Reform, Destruction, and Exile

The most important reading in the next two weeks is the one for today, February 11th. King Josiah, during repairs of the Jewish temple in 622, discovered “the book of the law”, what we now probably know of as Deuteronomy.  He and the elders covenanted together to institute a reform and live according to these laws. This meant getting rid of many other foreign cults and practices.  You could say that this is the first event that really put a “book” at the center of our faith. Ever since Josiah’s reform, the Jewish people have looked to the law as central to their faith. In the same way, Christians look to a book, the Old and New Testaments, as a central resource for our faith.  It is why we are all reading the bible every day. It is our guide and norm. 

Two of the prophets that we read during these two weeks wrote their works during this period of reform, destruction and exile—Zephaniah and Jeremiah.  Although we are not reading any passages from Zephaniah in the schedule, you might want to turn to that book of the bible and page through it or read the introduction.

Jeremiah is the longest book of the bible.  Jeremiah prophecied that Jerusalem and Judah would be destroyed because the people had abandoned God’s law. This indeed happens.  In 598 B.C. King Nebuchadnezzar hits the Egyptians hard, and then marches on Jerusalem. Judah surrendered, and many of the political leaders were taken into exile. Then, insurrection happens a bit later, and Nebuchadnezzar returns, this time in 587 B.C. putting to death many people, carrying off many others and deporting them (2 Kings 25).  This is the end of the kingdom of Judah. It dies. 

Ezekiel is the prophet who interprets this event in the history of Israel. Ezekiel is a very dark book, because it describes the sense of God-abandonment and destruction that came upon the people as a result of their exile. Ezekiel, however, also contains a glimmer of hope, especially in the vision of the valley of dry bones, Ezekiel 37. 

For reflection: Describe a time when God seemed to have abandoned you, when everything went bad and your most fervent prayers brought no apparent answer. What went on inside of you? Compare this with the psalmist’s lament in Psalm 136. Have you ever had it with God the way this psalmist did?

Even through the worst times, some people seem to bear a sturdy faith: “The Lord is with me!” Can you describe someone you have known with a faith like that?

(questions from James O. Chatham’s “Creation to Revelation: A Brief Account of the Biblical Story”)