“From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, even to this day, this is the twenty-third year in which the word of the Lord has come to me; and I have spoken to you, rising early and speaking, but you have not listened.” (v.3)
For 23 years Jeremiah has been prophesying to the people of Judah of the coming judgment, and God has been faithful in His warnings, and longsuffering in His grace to allow repentance. But, they did no listen.
Now here in chapter 25 we see the prophesy of the Babylonian captivity which will last 70 years (v.11). One might think this to be some arbitrary number God pulled out of His hat. But, this is not the case. The seventy years was because they (Judah) had been dwelling in the land since the time of Joshua, some 490 years. And God had told them in the law that every seventh year they were to let the ground rest. Don’t plant the land, let it just grow of itself in the seventh year. Well, for 490 years they did not obey that command. And when you divide 490 by 7 you get 70.
God’s discipline is always just, never arbitrary; always out of love, never hate; always with the motivation to restore, not to abolish or neglect.
The Truth: “For whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.” (Hebrews 12:6)
For 23 years Jeremiah has been prophesying to the people of Judah of the coming judgment, and God has been faithful in His warnings, and longsuffering in His grace to allow repentance. But, they did no listen.
Now here in chapter 25 we see the prophesy of the Babylonian captivity which will last 70 years (v.11). One might think this to be some arbitrary number God pulled out of His hat. But, this is not the case. The seventy years was because they (Judah) had been dwelling in the land since the time of Joshua, some 490 years. And God had told them in the law that every seventh year they were to let the ground rest. Don’t plant the land, let it just grow of itself in the seventh year. Well, for 490 years they did not obey that command. And when you divide 490 by 7 you get 70.
God’s discipline is always just, never arbitrary; always out of love, never hate; always with the motivation to restore, not to abolish or neglect.
The Truth: “For whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.” (Hebrews 12:6)
