Read Jeremiah 52:12-23
The Temple in Jerusalem was the pride of the people. Way back in chapter 7 we saw the pride they invested in the Temple as they cried out, ‘The Temple of the Lord. The Temple of the Lord. The Temple of the Lord.’. The thrice repeated cry shows their pride, their boasting, their exuberance in having the Temple of Yahweh in their presence.
The people of Judah had the Temple, the presence of Yahweh Himself, but as we’ve seen time and time again they lived a life contrary to having Yahweh in their midst. They wilfully, even joyfully sinned behind closed doors, in their houses, out in the fields and throughout the entire countryside.
And now with the Babylonians marching victoriously through the city they watched helplessly as the Temple burned to the ground. As vs 13 declares,
“He set fire to the temple of the Lord, the royal palace and all the houses of Jerusalem. Every important building he burned down.” The Temple is put first because it’s the most important building.
In the Ancient Near East wars were won or lost by the gods. Victory was attributed to the gods being more powerful than the enemy’s gods. As the Temple smouldered the Babylonians would have been rejoicing that Bel or Marduk their chief deity was more powerful than Yahweh. Marduk had triumphed. But the Jews knew that Yahweh was the one true living God. They knew that He was the creator God, the most powerful being in the universe. But even so, His Temple was now a smouldering ruin.
To add injury to insult the invading pagans carried all the bronze from the Temple back to Babylon. The stands, the bronze sea, the pots, shovels, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, dishes and all the bronze articles used in the temple service all began their trek to a foreign temple. The basins, censers, sprinkling bowls, pots, lampstands, dishes and bowls used for drink offerings - all that were made of pure gold or silver would be used in the house of a foreign God.
More bronze than could be weighed was carried off into exile with the people.
The people must have been devastated. The very thing they put their hopes in was dashed to the ground. The articles within the Temple were being carried off by pagans towards a pagan temple. The people themselves were in chains and were being forcibly led to a foreign land. They were being removed from the Promised Land. The words of Jeremiah the prophet must have been searing in their minds. His call to repentance, the warnings about Nebuchadnezzar, the decision to listen to false prophets must have been screaming in their ears.
Prayer:
Using today’s Bible passage and notes write down points for
Adoration:
Confession
Thanks
Supplication:
· Pray that your youth group would be growing in the Lord and maturing. Pray that they would know the Lord better, be abounding in his love and able to minister to others in their peers.
· Pray that your youth group leaders would be able to live lives that draw the youth to Christ. Pray that they would be able to teach the gospel clearly and communicate to the youth in a manner that hits home. Pray that these leaders would be great role models for the youth to imitate.
1. In the Ancient Near East military victory was attributed to the nation’s god or gods. Why then would Yahweh allow His people to be defeated by a foreign god?
2. How would God redeem His name among the nations that watched the defeat by the Babylonians?
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