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 by God’s decision: “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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As Jesus came out of the temple and was going away, his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. Then he asked them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly I tell you, not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down” (Matthew 24:1-2).
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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.

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