At the command of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, raiders from the territories surrounding Judah – Chaldeans, Arameans, Moabites, Ammonites – ravaged the land (II Kings 24:1-2). And also at the command of the Lord: “Surely this came upon Judah at the command of the Lord, to remove them out of his sight” (24:3).

Then King Nebuchadnezzar besieged and captured Jerusalem, took as plunder all the gold and silver, and took as captives all the leading citizens and artisans (24:11-16). He left Zedekiah behind as a puppet king; but nine years later Zedekiah rebelled, and Nebuchadnezzar came back, besieged Jerusalem again, and this time everything was destroyed: the temple was wrecked, all its furnishings broken down for plunder, everything in the city was taken (25:8-21).

Just a few brave men were left; they assassinated the governor the Babylonians had appointed, and then fled to Egypt (25:22-26). The Promised Land of the people of Israel had been reduced to a wasteland; the city of Jerusalem and the temple of the Lord had been shattered to rubble; and everyone was dead except for a remnant comprised of slaves in Babylon and rebels fleeing to Egypt.

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Again and again, Lord, it becomes plain that we are no better than our ancestors: we are so slow to learn from their experience. Teach us, O God, to live in repentance and faithfulness; save us from presuming that in your patience and your grace you would never let disaster overtake us.