Jer 52:26 | KingComments | STEP | After the city falls into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, he sends Nebuzaradan to Jerusalem ( ). The dating is now done not to the reigns of the kings of Israel, but to those of the heathen king to whom God has given world domination and also the rule over His people. Arriving in Jerusalem, Nebuzaradan burns all the houses, beginning with the house of the LORD ( ). This is followed by the king’s house and all the other houses, including those of the dignitaries. All these houses are destroyed because in them the LORD is no longer served, but the idols. Furthermore, the walls of the city are broken down by the army ( ). The people of the cities are carried away into exile to Babylon ( ). Only a few of the poorest of the land are allowed to stay in Judah to take care of the land there as vinedressers and plowmen ( ). In , a more detailed description of the plundering and destruction of the temple takes place. Some parts are broken down, while other parts are taken to Babylon. The bronze pillar, Boaz and Jachin, are broken down, as are the stands and the bronze sea ( ). All their bronze is carried to Babylon. The objects for use in the temple service suffer the same fate ( ). The amount of bronze from the pillars, the sea, and the twelve oxen is impossible to weigh ( ). To give an impression of that enormous amount of bronze, the pillars with everything attached are described in detail ( ). More important still is the spiritual meaning. Even today, what should serve as pillars in God’s house is completely removed and taken away by the enemy. Bronze is a picture of the righteousness of God. It indicates that a man can only exist before God on the basis of the righteousness of God offered to him by Who Christ is before God and what He has done. This is taken away in professing Christianity by the preaching of a social gospel of fellow humanity and living by virtue of one’s own righteousness. After the remaining objects of the temple, some persons are now taken who have been in connection with the temple service ( ). They are the high priest, the second priest and three officers of the temple i.e. the doorkeepers. Some people who have been in connection with the army and the king are also carried away. These are an official, seven of the king’s advisers, an army official, and sixty more men of the land who are in the city ( ). The religious leaders, the warriors, and the common people are all taken to Nebuchadnezzar in Riblah ( ). There, in Riblah, in the land of Hamath, which is Syria, they are all killed ( ). The priesthood is finished. All the rest is led away into exile ( ). list the various deportations. There were deportations in 1. the seventh year, 599 BC ( ; ), 2. the eighteenth year, 588 BC ( ; ) and 3. the twenty-third year, 584 BC ( ; ), in which a total of 4,600 people were taken into exile. Daniel and his friends are already in Babylon by then. They were taken there in an earlier transport, around 606 BC ( ; ).

‏ Jeremiah 52:26

Consequences of the Fall of Jerusalem

After the city falls into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, he sends Nebuzaradan to Jerusalem (Jer 52:12). The dating is now done not to the reigns of the kings of Israel, but to those of the heathen king to whom God has given world domination and also the rule over His people. Arriving in Jerusalem, Nebuzaradan burns all the houses, beginning with the house of the LORD (Jer 52:13). This is followed by the king’s house and all the other houses, including those of the dignitaries. All these houses are destroyed because in them the LORD is no longer served, but the idols.

Furthermore, the walls of the city are broken down by the army (Jer 52:14). The people of the cities are carried away into exile to Babylon (Jer 52:15). Only a few of the poorest of the land are allowed to stay in Judah to take care of the land there as vinedressers and plowmen (Jer 52:16).

In Jer 52:17-23, a more detailed description of the plundering and destruction of the temple takes place. Some parts are broken down, while other parts are taken to Babylon. The bronze pillar, Boaz and Jachin, are broken down, as are the stands and the bronze sea (Jer 52:17). All their bronze is carried to Babylon. The objects for use in the temple service suffer the same fate (Jer 52:18-19). The amount of bronze from the pillars, the sea, and the twelve oxen is impossible to weigh (Jer 52:20). To give an impression of that enormous amount of bronze, the pillars with everything attached are described in detail (Jer 52:21-23).

More important still is the spiritual meaning. Even today, what should serve as pillars in God’s house is completely removed and taken away by the enemy. Bronze is a picture of the righteousness of God. It indicates that a man can only exist before God on the basis of the righteousness of God offered to him by Who Christ is before God and what He has done. This is taken away in professing Christianity by the preaching of a social gospel of fellow humanity and living by virtue of one’s own righteousness.

After the remaining objects of the temple, some persons are now taken who have been in connection with the temple service (Jer 52:24). They are the high priest, the second priest and three officers of the temple i.e. the doorkeepers. Some people who have been in connection with the army and the king are also carried away. These are an official, seven of the king’s advisers, an army official, and sixty more men of the land who are in the city (Jer 52:25).

The religious leaders, the warriors, and the common people are all taken to Nebuchadnezzar in Riblah (Jer 52:26). There, in Riblah, in the land of Hamath, which is Syria, they are all killed (Jer 52:27a). The priesthood is finished. All the rest is led away into exile (Jer 52:27b).

Jer 52:28-30 list the various deportations. There were deportations in

1. the seventh year, 599 BC (Jer 52:28; 2Chr 36:9-10),

2. the eighteenth year, 588 BC (Jer 52:29; 2Chr 36:20) and

3. the twenty-third year, 584 BC (Jer 52:30; Jer 52:12),

in which a total of 4,600 people were taken into exile. Daniel and his friends are already in Babylon by then. They were taken there in an earlier transport, around 606 BC (Dan 1:1-6; 2Chr 36:6-7).