2 Kings 25

2 Kings 25:1

THE SIEGEThe exactness of the date indicates the extreme importance of this siege. It was the beginning of the end of Jerusalem.

2 Kings 25:3

The intensity of the suffering is described for us in Lamentations.

2 Kings 25:4

The enemy broke into the city, and the king with his troops tried to escape. But they were captured. The prophet Jeremiah had predicted the fall of Jerusalem, and he was considered a traitor because he told the people the truth.

2 Kings 25:7

This man was deceived by false prophets but would not listen to God’s prophet. Now he is carried away into captivity, blinded.

2 Kings 25:9

JERUSALEM IS BURNEDBecause of the rebellion of Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar burned and leveled it to such an extent that when Nehemiah came to the city seventy years after the Captivity and looked upon that place, it almost seemed hopeless. But he rallied the people, and the biggest thing he had to overcome was discouragement. The armies of Nebuchadnezzar had devastated the city. The false prophets had insisted that God would not let the city be destroyed. They were indeed false prophets. There are people today who are giving this country a false message. They are saying that Americans belong to the ten “lost” tribes of Israel. They are saying that God is on our side, and He won’t let us down. My friend, God does not need us. Where did that notion come from? God sent His chosen people into captivity. It was a sad day for them. And it ought to be a lesson for us in this day.

2 Kings 25:10

They left those who would be of no value to them. Also they wanted the land to continue to produce so they could exact tribute from it.

2 Kings 25:13

The army of Nebuchadnezzar really cleaned house. The temple was cleaned out before it was destroyed with fire. All that wealth was carried away into Babylon. We will have occasion, when we get to the Book of Daniel, to find that those vessels from the temple had been stored away and were brought out when Belshazzar had his great banquet. Jerusalem was plundered, burned, and left a pile of rubble. Jerusalem has been destroyed about twenty-seven times. Each time the city has been rebuilt upon the rubble. The hill that is Jerusalem today is largely built upon the rubble of past cities. Many people, especially tour agents, say, “Go to Jerusalem and walk where Jesus walked.” Well, my friend, you will not be walking where Jesus walked. The city that Jesus lived and walked in is buried under tons of rubble. At some spots you have to look down twenty feet, twenty-five feet, sometimes forty-five feet to see the city where Jesus lived.

2 Kings 25:24

GEDALIAH APPOINTED GOVERNORNebuchadnezzar appointed Gedaliah to govern the people who were left in the land. They should have listened to himand to the prophet Jeremiahwho urged them to settle down and accept this form of government. Instead of that, they assassinate the governor Gedaliah!

2 Kings 25:25

A great company of them fled into Egypt and became colonists down there. By the way, Jeremiah went with this groupnot willingly, but he was forced to go.

2 Kings 25:27

JEHOIACHIN RELEASEDEvil-merodach extends amnesty as he comes to the throne of Babylon. Although other captured kings are in his court, Jehoiachin is given a position of honor among them. It is interesting that the period of the kings should conclude with kindness being shown to this last descendant of David who had grown old in a Babylonian prison.