2Ki 25:21 | KingComments | STEP | These verses report on the downfall of the realm of Judah and the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by order of Nebuchadnezzar. This work began on “the fifth month, which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon” ( ), which in our era was August 15, 586 BC. “Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, the servant of the king of Babylon, a servant of the king of Babylon” began burning all the houses in Jerusalem with fire in order of importance. The first house he burned was “the house of the LORD” ( ). The house had been empty for five years. Maybe there were still some materials, but the glory of the LORD had left. That glory is gone to this day. Professing Christianity also has buildings that are impressive to the eye but empty inside. They are empty shells. The house of the LORD had become useless, and was given away to the nations. The king’s house and the other houses had lost their meaning and were being destroyed. Where there are no more houses and people, a wall is no longer necessary. The wall was also demolished ( ). Then it was the turn of the homeless and rest of the population of the city. Together with the deserters and a remnant of the crowd living outside Jerusalem, they are led by Nebuzaradan to Babylon ( ). Nebuzaradan did not take all people with him. He left a few to take care of the land and maintain it ( ). In , a detailed description is given of everything Nebuchadnezzar took with him. It shows us once again how beautiful everything had been and how good it could have been if the people not only had a beautiful temple, but also a heart to serve the LORD. If the heart is not there, everything loses its value to God. He is not bound to His people. If it does not meet His purpose, He sets it aside. This is also the general judgment on professing Christianity. What became of all these temple objects is an extremely sad contrast to the position given to them by Solomon, as he placed them with great care in the house of the LORD in his time. In , reference is still made to that time in connection with “the two pillars, the one sea, and the stands”. The Babylonians had no respect for this. They demolished these parts. What was of value to them, they took with them. The people did not concern themselves with the meaning of the pillars and the sea. The pillars symbolically represented the power of God, the basis on which the temple could only be maintained. The sea pointed to the cleansing of the priest to be fit to enter God’s temple. However, if the people denied God’s power and the necessary cleansing, the symbols lose their meaning and God allowed these things to be taken away by gentile nations. Today we see the same thing in professing Christianity. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper will lose their real meaning when given their own interpretation and when they are separated from God’s meaning. If we do not experience them prayerfully and spiritually, the flesh will feed on them. In this way God will take away these things by the people and withdraw Himself from them and from those who give them their own interpretation. It may all look beautiful, but He is not present there. The give an account of the leading people from Jerusalem being put to death. The people in the city who were connected to the temple were first captured. They must have been the fiercest opponents of surrendering to the king of Babylon. They were also those who preceded the people into idolatry. Their imprisonment and death were an exercise of God’s righteousness. The commander took some other prominent people from the city with the prisoners, to the king of Babylon to be killed together with the temple officials. This total destruction, as an expression of God’s righteousness, was the beginning of the Babylonian exile ( ).

‏ 2 Kings 25:21

Judah Carried Away Into Exile

These verses report on the downfall of the realm of Judah and the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by order of Nebuchadnezzar. This work began on “the fifth month, which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon” (2Kgs 25:8), which in our era was August 15, 586 BC. “Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, the servant of the king of Babylon, a servant of the king of Babylon” began burning all the houses in Jerusalem with fire in order of importance.

The first house he burned was “the house of the LORD” (2Kgs 25:9). The house had been empty for five years. Maybe there were still some materials, but the glory of the LORD had left. That glory is gone to this day. Professing Christianity also has buildings that are impressive to the eye but empty inside. They are empty shells. The house of the LORD had become useless, and was given away to the nations. The king’s house and the other houses had lost their meaning and were being destroyed. Where there are no more houses and people, a wall is no longer necessary. The wall was also demolished (2Kgs 25:10).

Then it was the turn of the homeless and rest of the population of the city. Together with the deserters and a remnant of the crowd living outside Jerusalem, they are led by Nebuzaradan to Babylon (2Kgs 25:11). Nebuzaradan did not take all people with him. He left a few to take care of the land and maintain it (2Kgs 25:12).

In 2Kgs 25:13-17, a detailed description is given of everything Nebuchadnezzar took with him. It shows us once again how beautiful everything had been and how good it could have been if the people not only had a beautiful temple, but also a heart to serve the LORD. If the heart is not there, everything loses its value to God. He is not bound to His people. If it does not meet His purpose, He sets it aside. This is also the general judgment on professing Christianity.

What became of all these temple objects is an extremely sad contrast to the position given to them by Solomon, as he placed them with great care in the house of the LORD in his time. In 2Kgs 25:15, reference is still made to that time in connection with “the two pillars, the one sea, and the stands”. The Babylonians had no respect for this. They demolished these parts. What was of value to them, they took with them.

The people did not concern themselves with the meaning of the pillars and the sea. The pillars symbolically represented the power of God, the basis on which the temple could only be maintained. The sea pointed to the cleansing of the priest to be fit to enter God’s temple. However, if the people denied God’s power and the necessary cleansing, the symbols lose their meaning and God allowed these things to be taken away by gentile nations.

Today we see the same thing in professing Christianity. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper will lose their real meaning when given their own interpretation and when they are separated from God’s meaning. If we do not experience them prayerfully and spiritually, the flesh will feed on them. In this way God will take away these things by the people and withdraw Himself from them and from those who give them their own interpretation. It may all look beautiful, but He is not present there.

The 2Kgs 25:18-21 give an account of the leading people from Jerusalem being put to death. The people in the city who were connected to the temple were first captured. They must have been the fiercest opponents of surrendering to the king of Babylon. They were also those who preceded the people into idolatry. Their imprisonment and death were an exercise of God’s righteousness. The commander took some other prominent people from the city with the prisoners, to the king of Babylon to be killed together with the temple officials.

This total destruction, as an expression of God’s righteousness, was the beginning of the Babylonian exile (2Kgs 25:21b).