Babylonian captivity

And although there is an overlap on some timelines with Judaism, monotheism, I said earlier, did not develop until after the Exodus.

but did not fully develop until after the Babylonian exile.

And those are two important time periods, 12, 13, 1400 BC and 5, 600 BC.

Important because during both of those time periods, the people in question were exposed to the Egyptian religion.

And so they burned down the temple.

And this created something called the Babylonian Exile.

The Jews in the Babylonian exile, because of their proud tradition, they still prayed to Jerusalem.

And then the Babylonians were conquered by the Persians, led by Cyrus the Great.

And Cyrus the Great basically said to the Jews, I'll allow you to go back to the Levant as long as you swear loyalty to me.

And from the city he took an officer who had been in command of the men of war, and seven men of the king's council, who were found in the city, and the secretary of the commander of the army, who mustered the people of the land, and sixty men of the people of the land.

who were found in the midst of the city and nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them and brought them to the king of babylon at riblah and the king of babylon struck them down and put them to death at riblah in the land of hamath so judah was taken into exile out of its land This is the number of the people whom Nebuchadnezzar carried away captive.

Well, notice, one of the books that is clearly that he was reading is the book of the prophet, in Hebrew we call it Yirmiyahu, or Jeremiah.

Yirmiyahu, or Jeremiah, was a prophet that also had been at the time of Daniel the prophet, and he had written the period of time when the people of Israel will spend in Babylon as captives, in the Babylonian captivity.

How long will be the Babylonian captivity? Notice again.

He understood by a book, I understood by a book, in verse 2 it says, the number of the years, how many years, whereof the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah the prophet that he would accomplish 70 years in the desolation of Jerusalem.

Daniel inquiring concerning the future of his people.

And he was reading it in his Bible, and he turned in a prophet Jeremiah, and he was reading there in a prophet Jeremiah that God is going to allow Israel and the land to be desolate, and Israel to be taken captive for a total of 70 years in the Babylonian captivity.

So I want you just for a minute to turn with me to the prophet Jeremiah, chapter 25.

Jeremiah chapter 25.

This Sunday, we listen to an excerpt from his Commentary on Isaiah, wherein he ponders the first reading proclaimed at Mass.

The podcast description also contains a link to this Sunday's blog article reflecting on the Babylonian captivity and the role of the Persian king Cyrus the Great in restoring Jerusalem and the temple.

And now, an excerpt from St. Cyril of Alexandria's Commentary on Isaiah.

The story goes that mighty Cyrus read this prophecy, was very pleased with what was prophesied about him by God, and formed the intention of delivering a proclamation of God's glory in the cities and countries subject to him, while confessing that he worshipped the God of the Jews, who alone is God and Lord of all.

Then enemies bribe officials, and the work falls silent.

Exile isn't extinction.

When we finish reading, we'll spend a few minutes on the steadfast love of God, a love that brings us home.

Ezra, Chapter 1 Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

God truly loves his people.

He truly loves you.

Exile isn't extinction.

You may be in a season of exile, whether it's discipline or hardship, maybe a disease, a failed marriage, a lost faith.