In 2 Chronicles 35 and 36 we reach the precipice leading to the fall and decline of Judah and its road to exile in Babylon. After the faithful stewardship and tenderhearted rule of Josiah over Judah the kings that rule Judah turn completely away from God. The wrath of God is falling on His chosen people as he promised to Josiah. How is the relationship between God and the sons of Israel to be viewed? How do we view our relationship with God today? God is a loving father that desires to see the best happen for His people through out all time.
God continually sought to bring the hearts of the people of Judah back to Him through His messengers and prophets. How does a persons heart become so hardened against God that they have no respect, thought, or desire for Him? “The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent word to them again and again by His messengers, because He has compasstion on His people and on His dwelling place; but they continually mocked the messengers of God, despised His words and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, until there was no remedy.” 2 Chronicles 36:15,16 What is the wrath of the Lord? Can this wrath be an expression of God’s love? God desired to maintain fellowship with us so much that He executed His full wrath over our sin upon Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. This is the true extent of the love that brings hope.
When the people of Judah are taken away into exile in Babylon all the treasures that occupied their hearts were removed or destroyed. “All the articles of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king and of his officers, he brought them to Babylon. Then they burned the house of God and broke down the wall of Jerusalem, and burned all its fortified buildings with fire and destroyed all its valuable articles.” 2 Chronicles 36:18,19 When the things that clutter our hearts desires are removed what will happen? When 2 Chronicles 36:16 said that there was no remedy what does that mean?
The exile of Judah in Babylon would last seventy years. The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years before God allowed them to inherit the promised land. The exile in Babylon and in the wilderness allowed for the generations that hardened their hearts towards God to pass away allowing the new generations to be raised up in a situation where they will be looking for God and his deliverance. God has continually worked this way throughout the Old Testament with people who are stubborn and resolutely set against Him. Does God work in this way today? Does the grace of God expressed upon the cross of Jesus Christ effect how God works today? Does God still place His people in exile to turn their hearts back to Him? What is the state of your heart today? If you find that you have become callous towards God I implore you to turn back to Him and away from the idols that you are clinging to.
