2 Chronicles , Sarah Barry
THE FALL OF JERUSALEM
Passage: 2_Chronicles 36:15~23  
Key verse: 16
The Fall of Jerusalem(A)(B)
15 The Lord, the God of their ancestors, sent word to them through his messengers(C) again and again,(D) because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place. 16 But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed(E) at his prophets until the wrath(F) of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy.(G) 17 He brought up against them the king of the Babylonians,[a](H) who killed their young men with the sword in the sanctuary, and did not spare young men(I) or young women, the elderly or the infirm.(J) God gave them all into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar.(K) 18 He carried to Babylon all the articles(L) from the temple of God, both large and small, and the treasures of the Lord’s temple and the treasures of the king and his officials. 19 They set fire(M) to God’s temple(N) and broke down the wall(O) of Jerusalem; they burned all the palaces and destroyed(P) everything of value there.(Q)
20 He carried into exile(R) to Babylon the remnant, who escaped from the sword, and they became servants(S) to him and his successors until the kingdom of Persia came to power. 21 The land enjoyed its sabbath rests;(T) all the time of its desolation it rested,(U) until the seventy years(V) were completed in fulfillment of the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah.
22 In the first year of Cyrus(W) king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing:
23 “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says:
“‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed(X) me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up, and may the Lord their God be with them.’”
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 36:17 Or Chaldeans
Cross references
- 2 Chronicles 36:15 : 36:17-20pp — 2Ki 25:1-21; Jer 52:4-27
- 2 Chronicles 36:15 : 36:22-23pp — Ezr 1:1-3
- 2 Chronicles 36:15 : Isa 5:4; 44:26; Jer 7:25; Hag 1:13; Zec 1:4; Mal 2:7; 3:1; S Mt 5:12
- 2 Chronicles 36:15 : Jer 7:13, 25; 11:7; 25:3-4; 35:14, 15; 44:4-6
- 2 Chronicles 36:16 : S 2Ki 2:23; Job 8:2; Isa 28:14, 22; 29:20; 57:4; Jer 5:13; 43:2; Mic 2:11
- 2 Chronicles 36:16 : Ezr 5:12; Pr 1:30-31; Jer 44:3
- 2 Chronicles 36:16 : Ne 9:30; Pr 29:1; Jer 7:26; 20:8; 25:4; 30:12; Da 9:6; Zec 1:2
- 2 Chronicles 36:17 : S Ge 10:10
- 2 Chronicles 36:17 : Jer 6:11; 9:21; 18:21; 44:7
- 2 Chronicles 36:17 : S Dt 32:25; Jer 51:22
- 2 Chronicles 36:17 : Ezr 5:12; Jer 32:28; La 2:21; Eze 9:6; 23:47
- 2 Chronicles 36:18 : S ver 7; S ver 10; Jer 27:20
- 2 Chronicles 36:19 : Jer 11:16; 17:27; 21:10, 14; 22:7; 32:29; 39:8; La 4:11; Eze 20:47; Am 2:5; Zec 11:1
- 2 Chronicles 36:19 : 1Ki 9:8-9
- 2 Chronicles 36:19 : S 2Ki 14:13
- 2 Chronicles 36:19 : La 2:6
- 2 Chronicles 36:19 : Ps 79:1-3
- 2 Chronicles 36:20 : S Lev 26:44; S 2Ki 24:14; Ezr 2:1; Ne 7:6
- 2 Chronicles 36:20 : Jer 27:7
- 2 Chronicles 36:21 : S Lev 25:4
- 2 Chronicles 36:21 : S 1Ch 22:9
- 2 Chronicles 36:21 : Jer 1:1; 25:11; 27:22; 29:10; 40:1; Da 9:2; Zec 1:12; 7:5
- 2 Chronicles 36:22 : Isa 44:28; 45:1, 13; Da 1:21; 6:28; 10:1
- 2 Chronicles 36:23 : S Jdg 4:10
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Source:  BibleGateway
The Chronicler comments that God mercifully sends his messengers again and again to lead his people back to him. But they humiliate his servants and hate his words, until finally God's judgment is inevitable. God's people have become thoroughly corrupted. So, God allows the Babylonians to wield his judgment. They kill most of them and take the remnant as POWs. The temple is burned and her articles carried off. Jerusalem is completely destroyed.
2. The prophecy of Jeremiah fulfilled (21-23)
The Chronicler depicts the exile as a good thing. The land finally has its sabbath rests for 70 years (21). Also, the prophecy of Jeremiah that the exile would last 70 years is fulfilled. God raises up the Persian King Xerxes who blesses them to return and rebuild the temple (23). God's judgment is his hope to revive his people's spirit.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for your discipline which is your hope. Please revive us spiritually.
One Word: God's discipline is his hope to revive us.