remnant people. They are small in number and the miraculous signs of Apostolic times are absent. But it should be remembered that the returning remnant of Israel under Joshua and Zerubbabel saw no miracles, yet God's word to them was "build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified" (Hag. 1:8).

Early leaders faced demands for compromise with larger groups, but they knew the work had to be carried out according to the commandment of God. Therefore long associations in service with sincere disciples who could not see the need for such attention to detail, or who disagreed with the details, had to be severed. This was a costly sacrifice, but the Spirit of God moved willing-hearted men forward and the work of restoration continued.

The possibility of serving according to His word may now seem more easily attainable to new disciples. Yet these are the ones who so much need to learn the value of this privilege, for it is a conditional one. God's principles of judgement are unchanging; they still centre upon, and proceed from, His house (1 Pet. 4:17).

G.M. Hydon, of Toronto, Canada | Sept 1988
Across The Bible Centuries