August 26th~The Queen of Nations

Jeremiah 39:11-18

Jeremiah 40:1-6


2 Kings 25:8-21

Jeremiah 52:12-27


2 Chronicles 36:15-21

Lamentations 1:1-22

We were given more details about the third and final attack of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, burned down the Temple, the royal palace, and all the houses of the city. He also supervised as the walls of the city were torn down. Most of the people were killed; the rest were exiled.

All of this destruction could have been averted. “The Lord repeatedly sent His prophets to warn the people, for He had compassion on them and His Temple. But the people mocked these messengers of God and despised their words. They scoffed at the prophets until the Lord’s anger could no longer be restrained and there was no remedy” (2 Chronicles 36:15, 16).

Nebuzaradan did spare two people, in particular, for their faithfulness to God. He found Jeremiah among the exiles and released him. By order of King Nebuchadnezzar, he was free to go to Babylon or stay in Jerusalem. Jeremiah chose to stay in Jerusalem with the new governor, Gedaliah. The second person released was an Ethiopian eunuch named Ebedmelech. He was the man who spoke up for Jeremiah and had him removed from the cistern. “Because you trusted Me,” said the Lord, “I will preserve your life and keep you safe” (Jeremiah 39:18).

Once he was released from exile, Jeremiah made note of the devastation and sorrow that surrounded the city of Jerusalem. His thoughts were collected in a book called Lamentations. “Once the Queen of nations, she is now a slave... for the Lord has punished Jerusalem for her many sins... Now she lies in the gutter with no one to lift her out... For all these things I weep. Tears flow down my cheeks. No one is here to comfort me; any who might encourage me are far away. My children have no future, for the enemy has conquered us” (1:1, 5, 9, 16).

An interesting statement to note is at the end of 2 Chronicles, “The land finally enjoyed its Sabbath rest, lying desolate for 70 years” (36:21). Remember, the law of the Sabbath Year was that the land was to be given rest every seventh year (Leviticus 25:1-7; 26:27-46). The people could only farm for six years at a time. The chronicler’s statement suggests that the law of the Sabbath Year had not been honored for 490 years. Therefore, God exiled the people in order to let the land rest for 70 years. One way or an- other, the Lord keeps His people accountable to His laws. They cannot be neglected without consequences.

Daily Reflection

Several times in our nation’s history, the Lord has kept us accountable for our sins and punished us for neglecting to deal with them. The most notable judgment is that of the Civil War. The sin of slavery had been planted by the enemy early in our history, but instead of uprooting it, part of our country preserved and promoted it. After 250 years, the Lord’s patience had waned. He allowed our nation to be torn in two and enflamed in bloody war. More than 600,000 Americans died in four years, until slavery was finally abolished in 1865.

What national sins are we guilty of today?

Thomas Jefferson, one of our Founding Fathers, once wrote, “I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just and that His justice cannot sleep forever.” Though America, like Judah, was once the Queen of nations, God’s patience will one day give way to His justice.

BiAY.org | Day 238 — 127 Days to Go