Conquest and Exile

Chapter 13

The fall of the south

After Rehoboam

The North had fallen into the hands of the Assyrians

South is left with Rehoboam’s descendants Hezekiah takes over the throne of David

after the North was conquered All that’s left of the 12 tribes is Judah and

Benjamin

1

Prophet Isaiah Advises

Hezekiah was advised by God’s prophet Isaiah

He is completely different from his father Ahaz – Ahaz was an evil king

who burned one of his sons as an offering to a false god

2

Hezekiah the Good

Hezekiah was a good king Reformed the liturgy He had the Levites cleanse

the temple of the anything unclean

Lead the people in holiness

Tore down foreign idols

3

Manessah takes the throne

When Hezekiah died his son Manessah took the throne

Manessah built altars to foreign god’s into the Temple

Burned one of his son’s in an offering to a pagan god

Persecuted worshipers– Worshiper of God had to go

underground to be safe

4

Assyria attacks the South

Assyria attacks Jerusalem and Manessah is carried off in chains

He had a conversion and God sent him back

In Jerusalem he tore down the pagan altars

Offered thanksgiving in the Temple as required

Lived longer than any king5

Manesssah’s Grandson

Manessah’s son was assassinated for paganism His grandson Josiah is a great reformer. He found the book of Deuteronomy which had

been hidden when the priests were being killed under Manessah’s rule

He read the law aloud and everyone swore to uphold the law

He burned the pagan altars, expelled cult prostitutes, etc.

6

Josiah’s descendants

Son’s led people back to paganism

Each son was carried away by other kings

Zedekiah, the youngest remained king in place for Babylon– Jeremiah warned him that he

could not succeed in overthrowing Babylon

7

Prophet Jeremiah

Warns the king that Judah is about to fall Destruction so terrible it will seem to

“undo” God’s creation– Jer 4:23-36 - I looked on the earth and lo, it was

waste and void; and to the heavens, and they had no light

• He is describing Israel to look like the world before God created

8

The fall of Israel was simply God’s punishment for their lack of faithfulness

He is going to preserve a remnant Jer 31:31-34

– God says he will make a new covenant unlike the old covenant

– The law will be on their hearts instead– He will restore his unfaithful bride, Israel

9

Final destruction of Israel Nebuchadnezzar, king of

Babylon, burned down the city of Jerusalem

Temple and palace destroyed Jeremiah hides the Ark of the

Covenant from “looters”– Ark is lost

Jeremiah as well as the rest of the Jews were dragged back to Egypt

10

The Exile

Lost the promised land Lost the temple Many became slaves They lived among the evil

of Babylon– Remember who the

Babylonians are the descendants of…

– Tower of Babel

11

Israel’s Conversion

While in exile in Babylon the people begin to experience conversion

It was their sin that made the kingdom fall They begin to desire to worship God as he

deserves once again

12