What was the Babylonian captivity / Babylonian exile?

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TL;DR:

The Babylonian captivity refers to the time the Babylonians conquered the southern kingdom of Israel, Judah, and took its people into exile because Judah had disobeyed the Lord. The Babylonian captivity warns us of the dangers of idolatry and teaches us the faithfulness of God even in His justice.

from the old testament

  • The time leading up to the Babylonian exile is recorded in 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles, during which the Israelites lived unfaithfully to God by worshiping false idols, sometimes even sacrificing their children to these idols. God used the prophet Jeremiah to warn His people against their idolatry and to tell them that they would be captured by Babylon if they did not repent (Jeremiah 25).
  • Unfortunately, the Israelites did not heed the word of the Lord. Second Kings 24 records the events leading up to the fall of Jerusalem. King Jehoiakim was forced into vassalage under Nebuchadnezzar II around 607 BC when Babylon was spreading across the known world. Jehoiakim died at a young age, and Nebuchadnezzar II sieged Jerusalem during the reign of his son Jehoiachin in 597 BC. King Jehoiachin surrendered himself to Nebuchadnezzar, and he was taken away to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar seized all of the treasures that were in the temple, as well as all of the officials, all of the mighty men, all of the craftsmen and smiths, and ten thousand other captives. This included the brightest, most learned young men, who were to appear in Nebuchadnezzar's court. Daniel, Hananiah (Shadrach), Mishael (Meshach), and Azariah (Abednego) were among the captives (Daniel 1:1–7). Only the poor were left in Jerusalem (2 Kings 24:14).
  • Nebuchadnezzar II made Jehoiachin's uncle, Zedekiah, king in his place. At this time, Jeremiah prophesied to Zedekiah, saying "Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people and live. Why will you and your people die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, as the LORD has spoken concerning any nation that will not serve the king of Babylon?" (Jeremiah 27:12–13).
  • Zedekiah ignored the word of the Lord and rebelled against Babylon, so Nebuchadnezzar came against him. This time, Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem for over a year, and the people inside the city suffered greatly: the city ran out of food; Zedekiah was captured, and his sons slaughtered before him; the temple was set aflame, as well as the king's palace and all of the great houses in Jerusalem; and all of the people were taken into exile in Babylon except for a few poor vinedressers and farmers (2 Kings 25:1–21).
  • While captive to Babylon, some of the people of Judah accepted the Babylonian way of life and religion, while others rebelled against it. Still, others chose a different way. Daniel and his friends chose to live in Babylon, adapt to a new way of life, and even support the Babylonian kings, but their allegiance was to God. When their faithfulness to God was challenged, they were willing to lay down their lives rather than worship false idols (Daniel 3).
  • This is how God commanded His people to live in Babylon: "Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare" (Jeremiah 29:4–7).
  • The books of Daniel and Ezekiel were both written during the time of the Babylonian exile.
  • The Babylonian captivity lasted for seventy years, as prophesied by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 29:10–14). Daniel recognized this timing (Daniel 9:2).
  • The book of Ezra records the Israelites' return to Jerusalem under the Persian king Cyrus, as Isaiah prophesied (Isaiah 44:28—45:13) .
  • Nehemiah also records the rebuilding of Jerusalem at the end of the exile.

from the new testament

  • The exile to Babylon is mentioned in Jesus’ genealogy in Matthew 1:11–12.
  • In Stephen's speech before the Sanhedrin, he briefly references the Babylonian captivity as he recounts the history of Israel's disobedience and God's judgments (Acts 7:43).

implications for today

One of the biggest impacts of the Babylonian captivity was that the Israelites never again practiced idolatry as a whole nation. God ultimately judged Babylon as He promised, and Babylon was destroyed by the Persian empire. The Babylonian captivity reveals that God is true to His Word. It also demonstrates that He will bring about the chastisement His people need in order to walk faithfully and receive His blessings. Babylon also becomes a metaphor in the Bible for worldly temptations and idols (Revelation 17:4-5, Jeremiah 51:7).

Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah set an example for us to look to as we navigate this world. Like the Israelites in Babylon, if we have put our faith in Jesus Christ, we are aliens and exiles (1 Peter 2:11). Our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20). We can take instruction from the way God commanded the Israelites in Babylon: we are to build our homes and our gardens, serve our countries and work for their good. Peter echoes similar instructions throughout 1 Peter. Just as the Israelites were to continue to serve God even in their exile, our full allegiance must remain in Jesus Christ, who has the power to save our bodies and our souls.

understand

  • The Israelites were exiled due to persistent idolatry and disobedience to God, despite repeated warnings.
  • The Babylonian exile began in 597 BC with Jehoiachin's surrender, and Jerusalem's destruction in 586 BC led to mass deportations.
  • During the captivity, Jeremiah advised the Israelites to build lives in Babylon and seek its welfare.

reflect

  • How do you respond to warnings or corrections from God in your own life, and what steps can you take to ensure you heed His guidance?
  • How might you be tempted by modern-day "idols," and how can you stay faithful to God amidst these temptations?
  • How can you seek the welfare of your community or country while maintaining your primary allegiance to God, similar to how the Israelites were instructed during their exile?

engage

  • What are the dangers of idolatry and why does God speak so strongly against it throughout the Old Testament?
  • How did Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah demonstrate faithfulness in a foreign culture, and how can we apply their example in our lives?
  • What are practical ways we can live out Jeremiah's instructions to the exiles—building lives and seeking the welfare of our communities—while maintaining our distinct identity as followers of Christ?