Here’s how the study works: Read the chapters mentioned in the heading during the week and share any words, thoughts, verses that stood out to you. Having a week for several chapters creates the opportunity to revisit them and make additional comments as you feel inclined as well as make comments on other people’s insights.
26:17-19 Some of the elders of the land stepped forward and said to the entire assembly of people, "Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. He told all the people of Judah, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, the temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets.'
Did Hezekiah king of Judah or anyone else in Judah put him to death? Did not Hezekiah fear the Lord and seek his favor? And did not the Lord relent, so that he did not bring the disaster he pronounced against them? We are about to bring a terrible disaster on ourselves!"
They realized that, "We are about to bring a terrible disaster on ourselves" but did not repent! They didn't really believe God would evict them from the land or allow the temple to be destroyed. However God's protection was conditional on keeping the covenant.
Even today we hear what we want to hear.
26:17-19 Some of the elders of the land stepped forward and said to the entire assembly of people, "Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. He told all the people of Judah, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, the temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets.'
Did Hezekiah king of Judah or anyone else in Judah put him to death? Did not Hezekiah fear the Lord and seek his favor? And did not the Lord relent, so that he did not bring the disaster he pronounced against them? We are about to bring a terrible disaster on ourselves!"
They realized that, "We are about to bring a terrible disaster on ourselves" but did not repent! They didn't really believe God would evict them from the land or allow the temple to be destroyed. However God's protection was conditional on keeping the covenant.
Even today we hear what we want to hear.
27:7 All nations will serve him and his son and his grandson until the time for his land comes; then many nations and great kings will subjugate him.
27:11 But if any nation will bow its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will let that nation remain in its own land to till it and to live there, declares the Lord.
Serving him (Nebuchadnezzar) and his son and his grandson would take 70 years.
To "bow its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon" was a serious blow to their pride. They were accustom to lax leadership and now having to submit to pagan leadership was going to be a huge lesson in humility.
Sometimes God goes to extreme measures to break our pride.
27:7 All nations will serve him and his son and his grandson until the time for his land comes; then many nations and great kings will subjugate him.
27:11 But if any nation will bow its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will let that nation remain in its own land to till it and to live there, declares the Lord.
Serving him (Nebuchadnezzar) and his son and his grandson would take 70 years.
To "bow its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon" was a serious blow to their pride. They were accustom to lax leadership and now having to submit to pagan leadership was going to be a huge lesson in humility.
Sometimes God goes to extreme measures to break our pride.
28:14 This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I will put an iron yoke on the necks of all these nations to make them serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and they will serve him. I will even give him control over the wild animals.
God allows Nebuchadnezzar to have control over wild animals but later in Daniel 4:19-37 God humbled Nebuchadnezzar by driving him away from people and he lived with the wild animals for seven years.
God's ways are not our ways – he has ways of humbling people so they know he is the Most High (Daniel 4:24) and the king of Heaven (4:37).
28:14 This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I will put an iron yoke on the necks of all these nations to make them serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and they will serve him. I will even give him control over the wild animals.
God allows Nebuchadnezzar to have control over wild animals but later in Daniel 4:19-37 God humbled Nebuchadnezzar by driving him away from people and he lived with the wild animals for seven years.
God's ways are not our ways – he has ways of humbling people so they know he is the Most High (Daniel 4:24) and the king of Heaven (4:37).
29:5 Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce.
God told the exiles to makes themselves 'at home' in Babylon. This is the norm for God's people – build houses, plant gardens. It's a picture of domesticity. There is contentment in the daily routine. Our city is our Babylon. We should enjoy domesticity while living in hope of our heavenly home.
29:5 Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce.
God told the exiles to makes themselves 'at home' in Babylon. This is the norm for God's people – build houses, plant gardens. It's a picture of domesticity. There is contentment in the daily routine. Our city is our Babylon. We should enjoy domesticity while living in hope of our heavenly home.
30:17 'But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,' declares the Lord,'because you are called an outcast, Zion for whom no one cares.'
It may seem like the Lord no longer cares for his people but God will restore. No one is a hopeless cause. One day we will understand this (v. 24).
30:17 'But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,' declares the Lord,'because you are called an outcast, Zion for whom no one cares.'
It may seem like the Lord no longer cares for his people but God will restore. No one is a hopeless cause. One day we will understand this (v. 24).