A Remnant Shall Return Captivity Return and Years

A Remnant Shall Return Captivity, Return, and Years of Silence

Periods of Bible History: Creation (Gen. 1 -5 – Gen. 3: 15) Flood (Gen. 6 -10 – Gen. 6: 5 -8) Scattering of the People (Gen. 11) Patriarchs (Gen. 11: 27 -Gen. 50 – Gen. 12: 1 -3) Exodus from Egypt (Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy) • Wilderness Wandering (Numbers – Numbers 32: 13) • • •

Periods of Bible History: • Conquest of the Land (Joshua) • Judges (Judges-1 Sam. 8) • United Kingdom (1 Sam. 9 -1 Kings 12/2 Chron. 9) • Divided Kingdom (1 Kings 11: 11 -13 -- 1 Kings 13 -2 Kings 17/2 Chron. 28 -29; various prophets) • Judah Alone (2 Kings 18 -25/2 Chron. 29 -36)

Periods of Bible History: * Captivity * * Return * * Years of Silence * Six Books: 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles, Jeremiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, Lamentations

Fall of Israel & Judah • The Assyrians conquered the northern nation of Israel in 721 B. C. (2 Kings 17: 5 -6). • The Babylonians and Medes formed an alliance to conquer Nineveh, the capital city of Assyria, in 612 B. C. • The last of the Assyrian armies fell in the Battle of Carchemish in 609 B. C. • The Babylonians pursued the remaining troops south through Syria and Canaan, all the way to the borders of Egypt, conquering other kingdoms along the way.

Fall of Israel & Judah • In 599/598 the Babylonians, now the predominant reigning world power, began to plunder outlying kingdoms (c. f. Jer. 49: 28 -33), making their way toward Judah. • One year later (early spring 597), Jehoiachin and family were taken captive to Babylon (2 Kings 24: 8 -16; 2 Chron. 36: 9 -10). • Around 589 B. C. Zedekiah joined forces with Egypt and rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon (2 Kings 24: 20; 2 Chron. 36: 13).

Fall of Israel & Judah • In 586 B. C. Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem (2 Kings 25: 1 -2), pursued Zedekiah as he fled from the city and captured him in Jericho, and destroyed Jerusalem and the temple of God (2 Kings 25: 9 -10; 2 Chron. 36: 19). • During these tumultuous times, God had sent prophets to warn the people (2 Chron. 36: 15 -16). • He would continue to send His prophets during captivity to provide hope for His people.

Daniel Jeremiah Ezekiel

Captivity Foretold • Moses foretold of captivity if they were unfaithful to the LORD (Dt. 29: 9, 14 -15, 18, 20, 24 -25, 28).

Conditional Promises • If the people obey – Lev. 26: 3, 6 -9, 11 -12 • If they disobey – Lev 26: 14, 16 -18, 21, 23 -24, 27 -28 • Similar promises in Dt. 28.

Return Promised • Moses promised a return if they repented (Dt. 30: 1 -3). • All the writing prophets during the Divided Kingdom and Judah Alone foretold calamity, but also the return of a faithful remnant (Zeph. 3: 12 -13; Micah 2: 12 -13).

Important Dates: 612 B. C. 606 B. C. 586 B. C. 539 B. C. 536 B. C. 520 B. C. 516 B. C. Babylon defeats Assyria 1 st captives taken (Daniel & 3 friends) Judah falls to Babylon; captivity begins Medo-Persia defeats Babylon RETURN #1 – Zerubbabel (temple) Seventy Years Captivity Prophecies of Haggai & Zechariah Fulfilled Temple completed Story of Esther (between Ezra 6 -7) RETURN #2 – Ezra (spiritual infrastructure) RETURN #3 – Nehemiah (city walls)