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Equipping Men with Biblical Knowledge and Leadership Skills
Category: Group Study
Thread: Significant Battles and their Impact on God’s Plan
Post Topic: Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians Destroy Jerusalem
Post in Thread: #7 (divided into 2 parts)
Previous Post: The Boy King Takes on the Pharaoh
Scripture: 2 Kings 24-25
8 On the seventh day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard, an official of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. 9 He set fire to the temple of the Lord, the royal palace and all the houses of Jerusalem. Every important building he burned down. 10 The whole Babylonian army under the commander of the imperial guard broke down the walls around Jerusalem. 11 Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard carried into exile the people who remained in the city, along with the rest of the populace and those who had deserted to the king of Babylon. 12 But the commander left behind some of the poorest people of the land to work the vineyards and fields.
2 Kings 25:2-4
Note – This story is divided into smaller sections in order to keep with the Burning Bush Blog’s pledge to produce less-demanding studies. But there is no right or wrong pace. Use in whatever manner works for you and your group. Also, if you are time-constrained, feel free to pick and choose discussion questions.
Historical Timeline
To provide context to these two chapters in 2 Kings, here is a timeline of key events leading up this Babylonian conquest of Judah:
- 722 BC – The mighty Assyrian empire invades Samaria / Israel in the north. They disperse the people, carry most of them into captivity, and leave Assyrians behind to intermarry, ending the northern kingdom of Israel.
- 701 BC (approx) – The good king of Judah, King Hezekiah, fends off the advancing Assyrian empire. The southern kingdom of Judah maintains its independence.
- 626-609 BC – The Babylonians revolt against Assyria. They push back the Assyrians, sacking Ninevah in 612.
- 609 BC – The good and faithful King Josiah of Judah is killed by Pharaoh Necho at Megiddo. Necho was on his way to final Assyrian stronghold of Carchemish to join the Assyrians in the fight against the Babylonians, but was delayed when Josiah wouldn’t let him pass through the land of Israel.
- 605 BC – Egypt and Assyria are defeated at Carchemish. Babylon becomes the dominant world power, ending centuries of Assyrian rule. At this time, Judah has to switch loyalties from Egypt to Babylon. As part of this subservience, many exiles are hauled off, including a young Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
The Final Kings of Judah
| King | Dates Reigned | Good or Evil | Additional Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hezekiah | 715-686 BC | Godly king. | Fended off Assyrians. |
| Manasseh | 697-642 | Very evil. Idolatry. Child Sacrifice. Martyred Isaiah. | Repented after captivity. |
| Amon | 642-640 | Evil. Idolatry. Child Sacrifice. | Assassinated. |
| Josiah | 640-609 | Very faithful. A great king of Judah. | Killed in battle by Pharaoh Necho. |
| Jehoahaz | 609 | Evil. | Taken to Egypt by Necho. |
| Jehoiakim | 609-598 | Evil. | See Part 1 below. |
| Jehoiachin/Jeconiah | 598-597 | Evil. | Exiled to Babylon. |
| Zedekiah | 597-586 | Evil. | See Part 2 below. |
Part 1 – Defiance and Exiles
Scripture: 2 Kings 24:1-17
Key Verses:
2 The Lord sent Babylonian, Aramean, Moabite and Ammonite raiders against him to destroy Judah, in accordance with the word of the Lord proclaimed by his servants the prophets. 3 Surely these things happened to Judah according to the Lord’s command, in order to remove them from his presence because of the sins of Manasseh and all he had done, 4 including the shedding of innocent blood. For he had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the Lord was not willing to forgive.
2 Kings 24:2-4
Observations
Context
- Verse 3 mentions King Manasseh’s evil ways.
- Manasseh’s father was the godly King Hezekiah, who instituted reforms across the land and stopped the Assyrian threat (with a lot of help from above).
- At one point Manasseh actually repented and turned to God. But the evil that he’d committed was remembered by the Lord over five generations later.
- The good King Josiah was the great-grandson of Manasseh. After his death at the hands of Pharaoh Necho…
- The people replaced him with his son, Jehoahaz, who did not follow his father’s reforms, but did evil in the sight of the Lord.
- Necho wasn’t having it. After three months, he exiled Jehoahaz, and put a different son of Josiah on the throne, giving him the name Jehoiakim. This is our king as we begin chapter 24.
- See the timeline above for more context. The northern kingdom of Israel was no more, and the southern kingdom of Judah was barely hanging onto its existence under King Jehoiakim.
Quick Discussion
Does everyone have a general understanding of the timeline leading up this passage? The history of the southern kingdom of Judah is one of mostly evil kings interspersed with a few good ones, like Hezekiah and Josiah, the latter of which has recently died.
Shifting Alliances
- v1 – When Nebuchadnezzar invaded the land, King Jehoiakim was forced to shift his tribute from Egypt to the Babylonians.
- Note – this was when Daniel and his friends were taken into exile into Babylon.
- After three years, Jehoiakim rebelled against Babylon, shifting his alliance back to Egypt. He did this in defiance of God’s prophets.
- v2 – As the prophets had warned, God sent a host of invaders.
- v3-4 – The writer attributes the Lord’s judgment to the sins of Manasseh many generations earlier – sins that included the shedding of innocent blood.
The 2nd Exile
Verses 8-17 describe another siege of Jerusalem. The historian Josephus confirmed that Jehoiakim attempted to re-align with Egypt, as indicated by verse 7. We don’t know exactly when the siege started or how long it lasted before the death of Jehoiakim. Josephus also wrote that King Jehoiakim was killed by the Babylonians by being thrown off a wall.
More men of Judah were taken into Babylon as captives after this siege, including the prophet Ezekiel, who gave prophecies from the rivers of Babylon.
Another Vassal King
Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim was made king after the death of his father. This only lasted for three months before Nebuchadnezzar replaced him with Zedekiah. We’ll see more about Zedekiah in Part 2.
Discussion
Re-read 2 Kings 24:3-4. Do these verses surprise you? Why might God remember the actions of a king from 50 years earlier and not forgive the nation? (other translations use the word pardon instead of forgive)
If you want to dig deeper on Manasseh, read 2 Kings 21:1-16. It describes what Manasseh did and the consequences decreed by God.
Interpretation
Setting
Location- The southern kingdom of Judah, especially Jerusalem.
Sieges
- Jerusalem had its own internal spring as a water source, so an extended siege would be about starvation, not water deprivation.
- Jerusalem is a high place surrounded by valleys. It also had high walls. So a frontal attack would not be easy. An enemy would have to build a land ramp over time or use trickery or coercion to get inside.
Genre/Author
Historical Narrative. I and II Kings record the monarchical succession of the leaders of Israel and Judah, seeking to provide a detailed factual description of events. The writer is a historian, a theologian, and a storyteller.
Takeaways
- We can only guess why Jehoiakim was so defiant against God.
- Perhaps he hated the Babylonians, and refused to listen to God’s instructions to submit to them. Verses in Chronicles indicate that he might have been taken to Babylon in 605 with Daniel and the other captives, and then later returned to rule in Jerusalem. If so, maybe that experience so angered him that he resolved to get revenge.
- Perhaps he was filled with his disdain for his father, the godly Josiah.
- More likely, he was consumed with power and self-importance, thinking he didn’t need God to lead his people to freedom.
- Jehoiakim’s defiance didn’t even make sense militarily. Egypt had been pushed back to their borders by Babylon. Counting on an alliance with Egypt was foolish. His hubris was evident in this decision.
- God exhibits patience. He gives us opportunities to repent.
- God sent various prophets to warn Jehoiakim. Don’t skip the Correlation section, where we detail how the prophet Jeremiah tried in vain to sway the defiant king.
- In 2 Kings 21, we have the story of Manasseh. Here God said he would allow Jerusalem to be sacked because of this man’s evil. Yet that judgment was delayed when the good King Josiah instituted reforms.
- Finally, Jehoiakim’s sin was too much. The judgment that had been proclaimed in 2 Kings 21 was beginning to be levied against Judah.
Discussion
The book of Daniel describes the lives of the first waves of exiles. Daniel would have been a very young man when carried off to a foreign land. It is interesting to consider that events in the book of Daniel were happening in parallel with events here in 2 Kings.
Before being exiled, Daniel and his friends were godly men living under a godless king in Judah. They stayed true to their faith. When Nebuchadnezzar invaded, it didn’t seem fair for them to be dragged off to a very pagan land.
Given this backdrop, how did these men remain so incredibly faithful to God? They never turned on God, in spite of how unfair it seemed. What lessons can we learn from Daniel’s attitudes during the midst of these unfair circumstances?
Correlation
Jeremiah 36:1-26
If you have time, read this entire passage. It shows just how forgiving the Lord was willing to be, and just how hardened the heart of King Jehoiakim had become. Some verses of note in the passage:
The Lord warns the king of impending disaster through the prophet Jeremiah, giving him an opportunity to repent:
In the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “Take a scroll and write on it all the words I have spoken to you concerning Israel, Judah and all the other nations from the time I began speaking to you in the reign of Josiah till now. 3 Perhaps when the people of Judah hear about every disaster I plan to inflict on them, they will each turn from their wicked ways; then I will forgive their wickedness and their sin.”
Jehoiakim’s response? He burns Jeremiah’s scrolls piece by piece, in spite of his advisors’ urging:
21 The king sent Jehudi to get the scroll, and Jehudi brought it from the room of Elishama the secretary and read it to the king and all the officials standing beside him. 22 It was the ninth month and the king was sitting in the winter apartment, with a fire burning in the firepot in front of him. 23 Whenever Jehudi had read three or four columns of the scroll, the king cut them off with a scribe’s knife and threw them into the firepot, until the entire scroll was burned in the fire. 24 The king and all his attendants who heard all these words showed no fear, nor did they tear their clothes. 25 Even though Elnathan, Delaiah and Gemariah urged the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them.
Proverb
Proverbs 29:1 – Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.
Discussion
How could Jehoiakim be so hard-hearted toward God? Burning the scroll of Jeremiah scrap by scrap? And he was the son of the good king, Josiah. What does this scene with the scroll teach us about remaining stiff-necked? Do we run the danger of becoming so defiant that there is no return?
Jehoiakim was the living embodiment of Proverbs 29:1.
Application
Generic Applications
Godly parents does not mean godly children.
Two of the most faithful kings in the history of Judah, Hezekiah and Josiah, bore two of the most evil kings in history. Both those evil kings are mentioned in this passage: Manasseh and Jehoiakim.
We don’t know why Manasseh and Jehoiakim turned so quickly away from the faith of their fathers. Were Hezekiah and Josiah great kings but terrible parents? Or did satanic influences and worldly pressure turn them?
As we pursue success in our personal and spiritual lives, let’s not neglect our children. Always let them know that they are more important than personal achievements. And always let them know that God is more important than everything. There is no guarantee that they will obey the Lord, but let’s resolve to do our part.
Sins have consequences
Surprisingly, the evil Manasseh repented of his sins later in life. He even tried to institute some reforms (which his son later unwound). In spite of his personal change, the judgment that God has declared against Judah was not pardoned. We also remember the sins David committed. In spite of his repentance, the judgment against David was also carried out. In Manasseh’s case, the judgment was delayed until the days of Jehoiakim. But his sins still had consequences.
Group Discussion
For those of you who have children, what are some practical tips about how we can bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 4:6)?
Here’s an interesting piece of unsolicited advice from the great coach Lou Holtz: “the most important thing you can do for a child is to make sure every day they know how much you love their mother.”
Personalize It
Earlier we read about how Jehoiakim lived in complete defiance to God, even cutting up and burning the scrolls of Jeremiah. The more we harden our heart toward God, the more difficult it is for him to ever get through to us.
Let’s take a moment for us to inspect our own lives. The fact that we are participating in this study is evidence that our heart is not hardened toward God. But is there some small area in our life where we are in defiance to the Lord? Perhaps even just a tiny thing, where we are stiff-necked to the rebukes of others or of God. The longer we ignore his voice, the less we will hear it. And that is not a place we want to be.
If God is speaking to you now, take a moment to pray silently about it. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you overcome that weakness. And understand that if you still fail, it means you’re human. Keep asking God to bring you into alignment with him, and it will happen.
Part 2 – The Fall of Judah
Scripture: 2 Kings 25:1-21
8 On the seventh day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard, an official of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. 9 He set fire to the temple of the Lord, the royal palace and all the houses of Jerusalem. Every important building he burned down. 10 The whole Babylonian army under the commander of the imperial guard broke down the walls around Jerusalem. 11 Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard carried into exile the people who remained in the city, along with the rest of the populace and those who had deserted to the king of Babylon.
2 Kings 25:8-11
Observations
Context
- In Part I, we discussed how Jehoiakim rebelled against God and against Babylon, and was defeated and killed by Nebuchadnezzar.
- Nebuchadnezzar carried away spoils and captives, and placed Zedekiah on the throne of Judah as a vassal king.
- At the end of chapter 24, in the 9th year of Zedekiah’s reign, he rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar.
Events
- An angry Nebuchadnezzar brought his entire army to siege Jerusalem.
- The siege lasted for two years.
- Nebuchadnezzar built siege walls around Jerusalem, and was eventually able to breach the north wall.
- Zedekiah fled through another exit, and somehow managed to get past the Babylonian lines with some of his men. But it didn’t matter. The Babylonians pursued him and captured him near Jericho.
- They brought Zedekiah to Nebuchadnezzar who carried out a brutal sentence.
- First, they forced him to watch as they put his sons to death.
- Then they gouged out his eyes. This was the last sight he ever watched.
- Nebuchadnezzar’s commander, Nebuzaradan, completely sacked Jerusalem. They burned down Solomon’s temple and all the important buildings. The broke down the walls. They ransacked the precious metals from the temple, stripping them off pillars and walls before burning it down. They carried off everyone into captivity except the poorest farmers, and military men, whom they executed.
- Verse 21 closes with the saddest of statements: So Judah went into captivity, away from her land.
Discussion
Nebuchadnezzar was a complicated man. By the time these events with Zedekiah unfolded, Nebuchadnezzar had already had a troubling dream interpreted by Daniel, after which we find in Daniel 3:21 – The king said to Daniel, “Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery.”
Given Nebuchadnezzar’s history with Daniel, what do you think Nebuchadnezzar thought about the God of Judah, whom we know to be the one true God? How else would you describe Nebuchadnezzar in our 2 Kings 25 passage?
Interpretation
Setting
Location- The southern kingdom of Judah, especially Jerusalem.
Sieges
- Jerusalem had its own internal spring as a water source, so an extended siege would be about starvation, not water deprivation.
- Jerusalem is a high place surrounded by valleys. It also had high walls. So a frontal attack would not be easy. An enemy would have to build a land ramp over time or use trickery or coercion to get inside.
Genre/Author
Historical Narrative. I and II Kings record the monarchical succession of the leaders of Israel and Judah, seeking to provide a detailed factual description of events. The writer is a historian, a theologian, and a storyteller.
Takeaways – Zedekiah’s defiance
Zedekiah took the throne at age 21, which means he would have been about age 10 when his father, Josiah, died. He would have had plenty of time to observe the prosperity of Judah under a faithful king and compare it to the ruin that befell Judah under the godless reigns of his brothers Jehoahaz and Jehoiakim.
In our Correlations section, we’ll read how Zedekiah was so close to turning to God. During the siege, he called upon the great prophet Jeremiah, hoping that Jeremiah would give him good news about Babylon. When Jeremiah didn’t tell the king what Zedekiah wanted to hear, however, he listened to false prophets instead. Rather than heed Jeremiah’s words and surrender, he continued to defy Nebuchadnezzar.
Defying the greatest power on earth was not advisable. Defying the Lord was worse. It does not end well.
Takeaways – Nebuchadnezzar, the instrument of God
God’s judgment against Judah had been declared back in the days of King Manasseh. It had been brewing for decades, but delayed by Manasseh’s repentance and the faithfulness of Josiah. But now, the time for the judgment had arrived. Nebuchadnezzar was the tool that God used.
Nebuchadnezzar was full of himself. In spite of the dream that Daniel had interpreted about Nebuchadnezzar’s place in history, the king failed to recognize that God had placed him in this position. Much later in the book of Daniel, King Nebuchadnezzar will be humbled by God. But at this point, he simply God’s pawn in a much larger master plan.
Often we look at our world and wonder why God allows certain people to be in certain positions. But we don’t know how they fit into his master plan.
Discussion
We’ve covered a lot of history in this 2-part study. We have the benefit of looking back and seeing God’s plan unfold over history. How can this strengthen our ability to trust God?
Correlation
Jeremiah 27-28
Note – chapters in Jeremiah are not always in chronological order. These two chapters happened early in Zedekiah’s reign, before the siege. These are long chapters, so we’ll summarize the story below.
- Jeremiah prophesied to Zedekiah, telling him that he needed to submit to the yoke of the Babylonians. A yoke was a common symbol of oppression in those days. A yoke would go over the neck of oxen to make them beasts of burden.
- Symbolically, Jeremiah placed a yoke over his own shoulders while delivering the message of God’s impending judgment.
- A false prophet named Hananiah claimed that the Babylonians would be defeated, taking the yoke away from Jeremiah and breaking it.
- A few months later, Hananiah died because he had guided the people away from the Lord.
- Later, in Jeremiah 32, we read that Zedekiah was never swayed. He imprisoned Jeremiah in a courtyard, berating him for not prophesying success against Babylon.
Jeremiah 21:1-10
During the siege, Zedekiah sent this request to Jeremiah in verse 2: “Inquire now of the Lord for us because Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is attacking us. Perhaps the Lord will perform wonders for us as in times past so that he will withdraw from us.” Jeremiah’s answer from the Lord was a discouraging prophecy of plague, starvation, death at the swords of the Babylonians, and destruction by fire. But he also gave the people a way out, telling them to simply leave the city and surrender.
2 Chronicles 36:11-21
- v12 – He did evil in the eyes of the Lord his God and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet…
- v13 – He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him take an oath in God’s name…
- v13 – He became stiff-necked and hardened his heart and would not turn to the Lord, the God of Israel.
- v14 – The leaders of the priests and the people followed his lead, becoming unfaithful.
- v15 – Incredibly, God gave them another chance! He sent his messengers to them (Jeremiah).
- v16 – 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.
Discussion
In times of desperation, people like Zedekiah will often call on the Lord for deliverance. But his heart was never right with God. Just because he knew that God is real didn’t mean he was willing to submit to God. He seemed to think that Jeremiah could simply speak a different outcome into reality.
- How should Zedekiah have responded to Jeremiah? How would we have responded?
- Why did Zedekiah listen to Hananiah and not Jeremiah, even after Hananiah died?
Application
Generic Applications
In Jeremiah 21, we read how Zedekiah called on Jeremiah to intercede with the Lord, hoping that Jeremiah’s prayers would result in a great victory over the Babylonians. Perhaps he remembered the story of the faithful King Hezekiah, who was delivered from the Assyrian siege by the angel of the Lord. But Jeremiah’s response from God was the answer “no.” God’s judgment that had been decreed would stand. But Zedekiah had an opportunity for that judgment to be lightened if he’d simply submit to God and surrender to the Babylonians. Zedekiah refused.
How do we respond when God doesn’t answer our prayers the way we think he should have answered? When we get a no? Let’s resolve to remain loyal to God no matter how he answers our prayers.
Group Discussion
Jesus repeatedly instructed his followers to pray, saying things like “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened…” in Matthew 7:7-8.
Common sense tells us that this doesn’t mean we can treat the Lord like a genie in a bottle, granting us whatever we ask. We also know that sometimes our desires, even though spiritual, might not align with God’s plan. In Zedekiah’s case, the time had come for God’s judgment to be levied against Jerusalem. But Christ clearly wants us to ask. And God, like a good father, wants to give.
So how should we ask? What are some qualifications around Matthew 7:7 that we can glean from other Scripture passages to make our prayers effective?
- Matthew 6:33
- I John 5:14-15
- John 14:13; John 15:7
Personalize it
When I pray, do I pray with a heart of submission to God’s will? (I John 5:14-15)
If you want to take a much deeper dive on “ask and it will be given to you,” check out this fantastic post: Kingdom Promises and the Power of Prayer. It’s very long, but an easy read.
Historical Significance
The southern kingdom of Judah was completely overrun and exiled to Babylon. The great city of Jerusalem and God’s holy temple were burned to the ground. It is a sad story of defiance to God and his judgment.
But there is a happy ending. Jeremiah prophesied that the the exile would last 70 years, and the righteous remnant of God’s people would be returned to their homeland. This prophecy came true under the Persian King Cyrus.
The end of Chronicles sums it up nicely. 2 Chronicles 26:21 states that the land of Judah enjoyed 70 years of Sabbath rest during the period of the exile, before describing how Cyrus obeyed God and sent the people back to rebuild Jerusalem. This is a beautiful picture of resting in the promises of God.
Bible study methodology adapted from Searching the Scriptures with permission from Tyndale House:
Swindoll, Charles, Searching the Scriptures. Tyndale House Publishers, 2016.
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