June 20 Daily Devotional

2 Kings 25

Nebuchadnezzar came again with his whole army. against Jerusalem, besieged it, and built forts around it. And the famine became sore in the city, and it was impossible for the people to get provisions. Finally, when all the food was gone, the king decided to flee from Jerusalem during the night. So one dark night Zedekiah and his men of war left the city and tried to escape. But they had not gone very far when the Chaldeans went after them. They overtook them in the plains of Jericho. There the army was scattered and the king was taken captive. He was brought before the king of Babylon, who gave judgment upon him. In a cruel manner the sons of Zedekiah were killed before his eyes. After that the king’s eyes were put out, and as a blind captive he was dragged to Babylon. Seraiah the chief priest, with other priests and a number of leaders, were also brought before the king of Babylon, and he slew them.

And the Chaldeans burnt the beautiful temple and the king’s palace and all the houses in Jerusalem. And they broke down the walls of the city round about. Many of the people were taken away, as captives they were led to distant Babylon. The poorest of the land were left to be vinedressers and husbandmen. All the vessels of silver and gold, that they found in the temple, were taken out of the building before it was destroyed, and carried to the country of the Chaldeans. Thus Judah was led out of their land into the captivity of Babylon. This happened about the year 588 B.C., after the kingdom had existed almost 400 years.

As for Jeremiah, he was recommended to Nebuzar-adan the captain, to whom the king of Babylon said, “Take him, look well to him, and do him no harm; but do unto him even as he shall say unto thee.” So Nebuzar-adan took Jeremiah out of the court of the prison, and said unto him, “The Lord God hath pronounced this evil upon this place … as he had said: because ye have sinned against the Lord, and have not obeyed his voice … And now, behold, I loose thee this day from the chains which were upon thine hand … If it seem ill unto thee to come with me into Babylon, forbear: behold, all the land is before thee: whither it seemeth good unto thee to go, thither go.” So Jeremiah had the choice of going to Babylon, or of staying with the poor people that were left in the land. He chose to stay in his beloved country. At that time Jeremiah’s “Lamentations” were written. They testify of the unfathomed agony that filled the great prophet’s soul, but also of the real comfort, the only comfort in life and death, that is promised to all true believers.