The end for Jerusalem

Jeremiah    Chapter 52

King Zedekiah was 21 years old when he became king and he reigned in Jerusalem for 11 years. But he did what was evil in the Lord's sight and so the Lord banished the people of Jerusalem and Judah from his presence and sent them into exile.

Then Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon, so King Nebuchadnezzar let his entire army against Jerusalem and kept it under seige until the 11th year of Zedekiah's reign. The famine in the city became severe and the last of the food was gone. A section of the city wall was broken down and the people made plans to escape but had to wait until nightfall to flee and dash across the fields.

But the Babylonians chased them and caught King Zedekiah and bought him back to Nebuchadnezzar where sentence was passed on him. There in Riblah, Nebuchadnezzar made Zedekiah watch as all his sons were killed and all the other leaders of Judah. Then they gouged out Zedekiah's eyes , put him in chains and led him off to Babylon where he remained in prison the rest of his life.

Much later, a captain of Nebuchadnezzar's guard came to Jerusalem and burned the Temple of the Lord, the palace and all the houses in Jerusalem. He supervised as the army tore down the buildings and walls of Jerusalem. Then he took as exiles, some of the poorest of people who had remained in the city as well as craftsmen and some troops who had declared an allegiance to the king of Babylon.  Some poor people were allowed to stay behind in Judah to care for the vineyards and fields. The soldiers also took the bronze water carts, pillars and the bronze sea that were at the Temple and carried all pots, basins and other sacred utensils back to Babylon.

The captain of the guard also took Seraih, the high chief priest, his assistant and three chief gatekeepers, an officer of the army, seven of the king's personal advisers, army commander's secretary and sixty other citizens. He took them to the king of Babylon at Riblah and there they were put to death. In the 37th year of King Jehoiachin's exile in Babylon, Evil-merodach ascended to the Babylonian throne and was kind to Johoiachin and released him from prison.

BIBLE NOTES SHOW: Babylon's new ruler showed kindness to Johoiachin and in 561 B.C. he was released and allowed to eat with the king. God continued to show kindness to the descendants of King David, even in exile.

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY? This is the last chapter of Jeremiah and we should use this chapter as a lesson on the success of Jeremiah. True, he was not liked or listened to by his people. Yet he finished the job God gave him to do. Most people would look at Jeremiah and judge him unsuccessful because he had no money, no family or friends and had no leaders who would accept his advice.

Isn't it easy to judge Jeremiah a failure? Yet the Lord teaches us that success is not measured by popularity, fame or fortune. It is measured by the way we obey the Lord, do his good works, and be faithful and righteous. Jeremiah did all these things and did them well for an entire lifetime. Don't you hope and pray that we can be judged by the Lord in the same manner? 

The next chapter we will begin is Lamentations and it shows how deep Jeremiah's grief would be for his people.

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:


HEALTH:

Pray for my grandson, new baby Gunar who was born with kidney problems.

Pray for Gabe.

Pray for Gary and Steve my insurance men who have prostate cancer.

Pray for Arlene’s nephew David and for my neighbor Al who is nearing the end of his life.

Pray for Carolyn’s brother Ronald who has cancer and who recently underwent major surgery.

Pray for our friend Michelle who was diagnosed with a form of MS.

Pray for Robert Sargent who is quite ill with lung cancer.

Pray for Gary Summers, my friend from church, who has cancer.

Pray too for Charly’s husband Robert who has been undergoing chemo. Pray also for Charly who longs to be 100 percent again and walk without an aid.

Pray for James’s sister Cynthia whose chemo has lost its effect as the cancer grows powerful.

SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary

RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John

LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter, Brian

SUPPORT: Pray for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom. Pray for our farmers and those who raise livestock during this terrible drought. Pray for us consumers who will face higher grocery prices and the poor who won’t be able to adjust what little budget they have.