Margaret Hunter – Page 23 – Amazing Bible Timeline with World History

Posted on October 14, 2012October 4, 2017 by Margaret Hunter — 4 Comments

Daniel a Major Old Testament Prophet

Daniel is considered a major prophet by Biblical scholars and the reason why he is of such importance is because there is a great deal of information about him in God‘s word. His name means “worshipper of God”. Daniel lived during the time period that Judah went into exile around the 6th century BC which is where he appears on the Biblical Timeline.

When he was a little boy he was taken captive with three of his friends back to Babylon. These three youths would be known as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Daniel and his companions came from noble families and they were chosen by some Babylonians to serve in the court of king Nebuchadnezzar.

Once the young Hebrew boys were in the court they were instructed in the ways of Babylonian culture, custom, religious worship and speech. They were to be instructed in the ways of Babylon for the next three years and then serve the king as a part of his court. Throughout this process, God inspired the boys to remain loyal to their faith. Their faith in God is what would help Daniel and his

Daniel_and_Shadrach_Meshach_and_Abednego — ‘Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego by Simeon Solomon, 1863.’

‘Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego by Simeon Solomon, 1863.’

companions to survive and prosper while they lived in Babylon. King Nebuchadnezzar had two disturbing dreams during the time period that Daniel served him. The first dream was about a large rock smashing a strange bronze statue. The second dream was about a large tree with animals feeding underneath its branches. When King Nebuchadnezzar had his first dream he wanted his magicians or wise men to interpret the dream. He didn’t want to tell them what the dream was about. The king told them if they couldn’t figure it out on their own he was going to kill them. Daniel found out what was going on and interceded. Since his companions and he were considered wise men in Nebuchadnezzar’s court, they too would die as well. God then presented Daniel with the answer to the king’s dream. Daniel then told the king the meaning of his dream. Daniel revealed to King Nebuchadnezzar that his empire was going to eventually come to an end by the Persians. He also told him that his God would one day establish a kingdom that would be far greater than any on the Earth. The second dream that King Nebuchadnezzar had occurred at a later date. This dream was given to the king by God so that he could humble him. King Nebuchadnezzar was made to realize that he was only a great ruler because God allowed it. Daniel told the king that God was going to make him think he was a wild beast for seven years and when it was over he was going to acknowledge him as Lord.

Daniel_and_Lions_Den — Daniel worshiped only the one true God no matter the consequences.

Daniel worshiped only the one true God no matter the consequences.

Daniel became a very powerful man after interpreting the first dream of Nebuchadnezzar. He was made a governor and his companions were elevated to high positions within society as well. In time, King Nebuchadnezzar passed away and King Belshazzar came to power. One night while this king was feasting he saw a hand come out of nowhere and write on the wall of his banquet hall. He eventually summoned Daniel to interpret the writing that was engraved on the wall from this vision. Daniel told him that the Persians were going to take his kingdom and it happened later on that night. Before King Belshazzar was assassinated by the Persians he rewarded Daniel with a royal robe and elevated him to the position of the third highest ruler in the land of Babylon.

Daniel_End_of_the_World — Daniel had many visions including the End of the World

Daniel had many visions including the End of the World

Soon the Persians were in power and Daniel still held a high position in the land. While the Persian king ruled the officials who didn’t like Daniel told him to pass a law that all people should worship him as a god. If a person didn’t do this they were to be put to death. Daniel did not follow this decree because he worshiped God alone. So the king had Daniel thrown into the lions den even though he didn’t want to carry out this deed. Daniel was not eaten because an angel from the Lord shut the mouth of the lions. The evil advisors who plotted against Daniel were thrown in the lions den with their families and they were all eaten alive.

Daniel also had visions about things to come and the end of the world shortly before he died. Daniel 7 records the vision of the four beasts and Daniel 8 is about the vision of the ram and the goat. The rest of the chapters of Daniel reveal other visions such as the 70 weeks in Dan 9 and the vision of the end times in Daniel 10. Daniel’s visions also shed light on what is taking place in the spiritual realm and how these events affect people on Earth. Daniel eventually passed away after living a long and prosperous life in Babylon. The date of his death cannot be determined, but most biblical scholars and historians place it somewhere in the 6th century B.C.

Biblical References:

Daniel 1 Some young boys were taken from Judah‘s royal families and were trained to become advisors to King Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel and his three companions were given special favor by God for learning.
Daniel 2 Daniel interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s dream concerning a statue a large rock that smashes the statue. He is rewarded the position of governor.
Daniel 4 Daniel interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s dream about a large tree with animals grazing underneath. Daniel tells the king that he will go mad until he recognizes God as the one and only true Lord of all.
Daniel 5 Daniel tells King Belshazzar about his vision concerning the handwriting on the wall. Daniel tells the king that the Persians were going to destroy him and his empire. Daniel becomes the third highest ruler for interpreting the dream.
Daniel 6 Daniel is saved by an angel of the Lord after he is thrown in the lions den.
Daniel 7 – 12 God gives Daniel many prophecies about events that have taken place in history and those that will occur in the future. He also says a prayer for his people in chapter 9.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Foster_Bible_Pictures_0011-1.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_(biblical_figure)#mediaviewer/File:Daniellion.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadrach,_Meshach,_and_Abednego#mediaviewer/File:Simeon_Solomon_-_Shadrach_Meshach_Abednego.JPG
http://pixabay.com/en/lion-panthera-leo-lioness-343387/
http://pixabay.com/en/apocalypse-mystical-moon-sun-524468/

Posted on October 13, 2012April 5, 2016 by Margaret Hunter — 3 Comments

Jeremiah A Major Prophet

Jeremiah was a major prophet because there is a lot of information about him in the Bible. That is the only difference between a major and minor prophet. Jeremiah began to prophesy during the reign of King Josiah, which is where he appears on the Bible Timeline. God used him to warn the people to turn from idolatry. This particular sin was destroying Judah, and it had already caused Israel to fall under the power of the Assyrians. Jeremiah told the Judeans about the immediate danger of judgment that was near, but most of the people didn’t listen to him. The Kings continued to worship idols and disregarded God’s warning. Eventually, what Jeremiah had prophesied came to pass. God gave King Nebuchadnezzar a lot of power and told him to go out and conquer the known world. While King Nebuchadnezzar did what the Lord commanded; God had revealed to him that he was to conquer Judah.

Jeremiah,Major_Prophet_of_the_Old_Testament_King_Nevuchadnezzar — ‘Nebuchadnezzar faces off against Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, who holds a plan of Jerusalem, in a Baroque era depiction in Zwiefalten Abbey, Germany.’

‘Nebuchadnezzar faces off against Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, who holds a plan of Jerusalem, in a Baroque era depiction in Zwiefalten Abbey, Germany.’

King Zedekiah was the last ruler of Judah, and he was imprisoned in Babylon. King Nebuchadnezzar then made a Hebrew man named Gedaliah governor to Judah. The people of Judah were also forced marched to Babylon as exiles. During his effort to get the people to turn from sin, Jeremiah used a variety of tactics. He used his life and various means to illustrate God’s word. For example, God had Jeremiah buy a linen belt that could not be used for its intended purpose. This was to illustrate the fact that the Judeans sin with worshipping false idols was useless. God had Jeremiah visit a potter’s house and watch him as he created various dishes. When the potter messed up a particular vessel, he had to reshape it to make it right. This example would be used by Jeremiah to show the people how God was going to use various circumstances to reshape their lives.

Jeremiah,Major_Prophet_of_the_Old_Testament_Potter — ‘God was going to use various circumstances to reshape their lives.’

‘God was going to use various circumstances to reshape their lives.’

Jeremiah battled false prophets and priests, and he was imprisoned at various points in his prophetic career. When the people of Judah were put in chains and being prepared to march back to Babylon, God gave the prophet Jeremiah a choice concerning his destiny. A Babylonian military commander found Jeremiah and told him that he could go back with the captives or remain in Judah under the governor Gelediah. He also told him that God was going to take care of him no matter how he had decided to live his life.

Jeremiah chose to stay in Jerusalem. A Judean guerilla fighter named Ishmael assassinated governor Gelediah and when he did the people of Judah wanted to run to Egypt. They were afraid that the Babylonians would retaliate. Before they left, they decided to get a word from Jeremiah, but he told them to remain in Judah. He said that if they went back to Egypt they would go back into idolatry. He also revealed to them that God was going to kill anyone who decided to go to Egypt.

Once again, most of the people didn’t believe him. Eventually, King Nebuchadnezzar sent his forces into Egypt and took it over. All of the Hebrew people that escaped to Egypt perished. Jeremiah was a prophet whose fame is known by many people all over the world. His messages from God transcends the ages. He was born 655 B.C., and he became a prophet in 626 B.C. He lived during through the reign of Judah’s five last kings which included Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin and Zedekiah. His father was named Hilkiah, and he died in 586 B.C. He is also credited with writing the biblical book of Lamentations. Jeremiah will always be remembered as one of the greatest men of the Bible that has ever lived.

Biblical References:

Jeremiah 1: 1 – 3 Background information on Jeremiah
Jeremiah 1 – 6 God uses Jeremiah to warn his people to turn from idolatry.
Jeremiah 8 Jeremiah speaks out against false prophets.
Jeremiah 12 Jeremiah questions God’s justice.
Jeremiah 18: 18 – 23 The Judeans plot against Jeremiah
Jeremiah 37: 11 – 21 Jeremiah is imprisoned
Jeremiah 39: The Fall of Jerusalem
Jeremiah 40 – 42 Jeremiah decides to remain in Judah and tells the people not to go to Egypt when governor Gedaliah is assassinated.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremiah
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/8586-jeremiah
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:%D0%9F%D1%80%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%BA_%D0%98%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%BC%D0%B8%D1%8F,_%D0%9C%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B5%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B6%D0%B5%D0%BB%D0%BE_%D0%91%D1%83%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%BE%D1%82%D1%82%D0%B8.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nebuchadnezzar_II#mediaviewer/File:Germany_Zwiefalten_M%C3%BCnster_Nebuchadnezzer_and_Zedekiah.jpg

Posted on October 12, 2012April 5, 2016 by Margaret Hunter — 3 Comments

Solomon Temple Rebuilt Under Cyrus

The temple of Solomon had been destroyed when the Judeans were placed under the dominance of Babylon during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar. God’s people were ruled by foreign monarchs for 70 years until he decided to return them back to the Promise Land. But it was rebuilt around 519 BC which is where this event occurs on the Biblical Timeline.

King Cyrus of Persia controlled Babylon when the people of Judah were allowed to return home. During the first year of his reign, God came to him and gave him a message. The king held a public announcement about this message. He told the people of Persia and Babylon that the Lord had authorized him to rebuild Solomon’s Temple and that he must release many of the Judeans back to their homeland to complete this task. He also told the people that no one should interfere with this process and that the people surrounding the territories of Judah should lend financial and material support to the Judeans cause. After this proclamation, many of the people of Judah were excited about returning home. God had chosen the people that he wanted to return by letting them know they should be a part of the rebuilding process.

Solomon_Temple,_Rebuilt — Temple of Solomon

The people began to give all that they could to the returning exiles so that they could have money for supplies and food. The heads of Jewish families of the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and the Levites also selected who were going to return home. King Cyrus decided to give back the treasures that King Nebuchadnezzar took from Solomon’s Temple after he conquered Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar had these supplies loaded up in the temple of his god. There were gold and silver bowls, dishes, pans and other items. Cyrus returned 5,400 items back to the people of Israel so that they could place the items back into the Temple. These items were given to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah who was in charge of taking the Judeans back to their homeland. Ezra was a priest and scribe who were authorized to return to Jerusalem during the reign of another Persian king named Artaxerxes. He wasn’t among the first exiles to return home and joined them at a later date.

Biblical References:

Ezra 1: 1 – 4 God informs Cyrus the Great that he should rebuild the Temple and release the Jewish captives back to their land.
Ezra 1: 5, 6 The people help to support the return to Jerusalem with the use of freewill offerings and donated gifts. Gods stirs up the hearts of priests, Levites, and tribal leaders to go back to Judah to rebuild his Temple.
Ezra 1: 7 – 11 King Cyrus gives back the treasures of Solomon’s Temple that was taken by Nebuchadnezzar. Sheshbazaar carries them back to Judah.
Ezra 7: Ezra, the priest, is stirred up by God to go back to Judah.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jerusalem_Ugglan_1.jpg

Posted on October 11, 2012October 4, 2017 by Margaret Hunter — Leave a comment

Gedaliah Governor of Judah Under Captivity

King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had conquered Judah around 586 B.C. After he captured the territory of Judah he exiled thousands of its people back into his homeland of Babylon. He then appointed loyal governors to the territories that he defeated so that he could keep them under control. King Nebuchadnezzar appointed a Hebrew man named Gedaliah as governor of Judah once he took over their kingdom. Gedaliah appears on the Bible Timeline around 586 BC.

Gedeliah Governer_of_Judah — The Lion of Judah

Gedaliah was the son of Ahikam and the grandson of Shaphan the prophet. He came from a line of godly men who were devoted to the Lord. Ahikam had once saved the prophet Jeremiah from death, and Shaphan played a role in the discovery of the lost book of Moses Law which would later become the book of Deuteronomy. When Gedaliah became governor, he ruled the remaining Judeans in the land which were left behind after the exile. The remaining people were primarily poor people who were left in the area to work the vineyards and fields. Gedaliah treated these people with respect, and he cared for them greatly. The governor also encouraged a revitalization project in Judah which drew a lot of people in the area to the city of Mizpah where he resided. He always encouraged them to remain loyal to Babylon so that they would not experience any further problems.

During this turbulent period in Judah’s history rebel groups of guerilla fighters formed to against Babylon. These groups dwelt mainly in the open countryside of Judah, and they presented themselves as freedom fighters against the Babylonians. One particular rebel was named Ishmael, and he was well known among the people. Ishmael and the other rebel bands found out that Gedaliah was the governor of Judah, and they eventually went to Mizpah his home city to meet him. Once the rebels arrived Gedaliah told them that they must not fight against Babylon anymore and that they should stay in Mizpah with him. He befriended most of the rebels and developed a strong friendship with Ishmael. Even though this was the case, Ishmael had other plans for the governor.

Ishmael had been plotting with the King of Ammon, a nearby kingdom, to assassinate Gedaliah. Some of the other rebels had found out about this assassination plot, and they warned the governor. Gedaliah didn’t believe them and one day he invited Ishmael to his house for dinner and was killed by this man. Once Ishmael had killed the governor the people of Judah realized that Babylon was going to retaliate against them. So they wanted to run back to Egypt to avoid destruction. They consulted the prophet Jeremiah about their decision. He told them that if they went to Egypt God was going to kill them there. The Lord wasn’t finished with the punishment of Judah for its sins. Jeremiah wanted them to remain under Babylonian control until God’s punishments were carried out. Most of the people didn’t listen to Jeremiah, and they fled to Egypt. Eventually, Babylon found out what had happened, and they attacked Judah and then attacked Egypt. The Judeans that escaped to Egypt were eventually killed by the Babylonians just as Jeremiah prophesized. There weren’t any more leaders in Judah for many years after the death of Gedaliah. The Judeans lamented his memory with a fast called the “Fast of Gedaliah” and his name means “God has made great”.

Biblical References:

2 Kings 25: 22 – 26 Gives a brief account of the life of Governor Gedaliah and the events surrounding his assassination.
Jeremiah 40 – 42 Presents a detail description of the life of Gedaliah and how his assassination led to further harm for the people of Judah.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gedaliah
http://reluctant-messenger.com/judahs_sceptre_205.htm

Posted on October 2, 2012April 5, 2016 by Margaret Hunter — 1 Comment

Pekah of Israel, King

King Pekah used to be a military commander in the army of King Pekahiah of Israel. He overthrew King Pekiah around 757 BC which is where he appears on the Biblical Timeline poster. King Pekahiah of Israel was an idolatrous king who worshipped false gods. The Assyrians had come to dominate the land during the reign of King Pekahiah. Many people in Israel didn’t want to be controlled by the Assyrians, especially members of Israeli’s military forces.

Pekah eventually decided he had enough of Pekahiah’s rule and inability to break free from the power of the Assyrians. So he secretly conspired with 50 men from the land of Gilead, which was neighboring territory to assassinate the king. Pekah had used the foreigners to carry out this plot so that he could do it in secrecy. Pekah eventually assassinated Pekahiah in Samaria and set himself up as king.

Once Pekah became king he continued in the pagan practices of the former rulers of Israel.

Israel and Judah had always been enemies every since the kingdom of Israel had split apart hundreds of years before the rule of Pekah. Kings from Israel and Judah went to war with each other because they were enemies during the era of the kings. Ahaz was the king of Judah during the reign of Pekah and these two kings fought against each other. King Pekah allied with King Rezin of Aram to defeat the people of Judah. King Ahaz appealed to Tiglath-Pileser III of Assyria to stop Pekah. The Assyrian king decided to help Judah and used this situation as an excuse to overthrow Israel.

Pekah believed he could overcome Assyrian power through worshipping false gods and going to war against the Assyrians in his own strength. His reign lasted for twenty long years, and he didn’t have success in ridding the land of the Assyrians. During the latter part of his reign, the Assyrians attacked various cities in Israel, and King Pekah could not stop them because God was strengthening the Assyrian king to carry out these deeds. After the Assyrians had defeated the Israelites, they took many people captive and marched them back to their homeland.

King Pekah had a military commander named Hoshea, who became fed up with the rule. So he decided to remove the king from the throne. This is ironic because Pekah gained his power over Israel in the same way, and now the same thing was happening to him. King Pekah thought he could do a much better job of ruling the nation of Israel than the kings before him, but this was not the truth. Hoshea eventually killed the king and took his place on the throne. Pekah’s name means “the Lord has opened his eyes” and he managed to rule Israel for twenty years in 740 B.C. His father was named Remaliah, and he was in power for sixteen years before he died.

Biblical References:

2 Kings 15: 27 – 31 Tells the story of Pekah’s reign and his demise.
2 Chronicles 28: 6 God allows King Pekah to destroy 120,000 of Judah’s soldiers because of their sins.

References:
http://www.biblegateway.com/
http://www.aboutbibleprophecy.com/p107.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pekah
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Phasea-Pekah.jpg

Posted on October 1, 2012October 4, 2017 by Margaret Hunter — Leave a comment

Pekahiah of Israel, King

Around 738 B.C., the kingdom of Israel was already under the control of the Assyrian Empire. King Pekahiah was the second to last king who ruled Israel before the kingdom was brought completely under the control of the Assyrians. He appears on the Bible Timeline poster during the 8th century BC. God had allowed Judah to be conquered by the Assyrians because of their sins.

The Kingdom of Israel that was started by King Saul had split into two parts. The northern kingdom was called Israel, and the southern kingdom was Judah. The first ruler of the newly divided kingdom of Israel was Jeroboam. When King Jeroboam was in power, he started a new religion called the Golden Calf Cult. This religion was designed to keep the people from reuniting Judah and Israel back into one kingdom.

The Golden Calf Cult had the people of Israel worship false gods instead of Yahweh. After the Golden, Calf Cult was created many Israeli kings used this religion as a form of policy to keep the power on their land. Pekahiah was the son of Menahem, and he was an idol worshipping ruler. He led the people in sinning against God through his idolatry. He was also one of the last rulers of the house of Gadi. God sent prophets to warn King Pekahiah and the people of Israel from their sins, but the king didn’t listen to them. So the Lord allowed one of Pekahiah’s military commanders by the name Pekah to plot his assassination.

Historians claim that Pekah became frustrated at the king’s inability to rid the land of the Assyrian’s power and that he probably thought that he could do a better job with ruling Israel than the king. So Pekahiah conspired with 50 men from Gilead, and he took over the throne. Many Israeli kings were assassinated because of their sins. Pekahiah was the 6th king of Israel to lose his life in this manner. Since Pekahiah didn’t try to turn away from his sins he probably thought that the problems the Israeli people were experiencing from the Assyrians were something that he could handle without God’s help. Instead of relying on God’s power he turned to the power of foreign gods to give him the help that he needed.

Even though the Bible doesn’t say it, the king probably tried to form alliances with other kingdoms that were under the control of the Assyrians. Apparently these types of alliances existed because Pekah formed some during his reign with other kingdoms to get rid of the Assyrian yoke. Pekahiah’s rule only lasted two years, and he ruled from the Israeli capital of Samaria. King Pekahiah’s reign had helped to set the stage for the final destruction of Israel. When King Pekahiah was in power, his rule only lasted for a short amount of time because of his many sins. There were only two kings who ruled after his reign. The last kings of Israel hadn’t learned their lesson from God about forsaking idolatry and believing in him alone.

Biblical References:

2 Kings 15: 23 – 26 Outlines the reign of Pekahiah and his assassination.

References:
http://www.biblegateway.com/
http://www.aboutbibleprophecy.com/p106.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Phasea-Pekah.jpg

Posted on September 30, 2012April 5, 2016 by Margaret Hunter — Leave a comment

Babylonian Capivity, Second

God empowered King Nebuchadnezzar to become a mighty ruler on the Earth around 610 B.C. which is where he appears on the Biblical Timeline chart. This Babylonian king was to use his power from God to conquer many empires and kingdoms. King Nebuchadnezzar did use his power for that purpose and he used his strength against the nation of Judah.

Around 600 B.C. Babylon had marched against Judah because the territory hadn’t been paying its required tribute. King Nebuchadnezzar had previously conquered Judah during the reign of Jehoiakim. After Jehoiakim had died his son Jehoiachin took his place. During Jehoiakim reign, Judah was paying tribute to Egypt and Babylon. God had stirred up the king of Babylon to attack Judah during the reign of Jehoiakim so that he could pay them back for their sins.

King Nebuchadnezzar marched his armies into Judah and placed his dominance over the territory. After he captured Judah he then began to make them pay tribute and he marched off some of the people back to Babylon. He only took a few people.

After Jehoiakim’s power had come to an end, King Nebuchadnezzar placed his son Jehoiachin on the throne. This particular event set the stage for the first Babylonian captivity sent to Judah by God. The first Babylonian captivity occurred during the reign of King Jehoiachin.

King Nebuchadnezzar marched against the Babylonians because he was led by God to perform this act. He laid siege to Jerusalem and carried away many of the elite citizens of the kingdom. The Babylonian king also imprisoned Judah‘s ruler.

The second Babylonian captivity happened during the reign of King Zedekiah. This particular ruler of Judah was the uncle of and Nebuchadnezzar placed him in power after he attacked Judah the third time. This time around he was done being patient with Judah. He then began to siege to the city of Jerusalem for two years. Eventually, Judah was defeated and King Zedekiah was captured.

Babylonian_Captivity,_Second — Zedekiah’s Sons Are Slaughtered before His Eyes (2 King 25:1-7)

Zedekiah’s Sons Are Slaughtered before His Eyes (2 King 25:1-7)

The king was forced to witness the murder of his sons and then he was blinded by Nebuchadnezzar before he was marched back to Babylon as a prisoner. Most of the people of Judah were taken back to Babylon and only the poor people remained in the land. God had used many prophets to warn Judah about their sins and to turn away from them. The sin of idolatry had also been extremely problematic for the people of Judah. This sin is what caused the Israelites to be deported by the Assyrians and now the people of Judah had experienced the same thing at the hands of the Babylonians.

Jeremiah had sternly warned the King Zedekiah the last ruler of Judah to repent before the Babylonians finally destroyed them but the king didn’t listen. The Lord was fed up with the sins of his people so he finally resolved the issue of their disobedience by forcing them into exile. The people of Judah were now living as captives in a foreign land because of their disobedience. The Babylonian captivity lasted for 70 years before Nehemiah was allowed to bring back the captives to rebuild Judah. The second Babylonian captivity took place around 586 B.C.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babylonian_captivity
http://www.bible-history.com/resource/r_proph.htm
http://www.simplybible.com.au/f634.htm
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:102.Zedekiah%27s_Sons_Are_Slaughtered_before_His_Eyes.jpg

Posted on September 29, 2012April 5, 2016 by Margaret Hunter — 3 Comments

Babylonian Captivity, First

The first Babylonian captivity took place around 598 BC which is where it appears on the Bible Timeline chart. God had decided to make the Hebrews his chosen people. He wanted them to be set apart so that they could be used to tell the people of the Earth about who he is and how he wants them to live. The Lord is holy and he expects his servants to live in the same way. God had given the Hebrew people the fertile land of Canaan to the Hebrew people after he drove out the other nations that occupied the territory. The reason he took the land away from these people was due to their wickedness, deviant sexual practices and idolatry. Once the Hebrew people settled into Canaan, God had to constantly warn them about getting involved in the pagan practices that went on in other nations.

When the nation of Israel first had kings their devotion was to God. From the time of King Saul to the era of King Solomon the nation of Israel didn’t worship any false gods. However at the end of Solomon’s reign, he got involved with many foreign women who were able to turn his heart away from worshipping God alone. The Lord decided to split the kingdom of Israel in half. In the north would be the ten tribes of Israel and the remaining two tribes would be called Judah.

Babylonian,First_Captivity — Golden Calf Cult

When the Kingdom first split in half the people still worshipped at God’s temple but the first ruler of the newly formed Israeli kingdom decided that he was going to start the Golden Calf Cult so that he could keep the people of Israel from being reunited with Judah through their devotion to the Lord. After Jeroboam established this religion it became a type of policy that most kings of Israel used during their time in power. The kings of Judah were also influenced by foreign gods as well.

Jeroboam’s actions introduced idolatry to the Israelites and Judeans in a new way. Many people from both parts of the divided kingdom took to idolatry and God became angry. God didn’t just automatically judge and condemn the people he sent them prophets to warn them about their idolatrous ways. Prophets such as Elisha, Elijah, Huldah, Jeremiah and Isaiah constantly warned and rebuked kings to turn from their idolatrous ways. Sometimes the people listened and sometimes they refused to hear. The Lord used priests to help get the people to honor him, but the people only listened to them half of the time. God established righteous kings who did a lot during their reign to keep the people devoted to his truth but once most of these good kings died the people went right back into idolatry.

God had warned the people for so long that finally he had no choice but to judge them for their evil deeds. The Lord had sent the Israelites into captivity by the hands of the Assyrian and this was punishment for their sins. The people of Judah didn’t learn from this example. So God eventually sent them into captivity by the power of the Babylonians. King Jehoiakim experienced the arrival of the Babylonians and he was forced to pay them tribute. After he had died his son Jehoiachin had to deal with the Babylonians.

The Lord prompted King Nebuchadnezzar’s forces to enter Judah a second time during the reign of King Jehoiachin. He was one of the last kings of Judah and the Lord considered him an evil ruler who promoted idolatry. King Jehoiachin was forced to go to Babylon as a prisoner by King Nebuchadnezzar. He ended up spending the rest of his days in Babylon as a prisoner. King Nebuchadnezzar had also marched many of the elite citizens of Judah back to Babylon as well. The people of Judah were forced to pay tribute to King Nebuchadnezzar. God had allowed the Babylonians to become the rulers of Judah and he did this so that they could turn their attention back to him once again.

The first Babylonian captivity of Judah happened during the reign of King Jehoiachin and it was the beginning of a series of captivities that would plague Judah for almost a century. The people of Judah still didn’t learn their lesson and God had to judge them once again.

Posted on September 28, 2012October 1, 2015 by Margaret Hunter — 5 Comments

Zedekiah King of Judah

Zedekiah reigned in unrighteousness during the sixth century BC, which is where he appears on the Biblical Timeline. God had warned the kingdom of Judah to repent from its sins for many years. He had sent many prophets, priests and righteous kings to have the people worship him in spirit and truth. God had patiently waited for hundreds of years for the people to stop worshipping idols and honoring pagan deities. There were times in the history of the nation of Judah when it seemed as if the people were going to live permanently righteously according to God’s commandments. This condition didn’t last forever, and the people of Israel soon went back into their sin of idolatry. Over the course of time, God could no longer warn or be patient with the people of Judah. They had forced the Lord to exercise judgment against them because it was a justifiable act of God.

Zedekiah,Unrighteous_King_of_Judah — Zedekiah

King Jehoiachin ruled Judah after the Babylonians had gained control over the land. Jehoiachin’s father, Jehoiakim was a wicked king and during his reign the Babylonians invaded Judah and this was the beginning of God’s judgment against this nation. After Jehoiakim had passed away, King Nebuchadnezzar had appointed Jehoiachin to power, and he ruled for 11 years and then he was marched off to Babylon as a prisoner. Once this king was removed from the throne, his uncle named Mattaniah was made the next ruler of Judah. King Nebuchadnezzar changed his name to Zedekiah.

When Zedekiah became the King of Judah, he was a wicked ruler. He continued to practice the idolatry that was performed by various kings all throughout the history of Judah. God used the prophet Jeremiah to warn the king, but he didn’t listen to him. King Zedekiah was a stubborn, hard-hearted man, and he wasn’t convinced or convicted by any of God’s warnings to repent. He also didn’t think that his nephew’s captivity in Babylon had anything to do with the nation’s troubles from God for their sins. King Zedekiah just didn’t realize what was happening, or he didn’t care. The people of Judah reflected the king’s attitude and continued to worship false gods and idols.

The Babylonians attacked Jerusalem a third time in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign. This time around they built huge earthen ramps and lay siege to the city for two years. Eventually, the siege had ended, and the people were desperate. The Babylonians eventually broke through Jerusalem’s wall and killed many of the people of Judah. They killed the young and old, and they took all of the wealth of Judah.

During the siege, King Zedekiah realized that all was lost, so his troops broke through a part of the wall surrounding Jerusalem when it was dark. They tried to run away in a nearby valley to escape, but the Babylonians chased after and killed most of them. King Zedekiah tried to do the same thing, but he too was captured. Instead of killing him, the Babylonian’s tied him up and forced him to watch as they killed his sons. Then they put his eyes out of his socket and made him blind. After he was made blind, he was marched back to Babylon where he spent the rest of his days as a prisoner. King Zedekiah was 21 years old when he became king, and he ruled Judah for 11 years around 588 B.C. His name means “the justice of God” and the people of Judah experienced God’s justice against their sins during his reign.

Biblical References:

2 Kings 24: 17 Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon makes Zedekiah the next ruler of Judah after he removes his nephew Jehoiachin from the throne.
2 Kings 24: 18 – 20 King Zedekiah was an evil ruler who did evil in the sight of God. He was an idolatrous ruler that led the people astray. God decided to judge Israel through the process of exile with the power of the Babylonians.
2 Kings 25: 1 – 7 Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem for two years and carries away its people.
2 Chronicles 36: 11 – 21 An alternate passage that tells about Zedekiah’s rule of Jerusalem.

References:
http://www.biblegateway.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zedekiah
http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/112328/jewish/Zedekiah.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Zedekiah.jpg

Posted on September 26, 2012September 10, 2015 by Margaret Hunter — 5 Comments

Jehoiachin King of Judah

Jehoiachin was the son of Jehoiakim and his name means “God will fortify his people”. He ruled Judah during the sixth century BC, which is when he appears on the Biblical Timeline. When Jehoiachin came to power, his father Jehoiakim had passed away after ruling the land for eleven years.

Once he became king he continued in the pagan practices of his father. Instead of leading people back into the true worship of God he chose to continue leading them in the wrong direction. King Jehoiachin had a short reign that lasted for only three months and one week. God had to remove this king from power because he didn’t want to repent of his sins. He was alive when his grandfather Josiah ruled the kingdom.

King Josiah was a righteous ruler who believed in God. Just like his father, Jehoiachin didn’t learn how to trust in the Lord. God had decided to send the people into captivity for their sins at the hands of the Babylonians. The Babylonians made Judah pay them tribute during the reign of Jehoiakim. One day King Nebuchadnezzar decided to attack Judah during the rule of Jehoiachin. Before he marched on Judah, he forced King Jehoiachin to come to Babylon. Once King Jehoiachin arrived in Babylon King Nebuchadnezzar made him a prisoner.

King Nebuchadnezzar arrived in Judah and took the people into slavery. The Babylonian King then carried away all of Judah’s treasures from the palace and the Temple of the Lord. This was a prediction that was given to King Hezekiah of Judah in the past. It finally was fulfilled during the reign of Jehoiachin. King Nebuchadnezzar took all of the important people in the land which included the princes, the skilled craftsmen, soldiers, Smiths and even some of the priests.

After he had taken King Jehoiachin away to Babylon, a king named Mattaniah was placed on the throne by Nebuchadnezzar. This event was the second time that Babylon took the people of Judah away into captivity. God used Nebuchadnezzar to enslave the people of Judah at different time periods during its history. Only the extremely poor people were allowed to remain behind in the land of Judah. God used the Babylonian captivity as a last resort to get the people to turn back from their sins and to believe in him.

This extreme form of judgment was used by God to help them to realize how important it is to have a heart that truly wants to follow his ways and serve him. This was the beginning of many years of sorrow for the people of Judah. All hope was not gone because God was going to bring his people back from captivity and destruction when the time was right. King Jehoiachin ultimately ended his short reign as a prisoner in the Kingdom of Babylon.

Biblical References:

2 Kings 24: 8, 9 Background information on Jehoiachin. He was an evil king.
2 Kings 24: 10 -12 King Nebuchadnezzar and his officials siege Judah and Jehoiachin relinquishes control of Jerusalem
2 Kings 24: 12 – 14 Babylonian King carries away Jehoiachin and the people into captivity, and he plunders the temple of God.
2 Kings 24: 15 -17 Nebuchadnezzar places Mattaniah on the throne. Jehoiachin’s uncle and changes his name to Zedekiah.
2 Chronicles 36: 9 -10 alternate story of Jehoiachin’s reign.

References:
http://www.biblegateway.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeconiah
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/judaica/ejud_0002_0011_0_10047.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jehoiachin-Jeconiah.jpg