God’s continual pleas for Judah to repent exemplifies the Lord’s patience with mankind. God sent prophets and messengers to the nation attempting to wake them from their spiritual sleep. The indifference and defiance shown toward God’s servants is characteristic of the will of man which seeks to pursue those things that stand in opposition to the Lord. The nation of Judah therefore may be seen as representative of all of mankind and the attitudes that eventually make their presence known in relation to God. Mankind has always taken the Law of God and attempted to fashion it according to human desire.
The messengers, sent to warn the people, reminded them of God’s blessings including the existence of their nation. This is repeated many times in the writings of the prophets. While some may see the words spoken against God’s people as harsh one must remember that Moses prophesied many years earlier that these things would happen if they disobeyed God and forgot His Law. God is not destructive without cause as demonstrated in the fact that he sent prophets and messengers to appeal to His people for a period of about four hundred years. In spite of these efforts Judah refused to heed the admonition and continued in their destructive ways. The scriptures point out that God does not take pleasure in the death of sinners (Ezekiel 33.11). Modernistic interpretations of the Bible make God a murderer when the spiritual care and concern of Jehovah for His people is not acknowledged. Long before the destruction of Israel and Judah took place, Moses warned the Israelites about the wages of sin (Deuteronomy 28-32). Having spoken, God was faithful in rendering righteous judgment against Judah.
Idolatry and the influence of the kings of Israel corrupted Judah until God needed to address their moral decay and declining values. Judah’s spiritual neglect led to an absence of virtue in the nation that helps us to understand why God rejected His people. Justice was no longer practiced and wrongful judgments were rendered (Habakkuk 1.4). Heathen gods were worshiped and incense burned to the host of heaven (Zephaniah 1.5). The priests had done violence to the law and polluted the sanctuary (Zephaniah 3.4). The nobles were characterized as roaring lions, the judges as evening wolves and a sense of shame was not felt for their doings (Zephaniah 3.1-5). Judah despised the Law of God, refused to keep His commandments and practiced deceit and idolatry (Amos 2.4). They offered their children to pagan deities (2 Kings 21.6) and killed God’s messengers who warned them of the coming wrath. The Southern kingdom reached such a low point that there was no remedy (2 Chronicles 36.16).
The judgment of God took the form of the Babylonians under a Chaldean dynasty. Isaiah warned king Hezekiah that a day would come in which all that he had, including his sons, would be carried away to Babylon (Isaiah 39.6). The prophet Micah warned the people they would be taken away to live in the fields in Babylon for their evil ways (Micah 4.10). Jeremiah wrote that he had warned the people from the time of king Josiah until the very eve of their destruction (Jeremiah 25.3) yet they would not hear or repent. Moses stated that the Lord will repay those that hate him, face to face with destruction (Deuteronomy 7.10). Moses warned if they walked after other gods they would surely perish (Deuteronomy 8.19) and be driven from their land if they became like the inhabitants driven out before them (Deuteronomy 8.19-20).
Jehoiakim replaced his father as king of Judah at the age of twenty-five. Reigning for a period of eleven years (2 Kings 23.36), he followed the evil practices which had gone before him (2 Kings 24.37). During his reign Nebuchadnezzar led the first in a series of invasions which eventually saw the destruction of the nation. Warnings continued from the prophets, particularly Jeremiah, who emphasized the coming wrath and continued to rebuke the corruption of the people.
At first, Nebuchadnezzar was content to leave Jehoiakim in power, but the king rebelled against the Babylonians (2 Kings 24, 2 Chronicles 36). Upon his return to the region, Nebuchadnezzar took Jehoiakim captive to Babylon. Jehoiachin, the son of Jehoiakim, was made king but still Judah would not heed the prophets warning to mend their ways. Jeremiah stated that the people needed to circumcise the foreskin of their hearts (Jeremiah 4.4), or, as stated by Joel, to rend their hearts and not their garments (Joel 2.13).
Among those carried into Babylon with Jehoiakim were members of the king’s household and other notables (Daniel 1.1-5). One of these was the prophet Daniel. He and six others were separated from the children of Israel to live in Nebuchadnezzar’s palace and learn the ways of the Chaldeans (Daniel 1.3-7) including their language and sciences. Daniel made it his goal to devote his heart to God (Daniel 1.8) and found favor in the Lord’s sight. It was Daniel who interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the image of various metals which God sent him during the second year of his reign (Daniel 2.1-45). Nebuchadnezzar learned a degree of respect for the God of the Hebrews from this incident (Daniel 2.46-48).
Three other notable captives were Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah (Daniel 1.6). Their names were changed to Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego (Daniel 1.7) and later appointed as governors of the province of Babylon (Daniel 2.49). When these men refused to bow down before a golden idol made by Nebuchadnezzar they were cast into a furnace of fire (Daniel 3.1- 22) but were delivered by God without harm (Daniel 3.24-27). Nebuchadnezzar again acknowledged the God of the Hebrews and His power by issuing a decree in favor of those he had tried to destroy (Daniel 3.28-30).
Later, Daniel was called upon to interpret a second dream of Nebuchadnezzar in which it was revealed what would befall the king. Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar that he would be driven from men and eat grass like the oxen (Daniel 4.1-27). Eventually these things came to pass lasting for a period of seven years (Daniel 4.16). Later, a voice from Heaven informed Nebuchadnezzar that the kingdom he was so proud of would be taken from him (Daniel 4.31).
God demonstrates that while he judged the Hebrews for their transgressions, he rendered a verdict against other nations as well. God would not permit the aspirations of conquest of these pagan nations to go unchecked. Although the Lord allowed His people, who neglected Him and His Law, to be overthrown, he made a provision to restore a remnant to fulfill the promises made to Abraham. This would eventually result in the establishment of a spiritual kingdom that would have no end (Daniel 2.44).
Jehoiachin was either eight or eighteen years old when he became king. One account gives his age as eight (2 Kings 24.8) while another gives his age as eighteen (2 Chronicles 36.9). Some believe this may be due to a scribal error in the manuscript or to his status as king with a coregent until he came of age. While this appears to be a discrepancy it does no injustice to the spiritual aspects of the story. Jehoiachin, who reigned for three months and ten days (2 Chronicles 36.9), practiced evil as his father had (2 Kings 24.9) incurring the wrath of God. Jehoiachin is referred to as Jeconiah by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 24.1) and also as Coniah (Jeremiah 37.1). God pronounced a judgment against Jehoiachin, or Jeconiah, that had serious spiritual ramifications for the future. God decreed that no man of the seed of Coniah would prosper any more sitting on the throne in Jerusalem (Jeremiah 22.28-30).
Upon his return Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem (2 Kings 24.10) and took Jehoiachin captive. He also took treasures from the house of the Lord and the king’s house as prophesied by Isaiah in the days of Hezekiah (Isaiah 39.1-8). Nebuchadnezzar carried away ten thousand captives amongst whom were the skilled carpenters and craftsmen of the land (2 Kings 24.11-14). Some of these were eunuchs of the kings household (Jeremiah 29.2), the princes of the land, all those apt for war and the mighty men of valor (2 Kings 24.14-16). Only the poorest of the land were left behind rendering Judah impotent against the power of Babylon (2 Kings 24.14).
In addition to those listed above, Nebuchadnezzar took the royal household including the king’s mother Nehushta (2 Kings 24.8,15) his wives and his officers (2 Kings 24.15). In his place Mattaniah was placed in power by Nebuchadnezzar.
During the fifth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin, Ezekiel was inspired by God to deliver messages to the people who remained in Jerusalem (Ezekiel 1.2). God still extended mercy toward those who remained in Judah but the voice of the prophet went unheeded. God told Ezekiel not to fear those who wished to take his life but to render the message faithfully (Ezekiel 2.6, 3.9). Ezekiel pronounced judgment against the inhabitants of Jerusalem and other nations that had risen up against the Lord’s people (Ezekiel 2.1-6). While God allowed these things to occur, it was not his wish to completely destroy His people. Only mankind can separate themselves from God (Romans 8.38-39) and here is a good example of the negative consequences for disobedience. Ezekiel notes that God does not delight in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 33.11) but when his people sinned He enacted the negative consequences for transgression found in his word.
Nebuchadnezzar changed Mattaniah’s name to Zedekiah leaving him to rule as a subordinate of the Babylonians. Zedekiah was the brother of Jehoiakim (2 Kings 24.17) and was seventeen years old when he was made king. The scriptures note that Zedekiah, who reigned for a period of eleven years (2 Kings 24.18) was the uncle of Jehoiachin (2 Kings 24.17) and practiced evil (2 Chronicles 36.12). Warned not to rebel against Nebuchadnezzar, Zedekiah did just that in the ninth year of his reign signaling the doom of Judah (2 Kings 25.1).
God instructed Jeremiah to take a yoke and wear it, signifying the yoke of the Chaldeans which would not be broken. Hananiah, a false prophet, gave a rebuttal to this prophesying that the Babylonians would be cast off (Jeremiah 28.1-4). In an act against God, Hananiah broke the yoke worn by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 28.10-11) for which God struck Hananiah dead (Jeremiah 28.16-17). Unwilling to heed Jeremiah’s warning, Zedekiah rebelled, inciting the anger of Nebuchadnezzar for the last time.
To further insult God, Zedekiah had Jeremiah thrown in prison (Jeremiah 32.1-3). In the ninth year of Zedekiah’s rule, the tenth month, the tenth day of the month (2 Kings 25.1) the siege began. In the eleventh year of Zedekiah’s reign (Jeremiah 39.2), the fourth month (2 Kings 25.3), Jerusalem was stricken by famine. There was no bread in the city and it was described as “broken up” (Jeremiah 39.2). By night Zedekiah and the men of war abandoned the city hoping to flee from the Babylonians (2 Kings 25.2). The Chaldean’s were aware of this and pursued and overtook Zedekiah.
Zedekiah was captured at the plains of Jericho and abandoned by his army (2 Kings 25.5). He was carried back to Riblah where Nebuchadnezzar held court and rendered his own justice against the evil king (Jeremiah 39.5). Zedekiah’s sons were killed in front of him and his eyes put out before being shackled with brass fetters and carried to Babylon (2 Kings 25.6-7, Jeremiah 39.6). Nebuchadnezzar was tired of the rebellious Hebrews and dispatched his army to destroy the city.
In Nebuchadnezzar’s nineteenth year, the fifth month the seventh day, Nebuzar-Adan, the captain of the army, was sent to deal with Jerusalem (2 Kings 25.8). Nebuzar-Adan burned the temple, the king’s house, the palaces, all remaining houses and broke down the walls of Jerusalem (2 Kings 25.9, 2 Chronicles 36.19, Jeremiah 39.8). Only the poor of the land were left but the Babylonians gave them land to grow vineyards and raise crops (Jeremiah 39.10, 2 Kings 25.12). This was fitting reward for those who had been maltreated by the wealthy for so long, as pointed out by Habakkuk (Habakkuk 1.1-4).
The Babylonians plundered Jerusalem again. The brass implements of the Temple including pots, shovels, snuffers etc. were gathered. The brass pillars built by Solomon and the brazen sea were broken into pieces. So much brass was gathered from these items that they are said to have been without weight (Jeremiah 27.18-19,22, 2 Kings 25.16). Items of gold were also taken such as the firepans and bowls of the Temple and all silver implements (2 Kings 25.16).
God prophesied that He would search out the city with candles and punish all those who were guilty (Zephaniah 1.12). Some of the stragglers who had opposed Jeremiah were caught and punished as they hid in the city (2 Kings 25.18-19). Among these were Seraiah the chief priest (2 Chronicles 36.14), Zephaniah the second priest (2 Kings 25.18, Jeremiah 29.25), three doorkeepers, an officer of the men of war, five men that were of the king’s men, the principal scribe of the host and sixty unidentified men (2 Kings 25.18-19). These were taken to Riblah and executed (2 Kings 25.20-21). Zephaniah’s warning concerning such untrustworthy men came to realization through the Babylonian’s justice (Zephaniah 3.3-5).
Jeremiah summarizes the reason for the destruction as he records the words of the Lord. “I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye have not hearkened. And the Lord hath sent unto you all his servants the prophets, rising early and sending them; but ye have not hearkened, nor inclined your ear to hear. They said, turn ye again now every one from his evil way, and from the evil of your doings, and dwell in the land that the Lord hath given unto you and to your fathers for ever and ever: and go not after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke me not to anger with the works of your hands; and I will do you no hurt. Yet ye have not hearkened unto me saith the Lord; that ye might provoke me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt.” (Jeremiah 25.3-7).
Seeking to preserve order in the province, Gedaliah was appointed governor (2 Kings 25.23). Gedaliah informed the people that all would be well with them if they served the Babylonians because this was God’s judgment against them (2 Kings 25.24, Jeremiah 40.1-2). One sane voice in an age of unfaithfulness was silenced with the murder of Gedaliah (2 Kings 25.25, Jeremiah 41.1-2). The perpetrators fled to avoid the consequences of their actions (Jeremiah 41.1-15).
Nebuchadnezzar’s reign spanned a period of approximately forty-five years. Five kings, of whom the Biblical record says little, followed Nebuchadnezzar. The reign of the last of these kings ended abruptly with the destruction of the Babylonian empire. God raised up the Chaldeans as an instrument of His judgment against Israel, allowing them to overtake the Hebrews. The Babylonians, or Chaldeans specifically, were characterized as a hasty and impetuous nation that took pride in their pagan gods (Habakkuk 1.6-11). It was this pride, and the sin of the Hebrews preventing God’s blessings and protection, that gave the Babylonians their ability to destroy the Israelites. Judah and Israel had caused shame to come upon the name of Jehovah for which they were destroyed. God however states that a judgment would be rendered against the Babylonians through the Medes (Isaiah 13.17-22).
Evil-Merodach, the son of Nebuchadnezzar, ruled for a short time following his father’s passing. Notable in his rule is the fact that he lifted up the head of Jeconiah who remained in prison and appointed him an allowance including daily bread and a seat at the king’s table (2 Kings 25.27-30). The scriptures tell us that he elevated Jeconiah above the kings that were with him in Babylon (2 Kings 25.28).
During the reign of Belshazzar, the last king of the Babylonian empire, Daniel records a vision he had in the first year of Belshazzar’s reign (Daniel 7.1) and another in the third year of the king (Daniel 8.1). Both of these visions pertained to the future of the Hebrews and the establishment of the eternal kingdom referred to in Daniel’s interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (Daniel 2.37-46).
Belshazzar threw a drunken feast for a thousand of his lords and called for the vessels of the Lord’s house to be brought so he could drink from them (Daniel 5.1-4). During this memorable episode, a hand appeared and wrote on the wall of the palace where Belshazzar and his lords were gathered (Daniel 5.5). Unable to interpret the writing, and overcome with fear, (Daniel 5.6) Belshazzar called for the Chaldean astrologers and soothsayers to read the inscription (Daniel 5.7). These wise men of Babylon were unable to read the writing which disturbed Belshazzar even more (Daniel 5.8-9).
Belshazzar’s queen remembered Daniel and recommended that the king summon the prophet (Daniel 5.10-11). The writ- ing on the wall was from God and only Daniel was given it’s interpretation (Daniel 5.7-13). Daniel told Belshazzar that since he lifted himself up against the Lord, he would be destroyed (Daniel 5.23). Later that night Belshazzar was killed when Darius the Mede invaded the city (Daniel 5.30) bringing the Babylonian kingdom to an end.
Darius appointed one hundred and twenty princes, including Daniel, to govern Babylon (Daniel 6.1-2). During this time conspirators who hated Daniel tricked Darius into issuing a decree making it unlawful to ask a petition or prayer of any man or god, with the exception of the king, for thirty days (Daniel 6.7). Daniel continued his practice of praying to God in spite of this and was thrown into a den of lions (Daniel 6.7,16-19). God delivered Daniel by sending an angel to shut the lions mouths (Daniel 6.22). Justice was served in the end when the conspirators against the prophet were thrown into the lions den themselves (Daniel 6.24). In this one may see that the righteous are not forsaken by their God even though the circumstances of life may be grim (Psalm 37.25).
Daniel devoted himself to knowing God’s will and had been reading the writings of the prophets (Daniel 9.1-3). He understood the significance of the seventieth year from his reading of the prophet Jeremiah (Daniel 9.3, Jeremiah 29.10). Daniel prayed for God to bring about the return of the remnant as promised by the Lord (Daniel 9.4-19). Cyrus the king issued a decree that the Jews were to be allowed to return to Judea to rebuild their temple (Ezra 1.1-3). The restoration promised by God through the prophets Habakkuk, Daniel, and others had begun (Habakkuk 3).
The purpose for the return of the remnant needs to be understood in order to fully appreciate later events recorded in the scriptures. God denounced the Jews for their idolatrous ways and allowed them to be destroyed. He promised there would be a time of restoration that would prepare the way for the coming of the spiritual kingdom foreseen by Daniel, Isaiah, Micah, Joel and the other prophets. God’s promise of restoration was both physical and spiritual. Within the context of the return would be the revelation of a new law unlike that given to their fathers (Jeremiah 31.31-34). A survey of the details of the promise sheds some light on this.
The promise of a returning remnant gave hope to the faithful and pointed to the salvation of all nations by a new law. Habakkuk prayed for God to resume his work (Habakkuk 3.1-2). This was a prayer for mercy and a rekindling of God’s eternal purpose which would benefit all of mankind . The remnant promise had two components; one physical, and one spiritual. The spiritual component reveals the extension of God’s grace toward the world fulfilling the Law and the prophets (Matthew 5.17-18).
Spiritual neglect, led to immorality and evil bringing God’s judgment on the nation. God, through the prophets, states clearly that this destruction was from Him. “For thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, which are thrown down by the mounts, and by the sword; they come to fight with the Chaldeans, but it is to fill them with the dead bodies of men, whom I have slain in mine anger and in my fury, and for all whose wickedness I have hid my face from this city.” (Jeremiah 33.4-5). In spite of exile and calamity, God promised that one of the seed of David would sit on the throne and rule all nations (Isaiah 9.6-7). The nature of the throne and rule can be seen in statements concerning the remnant.
First, there would be a return from captivity after seventy years (Jeremiah 29.10, Daniel 9.1-2). The remnant would prove the graciousness of God who had mercy on His people (Isaiah 1.9, Zephaniah 2.7). Cyrus issued a decree allowing the first group of Hebrews, or Jews, as they became known, to return to Palestine to rebuild the temple (Ezra 1-4). A list of those who returned to do this work is given by Ezra (Ezra 2) and totals 42,360 (Ezra 2.64). In addition to these individuals were servants (Ezra 2.65), their animals and possessions including the vessels and items taken from the temple by Nebuchadnezzar (Ezra 1.7-8).
It was not long though before the providence of God was forgotten and the people devoted themselves to pursuing their own interests leaving the work of rebuilding the temple only partially completed (Ezra 5.1, Haggai 1.1-4). God spoke again to the people through the prophets Haggai and Zechariah rebuking them for their negligence. They had taken the attitude that the time was not right to rebuild and concentrated on their own prosperity (Haggai 1.4-6). God afflicted them by causing their trade to fail to produce the results they hoped for and to blight their harvests (Haggai 1.6). God then exhorted the people to consider their ways and correct their heart (Haggai 1.7).
Admonished by the prophets and under the leadership of Nehemiah, Ezra, Josedech the high priest and Zerubbabel the governor, the work resumed (Ezra 5.1-2). In spite of difficulties the work continued and the temple was finally restored. The Jews however had to be admonished on several occasions about forsaking their own ways and remembering God who had “not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving” (Ezra 9.9). Ezra’s prayer indicates that the people were still not following the commands of God in their activities as wholly as they should. Ezra states, “And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments.” (Ezra 9.10). The people repented but the trend toward their traditions and away from God continued.
Haggai challenged the appeal of the material temple and the physical meaning it conveyed in his comparison of the new temple which they built, with one which would be established by God. This latter temple would be greater even than the temple built by Solomon. Some of those who had been in the city when the Chaldeans invaded remembered the beauty of the structure and were dismayed at the comparison to the newly rebuilt temple. God tells Haggai that “the glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former ...” (Haggai 2.3-9) signifying that the kingdom spoken of by the prophets would be great indeed.
Secondly it is important to realize the true purpose of the remnant in their return by examining the spiritual aspects of the group. Prior to the Babylonian captivity, the nation had been ruled by a king in Jerusalem. God put an end to the rule of kings in his denouncement of Jeconiah when He stated that no one of the seed of Coniah, or Jeconiah would prosper any more sitting on the throne in Jerusalem (Jeremiah 22.28-30). The kingdom had been changed and would not be restored as it was before the destruction of Jerusalem.
It has been shown that a remnant physically returned but their hearts were still not quite right with God. Attention must be focused on the true remnant of God as described by their spiritual characteristics. Isaiah states that the remnant would depend on God (Isaiah 10.20, NKJV). God was to be the ruler of the remnant, not an earthly king, and He would be in the midst of them (Micah 4.7, 5.1-5, Zephaniah 3.17). Zephaniah describes the remnant as being a poor and afflicted people who would trust in their God and who would not lie or commit iniquity (Zephaniah 3.12-13). As noted above, the remnant, in their return, had begun to transgress God’s commands. It can be concluded from these and other references that the true remnant are those who were faithful to God.
Focusing our attention on this true remnant, God’s faithful, other statements about them provide us with the ability to appreciate God’s work and purpose. There was not to be a king anymore in Jerusalem as noted above (Jeremiah 22.28-30). Instead, the remnant had a governor, Zerubbabel (Haggai 1.1). It is interesting to note that Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, is listed as a son of the kings of Judah, a descendant of David, and is found in the lineage of Christ (Luke 3.27). While not on the throne as a king, the line of David continued through his offspring. The throne of David, which was to continue forever, would indeed be occupied by an eternal king, and the scriptures point to that fact.
Specific descriptions of the nature of the remnant and their standing indicate the time at which the king would arrive to assume the throne of David. God stated that he would cause their captivity to return (Jeremiah 33.11) as described above. God’s people however would continue to be scattered among the Gentiles (Micah 5.7-8, Isaiah 11.11-12). When this king would come, both Judah and Israel would become a blessing (Zecheriah 8.13). The reason for that blessing would be the establishment of a kingdom described as the Lord’s House (Isaiah 2.1-2, Micah 4.1). Finally, this kingdom would be established during the days of the kings who ruled the earth as foretold by Daniel who interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of an image of various metals (Daniel 2.43-45). Daniel states the kingdom would last forever surpassing the power of the nation represented in the dream (Daniel 2.44).
Who would be the ruler of that nation established by God? He would be a descendant of David and would be filled with the Spirit of God (Isaiah 11.1-5). This ruler would establish a new covenant unlike the law of Moses which the people had broken (Jeremiah 31.31-34). Eventually, as part of this rule, God’s people would be known by a new name which would come from the mouth of God (Isaiah 62.2, Acts 11.26). The work of God which had been the subject of Habakkuk’s prayer (Habakkuk 3) had indeed been revived. It was the zeal, or desire, of God to do this so that all nations would benefit from His goodness (Isaiah 37.31-32).
Somewhat contemporary with the work of Ezra is the rebuilding of the wall found in the latter part of Ezra and the book of Nehemiah. In spite of great difficulties and opposition the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem was accomplished as God intended (Nehemiah 1-6).
During this latter period, the prophet Malachi, last of the Old Testament prophets, challenged the people again for their spiritual infidelity (Malachi 1-3). He rebuked the populace for neglecting God (Malachi 3.6-15), offering unacceptable sacrifices (Malachi 1.6-14), and the hypocrisy of the people and priesthood (Malachi 2.1-17). Because of these attitudes and actions, Malachi warns of a coming judgment from God (Malachi 3.1-5). Malachi does not speak all doom and gloom, however, as he reminds the Jews that the righteous will be victorious (Malachi 4.1-3). This aspect of his address is directed toward those identified as a spiritual remnant made up of those who are faithful to the Lord (Malachi 3.16-18).
Finally, in closing, Malachi calls the people to remember their God and charged them to keep the whole law (Malachi 4.4). The book ends with a sign preceding the coming of the king. Malachi states that God would send Elijah before the day of the Lord (Malachi 4.5). This was later fulfilled in the work of John the baptizer as stated by Christ (Matthew 11.11-14). Thus God closes the period covered by the Old Testament as a preparation for the coming of the Messiah, the prophet like Moses, who was to be raised up from among them (Deuteronomy 18.15).
It should be noted here that although God allowed the nations around them to destroy Judah and Israel, His eternal purpose was not thwarted. God’s plan for the eventual salvation of mankind did not rest on the maintenance of national integrity by the Hebrews. As noted above, there were those who were faithful to God in spite of the idolatrous practices that filled the nation. Today many point to world events and see God as struggling with mankind to bring his plans to fruition. The scriptures demonstrate that God performs His will through those who are committed to Him and is not dependent on the actions of humans.
Christ expresses this in His statement that only a few would follow the narrow path that leads to salvation (Matthew 7.14). God, throughout the Biblical narrative, performs His will under the most desperate conditions, in the worst situations at the least favorable moment. A careful study of the scriptures reveals purpose, design and direction in all things. Jehovah has indeed performed His will in spite of the flaws of His own people and has left a divine record of those events. The very existence of the scriptures in a world which rejects them is evidence for the omnipotence of the Lord of all things.