Jehoiakim became king of Judah with the help of Pharaoh Neco. (II Chronicles 36:1-4) Pharaoh Neco invaded Babylon. Young Nebuchadnezzar defeated the Egyptians at Carchemish, then pursued the Egyptian army upon Sinai. On the way back to Babylon, he subdued Jerusalem in May or June 605 BC. In the year 597 BC Lord gave Jehoiakim in the hands of Nebuchadnezzar. Jehoiakim, Ezekiel and others were deported. (II Kings 24:14-16) Later there was one more invasion in 587 BC, Jerusalem falls. God punished for two major sins: Idol worship and neglect to observe Sabbath, apart from unrighteousness. (Leviticus 25:1-7; 26:2-35) Davidic monarchy ended. Temple worship and sacrifice in Jerusalem ended.
1) Cured of Idolatry: The Jews were completely cured of idolatry.
2) Unification: Like the slavery in Egypt, in Babylon, they endured common hardship and isolation. They grew closer, united and stronger.
3) Synagogues: Formal Jewish worship happened in places called synagogues. Children were also educated there. Synagogues helped the Jews to retain their faith and cultural identity. They were forced to replace the sacrifices with prayers, reading of Scripture and worship. These synagogues among Jewish Diaspora became the springboards for gospel by Paul throughout the Roman Empire. The worship pattern of synagogues became the template for worship of the churches too.
4) Religious groups: The dominating religious groups: the Scribes, the Pharisees, the Sadducees and others originated.
5) Scripture: In fact, the Torah became the center of spiritual life. Earlier it was the Temple in Jerusalem, now the centrality of the Scripture was established. The Scribes produced Mishna (God’s Laws – oral tradition) and the Gemara (Commentary) that formed the Babylonian Talmud and other common literature.
6) Teaching: Teachers like Ezra emerged, who studied, understood, wrote commentaries, applied and taught to live according to God’s commands and standards.
7) Sabbath observance: The Jews began to observe Sabbath with seriousness and have continued until this day.
God used this to shake, shock and shape the Nation of Israel, pave the way for the Messiah to come and the church era could begin.
Do I realize God punishes his people to shape them?