THE INVADERS OF THE TEMPLE This chapter present to us the last stage of the complete captivation of Judah by Babylon. Having broken his vow, and was not faithful to his promise to the king of Babylon, the later came to put Jerusalem under siege for as long as a year, five months, and 29 days (Jeremiah 37: 5, 11). The city collapsed because of the famine, and Zedekiah fled together with his warriors by night, but they deserted him, and scattered from around him. The Babylonian army pursued him, caught him, and delivered him to Nebuchadnezzar in Riblah to be tried as a rebel.. They also caught the elites and the prominent members of the royal court, and killed them all in Riblah. After destroying and robbing the temple, the king of Babylon appointed Gedaliah, a friend of Jeremiah, a governor on Judah; who was soon assassinated, and the people had to flee to Egypt. In the thirty-seventh year of the captivity of Jehoiakin, he was raise by Evil- Merodach king of Babylon, released from prison, and treated well 1- Jerusalem put under siege 1 - 2 2- King Zedekiah flees 3 - 5 3- King Zedekiah tried 6 - 7 4- The temple and the houses of the elites burned down 8 - 9 5- The ultimate captivation, and the robbing of the temple 10 - 17 6- The leaders of the revolt tried 18 - 21 7- Gedaliah appointed a governor over Judah 22 - 24 8- Gedaliah assassinated, and the people flee to Egypt 25 - 26 9- Evil-Merodach, king of Babylon honors Jehoiakin 27 – 30 1- JERUSALEM PUT UNDER SIEGE: “ Now it came to pass in the ninth year of (king Zedekiah’s) reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and encamped against it; and they built a siege wall against it all around” (1) In the ninth year of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, he rebelled against Babylon, and most probably attempted to make an alliance with Egypt, Tyre, Sidon, and Moab, against Babylon. The Lord assigned to the prophet Ezekiel the ninth year, the tenth month, and the tenth day of Zedekiah’s reign, as the time when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon would come to Jerusalem. and commanded him to write this date down in his records; which conformed exactly to the day, Jerusalem was put under the ultimate siege (2 kings 25: 1). By this, the Lord intended to proclaim that what will happen is not by chance, nor according to human planning, but through a divine allowance, and by an elaborate planning.. As the Assyrians previously invaded Israel on three consecutive stages, God allowed for Judah to be captivated the same way (24: 1; 25: 1, 10); to give the leaderships and the people as many chances to repent. From what came in Jeremiah 28: 1-11, we may deduce that the Jews in Jerusalem were still anticipating the return of king Jehoiakin from captivity, and the articles of the house of the Lord from Babylon; and from what came in Jeremiah 29: 25-28, that the captives in Babylon had the same hope. King Zedekiah sent a message to the king of Babylon (Jeremiah 39: 3), then he, himself, went to Babylon (Jeremiah 51-59), but Nebuchadnezzar did not heed his appeal. And when Zedekiah returned with failure, he provoked the kings of Tyre, Sidon, Moab, Edom, and Emmon, to unite together with him against the king of Babylon (Jeremiah 27: 3); and sent delegates to Egypt to seek support (Ezekiel 17: 15). By so doing, Zedekiah, publicly declared his rebellion against Babylon. Saying: “All his army” (Jeremiah 34: 1), makes it clear that all the kingdoms of the earth under the authority of the king of Babylon, fought against Jerusalem, as one army of Babylon.. “Against Jerusalem”, The war at the beginning was on the cities of Judah, that all fell except for Lachish and Azekah, two fortified cities on the route to Egypt (Jeremiah 34: 7), ……….Seeing the army of Babylon divided, the Egyptians used the chance, and their armies came out of Egypt; and hearing of that, the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem, retreated from around it (Jeremiah 37: 7), and joined their forces that were besieging Lachish and Azekah. The Egyptians returned with fear to their land (Ezekiel 17: 17). And Nebuchadnezzar resumed besieging Jerusalem. “They built a siege wall”, They set siege mound, namely heaps of dust in front of the wall (2 Samuel 20: 15); and built towers on them, to throw arrows, spears, and rocks on the defenders of the city, where all the people and the army were besieged.. “So the city was besieged until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah” (2) 2- KING ZEDEKIAH FLES:. “By the ninth day of the fourth month the famine had become so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land” (3). In the fourth month (Jeremiah 52: 6), the famine was so severe, that even the elites searched the trash bins, hoping to find something to eat; the women ate their own children, one third of the inhabitants died by famine and pestilence, one third fell by the sword, and one third were led captives to Babylon (Ezekiel 5: 12). “Then the city wall was broken through, and all the men of war fled at night by way of the gate between two walls, which was by the king’s garden, even though the Chaldeans were still encamped all around against the city. And the king went by way of the plain” (4) “The king’s garden”, is believed to be the garden of king Solomon in Etham, 6 miles south of Jerusalem, known for its beauty (2 kings 25:4; Ecclesiastes 2: 5-9; Jeremiah 39: 4; 52: 7). The king, the noble, and the religious leaders were so preoccupied with riches and authority, to assume that they were safe inside the walls of the fortified Jerusalem; not perceiving that the time will soon come for Jerusalem to be besieged and destroyed; and for its king (Zedekiah) would be helpless to defend it. Zedekiah was the last king of the seed of David to sit on the throne of Judah, when Nebuchadnezzar took it over (2 kings 25: 1). “But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king, and they overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his army was scattered from him” (5). It is obvious that king Zedekiah fled by night from the south-eastern side of the city, heading to Jericho through the wilderness; probably intending to cross the Jordan and take refuge in Moab; but the Chaldeans pursued him, caught him, and did to him all what came in the two prophesies: the first in Jeremiah 32: 4-5; that he was going to be delivered to the hand of the king of Babylon; and the second in Ezekiel 12: 13, that he was going to be led captive to Babylon the land of the Chaldeans, but he will not see it, and there he will die. 3- ZEDEKIAH TRIED:. “ So they took the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah, and they pronounced judgment on him” (6) After being arrested, Zedekiah was taken to Riblah, on the River Orontes in Syria, the official residence and military headquarters of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon , who at the time was besieging both Jerusalem and Tyre; going sometime to this, and other times to that; and relaxing in Riblah in between. . “Then they killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, put out the eyes of Zedekiah, bound him with bronze fetters, and took him to Babylon” (7). His punishment was recorded here, but his death was recorded in Ezekiel 12: 12.. The old documents of the Near East recorded, that the last thing Zedekiah saw by his own eyes, because of his evil and foolishness, was killing his two sons in a horrible way; a portrait that stuck to his memory until his death in the Babylonian prison (Jeremiah 52: 11). “They bound him with two bronze fetters”, one for his hands, and the other for his feet. ………Zedekiah’s decision to rebel against the king of Babylon after seeing what happened to Jehoiakim, could only be described as foolish; By it, Zedekiah consummated the measure of iniquity when he broke his vow to the king of Babylon. ……..The king of Babylon, however, showed some mercy, by not killing him, and leaving him in prison until the day of his death (Jeremiah 34: 5). Jeremiah had previously given him the following counsel: “I also spoke to Zedekiah king of Judah according to all these words saying: ‘bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live. Why will you die, you and your people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, as the Lord has spoken against the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon. Therefore, do not listen to the words of the prophets who speak to you, saying, ‘You shall not serve the king of Babylon, for they prophesy a lie to you; for I have not sent them, says the Lord, yet they prophesy a lie in My name, that I may drive you out, and that you may perish, you and the prophets who prophesy to you’” (Jeremiah 27: 12-15), By saying that, the prophet Jeremiah seemed to the king and the people, as though he was an agent of the king of Babylon, and a traitor to his own land,. It was difficult for any Jew, the king in particular, to hear those words, saying: “Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon”; for they knew that the Lord their God is the Liberator from bondage, having promised, saying: “I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt , that you should not be their slaves; I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you walk upright” (Leviticus 26: 13); ………..How would He now want them to bow down to bring their necks under the yoke of the pagan king of Babylon? It has to be a sign of God’s wrath, on account of that one of the curses under which the people would fall, in case they disobey God’s commandment is: “You shall serve your enemies , whom the Lord will send against you; … He will put a yoke of iron on your neck until He has destroyed you. The Lord will bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flies; a nation whose language you will not understand” (Deuteronomy 28: : 48 etc.). Zedekiah did not listen to Jeremiah, but put him in prison; even though we do not know for how long he remained there. ……….Yet we know that the king, himself was led into captivity (587 BC), after seeing his own sons killed before his eyes, which were later put out (2 kings 25: 1-7) The prophet Jeremiah presents to us 7 prophesies he uttered in Jerusalem in several situations (Jeremiah 21: 3-7; 24: 8-10; 25: 8-29). All of them were literally fulfilled , as it came in 2 kings 25; and 2 Chronicles 36: a- God will deliver the city of Jerusalem into the hands of the king of Babylon (Jeremiah 32: 4) b- Zedekiah, king of Judah will not escape from the hands of the Chaldeans; he will surely be delivered into the hands of the king of Babylon (Jeremiah 32: 4) c- Zedekiah, king of Judah, will talk to the king of Babylon, mouth to mouth; and his eyes will see his eyes (Jeremiah 32: 4) d- Zedekiah will be taken to Babylon (Jeremiah 32: 5) The prophet Ezekiel prophesied that Zedekiah will never see Babylon (Ezekiel 12: 13); but here we read that he was actually taken to Babylon (5); …… an apparent contradiction! but it is actually not, both statements are right; for, although he was taken to Babylon, he did not see it; on account of that, in Judah, his eyes were put out (2 kings 25: 4-7; Jeremiah 52: 8, 11)…. Because he broke his vow to the king of Babylon, he deserved to have a double punishment: captivity and loss of vision]. And according to St. John Chrysostom: [One of the prophets proclaims that “Zedekiah will not see Babylon” (Ezekiel 12: 13); while another prophet says: “He will be taken to Babylon” (5); There is no contradiction here, for, although he was taken to Babylon, yet he did not see it because his eyes were put out. [Having broken his vow even to a pagan man, he deserves a double punishment: Loss of eyesight and captivity. ; how much more would it be to break the vow to God? the soul lose its freedom, and the inner vision its light; man would submit to an inner bondage and blindness]. + What do you think would happen to Nebuchadnezzar?......... We know from the Holy Book how he was blood-thirsty, and as ferocious as a lion?! … how he took the bones of the kings out of their tombs (Jeremiah 8: 1; Ba 2: 25)?; …. How he led the people into captivity?! … how he put out the eyes of the king of Judah, after letting him see his own two sons slain (2 kings 25: 7); ….how he broke the cherubim to pieces; not the unseen cherubim – for that would never come to man’s mind – but the two carved images over the ark of the covenant, in the middle of which God spoke with His own voice; … how he treaded with hid feet the veil of the sanctuary, took the altar of incense from the house of God, and carried it to the temple of the idols (2 Chronicles 26: 7); … how he confiscated all the offerings to the house of the Lord; … , and how he burned the temple from its foundation?!. What punishment would he deserve for doing all that?! Would it not be tens of thousands as much?! Let us see how compassionate was God’s love, that turned Nebuchadnezzar into a wild beast; chastised by dwelling in the wilderness to be saved; having roared over the sanctuary, he got the claws of a lion;; ate herbs like a bull; and his body got wet by dew;…. Having gone through all that, et us hear what he said: “I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored Him, who lives forever” (Daniel 4: 34)…. Once he came to know the Most High, he uttered thanksgiving to Him, and repented his sins; ……….Once he recognized his weakness, God brought him back to the honor of his kingdom, and forgave him.. What then? When you repent; and once you live a blameless life, Will God not grant you the forgiveness of your sins and the kingdom of heaven? … The Beneficent God, even though He shows chastisement, yet He hastens to forgive …………. I wish, therefore, no one despair of his salvation. (St. Cyril of Jerusalem) 4- THE TEMPLE AND THE HOUSES OF THE ELITES BURNED DOWN WITH FIRE: “And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month (which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. He burned the house of the LORD and the king’s house; all the houses of Jerusalem, that is, all the houses of the great, he burned with fire” (8). According to St. Bemen: [Unless Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guards of the king of Babylon comes, the house of the Lord would not be burned (2 kings 25: 8-9). Namely, Unless the pleasures of the belly, the slothfulness, and the greed, enter into the soul, the soul would not be defeated in her war against the enemy. “And all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard broke down the walls of Jerusalem all around” (9). When Jerusalem fell into captivity, the houses of the great were burned, and the house of the Lord was completely robbed, its pillars broken down, was burned with fire, 380 years after it was built, and the prophesies were fulfilled (Jeremiah 21: 10; 34: 2; 38: 18, 23; Psalm 79). + That work done by Nebuzaradan the servant of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, was a proclamation that, having forsaken the holiness of life, the holy city deserved to be destroyed by the hands of the Gentiles. The defilement follows greed; as testified by the prophet, who refuses to cover up such obvious things when he talks, saying: “And all the arm of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard broke down the walls of Jerusalem all around” (10), … The ‘captain of the guard’ refers to the belly which we love, and with an exalted care, we fill it with the best of food. And ‘the walls of Jerusalem’, refer to the virtues of the soul that rise up high, desiring the spiritual heavenly peace. So the captain of the guard destroys the walls of Jerusalem; for, once the belly swells with food, and is overcome by greed, all the virtues of the soul are defiled. (Pope Gregory the Great) 5- THE ULTIMATE CAPTIVATION AND THE ROBBING OF THE TEMPLE: The walls of Jerusalem were destroyed, and remained as such for as long as a century and a half (Nehemiah 2: 11 – 6: 16). ““Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive the rest of the people who remained in the city and the defectors who had deserted to the king of Babylon, with the rest of the multitude” (10) “The defectors who had deserted to the king of Babylon”, were those who fled from the city during the siege, and resorted to the Babylonians. ““But the captain of the guard left some of the poor of the land as vinedressers and farmers.” (12) It was the custom of the Babylonians when they captivate a people, they used to lead those with talents and abilities into captivity; and leave the poor and the needy in the land .. In our study of the book of Daniel, we noticed how the king of Babylon established an institute in his palace under the supervision of Ashpenaz (Daniel 1: 3). That institute probably included a department to provide the children of the Jewish elites with education that suits their culture and language. Such a policy to produce men of learning to serve the king, reveals the wisdom, seriousness, and broadmindness of the king of Babylon. Choosing young men of the seed of the Jewish kings and nobles, shows his perpetual feeling of being a conqueror who brings forth those young men, not to humiliate and torture them, but to set them to serve his palace, and to run the State affairs. On another aspect; by so doing, he encourages those young men to submit to him and not to think of revolting against him, to the account of their home land; And, at the same time, to provides the common Jew captives with some satisfaction and peace of mind, that they have someone to represent them in the royal palace……….. Those young men were distinguished to have the following qualifications: Honorable descent Beautiful and strong bodies Wisdom Knowledge Ability to convey knowledge to the others Qualifications to work in the royal court; namely to turn their wisdom, knowledge, and understanding to work they practice in their daily life Together with providing them with these qualifications, the king intended to provide them with the Babylonian culture and tongue, to distance them from anything that might lead them to remember their heritage and homeland.. With wisdom, the king of Babylon did not attempt to destroy their personalities, nor to humiliate them, but to turn their energies to the account of his royal house. Among those young men were Levites who ministered in the house of God in Jerusalem; who were asked to sing what they used to do in the temple; but it was not possible for them to praise God with joy and exultation in the land of captivity, while being denied the enjoyment of His temple. Those feelings, the psalmist expressed by saying: “For there, those who carried us away captives asked of us a song; and those who plundered us requested mirth; saying: Sing us one of the songs of Zion” (Psalm 137: 3). + We read how the enemies, when they attacked the great holy city, where the living God was worshipped, dragged along all the inhabitants, the singers, and the prophets (Like Ezekiel and Daniel) to Babylon; ……..how those captives refused to sing their divine praise, when they were asked to do by their conquerors, and to play their music in a defiled land; ……….how they hanged their harps on the willow trees, …………….and how they wept at the rivers of Babylon. It so seems to me that I am one of them, driven out of my city, and from my land, where the holy laws are proclaimed day and night, where the songs of praise, and spiritual words are heard; where the light of the sun perpetually shines; and where we come to be in continuous contact with the secrets of God, through alert vision by day, and dreaming by night, of what we have experienced by day. In short, where we perpetually enjoy the divine issues. I feel as though I am driven out of that city, and come to be a captive in a foreign land, where, having no strength to play music, I, like those in the old, would hang my harp on the willow tree; and my sojourn would be at the river banks, where, working in the mire, I would not have the heart to sing the praises for God, even if I still remember them. (St. Gregory the wonder-maker) “The bronze pillars that were in the house of the LORD, and the carts and the bronze Sea that were in the house of the LORD, the Chaldeans broke in pieces, and carried their bronze to Babylon” (13). The Chaldeans have already robbed Jerusalem twice before (Daniel 1: 2’ 2 kings 24: 13); And most of what remain were huge pillars covered with bronze, which they now peal off, leaving the pillars bare and ugly; as is bitterly testified by the author. “They also took away the pots, the shovels, the trimmers, the spoons, and all the bronze utensils with which the priests ministered” (14). “The firepans and the basins, the things of solid gold and solid silver, the captain of the guard took away” (15). “The two pillars, one Sea, and the carts, which Solomon had made for the house of the LORD, the bronze of all these articles was beyond measure” !6) Because of his great love for the house of God, and his grief on its desolation, the author went on and on talking about that issue; the way we usually do when we tend to remember the virtues of our departed beloved. + “Babylon” means (confusion); and the cups of gold refer to the teachings of the philosophers, and the eloquence of the speakers…. Who among us was not swayed around by the philosophers? … Who among us was not deceived by the eloquent speakers of this world? … Their cup is of gold, and their eloquence is on the outside; while inside, it is full of venom, which they conceal through the shining gold. (St. Jerome) . “The height of one pillar was eighteen cubits, and the capital on it was of bronze. The height of the capital was three cubits, and the network and pomegranates all around the capital were all of bronze. The second pillar was the same, with a network.” (17) The psalmist was probably describing what dwelt upon the temple, when he says: “They seem like men who lift up axes among the thick trees; and now they break down its carved work, all at once, with axes and hammers” (Psalm 74: 5- 6). According to St. Augustine, the invaders, to destroy the temple, held axes to break the doors and the beautiful wooden carved furniture with foolish ferocity, as though they were striking the interwoven thick trees in a forest The full description of the destruction of the temple came in 2 kings 25: 8-17; Jeremiah 52: 12-23. + Finding out that the truth is not on his side, the devil breaks down the doors of those who allow him to enter, by axes and hammers.. … Our Savior, on the other hand, is gentle and meek. He teaches us, that if any of us intends to follow Him, and to be His disciple, he will not commit him to come to Him; but would address him as “My sister and bride”. ………If he opens his door before Him, He would enter; but if he does not, or delays to open it, He would depart from him. (Pope Athanasius the apostolic) 6- THE LEADERS OF THE REVOLT TRIED: “And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the second priest, and the three doorkeepers” (18). Seraiah the chief priest who was killed in Riblah (21), and his son Jehozadak was led into captivity (1 Chronicles 6: 15). Through the seed of Jehozadak, came Ezra, the great scribe and reformer, who, one day, returned to Jerusalem, and took over the work of Seraiah his grandfather (Ezra 7: 1). Zephaniah the second priest; namely the deputy chief priest; who used to carry out the duties of the chief priest in case any ritual obstacles would keep him from doing them. He might be the priest referred to by the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 21: 1; 29: 5). “ He also took out of the city an officer who had charge of the men of war, five men of the king’s close associates who were found in the city, the chief recruiting officer of the army, who mustered the people of the land, and sixty men of the people of the land who were found in the city” (19). By the “the king’s close associates” he means those counselors who gave him council to revolt against Babylon, and not any of the common people. “So Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, took these and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah” (20). “Then the king of Babylon struck them and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. Thus Judah was carried away captive from its own land” 21). Like Israel, Judah was carried into captivity, because of her sins and apostasy….. God has previously warned His people; then allowed for the desolation and captivation of Judah (Deuteronomy 28). ….. In his lamentations, the prophet Jeremiah expresses the extent of his grief to see what dwelt upon Jerusalem. Here we see how God found out that captivation was the best way to deal with the sins of Judah. There are other stages of captivation, beside the three or four major stages; the first of which was in the seventh year of Nenuchadnezzar (Jeremiah 52: 28), or the eighth, according to (2 kings 24: 12), when Jehoiakin was captivated. The second captivation was in the eighteenth year of Nebuccadezzar (Jeremiah 52: 29),or the nineteenth according to (2 Kings 25: 8), when Zedekiah was captivated. And the third captivation was in the twenty-third year of Nebuchadnezzar, when Nebuzaradan took 745 captives (Jeremiah 52: 30). As we notice that the number of captives varies between 2 kings 24, and Jeremiah 52; so are the dates thereof;.it so seems that between one major stage of captivation and another, the army of Babylon came to Judah, and led more captives to serve in Babylon. The difference in the number of captives and dates of captivation, might be also because, every author refered the dates to some different issue than the other. And because the number of captives mentioned by one, might refer to those who actually arrived to Babylon; while the other refers to those who were taken from Jerusalem, some of whom might have died on the way.: 7- GEDALIAH MADE GOVERNOR OF JUDAH:: “ Then he made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, governor over the people who remained in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left” (22). Nebuchadnezzar made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, governor on Judah, and a steward of the king of Babylon. As we know, Ahikam was one of the five men sent by king Josiah to Huldah the prophetess to inquire about the words of the book of the law that has been discovered in the house of the Lord (2 kings 22: 12, 14); His residence was in Mizpah, and used his influence to protect the prophet Jeremiah against his adversaries.. Gedaliah, a Hebrew name, meaning (Jehovah is great). His father was Ahikam, who supported Jeremiah in his stand against trusting in Egypt to confront Babylon (Jeremiah 26: 24).. Being appointed a steward on the land, might have been by a request from Jeremiah, who was honored and respected by both Nebuchadnezzar and Nebuzaradan (Jeremiah 40: 1-6)..That, beside the upbringing of Gedaliah and belonging to a family of special consideration, made him acceptable by the Babylonians. Gedaliah, even though, not of the royal seed, yet he was just, upright, and had zeal on the land. He counseled the Jews to submit to the king of Babylon (Jeremiah 38: 17-18) Left alive (Jeremiah 39: 11-14; 40: 1-5), Jeremiah helped Gedaliah in reorganizing the issues of Judah (Jeremiah 40: 6). An earthen seal was found, that went back to that period, was engraved with the words: ‘Belongs to Gedaliah, the ruler on the house’. “ Now when all the captains of the armies, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, Johanan the son of Careah, Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of a Maachathite, they and their men” (23) The captains of the army were those who scattered from around king Zedekiah after he was arrested by the Babylonians; And now they came to proclaim their submission to Babylon. Mizpah; For a long time, a center of spiritual, as well as political fame (1 Samuel 10: 17; 1 kings 15: 22), and was at that time among the peaceful regions of the land; was an ideal location for the ruling authority in the region, particularly with the collapse of Jerusalem. Nowadays, it is called ‘Tell en-Nasbeh’, 9 miles north of Jerusalem Some may wonder if it is Mizpah in Gilead (Judges 11: 21), where Jacob and Laban made a heap and a pillar, as a witness to the covenant they made between themselves (Genesis 31: 49);; Where the children of Israel assembled to fight the Ammonites (Judges 10: 17); And where Jephthah encountered his daughter (Judges 11: 34); whose location is where ‘Tel-Remet nowadays; ………Or it is Mizpah in Benjamin, the village of the prophet Samuel, where Saul was chosen a king (1 Samuel 10: 17, 21); fortified by Asa (1 king 15: 22); and where Gedaliah was assassinated (2 kings 25: 22, 25). ………..Anyway, Nizpah and Mount Tabor, at that time, having been two important locations of idolworship, became symbols of the desolation that dwelt over Judah because of idol-worship. Ishmael; Nothing is known about him, except that, having been of the royal seed, he opposed the Babylonians, probably hoping to eventually return to authority. Jaazaniah; A grandson of Helekiah the priest (1 Chronicles 5: 39); This name was found engraved on a seal in Mizpah. . “And Gedaliah took an oath before them and their men, and said to them, “Do not be afraid of the servants of the Chaldeans. Dwell in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.” (24) Initially, the captains of the armies of Judah and their men, probably feared to be ill treated by Babylon, but had peace, when Gedaliah took an oath before them, saying: “Do not be afraid of the servants of the Chaldeans”, and assured to them that they will have amnesty, if they submit and surrender to his government in Mizpah, and came back to work the land. The Jews who had previously departed from the land before the attack of Babylon, and took refuge in East Jordan, returned as well. 8- GEDALIAH ASSASINATED; AND THE PEOPLE FLEE TO EGYPT: “But it happened in the seventh month that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the royal family, came with ten men and struck and killed Gedaliah, the Jews, as well as the Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah” (25). As peace started to dwell in Judah, as excellent energies gathered around Gedaliah, and as the fields started to produce crops, ‘Baalis” king of the Ammonites , East of the Jordan, sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to assassinate Gedaliah and those who were with him, the representatives of the Babylonian authority, both Jews and Chaldeans. ‘Baalis’ was waiting to use the chance of the departure of the Babylonian armies back to their country, to reign over what remained of the land, west of the Jordan. Although the captains of the army of Judah have previously warned Gedaliah against him, confirming that there was a plot to kill him to destroy the remnant of Judah; yet he did not heed their warning. According to Josephus, Gedaliah was a gentle and an honorable man; but, trusting in those who were unworthy of trust, they plotted to kill him. He was wrong not to listen to the counsel of those who warned him. It was befitting of him to raise his heart in prayer to ask the counsel of God, and to resort to the prophet Jeremiah, who was close to him………. Here, trusting only in one’s own views, appears to be definitely dangerous. Ishmael’s actions, assassinating Gedaliah, the role played by ‘Johanan; and the events thereof, are mentioned in Jeremiah 40: 7 t0 43; 7). “ And all the people, small and great, and the captains of the armies, arose and went to Egypt; for they were afraid of the Chaldeans” (26) “They went to Egypt”, for they expected that the king of Babylon will avenge the killing of Gedaliah and the Babylonians who were with him; and that, in his revenge, he will not discern between Ishmael and his followers, and any others………. Despite the fact that the prophet Jeremiah previously informed Johanan and those with him, of the Lord’s decision against their going to Egypt; yet they did not heed the words of the Lord, and departed to Egypt, taking Jeremiah with them; by which the prophecy of Moses was fulfilled (Deuteronomy 28: 26). By their own free will, they went back to the land of bondage; doing what many do, when God allows for them to go though some temptations, when they forsake the church, and return to the land of bondage; namely to their old sins; claiming that in them they would find comfort, and forget their suffering, 9- EVIL-MERODACH, KING OF BABYLON HONORS JEHOIAKIN: “Now it came to pass in the thirty-seventh year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, that Evil-Merodach king of Babylon, in the year that he began to reign, released Jehoiachin king of Judah from prison” (26) Evil-Merodach succeeded Nebuchadnezzar for a little while (562-560 BC). Certain tablets were found, dating back to 594-569 BC, with Cuneiform writing, in which it came that a daily provision was given to Jehoiakin and his five sons; which obviously dating back to the days of Nebuchadnezzar, before the reign of Evil-Merodach (562-560 BC; indicates that Nebuchadnezzar treated him with some kind of appreciation as a king; and that what Evil-Merodach did was an extension of that policy. Even after killing Gedaliah (25), the book ended by a glimpse of hope; as Evil- Merodach became the king of Babylon in the year 583 BC, namely, 24 years after the beginning of the captivation; released Jehoiakin from prison , allowed him to eat bread regularly before him (29), and gave him some kind of freedom, while still being in captivity. … But Evil-Merodach was killed in a plot planned by his father-in-law Nerge-Shereser who succeeded him on the throne.. + Not feeling comfortable with the less than perfect behavior of his son Evil- Merodach, it so happened that his father Nebuchadnezzar, returning from war, put him in prison for a while, for fear that he might rebel against him, in the same place Jehoiakin was, and with whom he made friendship that endured for a long time. That is why, once Nebuchadnezzar died, and Evil-Meradoch became king, he gave Jehoiakin more gifts and privileges. Because Jehoiakin obeyed and submitted to the prophecy, God did not deny him his due reward. Evil-Merodach the son of Nebuchadnezzar ruled the kingdom badly, and caused disturbance and fierce struggle on the throne; “He spoke kindly to him, and gave him a more prominent seat than those of the kings who were with him in Babylon”.(28) “ So Jehoiachin changed from his prison garments, and he ate bread regularly before the king all the days of his life” (29). “ And as for his provisions, there was a regular ration given him by the king, a portion for each day, all the days of his life” (30 The second book of the kings began by the ascension of Elijah to heaven, the heart desire of every true believer who walks in the Lord; And ended by the captivation of the people of Judah in a foreign land; to chastise them for disregarding the Lord; a fruit of whoever does not give God, the priority in his life. But we find a glimpse of hope in the end of the book, shown in releasing Jehoiakin from prison (28); which was actually a gift from God, rather than from the king of Babylon; to let the captives of Judah know that God did not utterly forsake them; and to give them hope for salvation and return to their land. Most probably, the king of Babylon did that through the influence of Daniel and the three saintly young men. And while the Babylonians were knocking on the gates of Jerusalem, few months later, to rob her again, Jeremiah purchased a plot of land. Even though he knew that he might not be able to settle down in it; but by so doing, he intended to confirm that sometime in the future, natural life will eventually return to Judah. + When you start to drown yourselves in the luxury of evil pleasures, remember how they are actually of short duration; and how it is unwise of you to spend so much on what would bring you harm, and what may cause you illness and weakness. … Remember what happened to the righteous Noah when he got drunk, how he came to be disgracefully naked, and how much evil came as a result of it (Genesis 9: 20) … How Esau lost the right of his firstbirth because of his greed; and how he thought of killing his own brother Jacob ; … And how “the children of Israel sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play” (Exodus 32: 6); That is why, when the children of Israel were about to fall into evil pleasure, the Holy Scripture addressed them, saying: “When you have eaten, and you are full – then beware, lest you forget the Lord…” (Deuteronomy 6: 11-12).. ……….And as it is written, “But she (the widow) who live in pleasure is dead while she lives” (1 Timothy 5: 6). (St. John Chrysostom) ---------------------------------------------- AN INSPIRATION FROM 2 KINGS 25 IN THE MIDST OF THE DARKNESS, YOU, O LORD, SHINES HOPE ON US + The people of Israel and Judah almost lost hope; It so seemed to them that there was no hope of returning to the city of God; Nor to the temple; Zedekiah has lost his two sons, his eyesight, and his honor; And was disgracefully led, like an animal, to Babylon; So were the children of the noble; They were made to learn the Chaldean tongue; They even lost their Hebrew names; Jehoiakin, the king, beloved by his people, was put in prison in Babylon; After reigning in Jerusalem, just for three months and ten days; And now, he spent 37 years in captivity. + But, in the midst of such horrible affliction, Your hand was moving all; You allowed it for the son of the king of Babylon to be imprisoned together with Jehoiakin; And for the two of them to be bound by love; And when that imprisoned son became a king over Babylon, after the death of his father,; He honored his friend Jehoiakin, changed his prison garments Gave him company on his table; And made his chair above those of the other kings in captivity; You, O Lord, came with humility to our land; And lived like anyone of us; To assure us that You will receive us as Your beloved in Your heavenly kingdom. + When You did not forget, even him who did evil, and thrown in prison; Will You ever forget Your own people, whom You prepare to become Your heavenly bride? When it so seemed that there will be no more king of David’s seed; When it so seemed that the tent of Davis has finally fallen; That was when You incarnated and descended from Your heavens; To reign on the hearts of all kinds of people; And instead of kings of the seed of David, You came, O King of kings, to make us kings; You granted us, not the liberty from the Babylonian captivity; But the glorious liberty of the children of the heavenly God. + In the midst of our affliction, we do not come to encounter Evil-Merodach the son of the king; But we encounter You, O the only begotten Son of God; You count us Your beloved, to partake of Your passion; You change our prison garments, and grant us Your righteousness as a glorious garment; You receive us not to eat bread on Your table; But You present to us Your own body and blood, as an eternal life; + When will You come on the clouds, to release us from the bonds of this world? When will You come to carry us to Your divine throne; to let us enjoy the perfect liberty? Glory be to You, O Liberator of mankind from the bondage of sin. ------------------------- THE SUCCESSIVE STAGES OF ROBBING THE TEMPLE THE ROBBER OF THE TEMPLE REFERENCES WHAT HE DID 1- Shishak 1 kings 14: 25 Robbed the temple and took some treasures 2- Asa 1 kings 15: 18 Gave what remained to the king of Aram 3- Athaliah 2 Chronicles 34: 7 Her sons robbed the temple 4- Joash 2 kings 12: 18 Sent the gold to the king of Aram 5- Jehoash (of Israel) 2 kings 14: 14 Robbed its treasures after Amaziah’s defeat 6- Ahaz 2 kings 16: 8 Presented it a tribute to please Assyria 7- Hezekiah 2 kings 18: 13 He caused Sennacherib to retreat 8- Manasseh 2 kings 21 Built altars for the idols in the temple of God 9- Nebuchadnezzar 2 kings 24-25 He destroyed and utterly robbed it in his third invasion
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