THOU SHALT HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME
Ever since their forefathers' captivity in Egypt, many of the Israelite people kept returning to idolatry. Thus, they placed their trust in man-made objects that had no power and had done nothing for them, rather than in God, who created them and the very earth they lived on. After giving them multiple chances to repent and turn to Him, the Lord finally had enough. He knew that the only way to get them to repent, was to thoroughly humble them.
JEREMIAH'S PROPHESIES IN 605 BC
Judah would fall to the Babylonian Empire
Jerusalem and the temple would be destroyed
They would be exiled and "serve the king of Babylon seventy years." (Jeremiah 25:11)
After the 70 years, the Lord would have mercy and cause them to return home (Jeremiah 29:10
THE EXILE OF A NATION
The captives were taken in three groups. The first included the king and many prominent leaders and priests. The second was comprised of the skilled laborers and others. The third encompassed everyone else that was left in Judah.
THE ENDURING MERCY OF GOD
Cyrus the Great, king of Persia, was led by the Lord to give a decree, allowing many of the exiled people of Judah to return to Jerusalem for the purpose of rebuilding the temple. This group was indeed released after 70 years, as Jeremiah had foretold. The other two waves of people returned home quite a bit later, under two later kings of Persia. Each of the three migrations was led by a loyal leader and each had an important role to play in the recovery of their way of life.
Ever since their forefathers' captivity in Egypt, many of the Israelite people kept returning to idolatry. Thus, they placed their trust in man-made objects that had no power and had done nothing for them, rather than in God, who created them and the very earth they lived on. After giving them multiple chances to repent and turn to Him, the Lord finally had enough. He knew that the only way to get them to repent, was to thoroughly humble them.
JEREMIAH'S PROPHESIES IN 605 BC
Judah would fall to the Babylonian Empire
Jerusalem and the temple would be destroyed
They would be exiled and "serve the king of Babylon seventy years." (Jeremiah 25:11)
After the 70 years, the Lord would have mercy and cause them to return home (Jeremiah 29:10
THE EXILE OF A NATION
The captives were taken in three groups. The first included the king and many prominent leaders and priests. The second was comprised of the skilled laborers and others. The third encompassed everyone else that was left in Judah.
THE ENDURING MERCY OF GOD
Cyrus the Great, king of Persia, was led by the Lord to give a decree, allowing many of the exiled people of Judah to return to Jerusalem for the purpose of rebuilding the temple. This group was indeed released after 70 years, as Jeremiah had foretold. The other two waves of people returned home quite a bit later, under two later kings of Persia. Each of the three migrations was led by a loyal leader and each had an important role to play in the recovery of their way of life.
| Exile | Who Left? | Events in Between | Return | Time Lapsed | Who Returned? | Leader | Accomplishments |
| 608 BC |
King's family Daniel Sharach Misheck Abed-Nego |
539 BC
Babylonian Empire conquered by the Medes & Persians
Cyrus the Great was king of Persia
Cyrus allowed the Israelites to return to Jerusalem to rebuilt the temple
|
538 BC |
70 years
re: Jeremiah's prophecy
|
About 50,000 -priests -Levites -singers -porters -Nethinims (Levites' servants) 8,000+ animals - 736 horses - 245 mules - 435 camels - 6720 donkeys |
Zerubbabel, a descendant of David
|
Temple rebuilt |
| 596 BC |
Priests Craftsmen Ezekiel |
522 BC Darius became king of Persia |
458 BC |
138 year |
Ezra, priest/scribe His parents might have been among the captives |
Temple worship was re-instituted |
|
| 586 BC |
After further rebellion, the temple and Jerusalem were destroyed and everyone else was taken as slaves
|
486 BC Ahasuerus (Xerxes) became king of Persia 480 BC Ahasuerus asked for fair, young virgins to be gathered (Esther was among them) 479 BC Esther became queen of Persia 465 BC Artaxerxes became king of Persia |
444 BC |
142 years |
Nehemiah (cupbearer to King Artaxerxes of Persia) He became governor of Jerusalem |
Walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt |